Results of TSH Modification Experiment

[RockyPath]

I inquired last week about what effect I could produce on TSH within three days. I appreciate the expertise and wisdom I received. I had just seen an endocrinologist who wanted to cut back my NDT because my TSH was 0.027. You advised me to stick to my rights as a human being.

The endocrinologist seemed to be on the ido-sociopath spectrum, and I felt curious to see what might happen if I stopped the thyroid hormone for a few days. Years ago I actually had an endocrinologist tell me to quit for a month and maybe start over after her labs. I did that. I was living in Florida and didn't notice any cold intolerance right away. Now I live in a northern climate.

After the first day without NDT (1-1/4 grain average) I did not sleep well. Sunday night, the second day, I did not sleep well and lay awake, uncomfortably cold in my cool winter home. I felt so unwell by 2 am Monday that I got up and took a 5 mcg tablet of Liothyronine and decided I would go for the blood tests at 9 am. Clearly, another day would have been too much punishment. As I lay in bed shivering, waiting for the T3 to kick in, I realized that, when I sleep out in the forest in on a mountain 2 km above sea level, I am relentlessly uncomfortably cold. Perhaps when by body is asked to operate in a more demanding environment it needs more thyroid hormone.

Seven hours after taking the 5 mcg of T3, my blood tests produced the following

TSH (0.27 - 4.2) 1.2

FT4 (0.93 - 1.7) 0.8

I feel much better this evening after resuming the NDT right after the blood draw, and having another 5 mcg of Liothyronine this afternoon.

The doctor didn't think to order a test of my FT3, so he's none the wiser. He also ordered a cholesterol panel, so I ate three or four hard boiled eggs every day leading up to the test. This edged my usually stellar results over the line to the alarm zone. Meaningful, I hope, for an endocrinologist who shouldn't want to provoke hypercholestolemia by withholding hormone.

I think I have heard remarks here about how we need to adjust hormone dose according to the season. Should I be splitting my NDT and increasing the dose when I'm in the cold, high mountain in summers, as well as in winter, when I'm keeping the house at 16 C?

Many thanks,

RockyPath

[TiggerMe]

I think you have answered yourself with your findings... If you are uncomfortably cold it suggests you are under replaced and a tweak is needed 🤗 I take a little more T3 in the darker months and certainly notice a slowing down when the temperature is below freezing for any length of time

[Batty1]

Cholesterol levels won’t sway the Endo.

[Patriciawoodward]

Hello RockyPath,

I live in the mildest English climate in the east. We have occasional days of between 1 and 3 degrees centigrade. Seldom snow, occasional ice. Between the months of November (about 8 -10 degrees on average) and April (10-16 degrees) I take an xtra 5mcg of T3 over what the endo or my GP prescribe.

In your situation I’m sure I’d need more to keep warm.

I also find that on the days when I run (trail running)I need to take more to compensate for ‘energy loss” .

Without thyroid function we cannot regulate out thyroid hormone needs like “normal” people. I’ve never found an endo or GP who agrees with that….but then how would they know with a normally functioning thyroid!

Needless to say, I have my blood tests done in the hottest summer months so I ‘just’ fall in their window of okay.

So, yes. I agree with you. There are plenty of research papers online which conclude that ‘normally functioning thyroid subjects’ produce more thyroid hormone in response to exercise, temperature variation, stress…… But apparently we are different animals who aren’t suppose to operate like that?!

We all have to find our own way, and effectively’cheat’ the tests so Dr’s feel happy. Perhaps we should revolt more….oh dear, now I’m getting political……grrr.

Best of luck.

[Regenallotment]

I love this home experimenting! Good for you 🥳 I managed a bit of jiggling myself and produced a 0.3something TSH for GP so everyone is appeased for at least 8 months (the last interval they checked) 👏 all power to you. Hubby doing cholesterol tomorrow and has refused eggs and eating veggies tonight…. Everyone is at it 🤣 🌱