Alternative thyroid help

a_mandolin_
a_mandolin_ Posts: 336 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anybody had any luck with doing or using anything in addition to medicine to help?

I am currently on levo 125mcg and I go in for blood work, like clockwork, every 6 mos. My levels go from normal, to slightly off, to normal, to slightly off, normal, slightly off... only a couple times has it been off enough to change my levo dose. From a medical standpoint, it isn't a big deal, since my the thyroid levels aren't very off, and they always go back, however, its a big deal to me because I get really bad symptoms when things are even slightly off. My skin is unbearably dry, I go though bottles of lotion and am still all dry and itchy, dry eyes so I can't wear my contacts, my hair falls out in big clumps, pooping is only a dream and I'm freezing - like leather jacket in August kind of freezing.

I was just hoping there was something out there to help my poor sad dry cold self.

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    Those symptoms could also be from under-eating and not eating enough fat.

    I've been on levo for 25 years. I only had those symptoms when my diet was off....I was eating 1300 cals a day and keeping my fats at 30% and carbs at 55% (those are the default MFP settings). When I raised calories and fat, and lowered my carbs, all those symptoms stopped.

    Hypothyroid patients do better on less carbs (especially wheat) and higher protein and fats.
  • a_mandolin_
    a_mandolin_ Posts: 336 Member
    Trust my diet definatly does not suffer from that! At the very least I eat 1850, with plenty of fat (40/30/30 and I'm always over on all buy protein, damn you, you are hard to eat). Though my 6lb loss since September will say that I eat way way more than that most days (I'd open my diary, but my BED is out of control lately so it is far from accurate).

    I suppose I could try lower carbs, though they are my favorite thing in the world and I'll probably just spend all day crying. :wink: Thanks for the suggestion :)
  • fmebear
    fmebear Posts: 172 Member
    I also have the same issue. I am looking at alternative medicines like armour and naturethyrod. I supplement too with Vitamin B complex, calcium for my bones (due to a lot of recent back surgeries), magnesium/potassium for muscle cramps (also due to a medical situation), and omega 3's. I am slowly working towards a healthy diet.

    I am reading Stop the Thyroid Madness and finding a few things that I believe I need to have checked out to better support my thyroid. I find that the more I educate myself the better I can assist my doctor in my care for symptom management and better medication but the hard part is finding a doctor that will listen to me rather than following the standard testing.
  • wisconsinboogie
    wisconsinboogie Posts: 127 Member
    I take a Thyroid Health supplement,(you can find it on amazon) in add to my synthroid, it has made a world of difference in my energy level, plus I upped my cals, more protien, carbs go right to my waistline, and make me sluggish.
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
    You could try taking selenium as a supplement. Many Western diets are deficient in it, and it supports thyroid fuction whether you're hypo or hyper.

    I have Graves Disease, and as it's progressive I suppose I'll have problems again one day... but I stumbled across the selenium idea by accident years ago, and symptoms have been well under control without medical intervention ever since.

    Downside is that I can no longer eat whatever I like without putting on weight, hence being on this site lol - but it's a small price to pay.
  • islandmonkey
    islandmonkey Posts: 546 Member
    Has anybody had any luck with doing or using anything in addition to medicine to help?

    I am currently on levo 125mcg and I go in for blood work, like clockwork, every 6 mos. My levels go from normal, to slightly off, to normal, to slightly off, normal, slightly off... only a couple times has it been off enough to change my levo dose. From a medical standpoint, it isn't a big deal, since my the thyroid levels aren't very off, and they always go back, however, its a big deal to me because I get really bad symptoms when things are even slightly off. My skin is unbearably dry, I go though bottles of lotion and am still all dry and itchy, dry eyes so I can't wear my contacts, my hair falls out in big clumps, pooping is only a dream and I'm freezing - like leather jacket in August kind of freezing.

    I was just hoping there was something out there to help my poor sad dry cold self.


    When you say your "levels", can you confirm what your doctor is testing? Are they just looking at TSH (a pituitary hormone) or are they looking at your actual thyroid levels (free T3 and free T4)? Are your free T3 and free T4 "within normal range", or are they "optimal"?


    It sounds to me like you aren't being properly medicated. You're currently on a T4-only supplement, and your body may be struggling to convert it in to T3. When your T3 levels are low you get hypo, and the resulting symptoms.

    Have you been tested for Hashimoto's? That's often why people's levels go up and down - because the Hashi's antibodies keep attacking your thyroid.


    Vitamins and Minerals: your body needs many things to convert that T4 - selenium, zinc, copper, iron, Vit B12 etc. You can try adding a selenium supplement, or just eat 1-2 brazil nuts daily. Get your iron and ferritin levels tested. Add a B complex vitamin if you aren't already taking a multi.

    Have you had your Vit D tested? Vit D is required for T3 to act at the cellular level. You want optimal levels here too -- 60-80.

    Meds: has your doctor talked to you about med options? You're currently on a synthetic T4-only drug. You can ask about switching to a dessicated med that contains both T3 and T4.

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