mostlylurking
Member
You're welcome.Well this was an incredibly insightful and helpful response. THANK YOU and BLESS YOU!
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You're welcome.Well this was an incredibly insightful and helpful response. THANK YOU and BLESS YOU!
Thank you for sharing. I am not yet where I need and want to be but am getting closer. I am doing a slow increase - 2 weeks at a time. Sadly, at the moment, I do not have a good doctor to help me anymore and have had to do this on my own. Insight like this helps.Depends on many factors, but I would say the best way to measure if it's working is in how you feel, and your temperatures and resting pulses.
I personally have Hashi's, so I take 50mcg T3, and 1 grain of NDT (NP Thyroid). I feel fantastic. Temp is 98.2F, resting pulse about 80bpm.
I came up with my regimen on my own (using T3 from Mexico), so you can do this. Increasing a little bit every 2 weeks is a great idea and also what I did. You want to watch for any cortisol symptoms and I personally took a 4 pt cortisol test too. The test will tell you whether cortisol is high or low at different points during the day and that can give you clues as to how to support your body.Thank you for sharing. I am not yet where I need and want to be but am getting closer. I am doing a slow increase - 2 weeks at a time. Sadly, at the moment, I do not have a good doctor to help me anymore and have had to do this on my own. Insight like this helps.
Adding - I do have an Endocrinologist - now. But I shopped for one who I knew would support what I'm doing, and he agrees I'm doing well.Thank you for sharing. I am not yet where I need and want to be but am getting closer. I am doing a slow increase - 2 weeks at a time. Sadly, at the moment, I do not have a good doctor to help me anymore and have had to do this on my own. Insight like this helps.
I came up with my regimen on my own (using T3 from Mexico), so you can do this. Increasing a little bit every 2 weeks is a great idea and also what I did. You want to watch for any cortisol symptoms and I personally took a 4 pt cortisol test too. The test will tell you whether cortisol is high or low at different points during the day and that can give you clues as to how to support your body.
Thank you for the encouragement. The kindness shown and wisdom shared on this forum is deeply appreciated.Adding - I do have an Endocrinologist - now. But I shopped for one who I knew would support what I'm doing, and he agrees I'm doing well.
really resonated with me because that is exactly what is happening to me and has been for a very long time (I'm only putting the pieces together now). I've done the cortisol test before but it's been a while so that's a good thought as right now, I'm just going off of old labs and symptoms.The reason why it takes so long to finally reach stabilization and the optimal dose is because the body compensates for hypothyroidism by running on adrenaline.
Are you in the US or Canada? I can send you a list of doctors to start with. They aren't perfect, but if you feel more confident having a doctor - it's a good starting point.Thank you for the encouragement. The kindness shown and wisdom shared on this forum is deeply appreciated.
Your remarks about cortisol and when @mostlylurking said this:
really resonated with me because that is exactly what is happening to me and has been for a very long time (I'm only putting the pieces together now). I've done the cortisol test before but it's been a while so that's a good thought as right now, I'm just going off of old labs and symptoms.
I would love to find a doctor who understands and works with me. I used to have one but is no longer available. I am always happy to hear when others have a genuine partner in health - it gives me hope as, IMHO and unfortunate experiences (personally and as a first hand witness), it seems like there are no truly good ones left. @mostlylurking also had a great idea of asking local pharmacists for recommendations.
US and thank you!Are you in the US or Canada? I can send you a list of doctors to start with. They aren't perfect, but if you feel more confident having a doctor - it's a good starting point.
Thank you!OK - DM coming your way!
Ah, I can't sent you a DM because of your settings... it says "this user limits who may see their profile" - can you send ME a DM, and I'll reply to that?US and thank you!
Ok, I will try!Ah, I can't sent you a DM because of your settings... it says "this user limits who may see their profile" - can you send ME a DM, and I'll reply to that?
I replied - check your messages. I didn't get a notification over email when you sent me a message, but I found it by clicking on the envelope icon in the upper right corner.Ok, I will try!
Are you supplementing magnesium? Magnesium is really important. According to Ray Peat, hypothyroid people "have trouble holding onto magnesium"; I think that means hypothyroid people have more of a tendency to become deficient in magnesium. Magnesium lowers cortisol, or at least helps keep control of it. I'm able to tolerate a much larger dose of magnesium since I've been high dosing thiamine hcl. Thiamine is known to increase the tolerance for magnesium. I take 3/8 teaspoon of magnesium glycinate powder, 2Xday, which equals to 400mg of magnesium daily.Thank you for the encouragement. The kindness shown and wisdom shared on this forum is deeply appreciated.
Your remarks about cortisol and when @mostlylurking said this:
really resonated with me because that is exactly what is happening to me and has been for a very long time (I'm only putting the pieces together now). I've done the cortisol test before but it's been a while so that's a good thought as right now, I'm just going off of old labs and symptoms.
I would love to find a doctor who understands and works with me. I used to have one but is no longer available. I am always happy to hear when others have a genuine partner in health - it gives me hope as, IMHO and unfortunate experiences (personally and as a first hand witness), it seems like there are no truly good ones left. @mostlylurking also had a great idea of asking local pharmacists for recommendations.
I always love your posts, mostlylurking!! I get so much out of them!!Are you supplementing magnesium? Magnesium is really important. According to Ray Peat, hypothyroid people "have trouble holding onto magnesium"; I think that means hypothyroid people have more of a tendency to become deficient in magnesium. Magnesium lowers cortisol, or at least helps keep control of it. I'm able to tolerate a much larger dose of magnesium since I've been high dosing thiamine hcl. Thiamine is known to increase the tolerance for magnesium. I take 3/8 teaspoon of magnesium glycinate powder, 2Xday, which equals to 400mg of magnesium daily.
This article on magnesium is very good:
"Cortisol: Magnesium indirectly reduces the release of ACTH by modulating the neurotransmission pathways, and therefore decreases cortisol levels in the body [42];"Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited
Magnesium deficiency and stress are both common conditions among the general population, which, over time, can increase the risk of health consequences. Numerous studies, both in pre-clinical and clinical settings, have investigated the interaction of ...www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
You're right about the scarcity of good doctors. My endo is now about 87 years old. He has announced he intends to retire in two years. I dread it. I'm trying to educate my GP but he just goes glassy eyed on me when I try to explain something to him. He also doesn't believe me that I had rheumatoid arthritis because I haven't been able to prove it via another doctor's diagnosis and my rheumatoid arthritis is in remission because of my thyroid medication and my supplement protocol.
I don't know if "Functional Medicine" doctors have any better training, but maybe. They have a "find a doctor" feature on the site.
Also, there's the Orthomolecular Medicine avenue. They have a "find a doctor" feature on their site too. I went to a detox doctor in 1994-1996 who practiced orthomolecular medicine and detoxed me and saved my life. He was around 67 at the time. He was really great! The whole office lived in fear of the FDA goons coming and shutting them down because they were making people well via EDTA IV chelation, vitamins, diet, and hyperbaric oxygen treatments. I had been poisoned with organophosphate insecticide on top of having mercury and lead poisoning. I was really really sick.
I believe that it is essential for people to do their own research (via Ray Peat and Broda Barnes) before they try to choose a doctor. It's been my own experience that older doctors are usually better because they've had more hands on experience.
I also want to tell you that when I got sick in 2020 after taking Bactrim antibiotic (Bactrim blocks thiamine function), I figured out that I had a major thiamine deficiency/functional blockage problem so started taking a higher dose of thiamine. During this time, I experienced pretty severe hypothyroid symptoms even though I was taking my optimum dose of NP Thyroid (180mg/day) that had worked fine for 5 years. I thought maybe I'd gotten a bad batch of thyroid medication so I got my lab work run 2 months early. The lab work showed that my free T3 was dangerously high. So my endo lowered my dose of NP Thyroid to 135mg/day. He explained to me that I was hyperthyroid because my T3 was so high and hyperthyroidism blocks thiamine function. But I had cold hands & feet, low body temperature, brain fog, lethargy, and severe inflammation at the time. I stayed on the lower dose of thyroid med and I continued to increase my thiamine hcl dose (up to my optimum of 1 gram, 2Xday) and I recovered my health. I have heavy metal toxicity (mercury mainly); heavy metals cause thiamine deficiency. Mercury also damages the thyroid.
Hypothyroidism and thiamine deficiency share multiple symptoms. The thyroid needs thiamine to function. When you are hypothyroid AND thiamine deficient at the same time it gets pretty confusing. I'm really glad that I was under the care of a competent endo when I went through this health crisis in 2020. I never would have been able to figure it out on my own.
Thanks @kimbriel . I enjoy posting here.I always love your posts, mostlylurking!! I get so much out of them!!
I, too, enjoy and appreciate your posts!Are you supplementing magnesium? Magnesium is really important. According to Ray Peat, hypothyroid people "have trouble holding onto magnesium"; I think that means hypothyroid people have more of a tendency to become deficient in magnesium. Magnesium lowers cortisol, or at least helps keep control of it. I'm able to tolerate a much larger dose of magnesium since I've been high dosing thiamine hcl. Thiamine is known to increase the tolerance for magnesium. I take 3/8 teaspoon of magnesium glycinate powder, 2Xday, which equals to 400mg of magnesium daily.
This article on magnesium is very good:
"Cortisol: Magnesium indirectly reduces the release of ACTH by modulating the neurotransmission pathways, and therefore decreases cortisol levels in the body [42];"Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited
Magnesium deficiency and stress are both common conditions among the general population, which, over time, can increase the risk of health consequences. Numerous studies, both in pre-clinical and clinical settings, have investigated the interaction of ...www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
You're right about the scarcity of good doctors. My endo is now about 87 years old. He has announced he intends to retire in two years. I dread it. I'm trying to educate my GP but he just goes glassy eyed on me when I try to explain something to him. He also doesn't believe me that I had rheumatoid arthritis because I haven't been able to prove it via another doctor's diagnosis and my rheumatoid arthritis is in remission because of my thyroid medication and my supplement protocol.
I don't know if "Functional Medicine" doctors have any better training, but maybe. They have a "find a doctor" feature on the site.
Also, there's the Orthomolecular Medicine avenue. They have a "find a doctor" feature on their site too. I went to a detox doctor in 1994-1996 who practiced orthomolecular medicine and detoxed me and saved my life. He was around 67 at the time. He was really great! The whole office lived in fear of the FDA goons coming and shutting them down because they were making people well via EDTA IV chelation, vitamins, diet, and hyperbaric oxygen treatments. I had been poisoned with organophosphate insecticide on top of having mercury and lead poisoning. I was really really sick.
I believe that it is essential for people to do their own research (via Ray Peat and Broda Barnes) before they try to choose a doctor. It's been my own experience that older doctors are usually better because they've had more hands on experience.
I also want to tell you that when I got sick in 2020 after taking Bactrim antibiotic (Bactrim blocks thiamine function), I figured out that I had a major thiamine deficiency/functional blockage problem so started taking a higher dose of thiamine. During this time, I experienced pretty severe hypothyroid symptoms even though I was taking my optimum dose of NP Thyroid (180mg/day) that had worked fine for 5 years. I thought maybe I'd gotten a bad batch of thyroid medication so I got my lab work run 2 months early. The lab work showed that my free T3 was dangerously high. So my endo lowered my dose of NP Thyroid to 135mg/day. He explained to me that I was hyperthyroid because my T3 was so high and hyperthyroidism blocks thiamine function. But I had cold hands & feet, low body temperature, brain fog, lethargy, and severe inflammation at the time. I stayed on the lower dose of thyroid med and I continued to increase my thiamine hcl dose (up to my optimum of 1 gram, 2Xday) and I recovered my health. I have heavy metal toxicity (mercury mainly); heavy metals cause thiamine deficiency. Mercury also damages the thyroid.
Hypothyroidism and thiamine deficiency share multiple symptoms. The thyroid needs thiamine to function. When you are hypothyroid AND thiamine deficient at the same time it gets pretty confusing. I'm really glad that I was under the care of a competent endo when I went through this health crisis in 2020. I never would have been able to figure it out on my own.
Thiamine testing is really tricky; I gave up trying after my GP was unable to find a lab in the U.S. that does the accurate test. I'm relying on my response to it and what I've learned about it on line.I need to spend time on the thiamine deficiency. Do you think a serum test would show it with any accuracy? I have thiamin as a singular supplement but haven't been consistent taking it - I think b/c I didn't notice anything with the dose I was on. My b complex has a good amount of it but still probably not enough.
I've encountered several doctors who suffer from terminal arrogance. It is critical that the patient arm themselves with enough knowledge so that they can make informed decisions without what the doctor is telling them. That last one I had the unfortunate experience with would have killed me if I had let him. He was only interested in fattening his pocketbook and my safety and well being didn't enter into the equation.many doctors I've encountered see any attempt to participate in decision making as it relates to one's health/treatment plans as a threat or they don't take it seriously.
I'm with you on this. I suffer from "white coat syndrome" for good reason.(I'm not anti-doctor, btw, just have had and seen my fair share of bad experiences.)
I've encountered several doctors who suffer from terminal arrogance. It is critical that the patient arm themselves with enough knowledge so that they can make informed decisions without what the doctor is telling them. That last one I had the unfortunate experience with would have killed me if I had let him. He was only interested in fattening his pocketbook and my safety and well being didn't enter into the equation.
I'm with you on this. I suffer from "white coat syndrome" for good reason.
Thank you for the feedback and resources on the thiamine. I will dig.Thiamine testing is really tricky; I gave up trying after my GP was unable to find a lab in the U.S. that does the accurate test. I'm relying on my response to it and what I've learned about it on line.
Here's an article about the testing:
and one about the different kinds of thiamine:Thiamine Deficiency Testing: Understanding the Labs - Hormones Matter
Understanding thiamine deficiency and the lab testing methods most appropriate for detecting abnormal thiamine chemistry.www.hormonesmatter.com
Navigating Thiamine Supplements- Hormones Matter
Understanding the different forms of vitamin B1.www.hormonesmatter.com
I chose to stick with thiamine hcl because I could not tolerate TTFD because my glutathione level was in the ditch due to heavy metal toxicity. Happily taking high dose thiamine hcl has normalized my glutathione level for the first time in many years. Although the amount needed (1 gram, 2Xday) is a large amount (due to poor absorption in the gut), the pure bulk powder is inexpensive. A little of it tastes as bad as a lot of it so it's just a matter of getting used to the taste. Here are some sources for info about thiamine:
Dr. Costantini's website. He successfully treated thousands of Parkinson's Disease patients in Italy using thiamine hcl. I chose to follow his protocol because I tolerate thiamine hcl better than TTFD. Dr. Costantini's FAQ's are well worth the time to read. His patient before and after videos are illuminating and very short.
Dr. Derrick Lonsdale's articles. He is on the far side of 99 and although is in a wheel chair and assisted living, he still has his wits about him which is a great testament to TTFD.
Daphne Brian's book about thiamine and Parkinson's Disease; she found great success using a sublingual form of thiamine which I have tried and found that it does work. This website is based on Dr. Costantini's work with thiamine hcl.
Elliot Overton's youtube channel. Excellent videos and a great way to get started learning about thiamine. Elliot focuses mainly on TTFD thiamine but the information can be extrapolated over to the other types of thiamine for general understanding. He explains the pros and cons of the different types.
Elliot Overton's website. Excellent articles under Blog. Also links to his videos.
Hi,I'm hypothyroid and I go to a great 86+year old endocrinologist. Before finding him, I managed to give myself heart palpitations by trying to treat myself with some T3 I got from Mexico.
My endo, after chastising me severely for trying to self treat and nearly giving myself heart issues requiring hospitalization, treated me this way: he changed my brand of prescription desiccated thyroid from Armour to NP Thyroid by Acella and increased the dose by about 30%, which brought it up to 90 mg after running a full thyroid panel on me. Then he had me come back 6-8 weeks later for another thyroid panel and then increased my dose about 30mg which brought it up to 120mg and had me come back 6-8 weeks later for another thyroid panel. Then he increased the dose another 30mg which brought it up to 150mg and had me come back for another thyroid panel. Then he increased the dose yet again by 30mg which brought it up to 180 mg (=3grains) and had me come back 6-8 weeks later for another thyroid panel which he evaluated and declared me to be on my optimum dose. Note that this took around 8 months. Now I get the thyroid panel run every 6 months
Each time that I came in to go over the test with my endo he asked me how I felt and made note of my symptoms. He actually treated me to resolve my symptoms. He is a stickler for keeping my free T3 at or slightly below the top boundary of the "normal" range.
Please note that my TSH was at .02 on the first thyroid panel test that he ran on me. He said he had seen that before and if that's the case he just ignores the TSH number and treats the patient anyway.
After 5 years of being stable on 180mg of NP Thyroid, my health took a serious turn for the worse after taking Bactrim antibiotic which blocked my thiamine function. I got some better by taking thiamine hcl. However, my hypothyroid symptoms worsened, a lot. I had classic hypothyroid symptoms including low temperature, lethargy, brain fog. I got my thyroid panel run a couple of months early because I thought my med had stopped working. The test showed that my free T3 was through the roof and I was "hyperthyroid". My doctor lowered my dose to 135mg and asked me what was I doing differently. I explained that I was taking a pretty high dose of thiamine hcl. He told me that hyperthyroidism blocks thiamine function. Evidently, the thiamine supplement had improved my own thyroid's function but my symptoms were a mess.
I continued to increase my thiamine hcl dose (up to 2 grams/day now) and my thyroid function with the 135mg dose of NP thyroid is again in the very high normal spot and I feel good. I could not have figured out how to balance my thyroid medication with my high dose thiamine hcl needs without my endocrinologist (who has more than 50 years of on the job training).
That assumes your hypothyroidism is caused by PUFA. Other things cause hypothyroidism; examples: heavy metal toxicity, thiamine deficiency. If you are thiamine deficient with hypothyroidism and you go on a high starch diet, you will get worse, not better because the starch converts to sugar which uses up what little thiamine you might have so the thiamine deficiency becomes worse.
Hypothyroidism and thiamine deficiency have some identical symptoms, including lethargy, weight gain, brain fog, low body temperature. This is because both thyroid and thiamine are required for oxidative metabolism. The thyroid, along with all the other organs in your body, requires thiamine to do its job.