starting with Metavive 2

[Kailey99]

Hi,

I just got my metavive 2 and I took half a capsule, I've been of levothyroxine for a couple of weeks now and my last dosage there was 125 mg. I feel a bit strange and dizzy from metavive is this common? When is the best time of day to take it? Is there anything I should be aware of? Im usually very sensitive to new medicines

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

Is this your first post?

You seem to have only been diagnosed very recently. How much Levothyroxine are you currently taking and how long ....if only two weeks.....it's likely too soon to consider trying anything else

Are you saying you started on 125mcg Levothyroxine? Standard starter dose is 50mcg.

We would always recommend getting FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing before considering changing from Levothyroxine

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose change in Levothyroxine

Do you have test results you can add from before starting on Levothyroxine?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water . This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's.

[Kailey99 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi, no I've been off levothyroxine for two weeks, I was previously on it for a year and a half but stopped due to very bad side effects and my doctor wouldn't help or listen to me at all. That is why I am trying out metavive 2 right now. I realize now from reading up that my doctors has missed checking my cortisol levels which I guess he should have done so I don't know anything and Im also low in ferritinin. I have very high antibodies so I know I have hashimotos but Im starting to think I have insufficiencies or another disease too.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Kailey99]

EXTREMELY common with Hashimoto's that we have low vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

What vitamin supplements do you currently take?

Poor conversion of FT4 to FT3 is very common with Hashimoto's

Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first

Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet




(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)




Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

What were your results when on 125mcg Levothyroxine?

[dina7]

If you're taking half a capsule presumably you're just shaking the powder into your mouth? That gets it into your system much more quickly and if you're sensitive to new medications I wonder if you'd do better with swallowing a whole capsule of Metavive 1 to start with? I know it's more expensive but if it's going to work for you it'll be worth it.

Alternatively you could try just taking a quarter of your capsules four times a day.

I'm afraid you just have to keep experimenting until you find the right dose and time(s) of day for you.

You can also get Adrenavive for your cortisol. Who has recommended the Metavive to you?