dosing synthroid with naturethroid

[academic281]

My father had Graves then thyroid removed and on h. replacement therapy - he ultimately died from a heart attack at a relatively young age. I am female middle-aged professor diagnosed hypo about 3 years ago with gradually increased dosage due to consistent hypo labs (don't have the old numbers). Treated with Synthroid (for 3 years), I felt as if I would swing from hypo to hyper symptoms with no specific pattern - in other words I did not fit the classic symptoms for hypo that I would read about: I had insomnia, always hot, unexplained anxiety, unexplained weight gain, extreme morning tiredness and cognitive fog -- all with hypo lab results.  I am post menopausal - these are not hot flashes. I always feel hot with heat intolerance (like my regulator is broken!). Pulse good and low to average B/P. Fairly fit.

My doctor retired and new doctor yanked me off synthroid (.088) about four months ago and put me on 1 grain of Nature Throid daily (morning). At time of switch: free T3 = 2.9 and TSH = 2.0 - she did not take free T4 with that lab.  I felt good at first on NT only but horrible after residual synthroid was gone: 3 months later and on NT only. I went back for new labs after 3 months on NT only as my cognitive fog was so bad, I was making errors while driving (up one-way ramps, etc.). I was also unexplainably and rapidly putting on fat around the upper middle abdomen - but felt more like huge bloating issue. Those labs (3 months on NT only) were T4 = .91 and T3 = 3.8 with no TSH lab. She was happy with these labs. But - I convinced her to let me add back in some synthroid as I felt terrible without it (the fog and afternoon tiredness and rapid weight gain). She kept me on the 1 grain of NT and added back in the .088 of synthroid (my exact dose before the NT).

Taking both together in the morning (for 1 month now), I Immediately had more bloating and gas and mild yeast-like symptoms (off and on burning and itching down below). I researched possible solutions and just started (4 days ago) taking my NT on an empty stomach in morning and taking the synthroid on an empty stomach at bedtime.   Mostly, feels somewhat better all ready, but still some gas and stomach issues and low energy with low mood.

Do you think I am on the right track?????  HELP! I feel like thyroid patients are having to do all their own medical research to find relief. The good news is that my doctor seems willing to let me try to find a solution to help me feel better. It is just that I am having to do all the homework...Thanks.

[goolarra]

Yes, I agree on waiting to take NT until after your draw.

I think you're right that the problem is your low FT4 relative to your high FT3.  If you've been back on 88 mcg Synthroid for a month, you could have labs drawn anytime now.

What kind of stomach problems are you having?

How had you been feeling on 88 mcg Synthroid only before the switch?

[gimel]

I'm sure you will hear from goolarra later in the day.  I just wondered if you took your thyroid med in the morning before the blood draw for tests?  If so, T3 is so quick acting that doing so sometimes gives a false high result.  Better to wait until after blood draw to take T3 med.

[academic281]

Thanks for the split dose information. I am learning a lot on this site.
Last lab results over the phone. I pulled the range for FT3 from earlier printout/ same lab but no FT4 info on that printout.

Labs after approx. three months on NT (1 grain) only - switched from synthroid .088.
FT4 = 0.91 "low on spectrum" told over the phone
FT3= 3.8 (2.3-4.2) but labs taken early in the morning which may matter? (up from 2.9 on synthroid only before switch)
Then she added  the Synthroid back in (.088) 1 month ago. Due for new labs shortly.

Still no get up and go compared to old self with some brain fog... Thinking it is the gap between the T3 and the T4. I feel better every day after splitting the synthroid and NT to a.m. and p.m. But still some stomach problems - probably just the NT non-active ingredients? My stomach tolerated synthroid fine when I was on it for three years by itself. You are wonderful to take the time to reply to those "searching" for answers...

[goolarra]

What are the reference ranges for your FT3 (3.8) and FT4 (0.91)?  Ranges vary lab to lab, so you have to post range with result.

Have you tried splitting your NT into two half doses?  T3 is very fast-acting, so most people take a portion of their dose first thing in the morning and the rest in the early afternoon.  This keeps FT3 more level throughout the day and helps to avoid the big peak you can have in the morning if you take it all at once, followed by the "crash" in the afternoon.

Yes, you're right, we're very much "on our own".  Unfortunately, I don't think it's just thyroid patients who find ourselves in that predicament.