Hey, I'm feeling so confused. Any advice appreciated!
I have used Thyrogold (NDT) to successfully treat my underactive thyroid (Hypothyroid with Hashimotos) for the last few years.
Occasionally my dose needs altering slightly but generally it has remained stable on this medication.
I am currently taking an alternating dose of 600mg one day and 450mg the next. (600mg a day being max dose).
But my blood results this week were: FT3 = 2.9. FT4 = 6.4 TSH = 63.8.
I am feeling symptomatic - so fatigued, exhausted, depressed, tight chest, anxiety and panic symptoms. So I was expecting to need to increase my dose.
But I have not seen my TSH this high since before I was diagnosed I think? (Approx. 9 years ago).
Is it normal to have such a high TSH when on a high dose of thyroid medication?
Is something else going on?
Tempted to go back to gp for help but they're generally not helpful when it comes to my thyroid problems and nor is the NHS endo.. considering going private for advice..
Thought I'd see if anyone has any ideas first.
Thank you
Saffron
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SunshineSaff
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Thyrogold is a food supplement. Their website states: "we are required to inform you that there is no intention, implied or otherwise that represents or infers that this product be used in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any disease. "
I would suggest that you start looking at a Levo + T3 combination so that you know what is in your replacement hormone medicine.
Thyrogold is John Lowe's brand (now run by his wife Tammy after his untimely death) .
SunshineSaff have you contacted Tammy Lowe to let her know you have had these odd results ? i'm sure she'd be keen to know .
Thyro-Gold™ does not require a prescription because we maintain its valued designation as a dietary supplement. To prevent our product from being classified as a drug under Section 201(g) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, we are required to inform you that there is no intention, implied or otherwise that represents or infers that this product be used in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any disease".
Q: Has Thyro-Gold™ been chemically "stripped" of T4 and T3 in the same manner as other so-called "dietary" thyroid supplements? Or is it pure, unadulterated bovine thyroid that contains naturally occurring T4,T3,T2,T1 hormones?
Are the capsules of Thyro-Gold which you're currently taking filled a fully as they usually are? I remember that being an issue a few years ago and everyone who had them was sent replacements.
I remember that one batch, or possibly more than one, hadn't been filled up correctly, so the capsules contained very little of the actual mix. You should be able to see how full they are through the capsule.
I've compared them with the new bottle I've recently ordered and they appear the same and look as full as eachother, no obvious lack of contents 😓 Thank you for the info.
SunshineSaff I’m so sorry you’re feeling so ill but these labs certainly explain why! My close friend was on thyrogold and while she was well for a while she eventually also went very downhill, she is now on synthetics. I have sent her your post and hope she can give you some insight x
SunshineSaff I had this same issue although my results were not as remarkable as yours! After 2 good years on thyrogold and feeling great something changed after they reformulated. I started to go down hill slowly but I didn’t even realise it until it was too late. I dosed by symptoms so I don’t know what my bloods were during my good years. I also ended up feeling completely toxic as if it was just building in my system without being used (perhaps cortisol).
I did try to contact Tammy a few times but got no luck or contact back from her. I have heard of others who have also gone down hill on thyrogold so I fear it’s now lost all of its potency… I do suggest that it’s flogging a dying horse trying to resolve your issues now using TG and I would look at proper prescription meds.
Do you have a doctor willing to prescribe armour if you have done well on NDT before?
Thank you. I havent heard back rmfrom Tammy yet and I'm starting to think I need to switch medication.
Hoping I can find somewhere to supply Armour, otherwise I may need to go through the process of getting back on Levothyroxine and trying to find a private endo who will prescribe T3.
The NHS endo I saw before was so patronising and rude and kept talking over me. I really don't want to see him again.
I'm feeling so unwell I'm desperate to get on a new medication ASAP 😓
Glad you have contacted them. Sounds like a faulty batch/es. Hopefully she will answer as a matter of urgency. You're alternative is to switch NDT. I'm on Armour.
I would love to try Armour if I can find where to buy it from! Otherwise I think im going to have to try and contact my gp in the next few days and get back on Levothyroxine, which will not fully treat my symptoms 😭
The same just happened to me. My labs improved dramatically on Thyrogold from the beginning of this year, and I felt great. Life was good for 6 months.
But, a month ago, on the latest shipment, I started going downhill fast. Fatigue, need afternoon naps, itching, allergies, weight gain. Ran a lab. Yep, TSH had spiked to 150, and all numbers for T3, T4 etc were down.
It had stopped working. I upped my dose from 450 mcg to 600 to 800 mcg per day. Slight improvement, but slight is all. This is always the problem with NDT - they work, until they don't. You get a batch that's way lower in T4 and T3, and you feel it pretty quickly. I am looking at Armour and another Bovine brand to see if it works better. This is about the 5th time I've switched around on NDT. Even the compounded stuff stopped working. I can't do Levo - the synthetics give me panic attacks and anxiety and don't fix my other symptoms. I'm stuck on NDT, but I sure wish I could find a reliably good source.
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