Hypothyroidism Questions

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Pearl Clutcher

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Hypothyroidism Questions Jul 1, 2016 20:17:17 GMT birukitty likes this

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Post by back to peaality on Jul 1, 2016 20:17:17 GMT

In my opinion there is a lot of misleading information about "natural dessicated thyroid" products or NDT. They are regulated and have the same production standards as synthetic forms of medication. The active ingredient is from porcine or bovine thyroid. These formulations are the oldest and all that was available until synthetics were developed. The are also much cheaper and again in my opinion big pharma along with doctors have propagated the myth that this form of medication is not stable.

I am not saying one is better that the other. I think the patient should be given information on all the options out there and decide which is most effective for them. My biggest complaint with the medical profession is that the majority of doc's have no idea what a full thyroid panel is or how to interpret the results. The majority of patients are given synthroid and summarily dismissed if it doesn't work for them.

It took me 10 years going from doctor to doctor to get a diagnosis. They only tested TSH and said I was fine. Then finally one did an antibody test and confirmed I had Hashimoto's it wasn't all in my head. Then it took me another 10 years to find a doctor to help me get on the path to wellness. Thank goodness for the internet and the explosion of information out there in the last few years about this. I am really pissed about the 20 years of my life that I felt like crap because it was so unnecessary.

wonderwoman
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Hypothyroidism Questions Jul 1, 2016 20:29:17 GMT anonrefugee likes this

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Post by wonderwoman on Jul 1, 2016 20:29:17 GMT

Jul 1, 2016 20:00:26 GMT anonrefugee said:

Good luck as you navigate this. Try and remember it's very individualized and that makes the solution hard to find. And the process frustrating.

We each want to share what's helped us, but you have to do your homework. Synthroid is supposedly more consistent than a generic, that's why some doctors prefer it. Armour is "natural" but they're big pharma too. And natural, isn't always bee pollen and nasturtiums, so check out the contents if you care.

I'm kind of depressing myself here. I should stop.

But bit by bit, you start to find the little things that work for you and it does get better. Like I'm not convinced I need to go gluten free yet. But I know overall I'm happier on low carb, and most of my non-fruit carbs are Coke or pizza crust. So I am getting there...

Good luck!

I am starting to learn that everyone has a different experience and no 2 people have the same body so I guess it will be a learning experience.. I am just so greatful that it wasn't MS or Lupus..

anonrefugee Prolific Pea Posts: 9,589 Jun 26, 2014 19:12:16 GMT	Hypothyroidism Questions Jul 1, 2016 20:36:55 GMT via mobile wonderwoman likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by anonrefugee on Jul 1, 2016 20:36:55 GMT Oh yes! We are fortunate wonderwoman

wonderwoman
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Hypothyroidism Questions Jul 2, 2016 0:14:01 GMT chichi likes this

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Post by wonderwoman on Jul 2, 2016 0:14:01 GMT

Jul 1, 2016 17:18:37 GMT chichi said:

I had thyroid cancer approx 10 years ago. I have been through the generics, name brands, multiple doses schedules during the week, combinations of synthroid and cytomel. I was getting my thyroid blood work checked every 8-12 weeks for most of that time

I learned that for me name brand worked much better than generic. Even when I felt "best" on a certain dosing regime, it's still nothing like having your own native thyroid gland producing thyroid hormone that your body recognizes. The biggest lie hat was told to me as that " all I'd have to do was to take synthroid and I'd feel better.

Also I experienced wide fluctuations in my thyroid levels despite being on the same dose of synthroid and cytomel ( a T3 drug bc I discovered I didn't convert synthroid which is a T4 replacement). I've read later that the makers of synthroid had issues with keeping quality control within proper standards)

Finally after 10 years of " no active disease" I asked my endo to give me Armour thyroid. Armour has T4and T 3 in it as it is derived from pigs. I definitely feel better than when I was on synthroid/cytomel combo. But it's still not like having your own thyroid hormone.

Many people told me that thyroid cancer was the good cancer. But most people even endos don't realize the extent of what not having a thyroid does to you and your family. I have experienced fatigue so great that it just can't be explained, brain fog,weight gain despite my best efforts in the gym several times a week, hair loss, edema that's just the hypothyroid part. When I slip into hyperthyroidism there's the restless to no sleep, easily agitated, panic attacks, high anxiety, and still extreme fatigue

Part of the treatment for thyroid cancer is to keep your TSH down ( hyperthyroid) to suppress remnant thyroid tissue regrowth I had surgery and radioactive iodine. Oh and there were/ are lively side effects from being radioactive for a week that I still deal with

hugs~

birukitty
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Hypothyroidism Questions Jul 2, 2016 2:07:29 GMT wonderwoman likes this

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Post by birukitty on Jul 2, 2016 2:07:29 GMT

Jul 1, 2016 11:42:53 GMT back to *pea*ality said:

TSH is really not a indicator of thyroid health. The best thing you can do is to educate yourself and be your own advocate. I highly recommend that you go to the website Stop the Thyroid Madness. They have a section which explains the full panel of thyroid tests and how to interpret results. There is information about the different thyroid med's out there and dosing information. Information about the adrenals and an explanation of how to treat them first if you have this issue.

Don't assume your doctor knows how to treat you. That was my first mistake with an endocrinologist. The path to wellness took me years. I do not do well on synthetic hormone (which is what you are taking) and it actually made me much sicker. Within a few weeks every joint in my body ached and I was exhausted and in pain. I do much better with a natural desiccated thyroid medication. It is still something you get with a prescription, it's not a supplement. I need both t3 and t4 hormones. The first NDT I took was Armour but I changed two years ago to WP Thyroid and that seems to be the most effective formulation for me.

Another great source of information is Hashimotos Finding Your Root Causes by Izabella Wentz. I've incorporated dietary changes - gluten free and very limited dairy and take supplements. I had long ago accepted that if I felt 80% energy 80% of the time then that was the best I could do. But I was wrong, I was eating a healthy mostly paleo diet and found the Whole 30 online. I just completed my first Whole 30 and I feel nothing short of amazing. My energy level is through the roof!

Most doctors put you on a synthetic hormone and send you in your way. There is so much more you can do for yourself but you have to seek out the information on your own. Good luck to you!

Exactly this! You must educate yourself and be your own advocate because the doctors out there know nothing when it comes to treating thyroid. Not the GP's and certainly not the endocrinologists! They are even worse than the GP's! I have been to over 10 of them through the years trying to get treatment for my hypothyroid. When I told one of them my hands were always freezing she actually said, "Well are they blue? No? Well then you are fine." Needless to say I never went back to her. The website www.stopthethyroidmadness.com is a great wealth of knowledge, but even better is the book which you can find on Amazon. I have the book and even take it with me to my doctor appointments.

I did eventually find an amazing doctor. He's called an Integrative Medicine doctor. He's a board certified internist who uses traditional medicine but also treats with alternative medicine. He treats the body as a whole and does extensive blood tests first. He spends time with each patient asking questions and explaining things, and works with you instead of just ordering a prescription to treat one issue. All of this isn't cheap-I have to pay $150.00 out of pocket and then reimbursed from my insurance company for an out of network doctor, but he's worth every penny. He's treating me for adrenal fatigue and hypothyroid. When he tests for hypothyroid he does the full panel of tests, not just TSH. TSH tells you practically nothing about thyroid. You really need the full body of tests (it's 5 or 6) to get the whole story of what's going on.

I've been on Armour Thyroid for years, but I'm due to see this doctor next month and I'm pretty sure he's going to switch me to a new NDT (he switched my sister recently).

Anyway, I highly recommend that book. It's paperback so it's not very expensive. Reading through it will help you understand exactly what is going on and what to ask for at the doctor's office. If you don't get the right responses or treatment you know to ditch that doctor and keep looking for another one. It's time consuming and frustrating to search for a good doctor, but in the end it's worth it. Educating yourself beforehand is key so you can advocate for yourself.

A lot of patients (at least in the book) have found that synthetic hormone doesn't work very well for them because it only treats one hormone. So if you've been taking Synthroid for years with no improvements that might be why. I took it for about a month with no improvements and then switched to Armour Thyroid and noticed a big change. Some folks do fine on it though. My father has been on it for years and is happy with it.

Debbie in MD.

Debbie in MD.

StacyinUT
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Hypothyroidism Questions Jul 2, 2016 3:07:05 GMT wonderwoman likes this

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Post by StacyinUT on Jul 2, 2016 3:07:05 GMT

I was recently diagnosed with Hashmoto's and was on thyroid meds for years. I have since switched to NatureThroid and also had my sex hormones tested and was very low on testosterone. I started testosterone pellet treatment 5 weeks ago and feel so much better. Not sure if it's the new meds or the testosterone for sure though. Started them at the same time. I never felt different for the 6+ years I was on meds. Two weeks ago I cut out gluten as the doc says with Hashimoto's I should not be on it. Haven't felt the effect from that one yet that I'm aware of.

Post by back to *pea*ality on Jul 1, 2016 20:17:17 GMT

Post by wonderwoman on Jul 1, 2016 20:29:17 GMT

Post by anonrefugee on Jul 1, 2016 20:36:55 GMT

Post by wonderwoman on Jul 2, 2016 0:14:01 GMT

Post by birukitty on Jul 2, 2016 2:07:29 GMT

Post by StacyinUT on Jul 2, 2016 3:07:05 GMT

Post by back to peaality on Jul 1, 2016 20:17:17 GMT