I have treated hypothyroidism, but why do I feel my best in years on short-term prednisolone for asthma? No hunger & energy is back?

[Skypurr]

Hi

I have hypothyroidism - being treated with NDT Armour. This has been for about 4 years, I have a gluten free diet.

Despite the NDT treatment (levothyroxine didn't work) , I still feel the cold, have weight gain, have digestive issues, am irritable and, have to eat a lot and often. My energy levels have never been back to before diagnosis.

I've just been prescribed oral steroids for a bad asthma attack following a cold and it is a revelation.

I realise I have been feeling awful for years as I now have the 'old me' back, I have energy, I don't need to eat so frequently and my gut feels settled and balanced and, I feel I have 'verve'.

I've read that steroids increase your appetite but that doesn't seem to be happening for me.

The steroids run out tomorrow, I don't want to go off them, ever!

More importantly, I want to understand what this might say about my hormones. Is it just hypothyroidism or is there something else that is at play?

Can the cortisol effect of steroids make you feel balanced in certain instances and maybe that says something?

Latest bloods before steroids: TSH .13, FT4 11, FT3 4.59, FT4/FT3 2.4, TG AB's 14.9, TPO AB's <9

Any thoughts would be lovely, thank you loads.

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

Prednisolone typically makes you feel better

How much have you been prescribed

How long on this dose

But there’s no such thing as a free lunch

It can over time significantly lower cortisol

You have to be careful to ween off very very slowly

[Skypurr in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks so much.

40 mg for 5 days to bring down the bronchial inflammation

Just don't understand what the steroids are doing to me in a positive way that the NDT isn't.

I guess it has made me question the hypothyroidism treatment and be less willing to accept still not feeling great even with treatment.

I guess I can expect a bit of a crash after the steroids finish?!!?

I'm very grateful for your time.

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Skypurr]

I was on 5mg prednisolone daily for 7 months (waiting new knees) …..amazing at reducing pain

But cortisol dropped right to bottom of range

Taken 3-4 months to slowly ween off …..and now feeling better (though knees are worse)

[Skypurr in reply to SlowDragon]

Sorry about the knees! I don't know about you but where health is concerned, it does feel sometimes like one thing gets sorted and another thing pops up!

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

Perhaps get some adrenal cortex to support your adrenals and be sure to get enough Vit C and salt as these are adrenal food, reasonable cortisol levels are needed to get fT3 into the cells

[Skypurr in reply to TiggerMe]

Thank you, I didn't know that, I will look into that and give it a go.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Skypurr]

Always worth getting a cortisol saliva test to see what is going on... cnslab.co.uk/hpa-axis-and-s...

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TUK webinar...

youtube.com/watch?v=rS8q_Sw...(Not working as expected?)

[Skypurr in reply to TiggerMe]

Thank you , that looks like a good and informative watch...

[FallingInReverse]

I second everything says above about the long term dangers of prednisone.

I’ll also point out… your free Ts…. Guessing the ranges, but they look on the low side?

Maybe that’s why Levo/NDT isnt working… are you sure your free Ts are optimized and you don’t need a dose increase?

Just a thought.

[Skypurr in reply to FallingInReverse]

That's a very good point about the free T's being on the low side, thank you for pointing that out as that is something I can bring up with the doc.

[FallingInReverse in reply to Skypurr]

Good luck and enjoy the steroids while you got ‘em!