Supplements

[Sueislove]

Does Anybody here take supplements like turmeric or probiotics on a regular basic with low thyroid medications? Both I’m researching find strengths the immune system and also helps with inflammation in the body and mood helps with depression that I have all these symptoms . Or is there any other supplements that has helped decrease low thyroid symptoms would love to hear 💞

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

How long have you been on your current dose of levothyroxine

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

Many people find different brands are not interchangeable

Have you had thyroid antibodies tested to see if the cause of your hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with Hashimoto’s

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once a year

Many, many thyroid patients need to supplement to maintain optimal levels

Test first ….before starting any supplements

Always test thyroid levels early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Please add most recent results and ranges if you have them

[Sueislove in reply to SlowDragon]

I have been on 175 mg of Levo for years and 3 months ago had blood work and was over medicated so they dropped me to 125 mg and I go tomorrow for blood work check up so don’t have the results yet so will get back to you! Thanks for the welcome and for providing some good information as to move forward but I do know it’s been the same brand and all my vitamins 3 months ago will alll in the normal range which I thought was odd since I needed less thyroid meds .

[Jazzw in reply to Sueislove]

That was a big drop in dosage—how overmedicated were you? Do you know what your thyroid blood test results were?

[Sueislove in reply to Jazzw]

My TSH was 0.129 and my T4 was 1.90

[Jazzw in reply to Sueislove]

I’d need the laboratory reference range for that T4 result to be sure (that doesn’t look like a U.K. laboratory result—are you somewhere else in the world?) but at first sight, that doesn’t look like you were overmedicated. Your TSH was low in range but that doesn’t automatically mean “overmedicated”. However, many doctors have been taught that a low in range TSH means too much medication.

In any case, dropping your dosage by 50mcg was over the top—a 25mcg reduction would have been more appropriate. It does seem like your doctor doesn’t really understand hypothyroidism.

Do you have the laboratory reference ranges for those results?

[Sueislove in reply to Jazzw]

I’m in portland Oregon. I rescheduled my blood work today for Thursday now and results will be in Friday and I have a follow up with my doctor too on Friday .I am requesting a full thyroid panel thanks to you !🙏got it all written down now she never tested anything but the two listed above. My t 4 was what was in the highest range in the chart 🙄

[Jazzw in reply to Sueislove]

Good.

Just a note—in the highest range doesn’t mean over medicated. If it had been above range, sure.

And remember not to take your levothyroxine until after the test. Otherwise you’ll get a false high reading.

[Sueislove in reply to Jazzw]

Ok it’s at 11:00 am so will wait till I get home thanks so much

[Jazzw in reply to Sueislove]

You’re welcome. Hope you make some progress with all this soon!

[Sueislove in reply to SlowDragon]

And how I was feeling I expected those to be off too with all the neg symptoms depression no energy anxiety and over all feeling bad

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

[Fifteen]

I use the probiotic Symprove. It is recommended you take it at least for 3 months. It's very easy - a shot of the liquid 10 minutes before breakfast. Some people take it continuously. I take it when I feel the need - I am doing a three month stint now and am feeling much better after just 3 weeks. I always buy from their website as they have a well organised delivery system and the staff are helpful.My Pilates teacher introduced me to it some years ago.

The recommended way to take Tumeric is as Curcumin with Piperine (pepper).

I find the AAVALABS brand great for this ( a Finnish company). I use a number of their products continuously. I also take their Probiotic products from time to time.

By the way, Symprove had an offer of 20% discount available on their website last week. it may still be available.

[dtate2016]

Yes, I do. And yes it does help - especially the turmeric. I make my own capsules (buying turmeric in bulk) and mix it with fine grind black pepper - wonderful stuff for inflammation!I was on a fairly low dose of NDT / Levo (although Levo was intolerable for me - 50 mg).

The best thing I found in more than 30 years was the reduction of iodine! Removing iodized salt from the table / cooking, and replacing with kosher salt. We must have iodine, but for me the amount of iodine in the modern diet resulted in an iodine toxicity. (I have the MTHFR genetic polymorphism - which means toxins are not eliminated quickly from my body).

It is the single greatest thing I have done to help heal my thyroid. After 30 years of casting about with a myriad of Drs and specialists (here in the US), I am largely medicine free, and have been for 18 months. Lots of foods have more iodine than I can tolerate: dairy, egg yolks, anything from the sea, and here in the US - commercial bread. You won’t find iodine on the ingredients list in any of these - but it is there.

Best wishes on your research! I highly recommend a 30 day dietary experiment in iodine reduction.

[Sueislove in reply to dtate2016]

Thank you for the information 😊🙏❤️

[diahealth]

Yes I take tumeric and probioform. Found both really helpful. Specialist believes tumeric has kept glaucoma pressures down and it really seems to help with inflammation. I have been taking tumeric for years. Probioform is fantastic. Have felt so much better on it. Was extremely constipated, long term and very severe. Nothing doctors gave helped but with this I go every day, a total miracle for me. Look on the website and go into the FAQ, so helpful and worth every cent. It’s a liquid. I am on 75 thyroxine and now stable.

[Sueislove in reply to diahealth]

Diahealth thank you so much for sharing and I will do some research on there websites. So glad it has worked so well with you is there any kind of turmeric you would recommend I know it must have pepper to work on your system s💖

[diahealth in reply to Sueislove]

The tumeric I use is from an Australian Company called Bioceuticals. It’s called Theracurmin Triple. It’s curcumin 90mg (from Theracurmin 240mg). I have taken two a day for years with no problems.

[Sueislove in reply to diahealth]

Ok thanks I will look that up too! Much appreciated 🌸😇