In a Quandary

[Devonlad]

Hi all, Haven't posted in a while as I've had other issues to deal with. Ever since my thyroidectomy 3 years ago I've been struggling with my Levo meds and T3 levels and low energy etc. Earlier this year I twice tried T3 Thybon Henning and a couple of months ago with Tiromel, both on low dose less than 2.5mcg (just a minute bit of tablet), but didn't get on well. felt awful and after a week stopped.

I'm currently on 112.5mcg Levo (having tried both 119mcg and 106mcg over the last 6 months or so), but still not feeling brilliant with cold hands, and energy levels not great, though I have had a couple of short bouts of better energy, lasting about a week.

I have been toying with trying NDT and was about to start when I've just got the results of my latest blood test (all protocols followed) and my T3 is up to 50% through range - whereas it has been about 40% or lower for the last year or so. This latest result has left me confused as to what to do now.

Do I just trundle along on Levo only or do I still give the NDT a try and see what happens? If I tried NDT would there be a problem reverting back to Levo only?

Many thanks to all.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

When you tried T3 before, did you drop Levo slightly and are all your key vitamins at OPTIMAL levels?

What supplements are you taking and what are your latest vitamin results?

Are you taking Levo on an empty stomach with nothing other thaan water for an hour after it?

Switching to NDT is quite an upheaval for the body as its effectively starting from scratch. You need to start on a low dose and work up very slowly.

[Devonlad in reply to Jaydee1507]

Hi Jaydee thanks for your very prompt reply. To anser your questions

For the first try of T3 I did drop my Levo dose a tad, but not for the Tiromel as I was already on 109mcg, and didn't think I should go lower (I weigh 74kg)

I'm currently taking Vit B complex, Vit D, Vit K2, Omega 3, Zinc, Magnesium - all levels were good at last check in July.

I take the levo in the middle night when I go for a comfort break.

Good point about the body upheaval, but I am wary of starting something new, I just wish I could get my T3 % a bit higher and feel more like I used to before the thyroidectomy.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Devonlad]

Hows your ferritin & iron. Looks like you have about everything else covered.

NDT suits some but not all. Its designed for pigs so the balance of T4 & T3 are not quite right for a human. Some need to add a little levo to help the balance.

What have you tried diet wise?

[Devonlad in reply to Jaydee1507]

Thanks again, again from July private test Ferritin 68% through range and Serum Folate 45%. Vit D was 44% and B12 100%. I haven't changed anything dietwise, but noticed Sleepman asked about Gluten. If you have any suggestions that would be welcome.

Interesting about the NDT is of course for/from pigs and might need a bit of adjusting for us. I'll certainly have a good think about all this. My trouble is I'm impatient and want things to happen rapidly and I know that just doesn't happen with thyroid stuff.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Devonlad]

You might find it easier to drop Levo by 25mcgs for a week, then add in 5 mcgs T3. Wait a couple of weeks, assess how you are and if all well then add a further 5mcgs T3.

FT4 may well drop adding T3 but some people really need that initial drop in Levo to tolerate T3.

% through range numbers arent very helpful as ranges vary & ferritin for instance is more a fixed number as opposed to a %.

[Devonlad in reply to Jaydee1507]

Hi Jaydeee, That's very helpful, hadn't consiedered that approach to T4 and then T3.

I always thought the % through the range (as worked out by the chinkerrsonline calculator on this site) was a more accurate way of seeing what's happening rather than a number and the ranges which can vary between labs.

Have I got this wrong? The Ferritin number is 283 on a range of 30-400 ug/L

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Devonlad]

Ferritin should be around 90 - 100 for best use of thyroid hormone. That is for women so for men ikely needs to be higher but yours looks OK.

Its always possible to have good ferritin and low iron though so running an iron panel would ensure your iron levels are good.

People are used to seeing numbers + ranges, not %'s.

[Sleepman]

Sorry your not well.

Did you ever have antibodies checked ? Just wondering if gluten might be part of the story if autoimmunity is involved

[Devonlad in reply to Sleepman]

Yes I have just had my antibodies checked and still awaiting the results, the last one I had was in July and was 4.9 iu/ml. Interesting about Gluten, do you think it makes a difference?

[Sleepman]

If thyroid antibodies then many are also unable to take gluten. My Mum and I are like this. Did not show on celiac blood test.TPO is the main one tested.