I have Hashimoto's. I've been using NDT now for around 4 years. My symptoms have improved steadily over that time, despite an incredibly traumatic last 2.5 years (quite aside from the collective Covid trauma that we've all experienced!)
I used to use NatureThroid but have had to switch to NP Thyroid due to the NatureThroid being recalled and no alternatives except Armour being available. I take 2 grains at night before bed.
Recently, I've been really struggling to keep my weight down and my T3 at its optimum level (I feel best when it's around 6.2.. so in the upper range) despite no change in dose and I'm halfway through a NP bottle, so there's been no change in meds at all.
Latest bloods show my TgAb is high and T3 is lower than I feel well at.. it's usual for me to have this, but it's usually lower than it is here.
I tried gradually increasing the dose, but just started getting bad sypmtoms.. face swelling, eyes watering, heart racing, fatigue etc.
I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions?
I've just ordered more meds, this time Armour, just in case there was a med problem. I also have an emergency box of T3 (I got freaked by all the supply issues around NatureThroid!) in case that's of any use.
Any help would be gratefully received!
Wishing you all good health. x
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Thanks so much for your reply... I haven't had a coeliac test for a long time, I've ordered one. I did once follow a gluten free diet for 3 months which made no significant difference to me.. but I appreciate things are always shifting. Obviously I'll keep eating gluten until after I've done the test.
I have had a full panel for Anaemia, the GP didn't flag anything, but I'll get my results and try to decipher them according to the links you've put below!
Again, I've always had low ferritin, pretty much my whole life. So nothing significant has changed in my blood results from when I felt well to now besides the TgAb being the highest it's ever been and my T3 dropping which was why I found it weird!
Thanks so much for such a fast and comprehensive reply. It's hugely appreciated!
In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency
Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron
I’m on the same NatureThroid journey as you. And I also couldn’t tolerate the NP so switched to Armour. But I’ve had to take more of it than NT to feel ok. On my own because my doc is resisting an increase.
I really liked Naturethroid.. its such a shame it's not available. I have some Armour coming so maybe that will help. I too am on my own because my Endo changed from one who was happy to prescribe Erfa to one who will only prescribe Levo (which is the only thing that I'm allergic to in my medical notes!) when I addressed this issue, he literally said I can't help you and took me off his register! Unbelievable.. when the previous doctor was so helpful. I hope you find something that works for you.
Wow, I can’t believe your doctor was such a jerk. Levo didn’t work for me either. Nature Throid helped me feel normal and healthy. I’m not doing too bad on Armour, I just have to tweak it a bit to resolve the muscle pain. I hope the Armour works for you.
You say that you take all your NDT at night. I think this may be unusual. Have you considered splitting the dose?
NDT is made up of T4 (thyroxin) and T3. T4 is a storage hormone so the timing of T4 is not important. T3 is the active hormone, so the timing is more important; the effects last a few hours. With NDT you can't avoid taking both T4 and T3 together. I think that many of us who take NDT split the dose, morning and afternoon, so that we get a boost from the T3 in the second dose.
T3 is the active hormone, so the timing is more important; the effects last a few hoursThis is disputable as we are only talking about how long T3 lasts in blood...however, it has been said over and over again that T3 on cellular level - where it exerts its metabolic activity - lasts for about 72 h so three days. I am putting shaws in copy as she has written extensively about Dr. Lowe´s protocol (T3 lasts longer at cellular level) and hopefully she will chime in.
One dose of T3 can last up to three days 'in its effect'
I take one daily dose of T3 when I get up with one glass of water. I then wait and hour before I eat.
I am symptom-free - feel well and energetic and am happy with T3.
I have also trialled as follows:-
I took one dose of T3 a.m.- I took none on day 2 or day 3 and that one dose lasted up to three days (as stated by Dr John Lowe (an expert on the use of T3).
Dr John Lowe himself took his dose of T3 in the middle of the night when he went to the toilet so that nothing interfered with its T3 uptake.
Have you considered adding T3 to NDT? Some people have to in order to get the T4/T3 ratio right. NDT contains a fixed ratio of T3/T4 that is not optimal for everyone. If you need your FT3 higher and raise NDT, you will be getting mostly T4....which is why some people add T3 to NDT. It is all about finding the right hormone ratio for your needs. You may not need more T4 but more T3, so you would need to add T3 to NDT.
Your vitamin D is very low. I feel very symptomatic when mine drops even if the frees are good. Between your D and iron I would suggest it has something to do with NDT brand not working properly and a LOT to do with your body needing boosting. My ferritin has risen by eating chicken liver pate for breakfast every morning.Follow SD's advice and good luck .
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