Ideas for thyrogard

[Bibisbibi]

Hello you lovely people.i have been looking for more natural replacements and came back on thyrogard. Has anybody ever tried it and does it actually help levels go to optimal?many thanks

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Why do you think that Thyrogard will replace thyroid hormone? Indeed, why do you think it will help in any way at all?

I note the interesting wording on their website:

Within the endocrine system, there is a careful and delicate balancing act between the thyroid and pituitary glands. As we age, your thyroid struggles to produce enough of the hormones T3 and T4. This causes your pituitary gland to respond by overproducing TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone. The resulting imbalance disrupts the equilibrium between your thyroid hormones and produces weight fluctuations, mood swings, and brain fog.

Neat switch from "we" to "your".

Zero explanation of why your thryoid is struggling. (And the word "struggling" is used as if your thyroid gland is itself sentient and is trying really hard but not managing.) Zero explanation of why this doesn't affect everyone.

If your pituitary produces more TSH, not overproducing - just an appropriate rise, and that increases the T4 and T3 production, that does not of itself make an imbalance.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Bibisbibi

Don't waste your money.

Like most "thyroid support" supplements, it contains iodine in the form of kelp. Iodine used to be used to treat overactive thyroid so can make hypothyroidism worse. Also, you have Hashi's and iodine is particularly cautioned against when Hashi's is present.

Iodine should only be supplemented if tested and found to be deficient.

You have had a partial thyroidectomy. Your levels should be checked regularly and if your remaining thyroid doesn't produce enough natural thyroid hormone then you will need prescribed thyroid hormone replacement.

It would also be a good idea to test Vit D, B12, folate and ferritin.

[Bibisbibi in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you ladies for the immediate response. I know that supplements wouldn't replace any medicated therapy but I was looking at maybe help with my metabolism as since I had my surgery doesn't seem to work.i would also like to have some of my energy back.i know it will take time until everything settles but just can't bare it.

[Artemis04 in reply to Bibisbibi]

Hi, like so many I've read about on this site, I've had problems from day dot with energy loss and weight gain. When I was first diagnosed I was a Personal Fitness Trainer, so nutritional knowledge, exercise and motivation were not short in supply. However, 3 months after my thyroid was nuked (I was hyper) I 'crashed' so violently that lifting a toothbrush was too much effort! I also gained 2 stone in that short time. Obviously this was an extreme reaction, but I know what you mean when you say you can't bear it. I plagued the doctors and specialists about this, but they could not offer solutions so I had to research and come up with them myself. I found Dr Shomon's book very helpful. I also 'sacked' my specialist who was very narrow minded, his Registrar was more reasonable and he eventually agreed to put me on T3 which helped enormously. Vitamin B complex and Vit C helped to curb the depression that ensued, and iron (you will need a blood test to determine if it's needed as a build is toxic if not needed) but I still get muscle cramps for which I take Quinnine. I had to give up my beloved Fitness career of 25 years due to weight gain and lethargy which have never left me, so I do understand, but you cannot rely on specialists. It is important to do as much research as you can and keep pestering the specialists with your findings....they don't stand in your shoes and probably don't have to live with your condition. the laboratory tests for TSH levels have proved to be farcical, what is normal for one person is abnormal for another, I've proved this time and time again as when I've been instructed to alter my Levo dose due to lab results I've often ended up feeling worse. It's a long road with many adjustments and it will probably always be that way unless you are one of the lucky ones. Post menopause mine seemed to stabilise, but of course there are problems with other hormone deficiencies then. I still struggle with my weight as I don't have the energy, and therefore the willingness, to exercise to the degree that's needed to shift it. I hope you find a solution, but it needs to be your own, not someone elses, as your body chemistry is individual to you. Good luck.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Bibisbibi]

PS:

Not so much of the "ladies", please.

[BirgitteG in reply to SeasideSusie]

I have to say, that the iodine used for hyperthyroidism is radioactive iodine. Iodine is needed by the thyroid to make hormones - it is, together with l-tyrosine, what the hormones are made of. It is only bad for Hashimotos if you don't get enough selenium.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to BirgitteG]

BirgitteG

I know all that. What you may not know is that many years ago iodine used to be used to treat overactive thyroid, I'm not talking about Radioactive Iodine treatment that is used now, my response to the original post was that the iodine contained in supplements used to be used to treat overactive thyroid. Note that I said in my post "used to be used to treat overactive thyroid", I didn't say "is used".

From uptodate.com/contents/iodin...

Iodine solutions, such as saturated solutions of potassium iodide (SSKI) or potassium iodide-iodine (Lugol's solution), replaced burnt sponge extract in the 19th century as treatment for endemic goiter. By extension, they were sometimes used to treat Graves' disease, but by the end of the century, they were considered to be a dangerous form of therapy. They returned to favor in the 1920s as preoperative treatment for hyperthyroidism and were used in the 1930s as the sole therapy for mild hyperthyroidism prior to the introduction of the thionamides. Today, iodine continues to have a minor role in the treatment of hyperthyroidism.

[greygoose]

Thyrogard contains iodine and tyrosine, the two ingredients of thyroid hormone. However, they need the thyroid gland to put them together and make the hormone. You've had a thyroidectomy, so that's not going to work, is it. You can combine flour, eggs and sugar, but if you don't have an oven, you won't make a cake.

I was looking at maybe help with my metabolism as since I had my surgery doesn't seem to work

It's the thyroid hormone itself that drives metabolism, not the individual ingredients of the hormone. If your metabolism is low, you are probably under-medicated.

If you think turmeric and black pepper are going to help you - and there's every reason to think that they can help in some areas - then you can get supplements containing just those two things. But, the idea that you need vast quantities of iodine is misguided. You actually need less iodine in your body now that you don't have a thyroid making thyroid hormone, not more. More is never better, you need what you need and only what you need. And, 100 mcg levo will give you 65 mcg iodine which is recycled in the body. Plus what you get from your food. Very unlikely that you are deficient.

[Carysta]

I have found that improving nutrition and supplementing with vitamins along with walking and gentle exercise have improved my feeling of wellbeing. When I felt tired or unwell I used to reach for the sweet stuff it was not helpful . Best wishes

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You say in previous post you had thyroid and vitamin levels tested before the operation

If you add results, members can advise on what vitamin supplements you need

Getting vitamin levels optimal is first step

[Bibisbibi]

Thank you so much ladys for all your responses. Have you found you also had constipation?(sorry for tmi).sometimes it could be a week when I haven't pass a st*.no matter what I do doesn't help so that really adds up.i am wondering if I do blood tests at 4 weeks,won't they be reliable? Does it really have to be 6 weeks to show the real levels?Many thanks again for all your responds!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bibisbibi]

Bibisbibi

Have you found you also had constipation?

Constipation is a symptom of hypothyroidism. Being on the right dose of thyroid hormone replacement should help but in the meantime there are other ways of dealing with constipation, you have to find the way which suits you. Some suggestions:

Ortis Fruits and Fibres Cubes dolphinfitness.co.uk/en/ort...

Make sure it's that one, they do other varieties which contain senna, you don't want those.

Vit C - build up gradually and take as much as you need to effect a comfortable bowel movement

Magnesium Citrate - again, you take what you need to effect a comfortable bowel movement. It has laxative properties so build up gradually. Powder form is best as you can start low and find your necessary dose, you can't do that with tablets or capsules. Natural Calm Original Magnesium Citrate Powder is a good one.

i am wondering if I do blood tests at 4 weeks,won't they be reliable? Does it really have to be 6 weeks to show the real levels?

6-8 weeks is recommended when we are on thyroid hormone replacement after a dose change.

[Hidden in reply to Bibisbibi]

I drink a lot of smoothies as well as (trying to") eat reasonably healthily. I also take Vitamin C with the Levo (also helps absorption)

[Polly91]

These are the things that have helped me recover from sluggishness, fatigue and inability to think and concentrate:

Improved nutrition eg more veg , protein at breakfast (important for thyroid but in your case after surgery may not be as critical?) & eating less carbs in general but when eating carbs eat them last ie after fat & protein part of meal as this keeps blood sugar more stable.

Supplements: B complex, Fibroprotek (contains co enzyme Q10, carnitine and quercitin), vit D with vit A&K, selenium, magnesium , vitamin C

For thyroid function I take a small amount of both Levothyroxine and Metavive I.

Now the controversial bit- I take inorganic iodine. (Not to be confused with radioactive iodine or organic iodine ).

Many if not post people think iodine should be avoided at all costs but for me it has been a huge help. It’s not just the thyroid that needs iodine- skin, ovaries, breast, prostate, joints.

I wish you well in your recovery.

[BirgitteG in reply to Polly91]

I take iodine as well (and l-tyrosine).

The only thing is, it is crucial to get enough selenium when you take iodine. But selenium helps w conversion, so that's a win-win,

[Polly91 in reply to BirgitteG]

Completely agree selenium is critical to take with iodine.

[Bibisbibi]

You say in previous post you had thyroid and vitamin levels tested before the operation

If you add results, members can advise on what vitamin supplements you need

So these are my results from 4 November 2019:

Tsh 2.81(0,27_4,2)

Ft3 5,4(3,1-6,8)

Ft4 14.8(12_22)

Folate serum +19.8(+3.89)

B12 active 51.7(+37.5)

Ferritin 55.7 (13_150)

Thyroglobin antibodies 16.3(+115)

Tpa 115(-34)

I wasn't on any medication on that period and I wasn't fasten.i also was on vitamin d wich I have no results for it and on folic acid.

After that I was on 25 mg t4 for a month wich dropped my tsh to 0.9.i don't know my t4 and t3 cause I wasn't tested.I am not in any medication at the moment but I am supplementing vitamin d,magnesium and folic acid.

Many thanks again

[grumpyold]

I have had constipation for the past 9 months. I'm a piscaterian so I eat a LOT of fibre. Blood test in January showed my FT3 was only 3.8. Doc increased my levo from 100mcg to 125 mcg and this last week the constipation has eased a bit. Time will tell if that gets even better.

I am due another blood test at end of Feb.

To help with the problem I take Dulcoease stool softeners (up to 8 a day!) and also eat about 10 prunes.

[Hidden]

It doesn't make sense at first sight that more iodine can make things worse if you are hypo. But it is apparently true.

I came across this through a search:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[BirgitteG in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jnetti

A lot of other research have shown that iodine is NOT worsening Hashimotos, as long as you take selenium as well.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to BirgitteG]

Are you able to post links to this research?

If true, as stated, then we have to be very careful to ensure we ignore much of the USA which tends to have adequate selenium. (I see no merit in taking selenium if you have enough already.)

[BirgitteG in reply to helvella]

There's a lot of research regarding selenium - iodine interaction. Actually, you shouldn't be low in either of them if you get enough of the other...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/2...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

deannaminich.com/the-health...

[BirgitteG in reply to helvella]

Like the last link this is just information:

wilsonssyndrome.com/when-ta...

[BirgitteG in reply to helvella]

And there are references here:

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

[BirgitteG in reply to helvella]

Maybe you would like to read this as well (there are links).

stopthethyroidmadness.com/2...

[Angel_of_the_North]

The only OTC products which might possibly help are Metavive (UK/EU), Thyrogold (USA) and Thyrovanz (AUS). Other supplements are a waste of money and might make things worse. If you can get it, Thai NDT is usually cheaper.