Calcitonin , is this the main cause for lingering symptoms in spite of taking levo?

[Alejandrita17]

I've done some research on my own and still fail to answer this particular question: why is CALCITONIN (an hormone coming from our Thyroid) completely forgotten when starting a Thyroid replacement treatment? Will this have long term consequences in our health? Is this one of the main causes why people still feel bad despite being on a correct levo dose? Any insights?

[Jazzw]

I don’t think it has a lot to do with things. You might find this helpful: yourhormones.info/hormones/...

I think the main causes of lingering symptoms are (in no particular order):

(1) Nutritional deficits caused at least in part by being undermedicated or unmedicated—e.g., low ferritin, low B12, low folate, low Vit D, low zinc, low selenium etc. Doctors are often unaware that being low in range in any or all of these can have such an effect on an individual.

(2) Not being on enough levothyroxine (huge numbers of hypothyroid people are undermedicated because their doctors don’t understand that simply having a TSH in the lab ref range is often not enough)

(3) Not being able to convert enough T4 to T3 (often caused by nutritional deficits but sometimes because of DIO2 gene issues). The addition of T3 to levothyroxine or switching to NDT or T3-only can do wonders for those unable to fix the problem.

[Alejandrita17 in reply to Jazzw]

Thanks!!!

[Hidden in reply to Jazzw]

Being without a thyroid gland and having had no associated problems with eg Hashimoto disease, I had numerous problems for the entire time I was on levothyroxine monotherapy, whenever I took it, whatever dose I took and whatever supplements, such as B12, I also took over the course of 8 years.As soon as I started taking NDT, these problems disappeared almost immediately and almost completely.

NDT contains calcitonin and other "T" hormones, Levothyroxine consists 100% of T4.

I have no particular knowledge of what does what and couldn't particularly care about it, but the one thing I am sure of is that I will NEVER take Levothyroxine again, whether it's accompanied with Liothyronine or not.

What a pity that the sole solution given to people like myself is to get confirmation of the hypothyroid diagnosis if we remain ill on levothyroxine.

My doctor has just enough common sense not to bother getting me rediagnosed!

[Shellian]

I have wondered the same thing. I have MEN2a which causes Medullary Thyroid Cancer. The cancer marker test for MEN2a, is to test Calcitonin levels in the body. Normal levels should be below 10.In MEN2a if the cancer is present the levels can be in the 100s or 1000s.

Once diagnosed with MEN2a the thyroid is removed either to prevent the cancer occurring at all; or to remove the cancer if already present.

After that, one of the annual checks is a blood test to check Calcitonin levels to make sure there is no remaining cancer, or if the cancer has spread to check levels are not getting higher. ( I think that is correct)But I have wondered what purpose Calcitonin has in the body, and if being without it is detrimental in other ways, for instance adding to hypo symptoms especially brain fog etc?

[Poniesrfun]

Calcitonin is used to oppose parathyroid hormone to reduce blood calcium but its effect is considered insignificant in humans; more of this regulation occurs in the kidneys.Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is actually cancer of the parafollicular C cells, not of the thyroid itself. C cells are mainly in the thyroid (rarely some in the kidneys) and produce calcitonin. Positive MEN2 is familial

MTC is the rarest of thyroid cancers but can be very aggressive with mets to the spine and bones. Undetectable calcitonin, along with a low "CEA" – another more general cancer marker – is ideal. If it's detectable it means there are C cells somewhere, likely cancerous. Doctors look at "doubling time" – how long it takes the calcitonin level to double – to see how quickly cancer is progressing. People taking TKI's and in trials of immunotherapies have had dramatic reductions in calcitonin levels (and tumor size).

You can have both medullary and papillary thyroid cancer at the same time but this would show up in the pathology report.

There is a very active MTC group on Facebook - members there are extremely knowledgable and welcoming. Also, there were several sessions about MTC at the ThyCa conference this past weekend - videos are available at thycaconference.vfairs.com (you have to register to view but it is free).

Patti in AZ

MTC 2016 with undetectable calcitonin since