Long story short: felt awful, got tested several times both privately and with a GP, results came back as borderline T4 (13.4 - still in normal range), 'normal' TSH (3.64 i believe), and low T3 (2.6). The GP refused to do anything as antibody levels were normal and could only offer levo if anything. This led me to start self medicating with NDT, as I am getting rather desperate.
I started the NDT a month ago, starting with 1/2 grain daily for a week and increasing to 1 grain which I am currently on now and have been for 4 weeks. My new results are as follows:
TSH: 1.82
FT3: 2.3
FT4: 12.8
Thyroglobulin antibodies: <10
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies <9
I am a little confused as to how both T4 and T3 are lower than previously. Can anyone shed any light on this and give advice on my next steps? Thanks
Written by
izzysophia01
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Sensing hormones from elsewhere your own thyroid has reduced it's hormone output. However you are not taking enough hormones to compensate for the reduction in your thyroids output. Hence the poorer results
Which NDT are you taking? NDT is a general term in the same way that levo is a general term and there are several brands.
There are not many brands of NDT available at present. People's reactions to them differ and some don't seem to be up to full strength or have other things added to them.
Have any of your symptoms been relieved by taking NDT ?
What were your bench mark T3 and T4 bfore starting NDT ?
What levels are your ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D as these all need to be optimal to assist in the body converting the the thyroid hormone medication.
That’s great you started feeling better by getting NDT, it’s awful feeling to be under medicated. I also want to start self medicating, but I don’t know where can I find NDT without prescribing?Can you let me know where did you buy safe NDT please?
I agree with the above response by Johnathan1956. I have found that when I slowly increase my dosage by about a .5 grain every 2-3 weeks after a while my body adjusts and I settled on about2.5-3 grains/day. Again everyone is different with what their optimal dosage is at last. I am thankful to have had a DO who worked with me for so many years. Sadly now, though, she has retired. So I am desperately searching for a Naturpathic doc or another DO who will listen to me and work with me for my health. I also wanted to ask if you could tell me where you get your Armour without a prescription? That would be nice information to have! Blessings—
Rita
So you have not been diagnosed with hypothyroidism as your FTs are in range as well as your TSH? But decided to self-treat because you believe your symptoms to be thyroid-related?
If so, why start on NDT directly, instead of trying levo first? Usually, patients start on levo and adjust the dosage until their TSH is around 1 or lower and their FT4 levels are in the upper part of range along with sufficient FT3 levels (50% through range or higher). If you have no idea you are a poor converter (which you can only find out on levo once all vitamin and mineral deficiences have been sorted out), NDT may not be the best option for you. Not everyone needs T3, but many do fine on levo only once optimal.
That is really interesting, and Paul R seems very knowledgeable! Unfortunately, even some doctors prescribing NDT claim the maintenance dose is 1-2 grains daily which I find rather low...it would seem some patients on NDT are kept undermedicated so they remain symptomatic. It would seem Paul R knows more about the thyroid and adrenal glands than many doctors!
Due to NDT being the very first life-saver of people who had hypothyroidism (from1892) recovered their health when prescribed. There were no blood tests in 1892 and patients were given small increments in their dose until symptoms were resolved.
Blood tests are available for levothyroxine alone (T4) or liothyronine (T3) but because NDTs include several other incipients it would be difficult to rely upon blood tests for it I assume.
When NDT was first introduced in 1892 (no blood tests) and it contains a selection of thyroid hormones - patients were given small increments until their symptoms were resolved.
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Symptoms after starting NDT
fT4 dropped from 16.4 to 8.3 after starting trial of NDT? 
First test results since starting NDT
Strange results when adding NDT to Thyroid glandular
