NP Thyroid/NDT dosage

[Hookie01]

Hi, I'm giving NP Thyroid a go and I recently watched a video of a "Thyroid expert" who said its best to take it twice a day. But I've also seen people say you only need to take it once a day. Just wondering what other peoples experiences are.Thanks

[Insomania]

I’ve trialed both. I did one dose early morning for many months but as the dose increased I felt very jittery, anxious, chest & head pressure. I went back to split dosing and those symptoms eased within 12h. I do 1.25 grains 7am and 0.25 about 4pm.

[pennyannie]

Hello Hookie

For a smooth transition - if now on T4 monotherapy - the Levothyroxine will take around 6-8 weeks to fully leave your body -

so as this treatment option reduces in its power within your body - you slowly build up your dose of NDT - by 1/4 grain doses -

I increased by 1/4 grains weekly - some suggest increasing by a 1/4 grain fortnightly.

No thyroid hormone replacement works well until your core strength vitamins and minerals -those of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are up and being maintained at optimal levels -

I arranged a blood test prior to switching so to have bench mark readings for my T3 and T4 -

and monitored myself on blood pressure, pulse and body temperature am & pm so I had some physical symptoms to help me understand what was happening to my body during this switch.

I took 1 dose a day and increased over the weeks up to 1 + 3/4 grains when I found I felt a bit anxious, edgey and just not being as comfortable in my skin as the previous week - so dropped back down to 1 + 1/2 grains stayed on this dose 8 weeks and then ran a blood test.

I saw that my blood pressure and pulse remained constant throughout and that my body temperature had increased from 35.4 to 36.6 where it still is today - some 7 years later - and I'm still on the same dose - which I take in the middle of the night - at a toilet break - that tends to dovetail in with the circadian rhythm of the body.

Some people do split their dose - I tried and found my 2nd dose had no effect - even though it was a good couple of hours after I had eaten lunch - you will try for yourself - once you get comfortable using this treatment option.

If you get to 2 grains - hold this dose for 8 weeks and run a blood test to see what is going on -

If your T3 is moving - and you have some relief of symptoms but not quite there yet - restart slowly increasing in 1/ 4 grains - and try and listen to your body -

If your T3 hasn't moved much from your bench mark readings and you feel no better - maybe NDT is not the best treatment option for you at this point in time.

My bench readings were T3 at 25% through the range with a T4 at 100% - TSH 0.01 :

My new readings were a T3 at 110% and a T4 at 25% - TSH 0.01 :

I'm with Graves Disease and post RAI thyroid ablation in 2005 and refused any treatment options on the NHS in 2018 when I was told I was over medicated and needed to reduce my T4 - Levothyroxine - a situation which I had already been through with my doctor -and which had made me more ill than I had ever been in my life - and I started self sourcing my NDT and DI for Myself.

[RockyPath]

One endocrinologist suggested splitting the dose and another said there was no point in splitting and a third said the T3 in it would be spent after 12 hours.

🤔

Since I struggle to maintain sleep through the night (sequelae of brain injury) I’ve been trying 1/2 grain in am (5 am, or when I’m awake) and 2-1/2 grains at 2:30 pm.

I need some in the am to sustain wakefulness (another TBI problem), but a bunch to stay asleep after 3am.

It took a while to titrate the dose up.

Sometimes it works and I sleep like a quasi baby through the night. Sometimes I’m awake and reading Healthunlocked thyroid posts.

Sometimes I have energy to trot several kilometers around the neighborhood and sometimes I get a hundred meters and want to return home and sleep. The brain’s self cleaning cycle. Never resist sleep when you can help it.

You’ll have to experiment and see what works for you.

[Lynneypin]

I didn’t find any difference splitting my 1.25 dose. I now take it when I wake through the night… usually around 3.

[Panda_26]

Same here, I've tried both but in the end settled for taking it all in the morning as I couldn't notice any difference. Also just more convenient to get it done in one go! I take 2 grains plus a very small dose of liothyronine first thing . We're all very different though , good luck in finding your best way!

[TSH110]

I needed twice a day initially or I felt weird but after a couple of years found once a day was fine. I added 1/4 grain and reduced 25mcg levo gradually allowing the dose to settle until the NDT had replaced the Levo I found 25mcg levo about the same as 1/4 grain NDT only NDT was much better. I was on 125/120 Levo alternating daily and found 1.25 grains suited me well and infinitely better than Levothyroxine at any dose . I take it at night

[serenfach]

I split mine 2 in the morning and one at night. I find I dont get the mid morning lag that way, and some of the dreams are just fantastic!

[jamesal0]

NDT is a Goldylocks hormone. Too much or too little is horrible, just right is amazing.

I started doing 1 grain once a day, after about 5 days I crashed with jitters and heart palps. Had a break for a few days, started again by diluting 1/2 grain in a drink bottle and sipping as the day went on. Then after a few months I could consistently take 1/2 a grain in the morning , I slowly (12 months) increased up too 1 grain in the morning and 1/4 to 1/2 grain in the afternoon. Particularly if I feel like I need a nanna nap at 2-3pm. I take with or without food as my initial experience taking continuously through the day suggested it didn't matter, what matters is you get enough for the particular day. Like if it's cold and windy you need a little more etc.

Blood tests are for doctors and have nothing to do with how much NDT you need on a given day/afternoon.

NDT and Levothyroxine accumulate and if you take too much on consecutive days you will eventually overdose and need to have a day/2 off.

Good luck

[Brightness14]

I have been taking NDT for nearly 9 years now and have no thyroid. I take 1.5 grains AM and another 1 grain one hour after lunch. I have been doing this for years now but it depends on what suits the person. I have no gut problems and this works for me.