How does it go starting ndt?

[malohant]

Hi, thank you for taking the time to read this I'm getting married in three weeks. I'm currently on Levo but have always had fatigue taking it. I have got a prescription of NDT which I haven't started yet.

I'm worried that starting ndt now will leave me worse off for the wedding. But I'm feeling completely drained, exhausted, and I keep thinking but what if it allows me to have more energy, enjoy the day more.

What have been your experiences of starting ndt? How long is the adjustment period? Did you feel better or worse, how long did it take to feel better?

Thank you so much in advance.

M x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at previous posts your endo is chasing to get TSH within range, regardless of how unwell you become and keeps reducing levothyroxine dose

So why not just increase levothyroxine dose back up

Rather than risk upsetting the apple cart just before your wedding by changing to NDT

Then you could consider adding T3 in 2-3 months

are your vitamins at GOOD levels

What vitamin supplements are you taking

Retest thyroid and vitamin levels 6-8 weeks later

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

[malohant in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon - that's actually a really good idea, using up my stash of Levo. Why don't the simple things ever come to mind! Much appreciated!

[pennyannie]

Hello Malohant :

I can't see the point of switching treatment regimes so close to your wedding -

I'd go with what you know and tolerate, and think to switch after the wedding when things have settled down and you feel comfortable in your own space again.

Wishing you all the best and hope the day goes well for you both :

[TSH110]

I felt improvents immediately (like the next day immediately) when I started NDT.

I dropped levo by 25mcg and added 1/4 grain of NDT, I split the dose in two and slowly titrated up 1/4 grain NDT and 25mcg less levo until I felt well. (I can send a link to the guide I used but I titrated down the levo at the same time I didn’t just stop it and start the NDT as per the guide but I used their timings and NDT increase rate)

You could try that and see if you feel any better. It’s also easy to reverse if you don’t see improvements. The T3 acts quite quickly and lack of it is usually the cause of feeling utterly rubbish on Levothyroxine, I’m a super fast reactor to chemicals so it was a revelation for me, miraculous even . It isn’t so for everyone tho and can take quite a while to kick in.

Given what SlowDragon says (I just noticed it) you may just need a higher dose of levo which is an easier fix.

Have a great wedding btw ☺️

[Venicefan]

I never felt well for the whole 23 years I was on levothyroxine. I felt better immediately when I went onto NDT.

I was on 100mcg levothyroxine and 30mcg liothyronine. This was better than levothyroxine alone, but I still didn’t feel right.

I didn’t change over gradually - I stopped the synthetic meds and went straight over to 2 grains of NDT. I increased by 1 quarter tablet after 3 weeks and another quarter 3 weeks later and have now been on 2.5 grains for 8 years.

I feel really well on NDT.