Aa
no more drugs....how??
Hi there.
I have been on 175-200mg of throxine or synthetic thyroid replacement for over 8 years now.
My levels are fine. I do not really have hypo symptoms, except for depression and obesity.
Fun, huh?
Well, here is my question.
I no longer want to take prescription drugs.
I want to deal with my issues naturally, if possible.
I am looking for a natra-path to work with, but I also wanted to know if any of you have heard of or know of natural thyroid remedies.
I know kelp bladderwrack, etc.
Any insight is much apprecitated!
I have been on 175-200mg of throxine or synthetic thyroid replacement for over 8 years now.
My levels are fine. I do not really have hypo symptoms, except for depression and obesity.
Fun, huh?
Well, here is my question.
I no longer want to take prescription drugs.
I want to deal with my issues naturally, if possible.
I am looking for a natra-path to work with, but I also wanted to know if any of you have heard of or know of natural thyroid remedies.
I know kelp bladderwrack, etc.
Any insight is much apprecitated!
Sorry - my post should have read 'Recombinent DNA' technique - just in case you want to look it up etc.
Bitten I hope you are still feeling well???
It is always good to question - there is NEVER such a thing as a silly question.
Did you inform your doctor on what you want to do and ask them to monitor your progress?
Bitten I hope you are still feeling well???
It is always good to question - there is NEVER such a thing as a silly question.
Did you inform your doctor on what you want to do and ask them to monitor your progress?
thank you for all your information and advice.
you have all really made me think about my journey.
i did not take my medcs for 10 days and have now started back at 175mg every 2/3 days.
i feel fine
just scared.
is there any one else out there, like me, in question?????
you have all really made me think about my journey.
i did not take my medcs for 10 days and have now started back at 175mg every 2/3 days.
i feel fine
just scared.
is there any one else out there, like me, in question?????
Hi there,
Just wondering if you are aware how your synthetic thyroxine is made? If you do already I appologise but I didn't think it would hurt to describe it.
It is made by a technique using Recominent DNA. Insulin and human growth hormones are made in the same way.
The technique involves a specific piece of human DNA being spliced into the genomes of specific type of bacteria. The human DNA has the instructions for how to make thyroxine (T4). So then the bacteria cells become factories for producing thyroxine - and the hormone it produces is identical in chemical structure to what the human body makes.
While there's certainly a bit of technology and science involved to get the end product - synthetic thyroxine is much more 'natural' than any other remedy and the closest thing to what your body would make if it could.
Certainly it is best to preserve the function of your thyroid gland if it is still capable of supply your body on it's own. Graveslady has good advice about slowly decreasing your dose and observing for any reaction.
If you went off your meds all at once it would still take 3 to 4 weeks or more for it all to leave your system as it is a slow acting hormone. As you probably know it takes anywhere between 4 to 12 weeks to get levels back up in your system again. This is why Graveslady's advice is so good - it is a safe guard if you find that you go really hypo and feel terrible, it wouldn't take as long to get back up again if you haven't gone off your med's all together? I hope that makes sense.
No one is trying to scare you by highlighting the potential dangers of going hypothyroid. They are very real.
Taking your thyroid medication is just like a diabetic using inuslin. In diabetes the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or makes ineffective insulin - so the body must be supplemented to continue working optimally.
The word 'natural' is given too much kudos in today's society. Any compound/chemical no matter what its source can provoke unwanted side effects and reactions, some serious. There is NO proof that a 'natural' product will have less untoward reactions. There is proof however that when people supplement with over the counter medicines/herbs/vitamins they often don't tell their doctors. Polypharmacy is when a person is taking many drugs/supplements and can be very dangerous if not closely monitored by a doctor. Even vitamins/herbs interact with each other and prescription drugs. And some vitamins/herbs are contradicted while breastfeeding too - so please check with your doctor, I know you don't want to endanger your child.
I don't mean to discourage you - only give caution and make sure whatever you do, do it under doctor's supervision.
What I would love to encourage you to do is make sure your family and all your friends and loved ones only use iodised salt on the table and in their cooking. Many western countries are becoming more and more deficient and it is closely linked with many thyroid problems.
Sorry to have waffled on.
Best wishes
Jenipeni
Just wondering if you are aware how your synthetic thyroxine is made? If you do already I appologise but I didn't think it would hurt to describe it.
It is made by a technique using Recominent DNA. Insulin and human growth hormones are made in the same way.
The technique involves a specific piece of human DNA being spliced into the genomes of specific type of bacteria. The human DNA has the instructions for how to make thyroxine (T4). So then the bacteria cells become factories for producing thyroxine - and the hormone it produces is identical in chemical structure to what the human body makes.
While there's certainly a bit of technology and science involved to get the end product - synthetic thyroxine is much more 'natural' than any other remedy and the closest thing to what your body would make if it could.
Certainly it is best to preserve the function of your thyroid gland if it is still capable of supply your body on it's own. Graveslady has good advice about slowly decreasing your dose and observing for any reaction.
If you went off your meds all at once it would still take 3 to 4 weeks or more for it all to leave your system as it is a slow acting hormone. As you probably know it takes anywhere between 4 to 12 weeks to get levels back up in your system again. This is why Graveslady's advice is so good - it is a safe guard if you find that you go really hypo and feel terrible, it wouldn't take as long to get back up again if you haven't gone off your med's all together? I hope that makes sense.
No one is trying to scare you by highlighting the potential dangers of going hypothyroid. They are very real.
Taking your thyroid medication is just like a diabetic using inuslin. In diabetes the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or makes ineffective insulin - so the body must be supplemented to continue working optimally.
The word 'natural' is given too much kudos in today's society. Any compound/chemical no matter what its source can provoke unwanted side effects and reactions, some serious. There is NO proof that a 'natural' product will have less untoward reactions. There is proof however that when people supplement with over the counter medicines/herbs/vitamins they often don't tell their doctors. Polypharmacy is when a person is taking many drugs/supplements and can be very dangerous if not closely monitored by a doctor. Even vitamins/herbs interact with each other and prescription drugs. And some vitamins/herbs are contradicted while breastfeeding too - so please check with your doctor, I know you don't want to endanger your child.
I don't mean to discourage you - only give caution and make sure whatever you do, do it under doctor's supervision.
What I would love to encourage you to do is make sure your family and all your friends and loved ones only use iodised salt on the table and in their cooking. Many western countries are becoming more and more deficient and it is closely linked with many thyroid problems.
Sorry to have waffled on.
Best wishes
Jenipeni
Abl- many thanks for the link and your positive attitude twords searching for 'something else' besides synthetic drugs.
Perhaps I am a naive, hopeful, optomistic type person, but I feel drugs, prescribed drugs, often make us sicker than we already were or are.
My hypo was pregnancy induced and I have never had any time off meds to see if it can ever recover, etc.
I am perhaps a lucky one. I have my thyroid gland, it is not cancerous, it just does not function properly.
I was not offered Armour in the UK (where I lived when diagnosed and just moved back from...)
My endocrinologist did not really talk about 'options'.
So years later I have questions and doubts.
I appreciate everyones thoughts and advice.
This is a superb forum.
Bitten
Perhaps I am a naive, hopeful, optomistic type person, but I feel drugs, prescribed drugs, often make us sicker than we already were or are.
My hypo was pregnancy induced and I have never had any time off meds to see if it can ever recover, etc.
I am perhaps a lucky one. I have my thyroid gland, it is not cancerous, it just does not function properly.
I was not offered Armour in the UK (where I lived when diagnosed and just moved back from...)
My endocrinologist did not really talk about 'options'.
So years later I have questions and doubts.
I appreciate everyones thoughts and advice.
This is a superb forum.
Bitten
If you would stop looking at it as a drug that would help.It is a replacement for something our thyroids would have produced had it not gone wonky.What is the big deal about taking a little pill?I tkae synthroid and cytomel and I feel better now than when I had my my thyroid in.(i lost a few ponds too)
Bottom line ,you need thyroid hormone.There is no "natural"substitute.and besides what is the difference trading one pill for another?
Love Venora
Bottom line ,you need thyroid hormone.There is no "natural"substitute.and besides what is the difference trading one pill for another?
Love Venora
WOW I would have thought it is too risky not to take the medication, I to have had a TT and require medication for the rest of my life, I dont know if I would take the risks not too!
Most off us felt the same about medication and our thyroid issues. Heck I never even took aspirin. However sometimes the lesser of the evils just might save our lives.
Reducing your dose little at a time and test 6 weeks after each dose reduction , will tell if you are hypothyroid, therefore need the medication.
I know some from other forums who either went into near or total coma from being too hypo. This can be dangerous fooling around with an illness that could do serious irreversable damage, or let alone kill.
I think it is very risky, liable and irresponsible to tell someone that there is cure when science says otherwise.
GL
Hyper/Graves'/RAI
Reducing your dose little at a time and test 6 weeks after each dose reduction , will tell if you are hypothyroid, therefore need the medication.
I know some from other forums who either went into near or total coma from being too hypo. This can be dangerous fooling around with an illness that could do serious irreversable damage, or let alone kill.
I think it is very risky, liable and irresponsible to tell someone that there is cure when science says otherwise.
GL
Hyper/Graves'/RAI
Hi!
There is a Doctor I know of, who was Hypothyroid, and is no longer thanks to Iodine supplementation. His website is www.helpmythyroid.com
Iodine is a natural substance that we all need for healthy bodies. Anyhow, his office or he himself could give you more information or your Dr information on how yu could go about treating your problem. And if Iodine supplementation might be right for you. All of his info is at the website.
Also, you could look into www.stopthethyroidmadness.com.
And if a Dr. or anyone else says there is no cure, just say... "that you know of."
Do what works for you!!!
Take care! & I hope this helps!
Abl
There is a Doctor I know of, who was Hypothyroid, and is no longer thanks to Iodine supplementation. His website is www.helpmythyroid.com
Iodine is a natural substance that we all need for healthy bodies. Anyhow, his office or he himself could give you more information or your Dr information on how yu could go about treating your problem. And if Iodine supplementation might be right for you. All of his info is at the website.
Also, you could look into www.stopthethyroidmadness.com.
And if a Dr. or anyone else says there is no cure, just say... "that you know of."
Do what works for you!!!
Take care! & I hope this helps!
Abl
The fact of the matter is...you can't live without thyroid hormone. You just can't. I have had a total thyroidectomy in 2001 due to follicular cancer. Therefore, I will need to take synthroid forever. I take 150 mcg 6 days a week and 225 one day a week to equal about 165 mcg daily. If I simply stopped taking it, my body would slowly stop functioning correctly eventually leading to death. As far as I know there are no "natural" methods for living without a thyroid. There is armour, but depending on your situation you may or may not be able to take it.
Untreated or improperly treated hypothyroidism could cause long term and irreversable consequences as follows:
Myxedema coma - life-threatening complication of untreated hypothyroidism.
Heart - Thyroid hormone is very important for normal cardiovascular function, so when not enough thyroid hormone is present neither the heart nor the blood vessels function normally. In hypothyroidism the heart muscle is weakened in both its contraction phase, and also its relaxation phase. This means that the heart cannot pump as vigorously as it should, and the amount of blood it ejects with each heart beat is reduced. In addition, because the heart muscle does not relax normally in between heart beats, a potentially serious condition called diastolic dysfunction may result. Furthermore, hypothyroidism reduces the amount of nitric oxide in the lining of the blood vessels, causing them to stiffen.
Cholesterol and Lipid Levels - Hypothyroidism is significantly associated with unhealthy lipid levels.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension). Hypothyroidism - may slow the heart rate to less than 60 beats per minute, reduce the heart
Myxedema coma - life-threatening complication of untreated hypothyroidism.
Heart - Thyroid hormone is very important for normal cardiovascular function, so when not enough thyroid hormone is present neither the heart nor the blood vessels function normally. In hypothyroidism the heart muscle is weakened in both its contraction phase, and also its relaxation phase. This means that the heart cannot pump as vigorously as it should, and the amount of blood it ejects with each heart beat is reduced. In addition, because the heart muscle does not relax normally in between heart beats, a potentially serious condition called diastolic dysfunction may result. Furthermore, hypothyroidism reduces the amount of nitric oxide in the lining of the blood vessels, causing them to stiffen.
Cholesterol and Lipid Levels - Hypothyroidism is significantly associated with unhealthy lipid levels.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension). Hypothyroidism - may slow the heart rate to less than 60 beats per minute, reduce the heart
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