Hi all
Sorry to broach such a horrible subject but I have been unwell over Christmas with severe constipation. I source t3 privately and when I first took it my constipation improved. Now it’s worse again. I wonder if I need a higher dose? I take 100 levo and 25 t3. Any advice welcome. I take a large dose of vit b complex I have heard this can cause constipation.
Thank you all in advance.
To know if you need a higher dose, you'd need to see where your current FT4 and FT3 levels are.
I haven't heard of B Complex causing constipation.
Vit C can help with constipation (you can dose to bowel tolerance) as can magnesium citrate.
Thank you I will have to have another private test. My gp is just awful. No appts and very unhelpfu.will have to wait a few weeks as tests are expensive. Christmas has cleared us out at the moment!
I have just started magnesium citrate. So hopefully will work. Need something quick as I am really bloated uncomfortable and unwell.
Don't be sorry. You know its really not a horrible subject, its just who we are now and what's happening to us. Its one of the realities of hypothyroidism and for me its a daily mystery as to whether my constipation is good, bad or indifferent 
One of the best ways to address constipation is by slowly increasing the amount of fibre in the daily diet.
I'm in Oz but I'd think you should be able to get Metamucil (if you don't have IBS) for a daily dose of additional fibre which will definitely help you. My preference is for Apple fibre (powder) which is much gentler and doesn't cause emergency pit-stops! Sometimes its a question of adjusting to a different way of being and not necessarily dosage issues. Hope this helps Cazzalouise.
Thank you I will try that. Much appreciated.
But remember to drink plenty of good water. I use to take metamucil and it would become solid and come out attached to the feces. Even with hypothyroid, water is the great panacea for constipation.
I have no gallbladder and because of this suffer sometimes from constipation. My pharmacist recommended Lactulose this cost around £3 a bottle and is very gentle. It works well for me. If I feel like I want to go and cannot I just go and take some, once your bowl starts working you will feel well again. Everyone has to go please don't worry.
If your b complex contains high dose biotin, stop taking it for a week before your bloods. Some labs use a biotin assay and if they do the biotin will skew the thyroid results (and not in your favour!). You could call customer service to verify if you prefer
Recommend you take Magnesium. Start with four 400 mg, and go up to six if necessary.
I have started magnesium citrate I hope it works soon. Thank you.
Try a stool softener as opposed to a laxative. Increase intake of water.
Thank you I will ask my pharmacist.
Yup you need to get your levels checked. I get constipation when I go hypo and hyper!!!
Thank you I never think of being hyper because I’m so tired and sluggish. I will order test soon.
I used to take senna and other such tablets but now just take extra vitamin c when become constipated. I take 1000mg daily with iron but if needed one extra 1000mg tablet usually does the trick. Very Rare occasions it doesn't I take 2 extra vit c 1000mg tabs the next day. Works a treat for me and hubbie .
Magnesium citrate is brilliant, and I take magnesium glycinate the rest of the time.
A natural way of relieving constipation is drinking a glass of prune juice every day. That helped me way better than the doctor's prescription of Laculose.
Hope you feel better soon
Thank you I will be off in search of prune juice! Still taking the magnesium. Maybe I’m going to burst! Lol you have to laugh or you would cry
I have had Crohns since 1972 so rarely suffer with constipation but the opposite. So do take a look at my link above ... Imagine you were a slave working in the cotton fields - or any other rural occupation that is far away from a convenience. So yes squatting is the answer for a smooth evacuation
I know! Definitely one of the unpleasant side effects of hypothyroidism!
Be wary of prune juice it’s effects can be explosive 😱😳🤣 take no more than a glass full! I very occasionally take 3-6 papaya seeds swallowed whole. As well as opening the bowels this clears out any intestinal parasites. I coughed up what looked like a whipworm a while back 🤮 really hideous, doctors were useless when I called them for advice said I should have caught it and without it they could do nothing! They want to try catching a tiny thing like that whilst gardening it slithered out of my hand in a nanosecond whilst I was doubled up in agony - it was like coughing up a blooming twig really really painful and I have them such an accurate description it could not have been anything else! Given their hopeless response I did a bit of diy and took them for that (I knew of their use from when I lived in Africa and scientific studies have showed them to be very effective indeed) seems they were playing havoc with my digestion too, it is more akin to a purge! Ha ha you thought your subject matter was unpleasant 😂
Over Christmas the change in diet and alcohol can easily cause constipation. Rather than going for medication I would recommend you really up your water intake. If you have been thirsty your body will have removed water from your bowel causing your stools to harden. Reduce alcohol, and caffeine they cause you to excrete more water. Take magnesium , I use MAG350 , and lots of vitamin C up to bowel tolerance. Prunes in natural juice are good, if you have dried prunes make sure you soak them overnight in water. But you need to get water into your bowel to loosen your stools . If you find drinking plain water difficult put a bit of fresh lemon/ orange juice in it , or try decaf or green tea. Hope you are feeling better soon.
you poor thing, Please take this seriously and try to resolve it asap, with my hypothyroidism I had such bad constipation I started to throw up and had severe abdominal pain so bad i collapsed with the pain ended up in hospital. This sounds awful but my whole large bowel was impacted and caused a blockage in my bowel where no food was being moved. it can be life threatening. Now i work hard on keeping hydrated and eat fruit but still have to resort to Laxidol on some ocassions.
Just don't take any BigPharma drugs suggested by an MD. Early in the period before diagnosis of my hypothyroid, my MD gave me some anti-spasmodic that totally plugged me up. Using high doses of magnesium and vitamin C is a much better idea.
Constipation is common with Hypothyroidism, but not addressed enough. I take magnesium supplements - since taking them, no problem.
Magnesium- reasonably high dose - find the dose that works for you - morning and before bed, and ensure you drink plenty of water.
I know only too well what you mean. My GP gave me both Laxido and a softener. I have taken it with varying success over the last year. I took nothing before Christmas for a bit. Result I had an agonising trip on Christmas Eve. Also left with a prolapsed bit of bowel . Oh joy. It got worse during Christmas day and I had to leave the family to it early evening. Another couple of visits that night with same result. These three all meant I had to clear the blockage in the toilet bowl. By boxing day I was wrung out but three trip later I felt a bit better. Anyway I have a new skill. Popping myself back into my body. Been keeping up laxido and softener ever since. In fairness I have never been more than 3 weeks between. visits. Hope you get things resolved soon . x
We often get a little low in potassium when we take thyroid medicine.
This causes - among other things like fatigue, feeling of weakness, bloating and heart palpitations - muscle weakness, which can give us muscle and joint pain and cause constipation (as the muscles in the intestines are weakened too). A large glass of beetroot juice contains approximately 1 g of potassium (we need 4.7 g a day), and together with the magnesium glycinate, which helps the potassium get to the right places, it should relieve the constipation! If not, drink another glass after an hour (no sooner). Coconut water has approximately 1 g in half a liter, you can use that if you don't like beetroot juice (I take it with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar).
After I started getting enough potassium I am hardly ever bloated or constipated anymore, I have much more energy, and don't get those pains all over - not even the horrible pains I used to get in my heels after walking and resting, and then getting back on my feet. Plus, it's good for your heart, which needs enough potassium to work properly.
Take good care, though, not to overdose on supplements, and don't take too much at a time!
That is interesting Birgitte. I am taking magnesium citrate. What is the difference with magnesium glycinate? Which is best for hypo?
Thank you
Magnesium citrate (and magnesium oxide) does't really get into the cells were it is needed, most of it stays in the intestines, where it holds on to fluid. Good if you need that, but your cells need better magnesium. Citrate is pretty good, malate and taureate allegedly even better, but expensive. Magnesium chloride should be ok, it comes in spray and "oil" as well.
Thank you Birgitte if it wasn’t for this forum I don’t know what I would do!
Hope you'll get better soon. Happy New year!
I just realized that I wrote 'citrate' (not good) instead of 'bicarbonate' (good)! So sorry!
I am so sorry to sneak in with this one but...can you PM me your source of T3. A friend was getting mine, but forgot.....hmmmmm. Feeling lousy.
You don't mention your diet which may be the problem rather than resorting to medication ir supplements. Are you eating enough fruit and veg? Being hypo doesnt necessarily make you constipated so much as slows down your system so avoid anything that makes it worse - like meat particularly red meat. Brown rice, wholemeal breads etc instead of white ..The usual advice until you sort your thyroid dose if needed.
You can read on the following links, how magnesium can help with a number of problems and with constipation.
extracts:
My editor for the UK edition of The Miracle of Magnesium told me that as soon as she read my manuscript she gave magnesium to a friend who had severe muscle cramps. Her friend had visited several doctors and nobody could diagnosis her condition or offer her relief. Magnesium helped her immediately.
"Let me explain the laxative effect with this mineral. Magnesium has a wonderful failsafe mechanism that prevents it from building up in the body – the laxative effect. What’s not absorbed into the bloodstream and into the cells after a dose of magnesium goes through the kidneys into the urine and also through the intestines as loose stool. My problem is that any other form of magnesium in pills or powder gave me a fairly immediate laxative effect. This means I’m unable to get enough magnesium into my blood and cells to effectively fight my magnesium deficiency symptoms before it explodes out the other end!! Sorry, a bit dramatic, but that’s what happens to a certain percentage of magnesium users. When I began using the right type of magnesium [ReMag] I finally found relief for most of my magnesium deficiency symptoms (heart palpitations, charley horses, insomnia, muscle twitching) with no laxative effect.
The only contraindications to magnesium are caused in people with outright kidney failure, bowel obstruction, Myasthenia gravis, or heart block.
Also, if you have a heart condition you may find that taking magnesium can lessen the need for heart medication and you should be under doctor’s supervision to guide this process.
I take a similar dosage of T3 & T4 as you... I also take a table spoon of linseed s daily..... works like magic and is natural rather than another medication
Oh sorry to hear that. It’s common over Christmas for many, not just thyroid sufferers but a national epidemic! Have you heard of the Bristol scale? Based on that probably half the country at least is constipated!
Last week there was a senacot? ad on classic fm and thought that’s new.
I try and drink more water, a glass before bed and eat dried apricots etc, daily. Porridge helps me also. But bread, pasta and the like do the opposite.
Good luck with that Cazzalouise and I wish you a happy and healthier 2019
In the UK 'Lepicol' is easily available and is the same as 'Metamucil' (phsillium husk)
Try something to coat the stomach like maalox! I experienced the same things but maalox always helps me!
I take Movicol or Cosmocol. Gentle and pleasant to take. You can adjust dose as needed
Stay with the magnesium, and increase and decrease dosage until you feel normal. it natural, and won’t hurt you.
Thank you I have gone with the magnesium and vit c with a small dose of lactulose. Things are much better!
Glad you've got it sorted, and the magnesium and Vit C are essential, but I would swop the lactulose for a spoonful of Linusit golden linseeds (available from health shop). They go slimy once ingested, and protect the digestive tract, allowing smooth passage. In addition, it provides omega 3, which is very beneficial. You can sprinkle them in yoghurt or kefir, or just have a spoonful with a drink ~ nutritious and natural. 🌻 x
TSH 4.1 Normal T3 & T4... Hypothyroidism?
Endocrine Societies at Odds Over Advice on T3 for Hypothyroidism
Tips for constipation 
Blood Test Results - Hypothyroid - Free T3 & Free T4
Hypothyroid meds - T3
