I wrote this forum about 3 years ago and received great advice. Any thoughts now would be very welcome. I am worried about Thyroid medication and bone loss. I broke my hip April of 2024 and the hospital said my TSH was too low and that could be the reason for osteoporosis. I know that probably isn't the reason but is worrisome. I am working with a functional doctor with diet and supplements. He said 1.8 on TSH is optimal, mine is 0.013. He said I am not converting T3. I don't have Hashimoto's or Celiac and am on a gluten free diet. I do have inflammation and high glucose even though I eat very healthy. The functional doctor has me doing an elimination diet. I don't feel horrible except a little tired and osteoarthritis but am gaining weight with no changes in diet or exercise. Testing was done according to all the forums suggestions i.e. testing early no food or medication. My ferritin was high in old post but think I put the incorrect ranges. I am currently taking 120 mg (2 grains) of NDT.
Ferritin 195 ranges 15-150 ng/mL
Folate 26.0 ranges 4.6-34.8 ng/mL
B-12 1639 ranges 204-1245 pg/mL
Vit D 113 ranges 30-100 ng/mL
Free T4 0.68 ranges 0.82-1.77 ng/dL
Free T3 1.8 ranges 2.0-4.4 pg/mL
The functional doctor can't prescribe and my primary is a DO and doesn't want to change my dose to synthetic thyroid meds ,T3 included, as suggested by the functional doctor. I was wondering what are thoughts on supplementing with T3 from someplace that doesn't need a prescription? Or would this be a mistake?
This isn't the only medical diagnosis that has conflicted views from doctors. I want to take the matter into my own hands as per the book "The Paleo Thyroid Solution".
Very grateful for any input.
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garden2020
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Yes in the US, age 71. I have United Healthcare and Medicare. Last test was January this year. Have had antibodies tested 3 times once a year.
Do you mean CRP (C reactive protein) that is 0.5 range is <0.5 mg/dL
The ANA by IFA Rfx Titer/Pattern was positive >1.80 (doctor said is an indication of autoimmune/inflammation) Was tested for Hashimoto's but that was negative.
A DO here is a doctor of osteopathic medicine, also known as a D.O., is a fully trained and licensed doctor. He follows a more holistic type of medicine.
Free Ts were not tested until I asked my primary this last year and it was high 5.7 range 2.0-4.4. All he said was if I start having (Hyper symptoms to back off the NDT); that's when I decided to go with a functional doctor (he's a chiropractor and can't prescribe) that deals with endocrine system. Within the last 10 months are so Free T3 dropped and that's when I started feeling worse and gaining weight.
I wrote and asked primary about the synthetic T3 and T4 that the Naturopathic doc wanted me to have but my primary just ignored me. I have an appointment in June, going to see what's going on with my request. Hard to get in to see him.
You'll find post after post after post on here repeating the same thing: TSH has nothing to do with bones! A low TSH will not cause osteoporosis. The cause of your osteoporosis is far more like to be caused by your low FT3. Good bones need good hormone levels.
But you don't have to change your thyroid hormone replacement to synthetic. Why don't you just increase your NDT? That will raise both your FT3 and your FT4 (to a lesser degree).
Thank you. I was wondering if I could increase my NDT without a doctor approval as it is a prescription here; it seems more like a supplement. Is it because it's not a synthetic like Levothyroxine and Liothyronine? Those 2 are what the chiropractor wanted me to take.
NDT stands for Natural Dessicated Thyroid. It is made from the dried thyroids of pigs and it contains T4 (levothyroxine) and T3 (liothyronine). Do you have enough to increase yourself? If so, do so, but other than that tell your doctor you want an increase in dose and that's all there is too it. You are grossly under-medicated and your doctor is being negligent in not increasing the dose. You're probably going to need a couple of increases before your Frees come up to a decent level.
Thank you so much. I do have enough to do so. Should I increased it by half a tablet. I have read on here not to increase too much too soon, but that might have been the synthetic?
Garden, how do you have enough to increase without telling your doctor? How much extra do you have and how long will it last before you have to confront your prescribing doctor to change your prescription?
If you have to have that conversation at some point , why not just ask your doctor for an increase in NDT now?
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Is it normal to feel anxious when adding Armour?
Normal t3? or high?
Low T3 
normal TSH and T3 but Low T4
