Doing blood test at 8.10am, when do I take NDT (ERFA) to get best result?

[SmPea]

I am currently on a NDT (ERFA) trial with a Private Endo and need to do a Medichecks Advanced Thyroid test to see how the trial is going.

I am currently taking 1 grain 7.30am and a half grain at 12.00 midday. I have read on here that it is important to adjust timing of meds sometimes to get the best results. Figures and anything mathematical is not my strong point! I would be most grateful if someone could guide me how to take my NDT before and after my 8.10am blood draw appointment.

[siddooo1]

Hi SmPea

If your appt is at 8.10, you need to take your second dose roughly 10 to 12 hours before the blood draw. You will need to delay your second dose the day before and take it between 8 and 10 pm in the evening. On the morning of your appt don't take your morning dose until after your blood draw.

Hope this helps

Sidd0001

[SmPea in reply to siddooo1]

Many thanks, a great help! 🙂

[pennyannie]

Hello SmPea

With NDT you dose to the relief of symptoms and not a blood test result or range.

NDT was used successfully for over 100 years before the medical science of blood test analysis and you simply dose up in 1/4 gain increments weekly, to the relief of symptoms.

The blood test, guidelines and ranges were all introduced to be used alongside Big Pharma's synthetic T4 medication launched to compete with NDT.

Did you take bench mark readings of T3 and T4 before you started ?

Are you monitoring your temperature and blood pressure twice daily ?

On NDT your TSH will no doubt be low suppressed when optimally medicated - this is OK :

Your T4 may well be lower in the range than when you were on synthetic T4 :

But your T3 should have moved higher in the range :

It is T3 that gives you symptoms - hyper and hypo are the opposite ends of the same stick. Too high a T3 and you may feel slightly hyper - conversely too low a level of T3 and you have hypo symptoms - with some symptoms, confusingly, crossing over in both conditions.

I'd tend to leave 24 hours between last dose and blood draw if I was seeing a doctor.

No thyroid hormone replacement works as well as it might until your core strength vitamins and minerals, ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are maintained at optimal levels.

[SmPea in reply to pennyannie]

Thanks pennyannie for your info. I did do bench mark blood test before starting and am taking temp and heart rate but not everyday - I’ll do it daily from now on. I am hoping my low FT3 will become raised and relieve some of my long term symptoms- doesn’t feel like the NDT has had much of an impact so far....... in fact the quality of my sleep has got noticeably worse!! I know it can be a long journey to find the sweet spot and getting vitamins optimal is key as you say. I am supplementing Vit D and was taking Vit B complex but just stopped ready for blood test. 🤞the blood test result gives some positive signs. The one thing that has notably improved is my brightness and increased energy in the mornings (even though had poor sleep) my mood is uplifted, so that’s good!

So much of this is such a puzzle though. I have Hashimoto’s but have had severe unintentional weight loss - had all tests incase something more sinister - all negative. I’m floundering but not giving up!

[pennyannie in reply to SmPea]

Well, as you have Hashimoto's this does throw it's own spanner into the works as you will know you have an auto immune disease that is likely to attack and destroy your thyroid over a period of years, and presume you are aware of the " swings " in symptoms that this auto immune disease presents with.

These " swings " send your levels of T3 and T4 much higher giving you symptoms of hyperthyroid which could be the reason for the weight loss you mention.

As you know swings, swing back, and after this attack from your immune system, your thyroid will try to recover, but will be damaged, and production erratic and longer term your thyroid becomes further disabled and you will need to increase your thyroid hormone replacement to compensate accordingly.

There is a lot more detail on the Thyroid uk website - including a list of both hyperthyroid and hypothyroid symptoms, and yes, it's not that easy as some symptoms can be seen in both conditions.

I have Graves and had RAI thyroid ablation in 2005 becoming very ill around 8 years later.

I notice Dr Izabella Wentz mentioned with regards to Hashimoto's and she has written extensively on the need to heal the gut as minerals and vitamin deficiencies are common, as are food intolerances with many people feeling improved after eliminating certain food from their diet, like gluten, dairy, processed foods etc, and switching to cooking from scratch.

[SmPea in reply to pennyannie]

Yes the ‘swinging’ nature of Hashimoto’s just makes it more complicated. My gut is not good and constipation too. I’ve been gluten free for 6 months and have cooked everything from scratch during this time. There have been slight improvements but I suspect my gut needs a long time to heal. I think I’m heading towards elimination diet but resisting and in some denial I guess!! Thanks for your time responding much appreciated.