people keep telling my to try ashwaganda to help with my anxiety. I have read that it can affect the thyroid and it is not recommended. I know when I took it previously that was included in a ‘rhealsuperfoods’ balance tonic powder drink along with maca root it definitely calmed me down but at the time I had awful pressure in my head when I took it which looking back now I think is ‘letdown headaches’ as when I do calm down I seem to get them. And that drink definitely calmed me down straight away and probably too quick hence the awful headache.
I am wondering whether to try it again but on a smaller dose to see how I feel but nervous about my thyroid issue (high tsh and high t4).
My other option in valerian root kalms day which might calm me down a bit and I also get a headache. Is valerian root a safer option?
Written by
Goinginsane1
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
If you have high TSH and high FT4, then you probably have low FT3. So, the best way to calm your anxiety would be to take T3. You cannot replace a hormone with a herb.
I am waiting for a second opinion from another endocrinologist as the first one wouldn’t listen to me and said my t3 was in normal range and it was fine. Wouldn’t even consider t3 and told me all of my issues are just anxiety.
Just seen your blood test results, and your TSH is far too high for someone on thyroid hormone replacement, and your FT3 far too low. You are a poor converter and still hypo. And I doubt that ashwagandha would do anything to help that, and could make things worse. Adaptogens are unpredictable.
Anxiety is a hypo symptom, not a disease. But doctors always treat it as a disease and blame our other symptoms on it.
If you can't get T3 on the NHS - and there's a strong possibility that you won't, things being as they are - have you never considered buying your own and self-treating with it? Proably won't cost you much more than all this herbs you're suggesting, and will do you far more good.
You'd have to write a new post asking just that in the title, and asking people to PM you links to their trusted sources. We're not allowed to name suppliers on the open forum.
so the below are tests done a week apart… 2/3 weeks ago.
This one was first before I increased my thyroxine when TSH was 3.71 and starting to go over and I was starting with low stomach acid and achey muscles. TSH goes over when I start to eat more which I need to do as I haven’t been eating enough for a long time and I need to increase dose to keep TSH down and to stop the low stomach acid as I can’t eat properly then either.
As you can see my t4 was already high at that point.
this is the 2 test done a week or so later after increasing thyroxine to try and address my TSH and stomach acid which it helped but then I got awful over active symptoms which has been affecting my heart and causing even more anxiety and insomnia etc.
today I have gone back down to 75. Before eating more (but not enough) I was shaving a tiny bit off 75 to try and keep my tsh down and my t4 for months and months to try and find a balance. Sounds crazy doesn’t it.
I am now waiting for the low stomach acid to return tonight/tomorrow unless I eat a bit less again. And not sure how to deal with that in order to keep eating.
I’ve just bought a pea protein powder to try in addition to what I eat tomorrow and hope that that doesn’t count as food and affect my tsh as it’s liquid but I guess it’s still calories and that will no doubt affect my tsh just like food does?
I can’t seem to take vitamin d tablets as they make me feel sick so today I have bought a kids vitamin d spray as the adult one is peppermint flavoured and I can’t have that due to the stomach acid issues 🙄
I have vitamin d in the omega 3 I take daily (400) and eat 2 eggs a day and eat salmon a few times a week too.
I had an ultra sound done 2 years ago and they said it was all fine then 💁
I have over the last week or some become sexually active again everyday to try and boost my hormones and reduce stress. My estrogen levels are low so trying to boost them and reduce cortisol. I guess that will take time for the estrogen to improve (if it’s going to) and maybe that alone will play a part in a better thyroid function 💁
I took a balance tonic drink today which contains ashwaganda but I’ve been told i shouldn’t take ashwaganda with a a thyroid condition so maybe I should stop that even though it calmed me down last time I tried it.
My cortisol levels are very high too and suspect this is the cause of my thyroid issues too. But I can’t take anti depressants as they affect my heart and make me poorly.
I am wondering whether to try a magnesium supplement again but I reacted to the last one that was magnesium, zinc and d3 in one and it caused awful anxiety and burning breasts for some reason.
I don’t want a magnesium that may cause diarrhea either as that’s the last thing I need.
I was taking a. B complex but my b12 was too high in blood test so stopped taking that.
Here’s link for how to request Thyroid U.K.list of private Doctors emailed to you, but within the email a link to download list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologists who will prescribe T3
Ideally choose an endocrinologist to see privately initially and who also does NHS consultations
maybe I will take the b complex every other day or something. Does it build up and even out?
I have only today started a bit in a d mouths spray in addition to the vit d I get in the omega 3 daily. Not sure how long that will take to start improving my vitamin d further? Probably weeks?
I am trying to research the best magnesium too and maybe try that?
Do you suggest anything else to try?
When I said to the nhs endocrinologist a few weeks ago about my thyroid issues and when I eat more my tsh goes over and I get under active symptoms low stomach acid, awful musclesl aches and horrendous fatigue he said I wouldn’t get that if tsh was on just over 4. But I do!!!
He told me that iron doesn’t affect thyroid conversion or t3 when I showed him the medic checks results and graphs to show my t3 levels dropping when I stopped the iron tablet and that was the only thing I’d changed. He said he had done a master degree and iron doesn’t do that…but it does!!!!
When I said about my t3 is not optimal he just dismissed me and said it is in normal range and it is fine. He told me all of my issues were anxiety and he had no other advice for me. He refused to do any tests at all.
I tried to say that I think I have some sort of adrenal issue due to the high anxiety and cortisol levels and it feels like my adrenals hurt in my back when I’m particularly anxious. He said it wouldn’t do that either.
I told him how much weight I’ve lost (now 7st 13lbs) and I can’t put it back on coz of my thyroid issues but he didn’t have anything to say and just ushered us out the room and said thanks for coming. When I eat more I get the high tsh and low stomach acid and can’t eat properly and food doesn’t digest so I have to eat less which then causes me anxiety coz my body needs food. And when I increase the thyroxine I get a whole load of over active symptoms and it affects my heart (but the acid problems goes as my TSH comes down) I can’t find a balance.
I have got diazepam to take to help my anxiety but I don’t really want to take it as this can affect the thyroid too and it’s addictive.
Hence why I’m trying to find something natural to try to help my severe anxiety but I don’t know what to take 💁
I have got an appointment with a dr off the list based in Bristol in March so I’m hoping she will help me or consider t3
Yes well he’s obviously not a thyroid specialist at all
There’s masses of research on needing good iron for good conversion
And good vitamin D, folate and B12 too
Vitamin D
Retest in 2-3 months
It’s trial and error what dose vitamin D will maintain good levels
Some people might only need 1000iu per day …..others might need 4000iu or 5000iu daily
Magnesium
Lots of different options to try that don’t affect bowels
Thorne Magnesium Citramate - large capsules…but can open and tip into glass water
Igennus triple magnesium….large tablets….can cut into smaller sections….start with small portion….crush up to swallow with plenty of water
ReMag - magnesium liquid….not cheap, and an acquired taste.
All magnesium….best taken later afternoon/early evening or bedtime as calming and relaxing
Gluten free and/or dairy free often beneficial
Personally I found anxiety reduced on gluten free diet….probably because absorption/conversion of levothyroxine improved …..but I still needed addition of T3 prescribed alongside levothyroxine (more on my profile)
High cortisol is typical with low Ft3 ….as adrenals try to compensate for lack of thyroid hormones
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Switch from NDT to Levo, yes or no?
Struggling with switch to NDT
T3 side effects 
Saliva cortisol test results please help 
Health Anxiety - has anyone overcome this?
