I am currently reading a book about the causes of thyroid problems and find it interesting to see the thoughts on treating the causes rather than just being prescribed Levothyroxin. The book is written by an American author and feel that perhaps they have a different approach to the UK health service even suggestingthat the thyroid is capable of repairing itself. So my question is this - Is there anything we can do to help ourselves? Has anyone gone down this path of self help and what are the results. Can we get full screening not just TSH levels and T4. Or is this it a lifetime of daily tablets?
Alternatives and cures?: I am currently reading... - Thyroid UK
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SlowDragonAdministrator
Welcome to the forum
Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate
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
Have you had thyroid antibodies and vitamins tested ever?
Please add most recent thyroid and vitamin results
Whose the book by…..The Thyroid Pharmacist? (Isabella Wentz)
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.
Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?
20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis
In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
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
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...
Assuming you have autoimmune thyroid …..have you had coeliac blood test done…..if not get tested via GP BEFORE considering trialing strictly gluten free diet
Having been on levothyroxine a number of years….you’re not going to ever cure yourself….but you can definitely improve symptoms
Thank you Slow Dragon
I see this has caused a bit of a debate but was really just trying to find out if anything would be of benefit rather than blindly taking tablets for the rest of my life.
In response to the questions you asked: I believe my vitamin D was only tested once in 2018 and was advised to take a supplement.
April this year I had blood tests that included liver and bone, kidney, cholesterol (7.1 and now on statins) and haemoglobin but can’t see any info on vitamin B, folate or ferritin.
FT3 looks to be 3.4 pmol/L,
T4 level is 11.5 pmol/L
Can’t see anything about TG thyroid antibodies or TPO on the results.
My TSH was 8.1mu/L so the doctor increased my medication from 50mg to 100mg with a review at the beginning of August.
At the beginning of this month a blood test was done to measure my cholesterol (now 5.1) my liver function and TSH which dropped to 1.5 mu/L. Non of the other tests were redone. So according to the doctor all was well but the higher dose caused loose stools. My medication has now been dropped to 75mg and it does seem to be helping with that particular problem. Doctor did say to review in a month but unsure if this will include another blood test.
I am really bad at taking medication so always forget to take any kind of supplement but do ensure that I always take my thyroxine without fail. I always had Accord Levothyroxine but this last month because I am now taking 1 x 50 Accord and 1 x 25 the pack of 25mg is made by Mercury Pharma
The author of the book is Shawn Soszka ‘The Thyroid Fix’ I have only started to read it but could see some logic behind his ideas - hence the post.
Not sure what type I have just told my thyroid isnt working and here are the tablets. Don't think I have a goitre I suppose there is always time to develop one.
I have never had a coeliac blood test do you think this is worth trying to get my GP to agree to this without any obvious symptoms? Not sure how far I will get with that one!
Hope I have covered everything you asked for.
High cholesterol is linked to being hypothyroid and statins are NOT recommended
Cholesterol levels will drop once on correct dose levothyroxine
nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...
If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.
Generally we only increase levothyroxine by 25mcg steps at a time
Approx how much do you weigh in kilo
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks minimum after any dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
ALWAYS Test thyroid levels early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
What were results that prompted dose reduction to 75mcg
ESSENTIAL to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once a year
Thousands upon thousands of U.K. patients forced to test privately to make progress
FT3 looks to be 3.4 pmol/L,
T4 level is 11.5 pmol/L
Always include ranges (figures in brackets after each result as different labs have different ranges)
When adequately treated Ft3 should be at least 50-60% through range. Ft4 is frequently a little higher
Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range
He reduced the dose because of near diarrhea issues. I weigh 12st 9lb which I find hard to believe but can't shift it. Perhaps I should stop the statins but I only take them three times a week. Not sure now if the increase in med's gave the good cholesterol result. You did suggest a coeliac test can I ask why? Is this something commonly linked to thyroid problems? The results i gave were within the range given.
So you’re likely to need further increase in levothyroxine over coming months
But very common to not tolerate higher increase than 25mcg at a time
The rest of endocrine system has to catch up
Very important vitamins are tested and at GOOD Levels to tolerate levothyroxine dose increases
Approx 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s
Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but a further 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
drknews.com/changing-your-d...
Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/296...
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
I started to take kefir daily quite a while ago and I have found that I no longer need to take gaviscon after meals and at bedtime.
12st 9lbs = 80kg approx
Likely to eventually need approx 125mcg levothyroxine….perhaps a bit less…possibly a bit more
pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...
Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine:
In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.
The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).
The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.
……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.
The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.
I was not aware that high cholesterol was linked to hypothyroidism, my cholesterol has crept up since my last test which was years ago, when it was good. Also didn’t know about not being able to take statins, so thank you did that info, I’m expecting that my GP may offer them to me on my next appointment.
Next steps
Essential to know if you have autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s, usually diagnosed high thyroid antibodies
Look through old test results
GP should have tested thyroid antibodies at diagnosis.
Increasingly they don’t bother
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after being on 75mcg levothyroxine
Suggest you get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done via Medichecks or Blue horizon
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning
Examples of private test results
Medichecks
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Blue horizon
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.
Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine.
Teva contains mannitol as a filler, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet. So if avoiding Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half
But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)
Glenmark or Aristo (100mcg only) are lactose free and mannitol free. May be difficult to track down Glenmark, not been available very long
Most easily available (and often most easily tolerated) are Mercury Pharma or Accord
Mercury Pharma make 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg tablets
Accord only make 50mcg and 100mcg tablets
Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots, and Northstar 50mcg and 100mcg via Lloyds ....but Accord doesn’t make 25mcg tablets
beware 25mcg Northstar is Teva
List of different brands available in U.K.
thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...
Posts that mention Teva
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Teva poll
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.
Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.
New guidelines for GP if you find it difficult/impossible to change brands
gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l...
If a patient reports persistent symptoms when switching between different levothyroxine tablet formulations, consider consistently prescribing a specific product known to be well tolerated by the patient. If symptoms or poor control of thyroid function persist (despite adhering to a specific product), consider prescribing levothyroxine in an oral solution formulation.
academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...
Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).
Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after
Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime
verywellhealth.com/best-tim...
No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.
Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away
(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)
If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
Similarly if normally splitting your levothyroxine, take whole daily dose 24 hours before test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
Statins and hypothyroidism don't mix. I was misdiagnosed and put on statins. Statins did nothing to lower my cholesterol. I developed kidney problems, but not sure if statins or failing to treat my hypothyroidism triggered it. I have since stopped taking statins. Levothyroxine has seriously helped my kidney function as well as my cholesterol levels. Research statins and hypothyroidism.
ICE187
Poor kidney function linked to hypothyroidism
There are several causes of hypothyroidism. Two of the most common, in different parts of the world, are autoimmune thyroid disease and/or iodine deficiency.
In the case of autoimmune disease the two main types are Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and Ord's Thyroiditis.
Hashi's tends to increase the size of the thyroid producing a goiter.
Ord's tends to make the thyroid shrivel up i.e. there is no goiter.
I'm not that familiar with hypothyroidism caused by iodine deficiency but I think that causes a goiter too.
In the UK, where autoimmune thyroiditis is the commonest type of hypothyroidism, the health service and the medical profession put off diagnosing hypothyroidism from any cause as long as possible. Whether this is sadism or penny pinching or both, I'll let you decide.
Anyone who actually gets a diagnosis will almost certainly have a severely damaged thyroid that will be past the point of any hope of recovery because they have been ignored while the damage was occurring.
In parts of the world where iodine deficiency is the main cause of hypothyroidism it makes sense that the sufferer should replace that deficiency and keep it at a healthy level. I don't know how much recovery of the thyroid there will be under those circumstances.
If someone in any part of the world develops hypothyroidism I think that getting fobbed off - it's your hormones, you're too fat or too thin, you're menopausal, you've just had a child/children what else do you expect, you're going through puberty so it's normal, being tired is part of being female so have some anti-depressants, etc, etc means that the thyroid will never be the first thing that people think of, so damage will run rampant because the disease never seems to be top of anyone's list.
One of the commonest effects of hypothyroidism is low stomach acid leading to low nutrients. Many of us end up very deficient.
If the thyroid was one of the first things someone thought of as the cause of many of the effects of the disease then the thyroid might be maintained in a reasonably healthy state. But this would require too much knowledge from patients who have never heard of the thyroid, and requires too much compassion/interest from many doctors who think it is a trivial condition in most sufferers. Most sufferers only find out they have a thyroid problem when the disease is quite advanced.
In the case of autoimmune thyroiditis the immune system may continue to damage the thyroid for many years even after people find out they have the condition, but doctors don't know of a way of damping down or stopping the immune system attacks.
I think all we can do is to continue doing what we suggest on this forum - optimise and maintain nutrient levels, optimise thyroid hormones, and experiment with dietary changes (e.g. going gluten free or dairy free).
As ever this is very interesting, I would like to understand further if possible what happens in cases like mine, my thyroid was cancerous so had to be surgically removed. I believe there is no chance of it growing back and any advice for supporting a healthy thyroid will not apply, I am totally reliant on synthetic hormones for the rest of my life, my GP only tests my bloods if I request it or complain of feeling unwell (which if I’m honest is all the time) I follow the advice oh here regarding vitamins etc but do wonder if cases such as mine throw up unique issues?
The biggest problem people with no thyroid have is that they immediately lose all the T3 that the thyroid itself was contributing to their body's T3 requirements. This is usually an average of about 20% of the T3 your body was making before thyroidectomy. T3 is the active thyroid hormone required by every cell in the body. (This explains why symptoms of hypothyroidism are so diverse and affect so many many different body systems.)
Some people who are very good at converting T4 into T3 in body tissues such as the liver, the gut, the kidneys etc, may do fine on Levo for quite a long time without a thyroid. But conversion will often get worse as people age, and then they will need to take T3 (in addition to Levo) to make up for their low T3 levels.
There are some people who never convert T4 to T3 very well and they would ideally be given T3 right from the start.
Another issue is that GPs don't often ask for Free T3 to be tested, so they often don't know (or care) that T3 is low.
You might find this thread helpful :
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Some people without a thyroid may be able to make enough T3 for themselves (by conversion from T4 ) if they are dosed with a generous amount of Levo. But doctors often aren't happy with a patient having over-the-range Free T4. So, patients often can't win.
Some people do buy T3 online and treat themselves. And some doctors will accept this, but many of them aren't happy about it at all.
Thank you, very helpful and interesting and of course if you do treat yourself, doctors will hold their hands up and take a step back and say ‘well this is what you you have chosen to do’ are then brave enough to go it alone………………………..
The book is written by an American author and feel that perhaps they have a different approach to the UK health service even suggestingthat the thyroid is capable of repairing itself.
I don't live in the US, but judging by what we read on her, posted by people who do live there, no, they don't have a different approach. Except American doctors are more likely to under-medicate the elsewhere, but that's not saying much. The same indifference and ignorance seems to reign all over the world. I live in France. And from what I can gather, thyroid care/treatment differs in the details but over-all is just the same lack of care as everywhere else.
As to the thyroid being capable of self-healing - or do you mean regeneration? - I think if that were true, more people would know about it. If you have Ord's, like me, once the thyroid is gone, it's gone. People who have total thyroidectomies might find that little bits of thyroid tissue left behind might grow a little - even produce a little hormone - but will never fully grow or be capable of producing enough to keep one fit and healthy.
There will always be people with theories like this - the internet is full of them - but what is lacking is proof. Personally, I would take it all with a very large pinch of salt.
Hi
It's funny, I tend to think that countries like the US where they have an insurance based system of healthcare would be less strict and regimented about what they can and can't treat. I've tended to envy people who can go from doctor to doctor or see a specialist in a matter of days.
In the UK with our poor old NHS I think many of us are used to medical care on the cheap. We get the cheapest medication unless we specify a brand and getting T3 is extremely difficult. Many have to self source or pay for private health care. And waiting times are horrendous.
And yet we hear from members all over the world who are experiencing the same issues, ignorance, dogma, pig headedness . And the common denominator? Doctors 😏
Oh yes, it's the same in France. T3 is dirt cheap here - like levo - but a lot of doctors refuse to prescribe it because they don't know what it is!
Here, you can doctor-hop as much as you like. To see a specialist you just ring and make an appointment, you don't have to go through your GP. But, you still meet with a vast wall of ignorance about thyroid. None of them have a clue!
Is the growth of nodules a kind of regeneration? I have them and I have an ultrasound once every couple of years to monitor. Sometimes I feel a lump in my throat and my voice is affected. What are the chances I’ll need surgery at some point? I’m still on Armour - 1 grain/day. I also have some breathing problems and wonder if it’s to do with hashis. Please can you comment?
I watched this recently
youtube.com/watch?v=k77F184...
My question is, does this just work if your thyroid is simply under-working, or will it also fix the cause of something like Hashimotos, or cure a life-long (or inherited) problem with the thyroid? I suppose that there is one way to find out as the method is not expensive.
I will try this this morning at work, I am sure if I sit there rubbing red onions and walnuts over me (don't have the oil), with my tongue out, eyes staring manically, coughing and chanting ommm I might at least get sent to work from home a bit? Well hopefully home and not escorted off site by security and locked away (it's happened here a few times but not to me and no onions involved)
There may be some poor doctors but i believe they have more knowledge than this guy. Dangerous in my opinion
Just watched then had a read of the comments on this on YouTube.
Most are typical of health videos - some sort of statement like "Wonderful" but nothing to actually back it up. Even when blood tests are mentioned, many just claim a drop in TSH. Which varies even in the healthiest.
Afraid, in my book, the starting advice to stop thyroid tablets as quickly as you can is positively dangerous.
We have seen a number of members who have reduced their levothyroxine doses and suffered quite severely.
The fundamental idea that one approach will work for ALL thyroid disease is plain nonsense.
The claim that rock salt contains iodine is technically correct - you can measure iodine content with very sensitive analytical techniques. But effectively nonsense. If it contained enough to be significant, I don't think there would ever have been nationwide salt iodination campaigns.
The idea that you have to grind the coriander with a pestle and mortar (rather than an electric grinder) to avoid warming it. Then you boil it - long enough to reduce volume by a half. That appears conflicting.
The trouble with trying it, in order to see how it goes, is that you are throwing out whatever you have been doing - such as taking levothyroxine, liothyronine or carbimazole. If your existing approach has been keeping you going, however imperfectly, you could deteriorate seriously, even dangerously, by quitting it.
Even if we accept the long history of Ayerveda, and that in the right hands it can be effective, we have a huge problem. The world is so very different to that in which Ayurveda developed. Start with the large numbers of pollutants which simply did not exist in the past.
Must admit breathing out through left nostril only, made me laugh. The sleep, diet, and none plastic advice is great ALL . Wonder nutrients are in coriander?
I’m tempted to try this while not dropping my Levo dose, i do loads of yoga and am a big fan of Ayurveda, ashwagamda is amazing in Pukka teas, but not brave enough to come down off Levo even slowly (although I remember reading people often have a unsustained window of wellness when coming off - probs what this is). I’ll report back 🙏🧘🙏
Ideally we could test our TSH as easily as diabetics test their blood sugar levels. That way, we could try this sort of thing, and adjust our medication according to the test results.
I thought this when I started treatment. It would be ideal to have a wearable T3 monitor with an app. 🦋💚🦋
Do you mean that you started to develop such a device, or you started wearing one?
Ah sorry no, I’m just dyslexic and very lazy with punctuation!! I’ll edit 🙈
No problem. Perhaps one day we will have some sort of body monitor to give us real-time information about all our body functions.
Two obvious points here.
1. he states that thirty years ago hardly anybody had thyroid problems.
2. Ayurveda has been treating it for thousands of years. Why?
Also the reason Yoga (stretching) is claimed to be the magic cure for so many things is because it is part of an actual religion.
I don't see that anything that he is suggesting is dangerous. Ayurvedic Medicine is not a 'here today - gone tomorrow, fad.
You do not consider that stopping levothyroxine. liothyronine or carbimazole can be dangerous?
Thyroid storm and myxoedema coma are two of the most dangerous endocrine emergencies. And one or other could result from stopping current medication. (No - I'm not saying they would often occur. But when they do, they are extremely serious.)
Are you going to get some walnut oil, coriander, etc., and just stop taking Thyroid S?
Ayervedic medicine has a long history. But presenting it as a "four simple steps" approach to all thyroid disease is a travesty of Ayurvedic medicine. If it were that simple, there would be little need for long training and consultations.
Go round half a dozen Ayurvedic websites which claim to have treatments for thyroid disease and you'll see half a dozen different approaches. Seems very unlikely that all are similarly effective. There has been an enormous growth of commercialised Ayurvedic products being flogged by product/brand name. Too much is just like the western vitamin sales - thousands of formulations. Maybe, just possibly, the next one I try will be the answer...
Ayurvedic medicine, along with Traditional Chinese Medicine, and some other systems, have strengths and weaknesses - as does western medicine. All depend on knowledge gathered over centuries. All depend on a lot of study. All depend on the individual practitioners.
If you notice an adverse reaction to stopping the meds then start taking them again. Sometimes life is a lot more simple than we think!
I'm sorry to have to point this out, but the video says you must stop your pills. At worst, taper for a short period.
It does NOT say "try reducing", "try stopping", and see how it goes. It is absolutely dogmatic.
You coming along and saying you can restart is another matter. It is NOT what it says in the video.
Bear in mind, some people allowing their hyperthyroidism escape control by carbimazole, even for a few days, can become dangerously ill.
So are you saying that we should remove all such advice from the Internet because people without common sense may do harm to themselves? Personally, I have had H&S, PC, and wokeism up to the eyes. Taken much further it will become an offence to have a child on the grounds that we would be exposing it to danger once it is born.
Be careful - yes. Try nothing - we may as well not have a life.
When it comes to medicine and health, an awful lot of things are not susceptible to "common sense". That is why people look for information and expert guidance.
If that guidance is questionable, poor or downright bad, they should turn away. But there are so many who are desperate, are ripe for exploitation, who somehow turn off their usual care and scepticism, it is important to highlight issues.
I ask again, are you going to stop Thyroid S?
I hope to stop Thyroid-S because it is making me so drowsy. I would love to stop all thyroid meds, or at least reduce them. I am working to that with diet at present, but am slowed down by having to wait for blood tests.
I agree with you about those who are desperate and ripe for exploitation. If the chap in the video that I posted was asking for money for a 'cure', I would not have posted it, but he wasn't.
He simply included about ten Amazon affiliate links if you view in YouTube. And similar numbers, or more, in every other video he has posted. And links to other people doing similarly. And he tries to get you to join his YouTube channel and other "social media" existences.
His videos exist to make money.
What helps, marginally, is that they are all to Indian sites/products.
That's how some people make some money. It's up to us to cross-reference stuff we see on sites like YouTube. In this case he doesn't force us to click on his links. And he does offer the information without requiring us to pay him for it.
Look, if you or anybody is happy with their state of health, and the treatment that they get, then I am pleased for you, and nobody is compelling to watch YouTube etc. But those of us who don't enjoy that situation are (or should be) grateful that there is an alternative to being told that thyroxine is 'magic' and works for all of us, by people who do take our money (regardless of whether we think they deserve a salary or not).
My personal experience
(Very Long story short)
approx 25 years ago I stopped levothyroxine for approx 10 days
(I had been left very under medicated on 75mcg and wasn’t improving)
….first 1-8 days after stopping felt less poisoned
(I now know this is common to initially feel better)
….then dramatic crash.
Couldn’t get out of bed, couldn’t eat, struggling to breathe, lost a stone in weight, extremely scary ….
It’s a long time waiting 10-14 days for levothyroxine to “kick back in” when in that situation
Took over a year to recover enough strength to walk half a mile to the park and back
Never, ever again would I ever consider reducing or stopping dose
In the US, if I tell my doctor that I’d like to try this, that or the other medication for my thyroid, it’s usually done. I’ve never come across a doctor won’t let me try different things. Because they know that I can just change doctors. And they lose income. It seems that in the UK I’d have a hard time doing that, the doctors seem to hold the upper hand. I’m originally from the UK, and my husband occasionally mentions moving back, but I’d have a hard time if I can’t get my Armour. I’d have to come back once a year to get my script.
There has been some mention of chlorine removing thyroid hormone from the body but have not seen the studies. Also have read some articles about the lack of iodine in soil so that there may be lack of iodine in food especially with those who restrict salt. Some people go to a homeopath or functional medicine doctor or go to a health food store to get help'.
I developed a goiter about six months after starting a swimming exercise program at a chlorinated pool three times.
It would be good to see some studies of how chemicals and pesticides effect thyroid function.
An interesting point. When trying to check what is the best cause of action there seems to be no solid answers. I suppose everyone is different but I have always like guidelines to follow. This all seems trial and error on shifting sands. Perhaps someone can recommend a good thyroid food book as I read conflicting info on types of food to eat and avoid.
Hi there, I have been able to continually lower my medication by adhering to the advice on this site in regards to getting all the mentioned vitamins in range. I also tested for food allergies which really helped me. I avoid all allergens. I do not have autoimmune thyroid disease and I do think I have an advantage as far as making improvement. Menopause also really helped. I needed less thyroid med since then. I am on half my original thyroid dose since taking all my vitamins consistently and massively changing my diet. Stress is a big factor and I learned how to better manage that too. I know someone personally who does better on Standard Process thyroid supplements verses the thyroid meds she used to take. So, I think the situation is very individual . You have to be committed with vitamins, diet, lifestyle, positive thinking, meditation, healthy relationships, etc. I am a believer that we can always improve our health and that some can actually get off lifetime meds.
I would very much be interested in who you read that you referenced . I had read some of Anthony Williams "Thyroid Healing" and subscribed to a news letter "Thyroid Madness" in an effort to learn about this terrible thing I had been thrown into from what I now consider was a mis diagnosis. Drs. here in the U.S.A. rely on the TSH like it is the magic bullet of diagnosis. When they place you on Levo it signals your thyroid to shut down after a period of hyperthyroid. Much like they do to men when they place them on BP meds that cause their PSA to elevate 2 fold and don't tell them then when their PSA increases they mindlessly farm them off to Urology who proceed mess up their plumbing permanently in hot pursuit of cancer which they never had! As an aside did you know non -steroidal meds can cause urinary retention and by the time it is figured out you can be in kidney failure. It is a bit of sharing I do cause if one life is saved it is so worth it! Sharing on sites like this one I believe saves lives and reduces misery. Thank you.
Hi Silverdale. The book i have started to read is The Thyroid Fix by Shawn Soszka. I am not recommending this to anyone but I could see the logic in treating the health issues that cause thyroid problems but the feedback seems to be its a bit too late to fix the thyroid. I am now looking at what supplements I can take along with diet.
I understand what you are saying and appreciate your sharing. I think there are few magic bullets when it comes to care of our health, but sometimes it is fitting bits and pieces together for better outcomes. Again thank you!
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