Nature Thyroid Questions

[Fulton762]

I have just been given Nature Thyroid (NT) to try instead of my Levothyroxine. I was taking 200mcg's of Levo for the last 7 years and have been having a lot of problems. Recent lab work on Levo is TSH 0.14, FT4 2.3 and I have many hyper symptoms. Last Endo refused to check FT3, so I don't know where that is right now.

I must state I had stopped Levo completely and went hypo TSH 177.30 and I have been back on it for 6 weeks now. What happened was this, about 4 weeks of feeling really tired, slept most of the time, 7-10 days of feeling pretty good and now horribe headaches, sweating, hands trembling. I think I passed my window of optimum thyroid hormone levels and went hyper.

I stopped the Levo for a few days to see if the headaches and trembling would stop and it was much better. Now trying to take even 1/2 grain of Nature Thyroid the headaches, sweating came back. Today was pretty bad and had to take tramadol for the pain. I may try 1/2 pill tomorrow and see if the headaches come back.

I was just curious if anyone has had issues with severe headaches, facial pain, eye pains when possibly hyper by lab work and any amount of T4/T3 meds even low dose make it worse. I have been reading posts here about new meds needing time and you may have headaches and such, but both Levo and NT give me horrible headaches right now.

It may be the hyper symptoms and any thyroid meds will cause problems right now, not sure. It's been a rollercoaster on Levo going from 200mcg to 100mcg to none. At 100mcg I did feel much better and should have stayed there. I may even wait a week or so, no meds and try NT again.

[gimel]

I suffered with severe acid reflux during a period when Armour Thyroid was off the market for a while and I had to switch back to Synthroid.  As a result my Free T3 became too low in the range, since my body was not converting the T4 med to T3 adequately.  As soon as Armour was again available, I  switched back and in only a few days, the acid reflux went away, as a result of raising the Free T3 level.  

If you will please post your thyroid related tests and reference ranges shown on the lab report we will be better able to assess your status.  Also, if tested for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, please post those results as well.

[mabbott507]

After many years of taking Synthroid and still having hypo symptoms, I asked to switch to NatureThroid. I have been taking it for a year with some issues. I have read that while synthetic thyroid meds hide medical problems, natural meds will uncover them (such as adrenal fatigue). I have not had any headaches or eye pain, but most recently, I have struggled with acid reflux, which I have never had in my life until now. I'm curious to know if anyone else here has had that problem while taking NatureThroid?

[Restonite]

Thank goodness I found these wonderful posts. I am hypothyroid with Hashimoto's disease. I would get debilitating migraines and eye pains which would just be unbearable.  Now I know it's related to the thyroid meds to a certain extent. I will be calling my doctor first thing tomorrow for some help with changing things up.  It's amazing how ignorant we are until we read/talk to other people with the same afflictions.  Again, thank you.  I may try taking my doses twice a day see if that helps.

[Ericamegan]

TSH should be suppressed for cancer patients, not T3.  You want to have your dr test FREE T3 and FREE T4.  Many patients find that they need the Free T3 in the upper third part of the range and Free T4 around midrange.

I had my thyroid killed with RAI and did not feel right on synthroid. I still had hypo symptoms with a suppressed TSH because my Free T3 was low. I first added a low dose cytomel(T3 med) and reduced my synthroid. Then I eventually switched to armour thyroid. Many people are very sensitive to T3 meds, when first adding them, so start slowly. I started with 2.5mcg in the morning and 2.5mcg in the afternoon.

How much synthroid are you taking?  Can you post your latest lab results?

[Sugarbean1966]

Hi, I had thyroid cancer, now i have no thyroid.  I have been taking synthroid (sp) but hate the feeling, hair loss, tiredness and fogginess (even tried taking split doses so I am not sluggish during the day).  I keep reading about natural thyroids and recently learned even with no thyroid I should still have T3, TSH and T4 levels.  The endro says my T3 levels should be suppressed so the cancer wont come back.  Are there any thoughts on any of this and the best direction?  I want to stop medicine and go natural and have found it hard to get answers from my new endro but she is willing to write a Rx if i give her feedback and what i need.

[Brucergoldberg]

True dat kevin and mrs. barb135.  I personally enjoyed taking my first dose 2 hours before i arose.  The t4 would help me sleep those 2 hours nice and deep and then he t3 would wake me up like an alarm clock.   You may have to play around with it to feel what is right for you.  Some folks on here actually split into 3 doses.  They take morning, afternoon, and later afternoon.   I take t4 only now and enjoy taking it before i go to sleep.  I sleep very deep and comfortable, whereas taking it in the morning make me feel yucky and flu like.  SO each person is different. Just be careful not to raise too fast on that stuff, it can really sneak up on you fast.

[kl42]

true barb,  fulton try splitting dose  give time to get use to the dose

[Fulton762]

I'm sure you guys are correct and any T3 even the small amount in the NT can cause me problems. The pills are 1/2 grain and I was suppose to take one in the morning and one later in the day. I can't do that right now, the headaches just put me down and I can't do anything. I had issues with cluster headaches before and those are much worse, but these are similar. I know thryoid problems and medications can cause depression and anxiety in some people. I do have anxiety meds and they do help with the headaches.

I think I am more hyper now and that's why the anxiety meds help, I take 1 mg of Ativan and everything calms down.

The doctor I am now seeing practices Homeopathic type medicine and although he was helpful, he didn't order any blood work. I have a appointment with a MD Endocrinologist next month and I'm sure she will want blood tests before prescribing any medications.

It's very difficult finding a decent Endo would runs all the blood tests, everyone is booked up for months and the Homeopathic Doctor was someone I could see sooner. At least I was able to try a Natural Thyroid type med and find out what it does to me. Since I am not "Hypo" the T3 may be too much for me right now, if I was sleeping all day long , I could see how T3 meds would help.

I'm sure the FT3 and RT3 test will tell a lot about my status and what meds I do need, I will ask the new doctor to have those done. I am new to this and am learning quite a bit, thanks to all the great people here!!

I will post any new info and what works for me, right now it's no NT or Levo for a few days and I will start again with 75mcg's of Levo later in the week. At least with being hypo all I do is sleep and I'm not having the horrible headaches and facial pain.

[Barb135]

Those who do not convert, adequately, will have little/no reserve T3.

[kl42]

you have reserve t3 because you still are converting  even with the freet3 in the natural dose.

[Brucergoldberg]

agree with barb completely.

If you talk to most docs that give nth they will tell you that anything over 2 grains really needs to  be split.  Most people on NTH have a lower free t4  but a higher free t3.  If the t3 wears off because you take it all at the same time, you will really not have any reserve to fall back on unless you are one of the lucky ones with a nice ft4.   My ft4 was always in the toilet so by 3 pm i was in La La land.

[Barb135]

Any medication that contains a T3  component, such as NatureThroid, should be split into multiple (at least 2) doses/day, rather than taking the whole dosage at once, because most people can't tolerate all that T3  at one time. This could be causing your headaches.

It takes 4-6 weeks for changes to take full effect, when taking a T4 only med; however, with a med containing T3, changes can be felt right away, because T3 med is fast acting, which means it gets into the system quickly, and is used up within a few hours.  That's why it's recommended that you split the dosage in order to keep FT3 levels steady throughout the day.  

All of that said, it scares me that your doctor would give you a medication with a T3 component, but not test your FT3...... FT3 "must" be tested when taking a med with T3 - insist on it.

[Fulton762]

Hi, it usually take me about 4 weeks to notice any real change symptom wise if I increase or reduce my meds. I have never tried changing the dose before this year, but something happened and I am now chasing my tail so to speak. I am also trying to stay away from any other medications or prescribition pain meds for the headaches, but it's difficult. I can't see taking the NT later in the day because of the headaches and then not sleeping. I know I have to take my time and let my body adjust.

To go through all the odd sensations, emotions, being tired or hyper is sometimes too much, but I am getting some idea where I do better and hope to just make progress and not go backwards again.

I will take 100mcg of Levo 3 times a week and 1-2 pills of NT on the other days. I will see how it goes and get the blood tests done. Thanks again for the helpful advice!!

[kl42]

try np thyroid it works well for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Brucergoldberg]

I know this is weird and has nothing to do with your question, but since you are sensitive like me, i will share what finally has been working for me.  I am on a sustained release t4 compound.  Its pure and has no additives or crap in it.  Its the t4, mixed with zinc and selenium.  I don't know why, but i am doing much better on this than i ever did on the NTH.

ALso on the NTH i had the typical NTH labs where my free t4 was low but the free t3 was high and the tsh was nice.  But in order to get the free t4 up, but free t3 would be out of sight and would cause me all sorts of weird issues like weight loss and bad stomach issues.

[Ericamegan]

With all of your med changes, b12 issues, ect.  it will take your system awhile to balance out.  Hopefully you can handle 1/2 pill.  When I adjust my t3 meds, sometime I will get a headache for a couple of days and then they'll go away.  

[Fulton762]

Hey Bruce, I will assume you are a guy, I am a 52 year old male and your experiences may be more like mine. You are correct it's Nature Throid and I get the meds at the doctors office, they supply everything there, it comes in the Nature Throid bottle. I am getting a handle on what is going on symptom wise and hope to find a range with blood tests and symptoms. This will take awhile as I have other issues not related to thyroid, but give the same symptoms.

If the Nature Throid doesn't work out, I always have the Levo and can use both if I need to, thanks for the info and good luck with your thyroid issues!

[Fulton762]

The Levothyroxine was giving me horrible headaches this last week, so I stopped taking it. The headaches went away and I assume I was going hyper? Too much FT4 possibly, I don't know. So I was a bit surprise to find this small amount of Nature Throid did the same thing, I get the eye pain too, no fun. I will take 1/2 pill in the morning and see how it goes.

Since the 1 pill gave me a bad headache I didn't take the other pill, I felt better after 6-8 hours. I know taking such a small amount of "NT" I may go hypo, but I have to experiment with the new and old meds to find a combo that works for me.

It's difficult to figure out where I am with my symptoms, mostly hyper now, but I am feeling a bit better. I think the B-12 issue is part of the problem and the B-12 shot and new vitamins are helping. When I don't feel good, the diet isn't the best and I don't do much, just sleep a lot. Being hyper may give others energy, but it just makes me feel really odd.

Anyway, I will continue with the new doctor and meds/vitamins and see what happens, thanks!!

[Brucergoldberg]

I took nature throid (its nature - throid  not nature thyroid) for about 7 months.  I found it to be very harsh, caused my thyroid to swell, gave me headaches, and caused me to have trachea pain.  I have tried many of the natural thyroid hormones including armour, erfa, and nature throid and for me personally nature throid was the one that caused me so much discomfort i decided to have the total thyroidectomy.   Id also like to say that out of all the "natural thyroid"  products,  nature throid was the strongest.  A small increase goes a very long way on nature throid so be careful with this stuff.

also when you get it, unless it comes in a naturethroid bottle (google it)  make sure your pharmacy doesn't just give you basic armour as some of us have reported the pharmacies tend to do as nature throid is not the most commonly given brand these days.

[Ericamegan]

Btw...Your FT4 is high, but I'm not sure if reducing your T4 that fast is good.  It might be too much of a shock to your system.  You might want to ask your dr if you should add a little T4 for awhile until you can increase.  I adjusted with synthetic first and then switched to armour.  That might be an idea too.

[Ericamegan]

When I first added Cytomel to my synthroid I started taking 10mcg Cytomel and I had horrible headaches and eye pain.  I reduced to 5mcg for about 2weeks until my system adjusted to having T3 and increased from there. I wonder if you should take 1/2  for a week and then see if you can increase from there. You also want to split the dose morning and afternoon.