Add NDT to Levo

[MariaStrawCinar]

Does anyone add NDT to their Levo for the T3 ?

[JumpJiving]

Yes. I used to combine Levo and NDT to optimise my levels. I felt better when I did it. If it hadn’t become so difficult to get hold of lactose-free NDT without nasties added (I’m allergic to lactose, and try to avoid titanium dioxide), I would still be doing it. As it is, I’m back on just Levo for the time being.

[MariaStrawCinar in reply to JumpJiving]

What kind of combination suited you out of interest? Did you take them all in the morning ?

[JumpJiving in reply to MariaStrawCinar]

I took them last thing at night. I tried various combinations before finding what worked best for me. Over a period of time, I tried different doses of Levo and checked my bloods on each dose. I then did the same using NDT only. Then, after doing some maths, I tried to come up with the combination of doses of levo and NDT that might be optimal for me. As it turns out, it’s not that simple - it seems that there are feedback loops, so I had to tweak doses a couple of times before hitting the sweet spot for me, where I felt at my best and the bloods showed my FT3 and FT4 at or near the top of the reference ranges. I’m not sure I would recommend doing this without a diary of doses, bloods and state built up over a period of time.

[MariaStrawCinar in reply to JumpJiving]

Thanks I’m at the beginning of doing the same thing. What do you mean by a feedback loop?

[jamesal0]

no, I just take NDT, much nicer drug

[helvella Administrator in reply to jamesal0]

There are many who would not call desiccated thyroid a "drug".

(Nor, for that matter, even levothyroxine and liothyronine.)

[CatsofCatford]

I swapped Levo for NDT several years ago as I couldn’t raise my T3 levels on Levo alone. Felt much better … but still not as good as I’d hoped. T3 fine but T4 low. I was advised to add in a small amount of Levo and this seems to be the magic combination for me.

[MariaStrawCinar in reply to CatsofCatford]

Thanks for your reply - so what do you take now? Do you take one in the morning and one and night? I know we are all different but it’s interesting to research everyone’s experience.

[CatsofCatford in reply to MariaStrawCinar]

I take a relatively small dose Maria … but OMG what a difference it makes! I take 25 mcg Teva Levo as I’m lactose intolerant and 60 mg Erfa NDT. I take them both last thing at night because I’m greedy and can’t bear to wait for my morning coffee! I did experiment with splitting the Erfa when I first started but didn’t think it made a difference but rather just made things more complicated but have never tried taking the Levo and NDT at different times.

[CatsofCatford in reply to CatsofCatford]

Just one other thing … you might be interested to know that I was on 75 mcg of Levo too when I went down this path … good luck with whatever you decide to do x

[MariaStrawCinar in reply to CatsofCatford]

Thanks for this. What would you say was the difference between your symptoms when you made this change? I think I will test in a week or so to see how my TSH has done on this Levo and then try something similar.

[CatsofCatford in reply to MariaStrawCinar]

Fatigue is the main issue for me and it’s been much better since starting this combo. I wake up feeling normal! But if I have a busy day I still get what I think is abnormally tired … I think I probably still have some “tweaking” to do. But am dealing with gut issues too so am concentrating on this aspect at the moment

[jendwall]

I used to. I took a small amount of levo every morning, along with NDT, which I split and took half with my levo and the other half in the afternoon.

I felt best using NDT in my regimen, but had to switch to a levo and T3 combo because NDT just isn't working well in the U.S. anymore. Many have had returning hypo symptoms and non optimal blood labs. So sad!

[MariaStrawCinar in reply to jendwall]

Thanks for yr reply. Really? Even Armour? Why would that be- what was the amount of Levo you took.I’m on 75 and thinking of adding half a grain of Armour rather than another 25 Levo .

[jendwall in reply to MariaStrawCinar]

O would suggest running your thyroid labs before you add anything. Then give it 4-6 weeks and test again. Include your TSH, free t3, and free t4 at the very least. My TSH rose and both frees dropped dramatically after being stable for years in NDT.

[jendwall]

Yes, unfortunately even Armour. It was the last remaining, and now many are having issues with it. I used to be on 1.5 grains NDT (Naturethroid, then NP Thyroid) and 25 levo daily. I have no thyroid due to cancer which gratefully has been in remission

No one has a definitive reason why. Almost seems like some people just don't want us on it! I got tired of all the switching from one NDT to another and decided I had had enough. Miss the old NDT from several years ago!

[SmallBlueThing]

I take 125 mcg levothyroxine and 1 grain of Thiroyd, to provide a total of approximately 160 mcg T4 and 8 mcg T3. Unfortunately, I've not had regular testing over the past couple of years.

Previously, I had built up to 175 mcg of levothyroxine, but had high in range FT4 with FT3 in lower third of range, and FT4/FT3 > 4.5, which has been given as a reason to try T3.