Hi
I recently started on half a grain of NDT and found it was quite hard on my heart. It made me feel more alert and less dizzy, but I was advised to take a quarter of a grain and top it up with levothyroxine.
Since I've done this, my dizziness and tiredness are getting worse again and I'm feeling low in my mood.
I've always though these symptoms were related to being under replaced but I'm starting to think it may actually be the levothyroxine that's causing or worsening some of these symptoms.
Does anyone else find levothyroxine actually worsens their symptoms?
Thanks
Caroline
Hi Caz,
Yes, the levo worsened my symptoms. Many people have an extremely difficult time dosing.
Levo contains T4 thyroxin only. NDT contains a combination of both T4 and T3. The idea of mixing the two meds makes sense because the NDT comes from pigs, which have a way higher ratio of T3/T4 than humans. The T3 tends to cause anxiety if too low or too high, or if in a non biological ratio. This is why NDTs are not given to older folks, because of concern for heart problems, due to the high T3. However, since T4 can be converted to T3 by the body, the assumption is that the levo will work in this method, but of course it doesn't. And the low T3 levels can be equally harmful. As for most people here, including myself, we find it better to be too high than too low.
However, the T4, when too low, causes horrible brain fog.
Ideally, a bio identical ratio of T3/T4 would be best. Unfortunately, this is not readily available as a pharmaceutical. Some people find the bovine (cow) natural products to be better because they're closer to human ratios.
Hi Catherine
Thanks for your response. Im just about to try thyrogold which is a bovine version as nothing else is available to me in the UK on private prescription.
I find NDT is slightly too much t3 but levothyroxine makes me feel dreadful. I feel like there's no right balance for me at the moment.
Is there anything you did which helped you?
Thank you, Catherine...
FYI I take 125 mcg Synthroid (T4) And Cytomel (T3)10 mcg...i was just 65 and my cardiologist is involved. Have been taking the Cytomel for 13 years. Have bern on Synthroid for 16 year at various doses...the high was 212 mcg, the low is 125 mcg.
kind regards
judith