Is it possible to wean off of Levothyroxine? Can seamoss be utilized to do this?
I read mixed messages of ingesting sea moss if you are on a levothyroxine program.
I was taking 150 mcg of levothyroxine (for hypothyroidism) and am now taking 100 mcg levothyroxine after changing to mostly vegan eating (no dairy or meat;lots of legumes, greens, and whole grains)...feel great
The first question is: What caused your hypothyroidism?If the cause is autoimmune then your thyroid will have been damaged over the years. A damaged thyroid may not produce enough hormones to keep you well. In which case you need replacement hormones. You can only replace hormones with hormones in some form.
Sea moss will also contain iodine. Iodine was once a treatment for hyperthyroidism - to reduce thyroid hormones. As a hypo you should only supplement iodine if you have been tested and been found to be deficient - and even then it should be done under supervision.
Having said all that - I did try stopping levo. Got down to 25mcg per day and felt great for months. Till my body caught up with me - I was running empty on thyroid hormones and high on adrenalin. I was very ill for 2 years after this and am only now beginning to start to lead a life outside the house.
Thanks for the useful info.! I 've never had my iodine levels checked..and sounds like this seamoss would be more harmful to my thyroid issue..I hope you're feeling better and continue taking good care..and are on a proper levo dose...I had high cortisol levels and probably wrecked my thyroid in the process of not handling stress in a good way...thanks for sharing
I have tried a few times to get off thyroxine... it goes well for a while sometimes a long while but inevitable I crash and then my legs are ice cold, full of pains, can't walk well and feel tired and unable to cope just want to stay in bed and avoid everyone. I think if thyroid not functioning the thyroid hormones need to be replaced either through prescribed meds or through natural thyroid, natural does not seem to help me though, I don't do well on t3.You will need to monitor your self and levels carefully so you don't plunge back into hypothyroid state and then have to climb the ladder one rung at a time again.
I hope you have found the right thyroid type and dose..that crash is not a good place to be..I'd be curious to know if those dealing with hypothyroid also have Reynaud's syndrome..(fingers, nose and toes often go white/numb..beyond 'just cold')..I've had this since a teenager after a bout of frostbite..just something I've lived with/dealt with..
Stay warm and healthy.. thanks for the warning and sharing
Lalatoot - your comment caught my eye. I have been so unwell for 4 years now but am finally on the right track. I've had Hashi's since 2014 - but I was overmedicated by a terrible doctor in 2018 for 8 months I was so sick and it really damaged my body. Then the next terrible doctor (who is at a prominent hospital with a well known endocrinologist group) started taking me down off thyroid med and, as my labs stayed b-a-r-e-l-y in range he kept stepping down until I was on NO THYROID MED - for TWO YEARS!!! But I was barely in range so he said I was good.
Through 2019 and 2020 I was so sick I thought I would die every day. I FINALLY broke off with that doctor and another functional MD/DO found I have SIBO (probably from being so hypo), am extremely histamine intolerant, undermethylating and poor functioning adrenals and various deficiencies (iodine, iron, Bs, etc). This new MD/DO is working on all areas and I am finally having better days. He also put me on a small dose of just T3 since my body could absolutely no longer process T4 after what I've been through (probably methylation related) and I am much much much better. I've also started Triphala and wow interesting to read PubMed reports on what it does for thyroid!
I want to tell you it is so good to hear someone who has been through this and to ask you if you did anything to help heal other than get your thyroid meds right? Did you just slowly increase and watch your labs and symptoms to determine your right amount? Did you rely on basal temperature at all? I'm so glad to hear you are finally starting to get your life back! What a journey this is! Did you really just have to stay home most of the time? I somehow managed to keep my job (with covid I was able to work from home otherwise I probably would have had to quit the job I love and have had for 38 years!) But so many days I suffered horribly and just went through the motions trying to put one foot in front of the other. Thanks for sharing any info on how to get back after being deprived of meds I needed.
Yes I have had to stay home. Missed a son's wedding, mother-in-laws funeral and the list goes on.Adding a little T3 has helped. I kept an eye on my blood results and adjusted the doses one thing at a time levo or lio over 2 years. I got to a point where I felt the levels were okay for me and I have left it to see what the longer term will be on my current doses.
I started taking mitochondrial rejuvenation tablets about 6 weeks ago. I feel that my remaining symptoms are to do with the way my body/muscles cannot process energy.
Basically the lack of thyroid hormones led to my body systems being downgraded and they all have not fired back up enough yet.
Keep going. I think that time to heal is sometimes what we nee. Make haste slowly!
Oh my I am so sorry you had to miss such important events but I completely understand. The pandemic made it easy for me to stay home and not have to fret over being able to get through an outing.
Can you share what kind of mitochondrial tablets you take? I have been looking into adding something like this to my arsenal but not sure which to pick. Once I select one my doc and I discuss and add it if he thinks ok.
Take a look at Triphala - I've just started this and hoping it will help me heal. Astounding results on thyroid patients. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Be careful with Triphala. I took it for a short time hoping to improve my gut health, but only at a low dose, not full dose. It gave me really bad diarrhoea. I can't remember getting any actual benefits.
Thank you thank you for the warning! I'm starting with a super low dose to see how it goes. I have been so sick for the last 4 years overmedicated and then undermedicated with my thyroid and horrible symptoms. Recently diagnosed sibo and extreme histamine intolerance and methylation issues. I am very slowly with the help of a very good doctor making progress and I'm hoping the triphala helps but we'll see! Thank you again for the heads up!
not unless you've discovered that seamoss is a source of T4. (it isn't ,, but it is a source of iodine)
"Research posted to the Journal of Medicinal Food notes that sea moss contains about 47 mg of iodine per gram." medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
Iodine supplementation is controversial in hypothyoidism .. it used to be used to treat hypERthyroidism ,
Good point..it's not a replacement for levothyroxine..It seems like it'd be a good product for more research, but for the meantime, I'll pass on using it..
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested
Low vitamins badly affect thyroid
On vegan diet probably need to test iodine too
SeasideSusie has details of best test
Thanks slow dragon! (love the user name, btw) Great points..I take b-12 and d3 supplements and have those and iron and folate levels checked too. All are normal..last test was in July. An iodine test sounds useful..I'll check out SeasideSusie..How often should these things be rechecked?
I had to research finding a primary care physician MD in my area who promotes a whole foods plant based way of eating..It's reassuring that he's testing the proper vitamins and minerals..except the iodine.. I'll inquire about that with him at my next visit
I always thought that you needed to take levothyroxin for life
There are several forms of thyroid issue which could resolve over time.
If the thyroid gland is undamaged, it seems feasible that some can eventually stop taking levothyroxine (or other thyroid hormone). But by far the majority have autoimmune thyroid disease, which destroys the gland.
What’s your thinking? Why ‘wean’ off?
If you are feeling great, maybe don't rock the boat?
That was my exact phrase I said to myself..why rock the boat? or "if it's not broke, why fix it?" I get excited sometimes and stubborn and don't like the idea of being told I need to take a medication for the rest of my life..then life happens and I get busy and the 'get off of medication attempt' goes on the backburner..and those phrases above validate my decision to leave my 'Rx routine' alone. I was thinking that I've helped other health issues of mine with lifestyle changes (cholesterol, digestion, arthritis) why not heal/improve my thyroid.. I have a lot to learn about this area..how do you know if you have 'autoimmune thyroid disease'? I've just been told I have hypothyroidism..(about 10 yrs ago..i've been on various thyroid meds since)
thanks for your feedback and info..
The most common thing is to have a Thyroid Peroxidise antibody test. Although not perfect, a high result is extremely likely to indicate autoimmunity. Also, Thyroglobulin antibodies.
Imaging techniques such as ultrasound are also pretty good.
High cholesterol is linked to being hypothyroid/under medicated thyroid…so if cholesterol has lowered it likely has more to do with levothyroxine dose being optimal……
digestion often improves too
I never tied the cholesterol, digestion (constipation) issues to the proper levels of thyroid meds..that is interesting..It matters what we eat and in combination with the right thyroid meds dose..makes sense. After reading these comments, I'll look at having a few things checked out.. including the antibody testing helvella mentioned..
Lifestyle changes along with finding that proper thyroid medication support levels seems the best approach..
I switched from natur-thyroid to levothyroxine ..150mcg (because I couldn't find natur-thyroid anymore)..I was a mess for awhile..high cholesterol, high inflammation, hair loss, and put on 10 pounds..I thought the levothyroxine was causing an increase of my hair loss..but I stayed with it and decided to experiment with what I was putting in my mouth..
I changed my eating to no dairy, no meat and focused on eating oatmeal everyday..lots of greens and beans.. lower fat..I stopped using olive oil on everything..
I stuck with the levo medication and new eating style and lost about 14 lbs without feeling deprived..in about 2 months. I lowered meds to 100 Mcg and have maintained this level for over a year now and the eating habits for the most part..
My hair and skin have improved..weight is pretty stable..(5'6.5" 130lbs)although I notice i put on a bit of weight and feel inflammation in my joints if I start drinking in the evenings (wine) and eating too many refined carbs (breads, pretzels..note: just because a product is labeled vegan or natural, doesn't mean it's good for you) .. however, getting rid of cheese and all dairy made a dramatic difference.. quickly..in my joints..I was a big "foodie" I feel free and don't even have a cheese and dairy desire anymore...
I used to eat a lot of cheese and yogurt.. and had rectal surgery and obstructed bowel..and not one doctor asked me what my eating habits were...had to figure that out my own way (movie "Game Changers" sparked my change and own research)
Haha..ok, I'm off my "soap box" ..and I am grateful for my thyroid meds.. and want to understand more
Stop looking at them as "medication". They are hormones. The same way a diabetic using insulin and would die without it (an unpleasant death over a long period) we need to replace our thyroid hormones. You feel good on this current dose. Stay there. Don't move! After you have been on it for 2-3 months, get a full thyroid test done to include TSH, FT3, FT4 and the 2 antibodies explained above for you. Then you can assess, with data, how well you are doing.
None of us like taking tablets. But sometimes they are necessary, diet can't fix everything. Diet broke me. We should be careful when we go all out to "save" ourselves.
This is true..thanks for reframing the thinking..and pointing out the thyroid tests too
Well I just read Oprah Winfrey came off medication after having hypothyroidism for years that's my aim but as she's a celebrity she'd get preferential treatment & she would get her health checked constantly...with me when I mentioned it my doctor said I will get you off the lot in 6 weeks.....crazy these are strong medication I let him blabber on but I'm taking it slowly.
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Is is possible to be allergic to levothyroxine itself? just to the substance not to fillers?
