Reaching out to find the member who successfull... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,902 members • 161,721 posts

Reaching out to find the member who successfully did every other day hormone cycling

Litatamon profile image
Litatamon
•13 Replies

Anyone out there know? Someone 💯 mentioned they cycled choices with success. I believe it involved NDT.

Or do you?

**I fully realize this is a poor choice, just getting cornered due to price. It is not what I want. **

I just had my hormones increased yet again this week & the financial burden has become absolutely unbearable. I am needing to take such a large amount. Due to no thyroid and my natural size (ie. will always be a large amount for life, even with weight loss)

I can not get cheap Cytomel or any form of t3 due to import laws here (Canada). Prescription is crazy expensive even if I could convince my endocrinologist of t3 only.

I can not get reasonable prescription cost of NDT due to amount needed. Nor can I easily import Thyroid S (have had one bottle stopped at border)

Synthroid is crazy cheap here. But I 100% can not do T4 only due to how poorly I felt.

I have one full new bottle of Thyroid S.

And tons of Synthroid due to dose changes. And the ability to afford it going forward.

Considering cycling the two at least until I can somehow rework a better solution.

Really hoping to find that member who mentioned it last year in conversation.

Thank you. Some budgeting needs to go to supplements to assist absorption as well. Which could keep these constant dose increases at bay.

Written by
Litatamon profile image
Litatamon
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
13 Replies
•

I have had my thyroid removed.

Can’t comment on the member you’re looking for but I would not advise the alternate day cycling you describe under any circumstances.

T3 has a short half life and need to be dosed regularly

Litatamon profile image
Litatamon in reply to

I hear you Everywhere2, Thank you, sincerely. I am just at my wit's end with high dose and therefore cost. Not just going forward which has always been a stress - now just straight out.

Might consider adding one Thyroid S to Synthroid daily. ????? I 💯 can not do Synthroid alone, can not go back there despite my endocrinologist's suggestion this week to do so. I feel like I now have very few options with my country's laws and this latest increase being completely unbearable.

Thank you.

in reply to Litatamon

I’ve just read your post from 10 days ago and I can see the results you’ve posted and the ranges. It’s flagged as HI and your FT3 as LO.

Your TSH is very high indeed. It’s flagged as HI and your FT3 as LO.

Are you saying that you can’t resolve this situation because you can’t afford to buy T3? I think with a TSH that high you may need a few more investigations as well as T3.

Do you have medical insurance?

Litatamon profile image
Litatamon in reply to

Do not have insurance for medication Everything is out of pocket. But covered for testing if I can convince anyone to do it. And do not suffer from being direct and firm. Yes financially, but I would have had to convince doctor T3 needs to be higher, ie. He reads it as the one 'normal' and not the issue. Concentrates on the TSH being 35.8.

Endocrinologist appointment came after that post you are referring to Everywhere2. Thankfully here I am able to see my results online before appointment.

I went over all my labs with each configuration yesterday Unfortunately it was difficult as T3 testing was missed at times. But I could not believe how low FT3 was when I on 150 mcg Synthroid & 25 T3.

And even though it was before him, I had my only 'normal' lab at 225 mcg Synthroid. But have to continually remind him I could hardly get through a day & it was the worst time period. He is really focused on that 'one good lab'.

(I am on NDT that was already pricey. The increase in dose, during my appointment this week due to current labs, has made it virtually undoable. )

in reply to Litatamon

I cannot believe that a doctor can concentrate in the one ‘normal’ result and completely ignore the elephant in the room - the TSH. Something is wrong somewhere. You’re clearly not converting T4 to FT3 and many numpty doctors miss that - but the TSH is too high 🙈

Litatamon profile image
Litatamon in reply to

Sorry I obviously communicated poorly. My apologies.

He did concentrate on the TSH & said you just need more hormones.

We argued somewhat, nicely, about the t3. Because he saw it as completely normal and fine.

I have had leg issues for years. And I believe my low T3 is responsible. I used to walk and walk and walk.

Thank you for all your thoughts. So helpful. I am just so frustrated, mainly with my country's import laws. And how many doctors are the "Keeper of the Goods". My endocrinologist is actually pretty good in this area. My endocrinologist before and after surgery was a "All my patients are completely fine on Synthroid only" when I questioned her. 🤭

🙈

radd profile image
radd

Litamon,

Thyroid meds must always be taken consistently. I suggested to you recently to add Levo to your NDT in order to raise both FT4 & FT3, explained here ..... healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Litatamon profile image
Litatamon in reply to radd

Hi radd ,

I went to my appointment after our conversation/post, my NDT was put up so high, affording the NDT I am/was taking (Erfa) and feeling relatively okay on is now potentially undoable. It was that much of an increase. So adding a bit of levothyroxine to it isn't even on the plate as I might not be able to fill the prescription.

I have online access to my labs before the appointment - I wrote that post before the appointment.

If I switch my NDT back to Thyroid S

(as I have a bottle that I just recently snuck back into the country after it getting shipped back to Thailand by the powers at be) I will always have the stress of getting more.

I ALWAYS remember your advice & knowledge. This is all new. And I do know they should be consistent, I am simply in a bind.

This is kind of opposite to what you were saying. It would be mostly Synthroid with a bit of Thyroid S due to these ongoing issues.

*I think* I might switch solely to the Thyroid S bottle due to the inability to afford my new greatly increased prescription of Erfa & just pray. Been thinking all day.

My endocrinologist thinks I should be back on Synthroid, ignoring how I felt on monotherapy. Will not be happening. Thank you, as usual. I always appreciate it.

radd profile image
radd in reply to Litatamon

Litatamon,

Levothyroxine mono-therapy fails to bring many of us wellbeing but Levothyoxoine + a little NDT might work for you, as opposed to NDT + a little thyroxine.

Read here my response to TiredThyroid50 (quite a long way down the page) when she questions my statement 'Some need more T3 meds than others but many require just a tiny amount to get that conversion enzyme up-regulated to use the T4 appropriately'.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Litatamon profile image
Litatamon in reply to radd

Thank you. So interesting as usual, to read. I will consider that combination.

I mentioned I had gone through all my labs & was dumbfounded how low my FT3 was when on 25 Cytomel (with 15O Synthroid). I think my FT3 has actually been higher on levothyroxine monotherapy, which makes no sense to me. Unfortunately FT3 was left off many labs to get a clear picture.

A bit off topic but I remember feeling a jolt with my legs the first week I took Cytomel and going Huh? & then it disappeared a while afterwards. And I remembered what you said about the body taking in the hormone and then it is needed many places in time.

I also found a medical journal about T3 receptors being impacted during severe sepsis, which I have had twice

I feel that I am close with this puzzle & hope finances will not limit me.

Thanks again radd. Appreciate all your time and your most fascinating posts.

Brightness14 profile image
Brightness14

What Thyroid s dose are you taking now, how may par day. Have you your latest blood test results for TSH, FT4 , and FT3 for us to see.

Have you anyone living in the UK that could help repackage these and send them on to you.

Litatamon profile image
Litatamon in reply to Brightness14

Hi Brightness,

Good to hear from you. Did your second go at Thyroid S not work?

No no one in the UK, well besides all my ancestors but they're no help 😊. But the posting price would add up.

And I would send it elsewhere as I already have a warning and can not afford a fine. My SIL had T3 from Mexico, but when she physically brought it up I realized it was levothyroxine by mistake. All those bodybuilders from Southern California probably buy up all the liothyronine. She is allowed to enter Canada with personal medication because she is not Canadian. She also brought me my well-travelled Thryoid S bottle.

I put my labs on a post before the endocrinologist appointment. They were TSH 35.8 (,8? - 4); FT4 8 (9-18) & I can not remember the FT3 - in normal range but low.

I have a prescription in hand for 250 mg Erfa. EDIT: I should not write in the middle of the night - you asked about Thryoid S, not Erfa. Probably will be at four grains as was on 3.25 with a TSH of 32 ?!? I think that was the lab when I was taking it

Thank you Brightness, hope you are doing better.

You may also like...

Levothyroxine raised by 25mcg every other day.

NDT for impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone?

sensitivity to thyroid hormone. But rather than t3 only I was prescribed NDT. I've read that you...

Does anyone else take different levels of thyroxine every other day?

Chest pain with even small amount of T3?

posted here. I was NDT and had to stop because of chronic chest pain (at any dose). I then went on...

TSH still really high and causing anxiety

In November I had RAI due to overactive thyroid. My Dr. started me on Synthroid 50 mcg in January....