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2192208 tn?1346525832

Supplements

Does anyone have any "supplement advice" to share?? What works for you for energy?? Since my thyroid journey, i have started taking many supplements to help in many different areas, besides taking my prescribed med's. Would be interested in the thought's of others that are also taking supplements.
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2192208 tn?1346525832
I drink caffeine when i crave it, which is not often. It also gives me anxiety on top of anxiety and i also get very jittery.....don't like the feeling.
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2192208 tn?1346525832
Diet coke is hard for me to take...I cannot stand the after taste.
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
From what I read, caffeine causes the body not to use T3 properly.

Caffeine is a stimulant, which would account for your PVC's.

I'll try to do some more research on it and see what I can find.
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Avatar universal
Is the caffeine supposed to help or hinder the T3?

Reason why I ask is that I get heart PVC's when I have too much caffeine (like more than 2 soda's or coffees in a day).  I wondered if that promoted the FT3 use and thus I was getting mini-hyper when I have caffeine.

Probably totally unrelated but this was the first I've heard of a connection between caffeine and thyroid hormone.
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
I've read that caffeine can affect the body's use of T3, also, but haven't researched to see if there's really any scientific data to support that.
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1139187 tn?1355706647
I love diet coke and coffee but if i dont eat with the diet coke or the coffee, i get these horrible anxiety attacks.  I read that caffiene can be a trigger for a lot of people when they are low thyroid.

I also read (and dont know if this is true) that caffeine essentially can lower t3 and its usage while in the system..    I wonder....

I got hooked on seagrams club sodas to the point i was going to start having it come out of my ears...  then i went back to the diet cokes again...   uggh
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Avatar universal
I have been drinking diet coke for a good 20yrs. I can't drink the regular stuff the sugar is too much for my taste..

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2192208 tn?1346525832
Thanks....I will do that and give you an update.
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
"My doc suggested yoga to me and all i could say is: I have no energy to do it. I walk alot and that's also my source of exercise for now."  Maybe you should replace some of the walking time with yoga....  you have to start slow and build up.... nobody does it all right off the bat. Try 5 minutes, today; 10 minutes tomorrow and 15 minutes, the next........ and try to work up to 30 min/day, but nothing is cut in stone......  one day at a time, one step at a time.
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2192208 tn?1346525832
I had my vit B levels tested, not B12 specifically...I will request it though. My Vitamin B level was ok.. I will google Ribose, i am willing to try anything. I even take a supplement for my eyes because they always feel very tired where they start to hurt. My doc suggested yoga to me and all i could say is: I have no energy to do it. I walk alot and that's also my source of exercise for now. I pray that something helps enough so that i can do more exercise. I have lots of tapes.....thanks for the advise.
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2192208 tn?1346525832
I stopped drinking soda to lose weight, they are addicting. lol
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
B12 is actually considered an "energy vitamin" and is essential for energy.  Without adequate amounts, fatigue and exhaustion are inevitable.  However, if you have adequate amounts already, taking more isn't going to do a lot.  Have you had your B12 tested?  I will say that I have to keep mine right at the top of the range, or slightly higher in order to feel better, so that's another one, that just being "in range" often isn't sufficient. If you're mid range or less, you could be considered deficient.

You could try B12, but go for a liquid or sublingual, which would be more readily absorbed. With your other health issues, I'd worry that you wouldn't absorb a pill type well enough. B12 is water soluble, so if you get too much, it's not toxic, since it simply flushes out in urine, though that's a bit of a waste.

You might also try a B-complex vs B12 only.  All of the B vitamins have to be present in adequate amounts, because they work together.  Calcium and magnesium levels also have a bearing on energy.  Calcium is calming, so can help you sleep better.  I take mine at night.

There are so many things that affect our energy levels, it's really hard to pinpoint one single thing.  There's the amount of sleep you get, weight, exercise, the types of food you eat..  It all affects our energy.

I find that exercising more helps my energy levels; I love to walk, so that's my main exercise, though I also practice yoga, which really helps me feel better. You might think about that........ yoga centers on relaxation, breathing and stretching.  It's wonderful for toning muscles, plus the deep breathing and relaxation help with sleep issues AND give you more energy. I understand that you may have physical limitations, but there's a type of yoga for everyone, including those who are bedridden. I actually have a dvd for "chair yoga" for seniors that I got for my elderly aunt to try, but her dementia progressed too quickly and she can't understand what to do. I, also, have another yoga for seniors, that would be good for anyone with physical limitations.

The foods you eat, when you eat them and the exercise you get, also affect the quality of your sleep.  Our bodies are such strange creatures and we all have such different needs, that sometimes, all we can do is experiment to see what works best for us.

You might want to look into D-ribose.  It's a type of sugar that's supposed to help immensely with energy levels.  

"Ribose is a special carbohydrate that is used in the body for energy production in the cells as it plays a critical role in the production of ATP. ATP is what provides the energy needed for short burst of power movements during physical activity. "

You can google it for more information. I've never tried it.

Only ever try one new supplement at a time, or you will never know which really make a difference, or not.
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Avatar universal
I just take B12 & drink diet cokes for caffeine....That ususally gets me through my work day...

I do eat food...
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Avatar universal
Yes I think B-12 is good for energy. If you look in many of those now popular energy drinks they are packed with B-12 and other B-vitamins.  

Most are also just sugar and caffeine and thus are a stimulant and not really energy. There is one natural energy drink out there available by a network marketing.  This is all natural.  It is also more expensive.

But as stated above unless you are low on the mineral, adding more may have little difference at least long term.

Recently my mom was diagnosed with sleep apnea.  And I'm just staring to learn about all the myriad of things that lack of sleep can affect.  So if you continue to be exhausted in addition to getting thyroid balanced, you may want to look into sleep apnea as a potential.
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2192208 tn?1346525832
So taking b12 isn't a good idea, even for energy?? I am deficient in vitamin D and take 50,000 units weekly which helps raise my levels. I just need energy. It feels like my tank is 1/4 full and if i push myself, i suffer.
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
I don't take the tylenol pm every night, nor is it good to do so.

If you're not deficient in a vitamin/mineral, I don't think it really does any good to take supplements for it. Like B12 or selenium.  I have pernicious anemia so must take the shots to keep my levels up.  I also tested low for selenium, which is probably why I can tell a difference.
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1139187 tn?1355706647
I dont know if they help with energy, its suppose to help but honestly i cant tell whether it does or not.  All i know is that i was deficient, and now i have plenty of b12 after doing the shots.  You can also take b12 pills every day, but i prefer a once a week injection.  Too many pills to keep up with.

I bought more of the Dr. wilsons adrenal builder today.  Ive been to three pharmacists in dallas that know their stuff and its the only one they keep on their shelves.  It was 60.00 for a bottle of 150 (painful price) but im going to keep taking them until i get to where i want to be and then im going to stop.  I think its helped me with energy, i ran out for a couple days and could tell something not right.
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2192208 tn?1346525832
I know someone who is addicted to ty. lenol pm. I had much more energy before the TT, in the evening and i use to get up at 6:30am and get the kids ready for school and then rush to work. I started napping at least twice aday, with no job  . since i started taking supplements, i do not nap but still feel exhausted by 6ish.....
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2192208 tn?1346525832
Does the B12 shots help alot with energy???
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
I don't know what time you get up in the morning, but it's normal to be tired in the evening, after being up all day........

Trust me, I had a hard time with this..... my scenario (nutshell version) is that I was getting up daily at 3:30 am to get ready for work, doing my 8 hour day, coming home and doing my housework and whatever else I could cram into the day. In order to get up at 3:30 am, I had to be in bed between 7:00 and 7:30 pm...  on weekends I was doing lawn work, catching up on housework, plus had to make a 3 hour round trip to care for an elderly aunt who has multiple medical issues.  

My stress level was sky high (cortisol/adrenaline), because things, often changed, momentarily with my aunt and I had to make that 3 hour round trip at the drop of a hat, numerous times, often, multiple times/week....  I didn't sleep at night, but still had to get up for work.  I think I lived on adrenaline for a couple of years, at least.

It took many months and the help of a very dear friend, to convince me that what I was going through was a natural process, due to the stresses in my life; not just thyroid......

Without my thyroid med and B12 shots, I had a hard time navigating, but with them, I thought I should not get tired at all.  Now, I know better...... I'm retired now, so I no longer have to get up at 3:30 am or go to bed by 7:30, and my dear aunt is not far from me, now, so I no longer have to make that 3 hour round trip multiple times/week to care for her.......my house and yard work, shopping, etc, no longer have to be crammed into the weekend, along with the trip to my aunt (which took a full day)...... they are now done during the week days, when I used to be working. My stress level has come down considerably and I sleep relatively well, most nights.........

Guess what......... by evening, I'm still tired.......because that's the way our bodies work. We get up and go through the day, go to sleep and get up and do it all over again........ we're designed to get tired and sleep to get refreshed.......

When I didn't sleep, my endo suggested Tylenol PM - a whole one was too much, because it left me groggy in the morning, which I couldn't do, because of working/driving, etc.  1/2 did much better.  I usually, don't take anything, now, except rarely.

We all have to find our comfort zone.

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1139187 tn?1355706647
I get b12 shots (like barb)  I give them to myself once a week.  I also take Dr. wilson's adrenal rebuilder but i dont really know if it works (but there is nothing saying that it doesn't).   Also i take a compound that is made with zinc and selenium.  I know selenium is very important but you have to be very careful on this stuff, its easy to get too much too quick and that is dangerous too.
Helpful - 0
2192208 tn?1346525832
I tried selenium for months and it didn't change my FT3 numbers at all, so i stopped. I recently started taking tyrosine, to see what that does. I walk fro exercise because i have no energy or motivation for any other exercise (yet)...I do have hope! I notice that the korean ginseng does help, whereas i do not nap anymore during the day but, I am drained (out of gas) by evening. I will except that. I also do not sleep well at night which is why i will try melatonin.
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2192208 tn?1346525832
Oh jesus: I take Vit D 50,000 units (i am deficient), vit B 12 (level is ok), Calcium, fish oil 3,6 mg Omega, herba vision (my eyesitght is getting worse), tyrosine (just started), Ginseng (helps with energy), ferous sulfate (i am anemia), cranberry fruit supplements, coq10 (for heart health)and melatonin (haven't started yet). My prescirbed meds are: Synthroid, zoloft, methotrexate, diovan, metoprolol,and folic acid. of course it is not hard for me to miss a few per day!....
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
Calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, small dose iron, weekly B12 shot.  

Calcium and magnesium, plus vitamin D are essential for bone health and are very important as we near/reach the point where we are more susceptible to osteoporosis.  They can also help alleviate muscle/joint pain.

Selenium helps in the conversion of T4 to T3; zinc and iron are necessary for the metabolism of thyroid medication.

The best thing to do is get your doctor to order a micronutrient test.  This tests for the various vitamins/minerals we need.  I was determined to be low in the vitamins I supplement.

blsdnsvvd - you have RA, along with your thyroid condition, so you should be researching that, as well, because it comes with its own set of symptoms, which aren't the same as thyroid.  Some of the symptoms you put down to thyroid may be caused by RA; particularly, pain.

B12 and iron are major energy nutrients, but you have to have all the others in proper amounts, to work with them.

Too often, we forget that exercise plays a very important role in how we feel.  Granted, if you're in pain or overly tired, the last thing you want to do is exercise, but often that's exactly what you should do.  Exercise can not only ease the pain, it can give you energy.  I, personally, rebuilt bone lost to osteopenia by implementing a regimen of calcium, magnesium and exercise.

In addition, something as simple as staying hydrated can give you energy and help ease pain.

All of that said, you can take your list of vitamins/minerals your favorite vitamin shop and get "combos" - meaning 2-3 vitamins/minerals in one pill (such as calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, with zinc).  I tried this some time ago, but the pills ended up being too large to swallow comfortably.  I'm going to try it again, though, so I can get down to 1-2 pills/day, plus my prescription meds.  

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