Metavive headaches - Hashimotos

[StellaMo]

Hi Folks,

I'm hoping you can hepl me with some advice. I was diagnosed with hashimotos in 2015, and since have taken levo. It's been pretty poorly managed - as I've continued to have symptoms - mostly in winter, but for periods throughout the year too. I know I've got poor T3 conversion, . Here's my latest bloods below (Medichecks) - will explain why I'm feeling like a zombie I think... I was going to register with private GP and get NDT prescroption, but decided to try Metavive first. I'm starting low (one Metative I porcine in the morning, whilst continuing my 75mg levo), and I've started to get headaches - which I don't usually get. No other over-medication symptoms. I've read on here that someone has done thorough research and found that the nucleotides aren't good for people with auto-immune issues. So I'm wondering whether this may not bea good route. I was planning on increasing the Metatvive slowly, and reducing the levo in parallel, but now I'm wondering whether to transition to NDT instead. Driver for moving off levo is that its not managing me well, and I also don't want to be consuming synthetic meds.

I would like to avoid shipping and import complications - wondering if anyone could DM me some guidance on Thyroid-S?

Gosh this is a lot of words - sorry folks :-).

Any help much appreicated.

Thanks, Stella.

TSH 3.78 (0.27 to 4.2)

FREE T3 2.9 (3.1 to 6.8)

FREE T4 14.4 (12 to 22)

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

StellaMo

Driver for moving off levo is that its not managing me well, and I also don't want to be consuming synthetic meds.

NDT isn't all natural. Yes, it contains pigs' thyroids but to make tablets then synthetic excipients have to be used to bind the tablets together.

I would like to avoid shipping and import complications - wondering if anyone could DM me some guidance on Thyroid-S?

As Thyroid-S comes from Thailand (you can't buy it in the UK) there is always the chance that shipping and import complications will be involved.

TSH 3.78 (0.27 to 4.2)

FREE T3 2.9 (3.1 to 6.8)

FREE T4 14.4 (12 to 22)

When did you take your last doses of Metavive and Levo before this test?

By the look of these results my first thought would be to take Levo to get TSH down to below 1, see where FT4 and FT3 lie and if conversion is poor then add some T3, then doses of Levo and T3 can be finely balanced to give you the levels you need to feel well.

Are your key nutrients at optimal levels? Do you have results and reference ranges for Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin?

[StellaMo in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks a lot for your help Susie! I hadn't started Metavive when I took the tests, but I took the levo about an hour before - I didn't realise you should take the bloods first - I've been taking bloods after my meds all along!! My vit D, folate, are mid range, my ferritin is strangely high as thought I'm taking iron tablets (which I'm not), but I've not had B12 - it failed for some reason. I'll order it again because its been low in the past. Thanks so much for your help Susie!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to StellaMo]

StellaMo

I hadn't started Metavive when I took the tests, but I took the levo about an hour before

In that case you are way, way undermedicated on Levo.

The aim of a treated Hypo patient on Levo only is for TSH to be 1 or below with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their reference ranges if that is where you feel well.

So the first thing to do is stick to Levo only, continue to increase the dose until your levels are as described here.

If your GP hasn't been increasing your Levo because your results are "in range" then use the following information to support your request for an increase - 25mcg now, retest in 6-8 weeks, keep repeating:

From GP online

gponline.com/endocrinology-...

Under the section

Cardiovascular changes in hypothyroidism

Replacement therapy with levothyroxine should be initiated in all patients to achieve a TSH level of 0.5-2.0pmol/L.

From the British Thyroid Foundation:

btf-thyroid.org/thyroid-fun...

How can blood tests be used to manage thyroid disorders?

.....

Occasionally patients only feel well if the TSH is below normal or suppressed. This is usually not harmful as long as it is not completely undetectable and/or the FT3 is clearly normal.

There are also certain patients who only feel better if the TSH is just above the reference range. Within the limits described above, it is recommended that patients and their supervising doctors set individual targets that are right for their particular circumstances.

.....

Also, Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine (the professional publication for doctors):

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l. In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l. This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l).*"

You can obtain a copy of this article from Dionne at ThyroidUK:

[e-mail]

print it and highlight Question 6 to show your GP.

Once you have low TSH, which gives the highest possible FT4, see where your FT3 lies. That will then tell you if you need to add anything else.

[StellaMo in reply to SeasideSusie]

gosh - if only everyone knew. Thanks SO MUCH!