Which should I increase Levo or NDT.

[Peanut31]

Hello

I have been on NDT and levo for many years now. I self medicate on NDT.

Originally was on levo only, and it never worked well for me. I found that a mix of levo and NDT worked, this was after months and months of slow adjustments, and help from this forum.

When I used NDT alone it sent my T3 results over range and I felt jittery, and awful. Therefore Levo and NDT work for me.

I have one grain of NDT in the morning with 25mcg of levo and then one grain of NDT at 2pm.

I’m also now peri menopause and started HRT around 3ish months again.

I started to feel chilly internally, no other symptoms really, but thought I would check my thyroid levels as I did research and feeling chilly and ice cold (like ice running through my body) is a sign your T4 is low.

When I do the tests, I do the same routine. I leave a gap of 8 hours for my NDT and no levo that morning until after the test.

I take the bloods the same time 7am. Make sure no vitamins will effect the results.

I take lots of individual vitamins to support my Hashimotos and thyroid, and gluten free.

My T4 has always been low, but from those results I need to up it, I have room to up my T3 too.

However, I not sure if I should up my levo or my NDT, as if I up my NDT it may increase my T3 too much and I get awful symptoms , and the NDT tablets are a nightmare to cut.

Where as T4 will convert to T3 but not give me that fast increase to T3 like NDT.

I was wondering to increase to half a 25mcg levo for 3 out of 7 days.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Results

TSH 0.02 (0.27-4.2)

T3 4.7 (3.1-6.8)

T4 12.7 (12-22).

Best wishes & thank you.

Peanut31

[greygoose]

Where as T4 will convert to T3 but not give me that fast increase to T3 like NDT.

But, will it? Not everybody converts T4 to T3 very well. And, the fact that you didn't get on well on levo monotherapy suggests that you don't convert it very well. You are now taking approximately 160 mcg T4 with your 18 mcg T3, and your FT3 is rather low - under 50%. So, that rather suggests that you aren't converting very much of that 160 mcg T4.

If it were me, I'd invest in a really good pill cutter, and increase NDT by a quarter grain and see how that feels.

[Peanut31 in reply to greygoose]

Hi greygoose

Thank you so much for your reply. I’ve got a very shape craft knife so will give that a go.

Would you increase the NDT every day as in a quarter grain?

Best wishes

Peanut31

[greygoose in reply to Peanut31]

Yes, 1/4 grain every day. You have to because it contains T3. And, with T3 you cannot alternate dose like you can with T4. It has to be the same dose every single day.

[Peanut31]

Thank you greygoose.

[Imaaan]

I'm always curious to know which ndt people are using. Can you pls share?

[Brightness14]

Greygoose has the right idea, by raising NDT 1/4 grain. Thyroid s cuts well with a pill cutter into 1/4 's . Armour requires a knife.