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Raw thyroid: Any drawbacks?
What are the drawbacks to taking reasonable amounts of dessicated thyroid, such as from Natural Sources?
I'm a male, 60. My TSH is 5.5 and I have some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. I have tried taking one or less capsules per day of Natural Sources raw thyroid and it seems to help. But I would like to know if I might be harming myself in the long run.
Is there an increasing tolerance level? Is there a harmful effect on what little natural thyroid production I presently have? Once I start will I have to use it for life? Are there better OTC products?
Can I rely on what "feels" like the right dosage?
I'm a male, 60. My TSH is 5.5 and I have some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. I have tried taking one or less capsules per day of Natural Sources raw thyroid and it seems to help. But I would like to know if I might be harming myself in the long run.
Is there an increasing tolerance level? Is there a harmful effect on what little natural thyroid production I presently have? Once I start will I have to use it for life? Are there better OTC products?
Can I rely on what "feels" like the right dosage?
Oh, gee, I wasn't swearing and I got bleeped! You get the idea on the site.
Those are the only ones in PA. How about Baltimore or Pikesville, MD?
When I was looking for en endo, I wrote up a questionnaire that I faxed to all the endos in the area in my health plan. It was multiple guess so it wouldn't take up much of their time. It's also possible to call the office, and tell whoever answers that you'd like to ask someone a few questions about the doctor's practice before you make an appointment. That will usually get you to a nurse.
One good question is which tests the doctor customarily orders for hypo patients. Of course, you want to hear FT3, FT4 and TSH. If you hear TSH only...run!
Another is which meds the doctor is open to using. Ideally, T4 only therapy, synthetic T3/T4 combos and desiccated is what you want to hear. Practically speaking, very few doctors prescribe all three. They tend to fall into the synthetic-only or desiccated-only camps. If your medical market is limited, you might have to consider a doctor the doesn't like to prescribe desiccated. I live in a small, rural area, and this was one concession I had to make. If I hadn't, I'd be driving 2-3 hours to see my endo.
Those two questions will weed out the worst of the worst, but you can ask anything else that's important to you. For example, you might ask if the doctor will treat Hashi's in the presence of symptoms before labs go out of range. Some flat out won't.
Those are the only ones in PA. How about Baltimore or Pikesville, MD?
When I was looking for en endo, I wrote up a questionnaire that I faxed to all the endos in the area in my health plan. It was multiple guess so it wouldn't take up much of their time. It's also possible to call the office, and tell whoever answers that you'd like to ask someone a few questions about the doctor's practice before you make an appointment. That will usually get you to a nurse.
One good question is which tests the doctor customarily orders for hypo patients. Of course, you want to hear FT3, FT4 and TSH. If you hear TSH only...run!
Another is which meds the doctor is open to using. Ideally, T4 only therapy, synthetic T3/T4 combos and desiccated is what you want to hear. Practically speaking, very few doctors prescribe all three. They tend to fall into the synthetic-only or desiccated-only camps. If your medical market is limited, you might have to consider a doctor the doesn't like to prescribe desiccated. I live in a small, rural area, and this was one concession I had to make. If I hadn't, I'd be driving 2-3 hours to see my endo.
Those two questions will weed out the worst of the worst, but you can ask anything else that's important to you. For example, you might ask if the doctor will treat Hashi's in the presence of symptoms before labs go out of range. Some flat out won't.
Thank you Goolarra! These places are between 2 and 5 hours away from me. I live near Gettysburg. If none of the recommended doctors are closer, interview help would be much appreciated.
I know members have had good luck with healthcheckusa (*******). They will send you to a local lab for the draw and send the results (very promptly) to you. If they're not available in your area, there are lots of others online, but I have not heard reports about them.
Gimel keeps a list (of which I have a copy) of doctors recommended by forum members. Are you close enough to Erie, Westchester or Tunkhannock? The last, I believe, is an exceptional thyroid doctor. If so, I'll PM you names and numbers. It's frowned upon to post doctors' names on the open forum.
Barring that, remind me to tell you about interviewing them over the phone before making an appointment.
Being my own advocate and this forum helped me tremendously. I have a lot of wonderful people to thank.
Gimel keeps a list (of which I have a copy) of doctors recommended by forum members. Are you close enough to Erie, Westchester or Tunkhannock? The last, I believe, is an exceptional thyroid doctor. If so, I'll PM you names and numbers. It's frowned upon to post doctors' names on the open forum.
Barring that, remind me to tell you about interviewing them over the phone before making an appointment.
Being my own advocate and this forum helped me tremendously. I have a lot of wonderful people to thank.
I am most grateful for your obsession. :) Oh my, 18 months of very hypo and a year of med adjustments is a lot to endure. So glad you found your way to better health. Being your own advocate had to be a big part of it.
It would be great to find a doctor who is willing to look at the big picture and offer more than one treatment. Doctors will complain when patients don’t take an interest in their own health, but when you ask too many questions they become ruffled too. Can you suggest how I might find a doctor and recommend a lab for the self-ordered tests? I live in southcentral Pennsylvania.
It would be great to find a doctor who is willing to look at the big picture and offer more than one treatment. Doctors will complain when patients don’t take an interest in their own health, but when you ask too many questions they become ruffled too. Can you suggest how I might find a doctor and recommend a lab for the self-ordered tests? I live in southcentral Pennsylvania.
If your endo won't do the FT3 test, you can order it online. Self-ordered tests are also self-pay...about $85 for a full thyroid panel. A doctor isn't involved, and the results are sent directly to you.
I've never done well on drugs, either. I'm hyper-sensitive to just about everything. I think the big difference for me when it came to thyroid was that I couldn't continue with the symptoms I had. I was almost narcoleptic. If I sat down, I was asleep in minutes. I was hypo (very) for about 18 months before anyone thought about testing my thyroid. I had a tough time the first year on meds, mostly due to an inept PCP, who had no clue how to dose, but I also knew I couldn't go back.
Take the time to find a good doctor you can work with. I was so down on doctors when I went looking for my endo that I was fully prepared to storm out of his office, telling him what an idot he was and slamming the door behind me! I was very pleasantly surprised.
I don't know how your endo could tell you that you were on the correct dose when it didn't change your labs at all. Perhaps you should think about doctor shopping.
Well, you know, you get interested in a subject, and suddenly it becomes an obsession! LOL It is fascinating...
I've never done well on drugs, either. I'm hyper-sensitive to just about everything. I think the big difference for me when it came to thyroid was that I couldn't continue with the symptoms I had. I was almost narcoleptic. If I sat down, I was asleep in minutes. I was hypo (very) for about 18 months before anyone thought about testing my thyroid. I had a tough time the first year on meds, mostly due to an inept PCP, who had no clue how to dose, but I also knew I couldn't go back.
Take the time to find a good doctor you can work with. I was so down on doctors when I went looking for my endo that I was fully prepared to storm out of his office, telling him what an idot he was and slamming the door behind me! I was very pleasantly surprised.
I don't know how your endo could tell you that you were on the correct dose when it didn't change your labs at all. Perhaps you should think about doctor shopping.
Well, you know, you get interested in a subject, and suddenly it becomes an obsession! LOL It is fascinating...
I will see if my endo will do the FT3 test. My heart raced when you said the aging thing might not be permanent. How wonderful that would be.
I never did well on drugs, such as antidepressants, so I fear to expect anything but side effects or to make things worse, as you said.
I also use Syngenic B12 cream, which is supposed to be utilized better too.
You are so kind and patient to discuss all of this with me. I went for a little walk a while ago and thought about how a stranger would help so much.
I never did well on drugs, such as antidepressants, so I fear to expect anything but side effects or to make things worse, as you said.
I also use Syngenic B12 cream, which is supposed to be utilized better too.
You are so kind and patient to discuss all of this with me. I went for a little walk a while ago and thought about how a stranger would help so much.
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