can someone help me transition from synthetical T4/t3 to NP thyroid?

[hendb]

Hello beautiful community,

Im a hypo (since childhood, but treated only since 2 years). noone of the previous treatments really helped. im always tired/ exhausted/ constipated/ skin dry/ hair falling/ yellow skin color/ super high cholestrol etc etc

I tryied T4 only for years = didnt help obviously.

Then i switched to T4/T3, better but still not ok.

Now im taking :

150mg T4 + 20mg T3 upon waking

and 50mg T4+ 10mg t3 at noon

my hair is still falling, im still tied etc etc.

im taking iron, and ew weeks ago my ferritin levels were at : 57 ng/ mL (which is great because im really anemic usually, so my supplementation seem to work)

im also taking vitamine D, my levels are : 53

y cortisol saliva tests howed low cortisol at 4 times during the day. i tried Hydrocortisone, it worked well the first month making me feel more zen. but it stoped working so i stoped taking it.

I think of switching to cortex (thorn research) im note sure yet.

Im 40 and my whole life has been a mess because of untreated or wrongly treated hypo issues. i feel like i am a old lady. not able to excercice, with no energy to meet friends, and enjoy life.

i really need to work this out!

i hope you will be able to help me. i think im going to transition to NP thyroid.

can someone recommend me how many grains i should be taking?

with or without t3?

are my iron levels sufficient for adding NDT?

MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE

[shaws Administrator]

I am not medically qualified but if I were you I think I'd begin on 1 grain (approx 100mcg of levo) as your combined dose above is around 300mcg of thyroid hormones.

NDT contains T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin and I'd start at 1 grain and every 2 weeks add 1/4 tablet. Take note of your clinical symptoms and don't rush your dose. Take note of pulse/temp until your symptoms are relieved but if either goes too high drop to previous dose.

Take dose with one full glass of water when you awake and wait an hour before eating.

Some prefer a bedtime dose in that case you must have last eaten a meal about 3 hours before.

[hendb in reply to shaws]

thanks a LOT for your answer... ill take it into consideration. how thing surprise me when you say "have your breakfast one hour after the NDT"...my problem is that ibave adrenal fatigue and i have to eat within 30' of wakinf up (and takind my levo medication).... what should i do?

Also, i dont wont to take the chance to feel depressed and gain weight etc... maiy be a grain and a half would be a good option? I dont know and my doctor doesnt understand NDT

[MaisieGray]

As you are already taking T3 in combination with your T4, in principle you can simply swap to an equivelant dose of NDT and there is no need to swap to a lower dose and titrate up. If you were taking only T4, you might want to be more circumspect, and approach the addition of T3 more gradually; but your body is already used to 30 mcg of T3 in addition to the 200 mcg T4. Each grain NDT contains 38 mcg T4 and 9 mcg T3. However you are taking a not inconsiderable total dose of thyroid hormones (equivalent to c 320 mcg T4) and with perhaps unusual timings; and you haven't provided any information about your most recent blood test results and their ranges, as a result of being on that dosing regime; without which it's not wise to advise what your best NDT dosing options might be; and without which you perhaps shouldn't be yet making the swap. You need a current baseline in order to assess the impact of swapping to NDT, at whichever initial dose; but also need to understand the effect of being on your current combination regime. If you have them, post them here so that you might be more accurately advised. Your ferritin and Vit D levels appear too low but others will advise you in more detail. Low zinc can also be indicated in hair loss.

[hendb in reply to MaisieGray]

THANKS a lot, for your help...

I didnt realise i was taking such a high dosage

and i dont even feel hyper symptoms ...

is my iron level correct enough to start NDT? thats one thing that worries me a lot

[shaws Administrator in reply to hendb]

If you prefer you can take your dose at bedtime, but must have last eaten a meal about 3 hours before, so that no food can interfere with the uptake. If taking a bedtime dose, miss this if having a blood test next a.m. and take after it and night dose as usual.

I know of one person who took their thyroid hormones in the middle of the night.

[hendb in reply to shaws]

i will give it a try...hoepfully it wont give me insomnia like t3 at night does

[shaws Administrator in reply to hendb]

I take T3 when I get up. thankfully I've had no problems.

[hendb in reply to shaws]

shaws are you taking t3 only or t4/t3? how long do you wait before eating your breakfast?