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Well Women Guide to Thyroid Treatment
There is one specific thing that I must say about being tested for an underactive thyroid and that is that when your blood is tested, it is more than likely that the doctor will tell you that everything is "normal". The tests used are very basic and for your test to be considered abnormal, it would have to be very underactive indeed. The range is so wide, it is almost meaningless and you could be 50 per cent down on the average and still considered to be within the normal range. Bearing in mind that even a borderline underactive thyroid could still give you symptoms, this spectrum is worrying. Doctors have a very blase attitude towards the thyroid and many feel that symptoms are just not taken seriously enough. More worrying is that with tests just not sensitive enough and doctors considering patients as normal, many women are missing out of much needed medication. Many of the private doctors specialising in thyroid conditions recognise this, and will treat thyroid malfunction seriously enough to provide treatment, whether with T4/T3 combinations, synthetic thyroxine, or Armour. So Please contact me for the Private Doctors list if you live in the UK or Ireland I am trying to investigate doctors lists for the rest of the world, but this is proving pretty difficult at the moment. With more than 20 per cent of the population with a thyroid condition going undiagnosed and therefore suffering unecessarily, as well as many women being told that their thyroid is normal, I feel that action needs to be taken. A fairly foolproof way to be sure (developed by Broda Barnes), is to buy a thermometer and take your temperature every morning before getting out of bed, for a week. If your temperature is mainly below 36.5 celsius, (97.7 farenheit) then it is more than likely that you are hypothyroid, however, you would need to have additional symptoms( see the Thyroid Guide. Our normal body temperature should be 36.5 to 36.7 degrees celcius (97.7 to 98 farenheit) A consistently low body temperature may indicate hypothyroidism. Your doctor may be still be reluctant to prescribe thyroid meds, so there are steps you can take to improve the condition, although it may not necessarily cure it. (see below) Continue to monitor your body temperature while you are treating your own thyroid in the absence of thyroid meds, to check as to whether there is any improvement. Stress and the thyroid are not compatible and the release of the hormone cortisol by the adrenal glands inhibits the conversion of T4 to T3. T3 is the thyroid hormone that is converted from T4 and then used by the body. Those who can not convert T4 to T3 may need supplementation of just T3. If you have an allergy or intolerence to wheat you will be surprised to know that there is a possible connection between this and thyroid problems.
So, what is Thyroid Treatment? Since Doctors tend to just give us thyroid medication and then, other than the odd blood test, leave us to get on with it, it is necessary for us to make ourselves well and find our own solutions and thyroid treatment. Sad, but true and there are many types of treatment that can help the thyroid, such as supplements, diet and even natural progesterone. Lets cover the normal treatment prescription medication first. Treatment for Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s disease. Levothyroxine is the usual synthetic form of thyroid hormone supplementation used in the UK and Synthroid in the U.S. Both are the same. PLEASE NOTE: IN THE UK PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH HASHIMOTO’S OR HYPOTHYROIDISM AND RECEIVING THYROID HORMONE REPLACEMENT TREATMENT LONG TERM, ARE EXEMPT FROM PRESCRIPTION CHARGES SO MAKE SURE YOU ASK YOUR DOCTOR FOR THE RELEVENT FORM. YOU WILL RECEIVE A CARD WHICH YOU SHOW TO YOUR PHARMACIST WHEN YOU GET YOUR PRESCRIPTION AND COMPLETE THE REVERSE OF THE PRESCRIPTION TICKING THE BOX STATING YOU ARE EXEMPT FROM CHARGES. Also "Thyroxine requirements increase during pregnancy. Thyroid status should be checked with TSH + FT4 during each trimester of pregnancy. The L-T4 dose should be increased (usually by 50 micrograms/day) to maintain a serum TSH between 0.5 and 2.0 mIU/L and a serum FT4 in the upper third of the normal reference interval." Taken from the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory (support for the diagnosis and monitoring of Thyroid Disease)
I am stating this loud and clear as many GP’s do not mention this AT ALL and it took me a couple of months on medication to find out. How long would it have taken until one kindly GP in the practice mentioned it to me? (Thank you Doctor Williamson) Anyway….. The doctor will usually start you off at a minimum dose of thyroid medication and increase it until, bio-chemically, your levels are normal. This means that they will give you a blood test every 6-8 weeks to start off with to see how the levels are doing. Bio-chemically means that from a blood test results point of view, your levels are within the normal range. However, Don't expect miracles. Thyroid treatment is real slow. In my case, I started off at 25mcg of thyroid medication (Levothyroxine) prescribed by the GP on receiving the results to a test she had ordered. She then referred me to the Endocrine unit at the local hospital who increased the dose to 50mcg and discharged me back to the GP. This is the normal UK procedure in Thyroid treatment. After about 2 months I had not noticed any change. Some symptoms had improved but I still felt weak, tired and was sleeping all the time. I had no quality of life at all. I was scared because the hospital had discharged me and I took this to mean that 50mcg was the correct dose and no further help was available. I returned to the GP in tears. I saw a different GP in the practice who increased the dose to 75mcg. I was really scared that the thyroid treatment was not going to work Some more symptoms disappeared but the tiredness and weakness remained, unchanged. Since these were the symptoms I found most difficult to live with, I went back for more blood tests and was told that my levels were fine. I could just not believe it and felt very scared. This had to mean that I would have to live like this. I could not see a future being so tired all the time. I wondered what treament would help and if I would ever recover from Thyroid Disease. Doubts crept in and I felt that perhaps there was no treatment that would help and I was stuck with it. On one occasion, my husband and children went out for the day and I could not join them on the beach because I was just too tired. I had to remain in the car and slept for over an hour until they all came back. They were all quite subdued. Mum's Thyroid had won again!! On returning to the Doctor I was told that Thyroid treatment is a long arduous process and that patience was required. I was unlikely to return to my former self. I did not know what my former self had ever been anyway. I had been like this for so long, I just wanted a solution. This time I saw another female doctor who upped the treatment to 100mcg. It took a while but the symptoms finally started to reduce. At last, the Thyroid treament was working. It has taken about 6 months. I have been referred to St Thomas’s hospital in London by my Scoliosis consultant, mainly because every time the operation date came around, I became ill as the stress of the operation was setting me back with all the old symptoms. I attended my appointment on 7th June 2007 and was told that patients rarely see a complete clearing of all symptoms and while I felt disappointed with this, at least I can come to learn to live with it and keep to my own program of supplementation. I was hoping that they would increase the Thyroid treatment to 125mcg but this would have made it overactive I was also told that it could be some time before noticing any major changes from the Thyroid treament and that sometimes it can take over a year. (Good God, I thought, it’s already been over a year on medication and 14 years before that in suffering unaware.) They are also re-testing all levels and doing test for other problems and autoimmune diseases, so watch this space as I can tell you about this and any treatment involved. They also said there is really nothing more they can do for me now and that there is no need to increase the Thyroid medication any further as, although the thyroid antibodies still remain, they are on a lesser scale, and my levels remain normal. (Story of our lives) Mary Shomon and Thyroid UK state that although thyroid hormone levels may show normal, this does not mean that you will feel 100%. Don’t be fobbed off no matter how intimidating these consultants appear. We probably do much more research on our conditions than they do!!!! Also there is more than just prescription Thyroid medication and we will cover other Thyroid treatment diet and supplements further on. I also feel that Natural Progesterone made a huge difference, but once again, these things take time. Although I felt the Natural Progesterone cream worked pretty quickly comparitively. Thyroid disease can aggravate menopause symptoms and similarly menopause can worsen a Thyroid condition, so it's swings and roundabouts and what came first, the chicken or the egg!!!!! Using Natural progesterone can help to normalise Thyroid function and when combined with your prescribed thyroid treatment, will help enormously. Please get a blood test to confirm the levels while using Natural Progesterone as it has a normalising effect on thyroid function and it may be that your thyroid treatment dose can be reduced. Mine did not become overactive as a result, so the liklihood may be quite small. For further information go to Thyroid UK which is a brilliant website full of information so please
Click Here to go to their site for even more information on Thyroid treatment and disease
Take thyroid meds as early as you can. (I take mine at 6am and have my breakfast after 9am with any supplements I need to avoid interactions) Take thyroid medication roughly 3 hours before breakfast even if this means setting an alarm, taking your medication and then going back to sleep again. Generally speaking when over the counter medicines say “do not take if you have a thyroid disorder”, they are generally talking about an OVER active thyroid as they can put strain on an already strained heart although sometimes drugs containing pseudoephedrine like Sudafed and other cough and cold medicines can cause palpitations in Hypothyroid patients also. Remember you are taking Thyroid medication as well. Antacids: these are best taken 4 or more hours before or after taking your Thyroid treatment medication due to them containing calcium which interferes with absorbtion. If you take supplements containing iron allow 3 hours between these and your thyroid meds as iron supplements affect thyroid hormone absorption. If you take calcium supplements allow 3 hours between this and your thyroid meds because of absorption problems This includes anything that is fortified with calcium such as drinks Thyroid medication and anti-depressants can be a problem and can interact making thyroid medication more or less effective. Watch out for side effects. I generally do not recommend taking anti-depressants and thyroid medication because of how this affected me. (This interaction happened no matter what period of time I left between medications) Should I stop taking thyroid medication if I become pregnant? The answer to this is a big NO. Thyroid medication is important for both you, and the baby. Do not stop taking your thyroid medication if you become pregnant It will not do the baby any harm and because the baby depends on you for thyroid hormone as well as nutrition etc, then by stopping it, you are causing the baby harm. Some supplements can increase the effects of thyroid medication when ued in doses that may be ok for others. Less is more for thyroid patients, especially with minerals. Check as to whether supplements contain iodine as although the thyroid needs some iodine, too much is not beneficial. Those who suffer from Autoimmune hypothyroidism (Hashmimoto's Disease) will not benefit from iodine and should not supplement with it. MACA can increase the effects of thyroid meds, but since it is generally acceptable to use it, you should watch for hyper symptoms and get your blood checked periodically. Use no more than a level teaspoon of the powdered maca, once again, less is more. Please read the maca page A word on Statins If you have been prescribed statins such as simvastatin (prescribed for elevated cholesterol) and you are not on thyroid medication, but have high cholesterol, it may be worth your while asking them to check your thyroid as well, especially if you are not responding to the medication or have symptoms such as muscular aches and pains or feeling generally unwell after being prescribed. High cholesterol (and blood pressure) is a symptom of an underactive thyroid and being prescribed statins will not have any effect if your thyroid is the reason for the elevated levels. Your cholesterol levels will only reduce once the underlying cause is treated, in this case, your thyroid. It is worth drinking a small glass of organic beetroot juice every day. Beetroot has been shown (in trials at St Bartholomews Hospital in London) to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. So, if it is not your thyroid causing your elevated levels, then instead of taking statins (can often have horrid side effects and are not all that great long term) try the beetroot juice and see if this is the answer. Thyroid patients: Thyroid medication will help reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol, but if it still remains elevated, try the beetroot juice rather than add more medication in the form of statins. The statins give you more severe aches and pains. Please read this article for more information and also this Mail On Sunday Article about beetroot juice. It is one of my superfoods and also helps in the prevention of liver cancer as well as being cleansing to the whole body, (make sure it is organic) and is available from healthfood shops and some supermarkets.
For how long will I have to take Thyroid treatment medication? In most cases of Hypothyroidism and all cases of Hashimoto's disease, it is usually for life. The Thyroid gland will usually always remain underactive or in the case of Hashimoto's disease, will be rendered totally inactive due to antibody attack. This is the reason that Thyroid treatment is required for life as the thyroid will no longer be able to make sufficient, if any Thyroid hormone. Some supplements can help hypothyroidism as long as it is not autoimmune related. Thyroid treatment hormone should also preferrably be taken in the morning on an empty stomach about an hour or more before breakfast. Be consistent with it. Don’t change back and forth from early on an empty stomach to later in the day after breakfast. However, there are some exceptions to taking thyroid treatment in the morning and Mary Shomon suggests taking it in the evening if you feel that it does not work for you in the morning. As long as you take it at the same time each day, that's what is most important. Thyroid treatment needs to be consistant to get the most benefit What happens if I miss a dose? My doctor told me that it does not matter if you miss a dose but I felt effects from it when I did miss one. The information leaflet in your medication says otherwise. Never double up if you miss a dose as this can cause accelerated problems. If you miss the dose, either take it as soon as you remember provided it is not too close to the next one or just miss it altogether. Taking two doses of Thyroid treatment will obviously affect you and could cause alarming symptoms such as accelerated heart. Make a note or set an alarm. I set my alarm for around 7am and my husband makes sure I take it, then I go back to sleep. I also set the calendar alarm in my mobile phone when my husband is away on business. Your medication should be top of your list all the time and repeated missing of doses is just not going to help you get well. Your Thyroid medication must be taken as seriously as a Diabetic would take insulin. As often as every six weeks at first to a minimum of twice a year for the first year or as often as it takes to get the dose correct. Testing any less than 6-8 weeks after a dosage adjustment is pointless as your body won’t have had time to adjust to the new dosage. Once Thyroid treatment has been established, the doctor will or should test you once a year, so make sould he does. How long will it take to feel better? This is a loaded question but is the one we all want answered…now being the expected and much desired answer!! Strangely enough, most doctors and specialist seem to think that just a few weeks is the answer and indeed some people do feel better quite quickly. Most however, don’t. According to Mary Shomon in her book, Living Well with Hypothyroidism, she took 4 months to even start feeling a result from the thyroid treatment, then several months after that and them some!! I took a bit longer as UK doctors really don't seem to understand unless they specialise in Thyroid illness. I feel Doctors in the U.S. really have the edge, although, I expect that is not always the case, judging by what Mary says in her book. Being a larger country with more sufferers means that there is more specialist knowledge. My Doctor once told me that I should not be reading all those book and looking things up on the internet. He probably did not like to appear as though he knew less than me!! Sadly, this is often the case and patients are more likely to aquire knowledge of their own condition through research. As Thyroid conditions seem to baffle some GP's we find that more and more, we need to find out how to treat ourselves. This is what led me to finding out about treatment for the thyroid, other than the standard prescription synthetic drugs. The best way to look at it as Mary says,that as it took years to become ill from hypothyroidism, then it will take some time possibly months or more to feel the benefits of thyroid treatment taking into account dosage adjustments. Thyroid medication takes time to be used by the body and this affects individuals differently. Keep optimistic and don’t expect too much at first. With proper supplements and care you can feel better quicker and long term. You have to put yourself first. After all, if you are ill, how can your husband, partner or children and even friends function without you? And even if non of this relevant how can you expect to be well if you don’t take the time to educate yourself, take action and be well as a result. Don’t take the “I can’t be bothered attitude” Many things can affect fluctuating levels of Thyroid Hormone in test results and of course changing the dosage will affect this as well as other factors such as: starting or stopping other medications like antidepressants, cholesterol lowering drugs like Simvastatin and corticosteroids, starting or stopping supplements such as calcium and iron, hormonal fluctuations from birth control or HRT pills, pregnancy, stress and illness due to the reaction of the endocrine system to stress and inadequate sleep. Avoid things containing chloride and fluoride (fluorine) These are in tap water and the water in swimming pools as well as household bleach (chloride) and also toothpaste and tap water (fluoride) The reason for this is that chlorine and fluoride are endocrine disruptors. Why? Because they are both chemically similar to iodine and block the iodine receptors in the thyroid. Putting in a water filter will ensure that thyroide disruption is halted. (This is pretty important and shower heads etc should also be considered. You will notice the difference in time) Remember that showering and washing with tap water daily will cause exposure to chlorine) Another thing that will affect Thyroid hormone levels is the progression of autoimmune thyroid disease such as Hashimoto’s due to antibodies attacking the thyroid more and more making it less able to function and causing TSH levels to rise. You can purchase TSH tests to do at home and then send the results in the special envelope to the laboratory for analysis
Please Click Here to buy Bio Safe Thyroid Test
Digestive problems are common in Thyroid conditions due to difficulty in digesting protein. L-tyrosine is a component of protein and L-tyrosine is needed to make thyroid hormone. If you can't digest protein, chances are you have less L-tyrosine, so less thyroid hormone. So if this is you, consider the use of Digestive Enzymes as these will help your digestion to be more efficient. (Digestion is sluggish if you are hypothyroid) This will also help with constipation, a common symptom of hypothyroidism. Taking an L-tyrosine supplement makes sense too. 500mg twice a day on an empty stomach. One of the Vitamin C food state supplements mentioned below with facilitate absorption of L-tyrosine. Lecithin Granules which are available in many health food stores are help to break down fats supporting your liver and merabolism and reducing their workload. Lecithin is also naturally found in eggs. Eating more raw foods also helps facilitate digestion, such as rocket, spinach, watercress and raw fruit especially papaya and pineapple. They contain enzymes that aid digestion but these enzymes are killed when food is cooked. Aim for 50/50 raw cooked or more raw if possible. See The Raw food page for more information and the benefits plus other links to raw food information sites. Iodine is needed for proper thyroid function and you could try taking a small amount (150mcg per day) but less is more, in fact, less is more with any supplement and all supplements should be taken in small amounts unless we have a particular need. Hashimoto's Disease sufferers should not supplement with iodine The wrong supplements can actually make us Hyperthyroid and regular blood tests are important during any kind of thyroid treatment whether this is self treating or by a doctor or a combination. The thyroid is very sensitive, so if you start to get symptoms of over activity such as a thumping fast heart or feeling irritable and aggressive or a bit hyper when you are not normally, then ask for a blood test to check. Bonus of this is, you may get to reduce thyroid meds leaving more room for natural therapy. Hashimoto's disease would be an exception here, although you could still reduce thyroid meds, you will have to take them for life as the thyroid is actually not capable of making thyroid hormone itself.
Lets Now look at Supplements that will help the Thyroid if it is underactive For hyperthyroidism, please go to the Hyperthyroid page. Regenerative Nutrition recommends Seagreens together with Peruvian Maca. Also Zell Oxygen and Colloidal Silver. Vitamins should be food state and obtained from a natural source as well as foods and superfoods. Synthetic vitamins are made in a laboratory and are of no benefit to us The important supplements to Thyroid treatment and health are: A good high quality Multivitamin (food state) High dose Vitamin C, at least 1000mg (food state) like Camu Camu or Acerola Cherry extract and Wild Rosehip At least 10mg Zinc Needed for TRH Hypothalmus hormone to stimulate pituitary gland to produce thyroid hormone (thyroxine) Helps thyroid nuclear receptors. If taking zinc, this needs to be balanced with copper, 1-2mg Please check out Regenerative Nutritions Food state Zinc here which also includes copper. Selenium 200mg Needed for production of T4 (thyroxine) as well as conversion of T4 to T3 (thyronine) Please see here for food state selenium EFA (essential Fatty Acids) Omega 3 and omega 6 Vitamin D 800iu, or try a multi colloidals minerals with vitamin D and Boron
Whilst we need vitamins A and E, these should be from a natural source as supplementing with these in the form of synthetic vitamins tablets is a waste of time. Our body just can't absorb them or make use by converting them into a substance that we can use. They also aggravate cetain conditions and are not recommended for smokers or ex smokers.
An amino acid complex like Chlorella which contains 19 amino acids and is cleansing to the body and immune system enhancing.
A calcium supplement, but remember to take in the evening if you tale your Thyroid medication in the morning as calcium interfers with Thyroid hormone absorbtion. If using a multivitamin supplement you may not need this if calcium is included. A good natural food state supplement is Capra Mineral Whey with Boron which is rich in Boron and calcium. Acidophilus Tablets to reduce Candida within the system which compromises the immune system and adds to problems with the condition. Please go to the Candida page for other natural supplements that can help candida. Natural Progesterone cream There are very many on the market to choose from. What you are looking for is a natural, bio-identical, paraben and artificial additive free transdermal cream. I am intending to build a page with all the makes available. Also, please check out Natural Progesterone Information Service for a list of private doctors who prescribe Natural Progesterone, like all the things that are best for us, we have to get them privately, sad, isn't it? Enzymatic Therapy Thyroid Formula (Formerly Thyroid/L-Tyrosine) -- 100 Capsules NatraBio Thyroid Support Vegetarian Formula -- 1 fl oz Maca can also help the Thyroid by balancing hormones in the endocrine system and many women have had very good results. (Can cause overactive symptoms if too much taken so blood tests important if changes noticed)
To see my Maca page,
Please Click HERE
Hashimoto's Disease sufferers should also use Plant sterols and sterolins in the form of Natur-Leaf as for those of us with an auto-immune disorder, compromised immunity, or high cholesterol, Sterols and Sterolins should be considered essential. Also Serrapeptase will help any condition where inflammation occurs and it also helps circulation and high blood pressure. It is especially beneficial because it can be taken alongside other medication and can even be taken by children and pets!!! It is also safe to use during pregnancy Click here to read about other products that will benefit the thyroid Liquorice is reputed to reverse autoimmune disorders, so those with Hashimoto's disease could give this a try. It should not be taken by those with very raised blood pressure Propolis can help stabilise under/over active immune systems and help goitre and painful mouth ulcers often experienced by autoimmune disease sufferers. One final word about supplements, unless you are prepared to either use the recommended natural supplements on this site or another natural source, don't waste your time with the products in the supermarkets and large chemists. Check the ingredients labels. Synthetic vitamins and minerals made to mimic are a less superior option to natural or food state or those obtained from certain foods and superfoods. Our body can't use them and supplementing is pointless and a waste of money. You will seldom see results.
Guide to your Lifestyle Here are a list of things that need addressing so that you can obtain the most benefit from getting well, in addition to supplements and thyroid treatment medication. You may need to make lifestyle changes.It is all part of your Thyroid Treatment. Do NOT push yourself as you will end up feeling more exhausted than ever since energy is always a problem with hypothydroidism. Learn to pace yourself and take things gradually. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you. When you feel tired, rest. Take breaks between activities. Plan your day so that it contains breaks as this is essential. Relaxation means a more stable thyroid and emotionally you will feel much better and not so likely to bust into tears. Putting yourself under undue pressure is a big no no. Deep breathing exercises are brilliant for making you feel energised and refreshed as well as re alkalising the body. Organic Apple cider is alkalising too.
Take exercise, like walking, gentle swimming or something more energetic if you feel up to it and your thyroid has been stable for a while. Exercise stimulates us and rids our body of toxins. It strengthens wasted muscles and generally helps prevent both mental and physical illness from setting in. When you develope thyroid illness, it is so easy to seize up as you feel so tired, but believe me, this is not a good idea. It will improve our aches and pains and muscle weakness which makes us feel even more tired. If you want to be well you need to do something about it now. If you have a sleep problem (and ironically many do inspite of being tired anf fatigued) try herbal remedies rather than prescription sleeping tablets. Make sure you go to bed at a proper time and make it a regular practice. Eat at regular times. Have a larger breakfast. Blood sugar levels must be kept in balance when you have a thyroid condition. Do NOT skip meals. Hypoglycaemia will result and this will increase anxiety and make you feel unwell and fuzzy headed and can take days to normalise. Eat as often as necessary even if this means a little every couple of hours. Make sure what you do eat is not chocolate bars or biscuits as these will cause blood sugar to rise and then drop even lower. You need complex carbohydrates like bread, pasta, wholegrains and make sure they are organic. Fruit and vegetables are very important too, especially eaten raw. Cut out sugar. It is acidic to the body. Acidic foods cause an acidic state in the body contributing to inflammation and almost all degenerative diseases are triggered an over acid system including some cancers. Please read this article about over acidity Please read here about a product called Alka Vita Elemental Silicon which when used therapeutically will raise the level of a glass of water to a highly alkaline state which when consumed, will neutralise excess acidity at cellular level. When cells are acidic they lay the foundations for disease. 20 drops a day in water is recommended or 40 drops for severe diseased states. This also makes the product cost effective as it will last 2-3 months for one person when 20 drops are used and half of this for 40 drops. Those who are diabetic would need to have their blood monitored regularly when taking Alka Vita as their insulin requirements would be less. Those taking blood thinners such as Wafarin will also need to monitor their blood as Alka Vita has a natural blood thinning effect, therefore Wafarin requirements may well be less. Drink plenty of water This can't be overemphasised enough. Thyroid patients need to drink lots of water to flush out toxins and reduce the risk of dehydration. It helps reduce bloating and fluid retention. It keeps us mentally alert. Avoid caffeine which has a disruptive effect on the thyroid. Drink mainly water and herbal tea. It's not just all about Thyroid treatment medication and this alone won't make you well!! Books about the Thyroid
Please Click here to read more about tests for Thyroid illness in detail and learn about the tests that will provide the best indication of your thyroid health, as well as other hormones and the adrenals which suffer too when we are hyper or hypothyroid.
Please consider using my feedback form on the Contact Page if you feel this information has been beneficial to you and answered any questions. I aim to be of help, since I have Hashimoto's myself. I would really like to know if any of the products have helped you. You do need to give them a 3 to 4 month trial though. What improvements should I notice? We are all different. That stands to reason. Many of us are not benefitting from synthetic thyroxine and do better on Armour, some do better on Levothyroxine. Some brands of Levothyroxine seem to be stronger than others too, so try to get the same brand all the time to avoid set backs and instability. Some do better on a T4/T3 combination due to the fact that they can not convert T4 to T3 in the body. Zinc and magnesium are required for this conversion. If you have adrenal insufficiency too (quite common in thyroid disease) this will need to be corrected too. The private doctors will test for adrenal function whereas our dear GP's only test for Addisons disease Please contact me for a private doctor specialising in this near you if you live in the UK or Republic of Ireland. (In the Republic of Ireland they tend to all be in Dublin) When you first start out on medication, as I have said before, this should be increased gradually with the patient starting out on the very lowest dose possible and increased by 25mcg to 50mcg until optimum results are achieved. (I started out on 25mcg and I am now taking 100mcg Levothyroxine.) With Armour, the dose is different with 60mg Armour being equivalent to 100mcg levothyroxine or synthroid. Your symptoms will start to reduce over time when the correct medication dose is reached. Symptoms such as migraine will reduce and stop, blood sugar will stabilise, constipation will start to reduce to a more normal bowel movement. Mood will stabilise and depression will lift. (this is probably one of the first things I noticed) You will have an interest in life again and the willingness to do things that you could not be bothered to do before. A renewed interest in life. Memory and confusion may gradually improve. Libido will improve although this is the symptom that seems to take the longest. Natural Progesterone may help restore this more. Panic attacks and anxiety will subside and neurosis will reduce. Hair loss will reduce and you will start to notice less hair in the bath when you wash your hair, in the brush when you brush or comb. The texture will improve over time too and you may also notice better growth where none existed before. Your ability to warm up when you feel cold will increase as ciculation improves and you won't feel so cold so much. This takes a bit more time. Your skin colour will improve to a more pinky healthy glow and flushing will reduce. Your tongue will reduce to a more normal size and look more pinky again and dents will reduce. Black/Asian skin colour will not look so sallow. Palms of the hands and soles of the feet will return to a pinky colour instead of yellowy orange. Abnormal sweating will reduce including night sweats. You will sweat normally upon exertion. Your immune function will improve. Food allergies may improve. Menstrual bleeding may or may not reduce to normal or at least lessen. Fatigue will lessen, although it may still be present to a lesser degree. This is a harder symptom to correct, but the supplements mentioned above will help restore energy to a more acceptable level and may even restore it. Your dose is too high if you experience the following: Excessive sweating - palpitations - weight loss despite a healthy appetite - overeating and still losing weight - a resting pulse above 80 - nervousness and tremor - changes in vision or eyes that look stary - jerky movements and overactiveness - inability to sit still for long or lie still when in bed - diarrhoea - rapid increase in number bowel movements. It is a fine balance between too much thyroxine and too little and experimentation may be needed. Diet can affect the balance too, so take heed. Stick to no more than 150mcg Iodine.(Hashimoto's Disease sufferers are advised not to take any iodine supplemets). Certain minerals should just be just trace such as chromium, selenium, molybdenum, vanadium and boron. In some individuals, Maca and MSM may cause overactive symptoms, so keep the dose down. Some sites tell you to have a tablespoon or more of each of these. Stick to a teaspoon once a day. Be aware of changes and listen to your body. If you suffer from an Autoimmune thyroid condition, your needs may be different than someone with straight forward hypothyroidism. You need to listen to your own body, then either cut out a supplement that you feel is not doing it's job, or reduce or incrase as necessary. Be sensible and realise that you have a lifelong condition. However you can still be well. I have Hashimoto's Disease and manage perfectly well on certain supplements. I do not take Iodine. I take supplements in small amounts. If I feel they are not enough, I increase slightly, then if it is too much, I reduce again or cut out. We are all different and what suits me, may not suit you
To see important information about the treatment of hairloss, please click HERE
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