Swapped to NDT

[sugarlove1]

have been under a private endo who has been prescribing me 20mcg of T3 on top of my 175 levothyroxine. Unfortunately, although my bloods have improved and I’m converting the T3 better, I don’t feel any better physically and am still absolutely shattered. She’s just suggested I try just NDT. Just wondering if anyone has had more success with this please? T3 has always made me feel quite anxious every time I’ve adjusted to doses fb I’ve never felt any better on levo since I was first diagnosed.

[pennyannie]

Hello Sugarlove :

Just reading your previous posts - all you can do is try NDT and see if it works better for you :

No thyroid hormone replacement works well until the core strength vitamins and minerals are up and maintained at optimal - do you have any current readings for ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D ?

Do you know the reason for your hypothyroidism ?

You do need to take any thyroid hormone replacement on an empty stomach and away from food and drink by at least a good hour.

Exercising and dieting to lose weight - when not optimally medicated - will compound your health issues further as your T3 is not high enough nor stable to sustain your activities and creates a negative feedback loop with you more exhausted and taking longer to recover.

All you can do is try NDT and see how you go - I find NDT a ' smoother ' option as the hormones are attached to haemoglobin and more slowly released into the blood stream.

I see you are under a private endo so presume you will have some instruction as to how to switch from synthetic T3/T4 to Natural Desiccated Thyroid.

[sugarlove1 in reply to pennyannie]

Hi yes I’m taking vitamin supplements for vitamin D and folic acid and am about to introduce vitamin B. Endo just advised me to do a straight swap and to take 2 grains in the morning and 2 in the afternoon.

[pennyannie in reply to sugarlove1]

Whatever medications you are currently taking will take time to leave your body - so I wouldn't suggest you start on such a large dose :

When you started out on T4 - you had your dose built up over several weeks -

and it's the same principal now -

and suggest you start low on the NDT and make 1/4 grain increments - weekly / fortnightly- and monitor yourself on blood pressure, pulse and temperature - am and pm for any changes - positive or negative :

and you build up to 2 grains and then stay on 2 grains for 6-8 weeks to see if your bloods look any different from your bench mark readings - and of course - you feel any relief of the symptoms being experienced.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Just wondering if you've succeeded with raising your low vitamin levels? Many members find this works wonders for them.

We need optimal levels of vitamins for our thyroid hormone to work well.

[sugarlove1 in reply to Jaydee1507]

Thanks yes I’m taking supplements.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to sugarlove1]

They will need a few months to work

[Buttercupsareyellow]

Hi

I think it really is a personal journey and working out what suits you.

I take NDT (ERFA) and a little Eltroxin. I did try swapping part of it for T3 alone at one point as a trial, but it didn’t work for me - felt really out of sorts, panicky, anxious and other almost slightly hyper symptoms just after I took it. I think (my understanding and happy to be corrected by those who know far more than me on this forum) that NDT might be a slightly slower release? Whatever the reason it seems to suit me better, but others have a different experience.

You can but try and keep talking things through. Hopefully you will find a dosing regime that works for you soon 🤞🏻

[Venicefan]

I changed over from 100mcg of levothyroxine and 30mcg of t3 straight to 2 grains of NDT.

I didn’t need to start as low as somebody changing over from levothyroxine monotherapy because I’d already been taking t3.

Compared to my levo/lio doses it was still a dose reduction, but I felt better immediately that I started taking NDT. I felt that my body didn’t recognise the synthetic hormones as something it could use, but it knew exactly what to do with the natural ones.

I increased to 2 and a quarter tablets after 4 weeks and was on that dose for probably 3 years, now I take 2 and a half. I’ve been on NDT for 8 years.

[sugarlove1 in reply to Venicefan]

That’s fab thanks. Endo just told me to swap straight over. She said take 2 grains in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. I’m on 175mcg levo and 20mcg of T3. I presume you have a private prescription for it. I’m worried it’s going to cost me a bomb! I have felt literally no better since taking levo and T3 and so hoping that this might work! My hormone levels are all fine.