new to ndt - help with dose please

[Nico101]

hi everyone,

my wp thyroid just arrived - 1 grain, as that was all that was left. what would be a starting dose please?

also, aside from biotin and calcium, are there any other supplements to avoid around the time of taking it?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Nico101

So that nothing affects absorption, it's best to take any thyroid hormone on it's own with a glass of water. Usual advice for Levo - which personally I would say is for any thyroid hormone to avoid any possibility of absorption being affected - is to take it 1 hour before food or 2 hours after, and 2 hours away from other medication or supplements, some need 4 hours (calcium, iron, magnesium, Vit D).

Ae you currently taking Levo and changing over to NDT or are you not taking any thyroid hormone replacement at the moment?

[Nico101 in reply to SeasideSusie]

i was taking only metavive, which i realise is pretty weak compared to proper meds.

does magnesium include topical? i'm thinking not but best to be sure.

i normally take my prednisone first thing - well before food - so perhaps i should take it with that?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Nico101]

Nico101

Magnesium can be topical, it can also be Epsom salt baths if you like.

"i normally take my prednisone first thing - well before food - so perhaps i should take it with that?"

Sorry, take what with what?

[Nico101 in reply to SeasideSusie]

take the ndt first thing with my prednisone.

so does magnesium count if it's a topical spray or salts?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Nico101]

It's generally said that thyroid hormone should be taken on it's own, away from other medication (and supplements) by 2 hours (some need 4 hours) so that nothing interferes with it's absorption.

Yes, you can take magnesium in any form - transdermal, bath/footsoak with Epsom salts or oral supplements.

[Nico101 in reply to SeasideSusie]

thanks. today i took a 1/4 grain 2 hrs before prednisone. i've heard people say they take it at night, but i take my cannabis oil, 5-htp, and b vits at night. i think i may take it when i wake up for the loo during the night. that way i avoid all other meds an supplements.

does that sound ok?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Nico101]

It's fine to take it during the night, I take my thyroid hormone when I wake up for a bathroom trip, some time between 3am and 6am.

[radd]

Noco101,

Have you previously medicated T3 in any shape or form ?

[Nico101 in reply to radd]

nothing at all for the thyroid except metavive. it used to be enough. dr p put me on it. but 18 months of severe stress has worsened my hashi's beyond anything metavive can do for me,

[radd in reply to Nico101]

Nico101,

Your previous test results show FT4 33% & FT3 38.3% through range so could do with highering, but you have elevated thyroid antibodies and adrenals issues to consider.

NDT can be intolerant of elevated thyroid antibodies and members can find it difficult to raise NDT enough to bring well-being. Also, adrenals need supporting first or otherwise can find it difficult to keep up with the increase in metabolism resulting from increased thyroid hormone levels.

What has made you go for NDT when adding just a bit of T4 may have been enough with adrenal support ?

Are you supporting your adrenals ?

All thyroid meds need to be taken 1 hour before food, 2 hours before supplements and 4 hours before calcium, iron or vit D.

[Nico101 in reply to radd]

i think i was influenced by dr p and recent research. i also prefer to take as few synthetic stuffs as possible. on a previous thread on here someone mentioned a little ndt would support my thyroid.

i take adrenavive 300mg and 5mg of prednisone for my adrenals.

[radd in reply to Nico101]

Nico101,

Your thyroid hormones are low but your FT3 is higher than your FT4 level & this evidences you are a good converter, and so probably only need to add a little T4 to raise both enough for well being.

Levo is also easier to introduce as more tolerant of elevated thyroid antibodies than NDT, which can risk instigating hashi attacks if dose isn’t raised quickly enough. Because you haven’t medicated T3 before you will need to introduce slowly and this is where members find problems occur. Levo comes in tablets of varying amounts and so doses can be titivated more easily.

However, if you wish to go ahead with the WPThyroid then each grain contains 38mcg T4 & 9mcg T3 , so 65mcg T4. However, the manufacturers state each grain is actually bioequivalent to 100mcg T4.

I take WPThyroid, have no thyroid gland left at all & only take 1.25 grains in summer & 1.5 grains on winter.

If you were to start WPThyroid, it would be wise to start low with just a quarter for one week. If no ill effects are felt, add another quarter. If no ill side effects are felt, add another quarter. Hold for six weeks & test to ensure you don’t go over.

You wouldn’t need a high dose because your thyroid is still producing hormone. The trick is to raise slowly enough to allow body T3 acceptance but because you have elevated thyroid antibodies, quickly enough to keep TSH low, so discouraging thyroid activity & risking a hashi attack.

Members have also experienced problems introducing NDT with low iron.

It would be a lot easier for you to take just T4 for reasons above, but also because you don’t need additional T3 at the stage. It is good you are supporting adrenals. Did Dr P give you any other alternatives to Prednisone ?

[Nico101 in reply to radd]

thanks for all that info.

if you think t4 is the way to go, i'll ask my gp for levo. christ knows when i'll get an appointment - maybe i'll write to her and explain the situation. she should have the results of my thyroid ultrasound next week, so could kill 2 birds with one stone.

for now, i'm taking 1/4 grain of wp thyroid. i'll stick with that until i can sort some levo.

how will i know if ndt is causing me probs amongst all my negative symptoms? is there anything in particular i should look out for?

dr p said i should ideally take a mineral corticoid like florinef... except my gp said an endo would need to prescribe this, and after 7 months of waiting there is no appointment in sight.

eventually i hope to come off it.

[radd in reply to Nico101]

Nico101,

Unless your GP is forward thinking, you may have troubles getting Levo prescribed because your test results are all within range. You should point out that your adrenals are failing and your thyroid antibodies are high meaning your thyroid will eventually produce less & less hormone as the gland is attacked.

Symptoms are overdosing on NDT would be feeling too hot, shaky, unable to sleep, etc ... If you are feeling better that is good. 🙂

Optimising thyroid hormone will support your adrenals as they all work together.