- Natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) contains both T4 and T3 hormones, giving your body active thyroid hormone immediately rather than requiring conversion from T4.
- Your dose depends on your individual body chemistry and symptoms, not just lab numbers, so finding the right NDT dose requires careful adjustment and symptom tracking.
- Some patients feel dramatically better on NDT after failing on synthetic medications because NDT mimics what a healthy thyroid naturally produces.
- Starting low and going slow with NDT dosing prevents overdose symptoms, but being too timid with dosing leaves you undertreated and continuing to feel terrible.
Update 3/30/26: Nature-Throid is still not available; however, this information is still updated and relevant and applies to other formulations of NDT.
Is Nature-throid the missing link to helping you FINALLY feel better?
The short answer: Maybe…
Like most things in life, the answer is never straightforward!
And that’s why I’ve created this guide.
I will show you which patients do best on Nature-throid when you should consider switching to NDT and what to do if Nature-throid isn’t enough for your body.
But first, we need to dive into some basics…
What Is Nature-throid?
Nature-throid is a medication used to treat Hypothyroidism.
This particular medication is unique among thyroid medications in that it is created from desiccated (or dried up) animal/porcine thyroid glands.
It contains a combination of T4 and T3 hormones which is why many people feel it is superior when compared to T4-containing medications (like Levothyroxine or Synthroid).
It also contains other hormones including minor amounts of Calcitonin, T1, T2, and even Iodine.
All of these ingredients are normally found in thyroid gland tissue (even the human thyroid gland) so it makes sense that they would all be in there.
In fact, it is widely believed that these extra ingredients found in thyroid extract may be why so many patients prefer this medication (1).
Nature-throid falls into the class of thyroid medications known as Thyroid extract or Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT for short) along with other medications which we will discuss in this guide.
One of the reasons you may have found this article is that you’re currently being treated with Levothyroxine and you have heard that Nature-throid or Armour thyroid might be a better option for you.
And that may be true for many people…
But we need to discuss why:
Is Nature-Throid Better than Levothyroxine?
Many people actually do better on Natural Desiccated Thyroid hormone instead of T4-containing medications.
Not only is that popular opinion on the internet, forums, and blog sites – it’s also been confirmed in clinical studies (2):
These various studies show that many patients actually prefer to be treated with NDT over T4-only thyroid medications.
Some of this preference may have to do with the fact that patients who switched from LT4 medications to NDT experienced greater weight loss.
The authors of this study did not conclude that the patients experienced an improved quality of life, but if you lost weight without exercising or changing your diet, wouldn’t you be pretty happy about that?
So why is that? Why do patients prefer these medications?
A big part probably has to do with the composition of thyroid hormones found in these desiccated thyroid extracts.
Nature-throid contains a combination of T4 and T3 thyroid hormone but more than that it contains it in a ratio of about 23% T3 to 76% T4 and this ratio is fairly close to the 20% T3 and 80% T4 that your thyroid gland produces naturally.
If you recall from basic thyroid physiology, T3 is the active thyroid hormone and T4 is the inactive thyroid hormone.
By providing your body with both sets of hormones you are re-creating normal thyroid physiology (or at least close to it).
This can be compared to treatment with T4-only thyroid medications which must be metabolized into the active thyroid hormone before they are usable by the body.
So why don’t Doctors use these medications more frequently?
Most Doctors believe that providing T3 to the body is unnecessary as the body will take T4 and convert it into T4 at a constant rate regardless of the individual or genetic makeup of the patient.
The hesitation to use Nature-throid and other thyroid extract medication stems from a fundamental disagreement in thyroid management philosophy and the current treatment paradigm.
Patients Who Should Consider Switching to Nature-Throid
If you are one of the many patients who isn’t feeling well on T4-only medication you’re probably wondering right now if Nature-throid will help you feel better…
And for many patients, the answer is yes (though not everyone!).
Certain patients tend to do better than others but the general theme is that if you are taking LT4 and not noticing a difference you may benefit from the switch.
In my experience, patients who fall into these categories tend to do well on Nature-throid or other forms of Natural Desiccated Thyroid:
- Patients who have not felt better on T4-only medications like Synthroid, Levothyroxine, or Tirosint (4)
- Patients with known or suspected DIO2 genetic defects (5)
- Patients with mild weight problems (6) or who are weight loss resistant
- Patients who have undergone thyroidectomy or RAI (7)
- Patients with low free T3 and low free T4 levels but with a relatively normal TSH (8)
If you fall into one or more of the categories above then there is a good chance that Nature-throid may be right for you.
Switching From Levothyroxine to Nature-throid
If you’re on Levothyroxine and would like to try switching to Nature-throid there are a few really important things you need to know.
The dosing, side effects experienced, and lab tests all differ dramatically when you switch from LT4 medication to thyroid extract.
If you (or your Doctor) aren’t familiar with these differences then you may falsely believe that something is wrong or that this medication isn’t working for you when the opposite is true.
Making sure you follow the steps below it will ensure that you’ve given Nature-throid a fair chance at working for you.
1. Titrate Slowly
When switching from T4-only medication to NDT it is VERY important that you start out slow with your dosing.
T3-containing medications can be very stimulating to patients who have never been on them before.
This means it’s best to start with less medication compared to the equivalent T4 dosing, at least in the beginning.
During this transition, and as you drop your dose, you may feel slightly worse until the dose gets ramped up and as your body acclimates to the new medication.
This process of titration may last for several months.
If you find that switching medication is too stimulating for you it may be best to split your dose.
You can split your total dose into 2 or 3 smaller doses (while keeping the total dose the same) taken throughout the day.
A sample dosing schedule may look like this:
- Take half of your dose first thing in the morning
- Take the other half of your dose in the afternoon or evening
- You can even split it up even further into 6 or 8-hour intervals if necessary
This helps reduce swings in T3 concentration in your bloodstream and, therefore, in your tissues.
Symptoms of too much T3 in your body include:
- Increased anxiety or agitation
- Heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat
- Heat intolerance or hot flashes
- Uneasy feeling or overall feeling worse
- Increased fatigue
- Dizziness or the sensation of being light-headed
If you have any of these symptoms it doesn’t necessarily mean Nature-throid is NOT for you, instead, it might mean you titrated too quickly.
Starting doses may be as low as 16.25mg to 32.5mg taken in the morning and/or in the afternoon.
If you experience the symptoms above they may resolve over time, or they may not – if they persist beyond 2-4 weeks, it’s likely that they will stay.
If this happens you may need to switch to T4 + T3 combination medication or back to LT4 medication.
2. Get Your Dose Right
Dosing is also very important when switching medications.
Any time you add T3-containing medications the TSH will always drop very quickly (9).
Because of this many doctors will unintentionally under-dose thyroid patients when switching from LT4 to NDT or Nature-throid and then use that as an excuse that the medication doesn’t work.
Of course, your TSH will rise when switching medications if you are under-dosed or if your new dosing is not equivalent to your old dose.
The only way to determine if your medication is sufficient is to follow TSH, Free T3, and Free T4 both before and after the transition.
If these values do not align afterward then you know your dosing is insufficient.
When switching medications it’s important to start low and titrate slowly.
That means a starting dose of 16.25-32.5mg with an increase every 10-14 days unless you experience symptoms of excess T3 (stated above).
Instead of basing dosing off of the TSH, dosing with T3 medications should be based on a combination of the following: lab tests (free t3/reverse t3/sex hormone binding globulin), subjective symptoms, body temperature, metabolism, and heart rate.
This approach creates space for differences among individuals including genetic differences, the presence of medical conditions, and other factors which may alter dosing at the individual level.
Newer studies have shown that in order to achieve normal free thyroid hormone levels, it is necessary, and safe, to lower the TSH to non-suppressive ranges (10).
Using this standard, the traditional dosing recommendations based on TSH may result in undertreatment for many patients.
3. Monitor your Symptoms
Whenever you switch to T3-containing medications I recommend that you follow both your resting heart rate and basal body temperature.
Both of these will increase when taking T3-containing medications (direct effect from thyroid hormone) and tracking them will help prevent accidentally overdosing.
In addition, make sure to track your symptoms of Hypothyroidism.
The rise in body temperature and heart rate usually indicates an increase in metabolism as your body produces more energy and more heat.
The rise in body temperature stems from an increase in energy production from improved mitochondrial function.
This is from the direct effect of T3 on your mitochondria (11).
Will Nature-throid Help You Lose Weight?
Many people want to know if Nature-throid will be the magical medication to help them lose weight.
The answer to that is almost always no.
While it is true that Hypothyroidism can damage your metabolism and lead to weight gain, at most this usually leads to an excess of 10-20 pounds of extra weight.
If you have gained more than that amount of weight it is almost always due to another hormone imbalance.
To explain this effect further I’ve elaborated on the combination of hormone imbalances that occur in hypothyroid states which contribute to thyroid weight gain.
Having said that, some patients will experience some weight loss after switching medication.
Patients more likely to experience this weight loss usually are those who don’t have problems with T4 to T3 conversion or who have relatively low reverse T3 levels.
Generally, the higher your reverse T3 levels and the more metabolic damage you have (from calorie-restricted dieting), the less likely Nature-throid will help you lose weight.
That doesn’t mean it won’t help you feel better – because even if it doesn’t help with weight loss it still is more likely to help reduce your symptoms when compared to levothyroxine or Synthroid.
But the weight loss you are most likely looking for may not occur unless you also address other factors such as hormone imbalances, damage to your metabolism, your diet, and so on.
Low thyroid hormone may lead to an increase in insulin resistance (12), leptin resistance, (13), and sex hormone imbalances (14) that may compromise more than just your thyroid.
You can find more tips to help you lose weight with hypothyroidism here. For tips on how to lose weight with Hashimoto’s please see this post.
How to Get Nature-throid
While many patients stand to benefit considerably from switching to Nature-throid (or other forms of NDT), unfortunately, it can be difficult to obtain, especially from conventional physicians.
Most Endocrinologists and Primary care providers are not comfortable prescribing Natural Desiccated thyroid or any medication which contains LT3.
A portion of this hesitation stems from the fact that NDT contains the active T3 thyroid hormone.
In addition, they also erroneously think that NDT results in unstable thyroid levels and concentrations throughout the day and that the exact dosages of T4 and T3 in each grain of NDT are not standardized.
The current standard of care and treatment paradigm within the insurance model is to treat hypothyroidism with T4-only thyroid medication and base dosing off of the TSH.
Unfortunately, this treatment usually results in persistent symptoms of hypothyroidism, consistent weight gain among hypothyroid patients, and overall a reduction in quality of life.
The takeaway here is that you may need to spend some time and energy searching for an open-minded physician who is willing to work with you.
Finding this kind of physician to help you may be difficult but is certainly worth the wait.
In my opinion, you can’t put a price on finally feeling healthy and getting your life back and the single most effective thing you can do is find someone to help guide you along the way.
Managing your thyroid is very complex and involves multiple hormone systems, so figuring this out on your own may be possible but will take a considerable amount of time.
Consider these resources to help find someone who may be able to help you further:
Note: Try to find providers who can prescribe medications including thyroid hormone replacement as these form the cornerstone of thyroid management.
How much does Nature-throid Cost?
Compared to other forms of Natural Desiccated thyroid, Nature-throid is reasonably priced as you can see from the chart below:
If your insurance will not cover Nature-throid you can use Goodrx.com to find the cheapest cash price near you.
Goodrx.com will provide you with a coupon you can use to take to your pharmacy to get a cash “discount” on medications (including other prescription medications you may be taking).
Simply go to the website and type in Nature-throid:
You will then be brought to this screen which will show you where the medication is cheapest and how to get your coupon for the discount:
You can even use Goodrx.com for other medications (including Armour thyroid, levothyroxine, etc.).
The average price of Nature-throid will depend on both your location and local pharmacies, but you should expect to pay no more than $10.00 per month for a 1 month’s supply.
What is in Nature-throid?
Are you a sensitive person that reacts to fillers/dyes/etc.?
Nature-throid has a very limited amount of ingredients as you can see below:
Active ingredients include:
- Thyroid USP (desiccated porcine thyroid)
- Triiodothyronine at 9mcg per grain
- Thyroxine at 38mcg per grain
Inactive ingredients include:
- Colloidal silicon dioxide, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lactose Monohydrate, Magnesium Stearate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Croscarmellose Sodium, Stearic acid, Opadry II 85F19316 Clear
Dosages and Formulations include:
- 16.25mg (1/4 grain)
- 32.5mg (1/2 grain)
- 48.75mg (3/4 grain)
- 65mg (1 grain)
- 81.25mg (1 1/4 grain)
- 97.5mg (1 1/2 grain)
- 113.75mg (1 3/4 grain)
- 130mg (2 grain)
- 146.25mg (2 1/4 grain)
- 162.5mg (2 1/2 grain)
- 195mg (3 grain)
- 260mg (4 grain)
- 325mg (5 grain)
It’s important to note that it is gluten-free and safe to use if you have Celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
It also does not include artificial flavors, artificial colors, fish, rice, soy, gluten, peanut, egg, or shellfish.
It does, however, contain porcine (pig), so if you don’t consume animal products you should take this into account.
It’s also important to note that WP Thyroid has even fewer ingredients, so if you react to Nature-throid you may want to consider WP thyroid as an alternative.
What to do if Nature-throid isn’t Working
While Nature-throid may be enough to alleviate the majority of your symptoms and issues it may not be enough to get you back to 100%.
If you have any of the following then you may need further treatment beyond thyroid medication:
- High levels of Reverse T3 ( >15 ) or signs of thyroid resistance
- Leptin resistance (Leptin level > 12)
- Diabetes, prediabetes, or insulin resistance
- Extremely low body temperature despite being on Nature-throid or NDT
- Personal history of bipolar disorder or a strong family history of mental health disorders
- Personal history of Fibromyalgia or Chronic fatigue syndrome (15)
In these instances, it may be beneficial to consider adding T3 (Cytomel or Liothyronine) to your Nature-throid or NDT.
Cytomel is a medication that contains pure T3 thyroid hormone and is the most powerful thyroid hormone medication available.
Use Caution if You Have Autoimmune Thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Any patient with autoimmune thyroiditis or a known diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis should be careful when using Nature-throid or any other form of Natural Desiccated Thyroid.
Why?
Because NDT is porcine-derived, meaning it is an animal product and may contain porcine tissue.
Even though the hormones themselves are bio-identical (meaning they are the same hormone your body would have produced naturally), components of the animal still remain in the formulation.
Like any piece of foreign tissue, it is possible for your body to create an immune response to it (16).
For this reason (and many others) some patients may actually feel worse when switching to Nature-throid and feel like their symptoms come back even though their TSH may be normal or low.
This leads patients and providers to believe that the medication doesn’t provide stable thyroid levels and this isn’t necessarily true.
It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take Nature-throid if you have Hashimoto’s or autoimmune thyroiditis, but you should take this into consideration when switching medication and monitor for adverse effects.
If this does occur, you can check your thyroid antibody levels to determine if they raised in conjunction with starting Nature-throid.
If this occurs you may need to stop the medication.
Treating any GI-related issues like low stomach acid can improve your digestion and absorption of Nature-throid and may reduce any antigenic stimulus from the medication.
Nature-throid vs Armour thyroid
Even though Armour thyroid and Nature-throid are both forms of natural desiccated thyroid they are NOT the same medication.
Believe it or not, I’ve had many cases of patients who have simply switched from one form of NDT to another and have had many of their symptoms resolve spontaneously.
This same sort of effect is seen in patients switching from Levothyroxine to Synthroid or Synthroid to Levothyroxine even though they technically contain the same active ingredients.
Studies have shown that some individuals are exquisitely sensitive to minor differences in medications and that these medications cannot be considered bioequivalent for all patients (17).
I want to provide a word of caution to you, especially if you fall into this boat.
Don’t assume that ALL forms of NDT (Nature-throid, wp thyroid, Armour thyroid, etc.) won’t work for you if one of them isn’t currently working for you.
Much of this tolerance is likely due to the various fillers and binders used in each medication.
While all forms of NDT do contain the same amount of bio-identical thyroid hormone, they differ in these inactive fillers and binders.
In the case of Armour thyroid, the formulation was recently changed which reduced the amount of dextrose and increased the amount of methylcellulose in the formulation.
This change either dramatically improved or worsened the tolerance of the medication in some patients.
The binder methylcellulose acts like a “glue” in the body and delays the absorption of the medication.
This is the same binder that compounding pharmacies use for sustained-release T3.
This example really highlights the importance of these fillers and binders and helps to explain why some people do very well on certain types of medications.
If you are on Armour thyroid and it isn’t working for you, then it would be worth a trial of switching medication to see if the switch improves your symptoms.
You can find more information about Armour thyroid here.
Heart Palpitations with Nature-throid
One of the more concerning symptoms that patients may experience while taking Nature-throid is the sensation of a rapid heart rate otherwise known as heart palpitations.
These palpitations result from the T3 that is inside the medication.
Recall that Nature-throid contains a combination of both T4 and T3 thyroid hormones, compared to levothyroxine or Synthroid which contains T4 only.
T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone in your body and it activates certain receptors in all tissues in your body.
In your heart, T3 acts differently than it does elsewhere by directly activating calcium channel pumps (18).
This may lead to an increased force of contraction of the heart combined with an increase in the heart rate (19).
Because serum levels of T3 usually spike around 2-3 hours after ingestion of thyroid hormone, this is usually when patients experience heart palpitations.
These palpitations don’t necessarily indicate that the medication is harmful to your body, but they may mean that you are getting too much T3 too quickly.
You can combat these symptoms by changing how you take the medication.
Simply spacing your dose (take half in the morning and a half at night) may be enough to alleviate this problem.
Alternatively, taking your thyroid medication at night may improve your symptoms by altering how quickly your body absorbs it.
Many patients report heart palpitations in the middle of the night (usually 2-3 am) which likely stems from changes in cortisol levels and other hormones.
You can learn more tips and tricks on how to take your thyroid medication in this article.
Conclusion
Nature-throid is a medication that contains both the inactive T4 and the active T3.
Because of the active T3 and combinations of other thyroid hormones (listed above) many patients actually do much better on Nature-throid instead of T4-only medications like Synthroid and levothyroxine.
If you are considering switching to Nature-throid (especially if you are switching from T4-only medications) make sure to start LOW and titrate SLOW.
That means starting at a lower-than-normal equivalent dose but increasing your dose slowly every 10-14 days.
Doing this will prevent unwanted side effects from the T3 in the medication.
And remember that Nature-throid is not a magic weight loss pill, but it can help some individuals lose up to 10-20 pounds.
Now I want to hear from you:
Are you currently taking Nature-throid?
Did it work for you?
Do you believe you need different thyroid medication?
Why or why not?
Leave your comments or questions below!
Scientific References
#1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4045230/
#2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23539727
#3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5763098/
#4. https://journals.lww.com/co-endocrinology/Abstract/2017/10000/Persistent_hypothyroid_symptoms_in_a_patient_with.10.aspx
#5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19190113
#6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23539727
#7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17465862
#8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28056660
#9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/494987
#10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27700539
#11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11174855
#12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3041250/
#13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC377492/
#14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9846161
#15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5869352/
#16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19869635
#17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3565118/
#18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2820695/
#19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5746964/
I started out with a TSH of 200.0 I was on Levothyroxine for 7 years and my hyp symptoms have never resolved I have gained 50lbs and since starting Naturethroid 2 months gained 5lbs. I was started to high and had the heart palpatations I also when my TSH was non existent on Levothyroxine I also had the heart palpatations. I am guessing my adrenal glands are shot I have not done a cortisol saliva test es. I suffer from Insomnia and also at times have been so tired unable to funtion I am a nurse and work pm’s and nights. Do you have any suggestions? or recommendations? My theraputic holostic MD just left I will be seeing a NP. Thank You
Hi Rene,
Make sure you look at other hormones in your body in addition to your thyroid, hormones like insulin and leptin.
Hi, my doctor raised me from 2-3 grains with 15mcg of cytomel. They did the big jump bc I am pregnant and my levels were low. Now I have high t3, rt3 and feel awful. My t4 is finally in the low end of the range. How can I safely regroup and get balanced while pregnant? We’ve dropped the cytomel down, but should I also reduce the nature thyroid? I have a mix of hyper and hypo symptoms.
Hey Dr. Childs…
I have read so much since finding your sight today…I currently take 2grain Naturethroid… it is the only med in 17 years that has made me feel better…synthroid etc… never worked… I want to fly to AZ to meet with you and discuss my needle aspiration I had due to nodules…. Are you taking patients? seriously… I went to a practitioner who put me on a low calorie diet…I lost 114 lbs but now i have hashimotos and I have gained 80+ back…please consider an appointment with me. Thank you. Traci
Tues.April 25
My integrative medicine Dr switched me from synthroid .100mg to naturethroid 5 days ago, 32.5mgincreasing one tablet every 3 days until I reach 4 tablets daily. I am experiencing nervousness, irritability, more rapid heart rate & fatigue. I am researching appropriate conversioncharts, came across your informative site. I am waiting for my Dr to return my call. ThankYou for your reply, Sincerely Mrs. Artie
I am on 97.5 Nature thyroid,can I just try to take half in the morning and half at night on my own. Anything I need to watch out for?
Question: I was taking Synthroid for over 10 years, had weigh gain, was changed gradually to naturthroid/taking synthroid together until totally on Naturethroid for over one year. Suddenly (it seemed that way) I started having heart palpations. Had lab work, and needed to increase Naturthroid Which we did. AFter 3 weeks, the heart palpations came back and I was feeling really bad. My body was fatigued. I went to Endocrinologist and we switched back to Synthroid and he added the lowest dose of liothyronine (T3). I am still have palpations in the middle of the night, but they are not waking me up like in the past, but I do still notice them after two weeks. I am going to split my dosage to take 1/2 in am and 1/2 pm and see if that helps. My question is, can the T3 prescription still cause palpations? I don’t like that feeling because it happens in middle of night, and it almost makes me panic. I read where patients reported having them in the middle of the night. So dividing my dose in the AM and PM was a suggestion or taking in the PM. I am going to try that. My Endocrinologist told me to try this if taking all in the morning didnt help. My concern is my heart still palpates. It never did before on the synthroid unless I was taking too much. Does it take a while for the T3 to leave your system from Naturethroid and will the Liothyronine cause or keep the palpations as a side effect?
If I’m on 75mcg of Synthroid and have had RAI treatment for graves..do I start out with 1 or 2 grains? I’m confused on dosage…when it says 1grain is only 38mcg of T4 and 9mcg of T3..Is 1 grain going to give me enough T4? Thank you!
Hi Lynne,
That largely depends on your body and how much thyroid hormone you need, there is no way to accurately predict the amount you will need.
After being off NT for around 9 mos and after taking it for 5 years I am back on for 2.5 mos. I’m very anxious yet tired all the time, but my numbers are slowly coming up! I’ve been told to split my dose 81.25. Into two doses. I’m in the process of switching drs, so I don’t have a resource yet! I have lost about 23 lbs since I started the NT. But still suffering mentally and physically!
Hi Lezli,
Congrats on the weight loss. Treating the mental issues related to thyroid function definitely seem to be more difficult for some patients and take longer than some of the physical aspects of the disease.
I have a question regarding Nature Throid and TSH suppression. Do you know if skipping the Nature Throid on the day of the blood test would stop the TSH suppression? Or is that not long enough to have an effect?
Thanks!
Hi Megan,
No, that would not stop the suppression.
My Doc just told me I should go back to synthetic due to my age and increased heart valve and/or heart attack risk with WP Thyroid. I can’t find any research that shows this risk w/age. I’ve been on thyroid meds since 1984. I am now 69 yrs old. I’ve been symptomatic for about the last 15yrs with multiple switches. For the past 2 yrs my #s have been reasonable on the WP Thyrioid but I’ve gained almost 25 pounds in 3 yrs. My hair if falling out terrible but I still don’t feel as badly as when I was on Synthroid. Since NDT I no longer need BP med, Nexium, medication for neuropathy pain or symptoms of fibromyalgia. I hate to go back but afraid of the Heart risks especially since that’s exactly what resulted in my mom’s death. Thanks for the response.
I just switched to nature throid about a week ago. I was on levothyroxine. I don’t feel better but not terrible I feel like different meds are now in me a bit agitated but I was that way b fore kinda. I feel more fatigued at times I think. It’s hard to tell. Hashimotos is my diagnosed ill. I have a hard time taking two doses a day. Used to just taking the one when I wake up and my brain function is terrible and maybe worse now. I forgot the first day the 2nd dose so I skipped. I forgot today so I just took it at 10 pm but hopefully it doesn’t keep me up feeling a little stimulated now. Reading your article maybe I’m just starting to much too fast
upped NT dosage from 97 to 113 due to lab work and have had racing heart and panic attacks with mental unrest. finally took lower dose this morning. how long does it stay in the body. I’m ready to feel my normal tired self. this anxiety is so debilitating
Hi Jenny,
Anywhere form a few days to a few weeks – depending on whether it was related to T3 or T4.
Hi, my doctor increased my naturethoid from 1 grain to 1.25 grains a few weeks ago. I have had bouts of overwhelming depression, been weepy and irritable and wonder if this is the reason. It’s not every day but this latest has been lasting for 3 days. I am not usually this unhappy. Is depression a side affect of increasing dosage?
Hi Kathleen,
Generally depression is a side effect of hypothyroidism.
I was hoping to convince my doctor to increase my Naturethroid from 3 grains to at least 3 1/2 because my Free T3 and Free T4 are in range but not optimal. She refused because of my TSH. My hair has started falling out again and I run out of energy about 3pm each day. Thoughts? I’m wondering if adding in T3 is the answer.
FT3 3.0 (2.3-4.2) pg/mL
FT4 .90 (.82-1.77) ng/dL
RT3 14 (8 โ 25) ng/dL
TSH .02 (.45-4.5) (mIU/L)
Also, ever since two weeks after my Thyroidectomy my ears ring 24/7 with tinnitus. My endo says she has never heard of that being a symptom but I have found so many hypothyroid people that have tinnitus. Are my ears permanently damaged from being hypothyroid too long after surgery? It has been 16 months. Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide. I live in NC.
To start I am someone who has battled being Hypo and suffers from hashimotos for years. I took synthroid and T3 for some time with no luck. I started taking Westhroid in December. I immediately lost all of the weight I had gained being hypo and overall felt pretty great. In February I had blood work and I was actually a little hyper so my doctor cut back my dose slightly. I did pretty well until mid April. In a matter of about 3 weeks I regained all of the weight and started having issues with being sluggish and fatigued. I did blood work and sure enough I was now hypo again. My free T3 and total T3 had tanked. My doctor increased my westhroid again 2 weeks ago. I have felt more energy but have lost none of the weight. I’m hoping I can get back to the place I was when I first started taking it but I’m really nervous it isn’t going to work. Have you ever seen this happen with westhroid?
Hi Courtney,
If you read through my blog posts you will find more information regarding what likely happened in your situation. The bottom line is that you can’t determine if someone is hyperthyroid or hypothyroid based solely on lab tests.
So am I safe to assume that perhaps I wasn’t hyper? I have been on this dose for 2 weeks which was the original dose I am on but I’m wondering when it would be safe to try an increase.
I just started taking Nature Throid and feel drugged and cant stop sleeping ๐
I have euthroid hashimotos thyroiditis and have been medication free for 5 months. before that i was on 50mg levothyroxine for 6months..which was increased to 100mg which made me sweaty…in hindsight should have gone to 75mg instead. Currently, TPO antibodies are around 200 and Thyroglobulin antibodies are 667. TSH 2.8 . free T4 and free T3 normal range. I don’t know my RT3.
so…should I go back to Levothyroxine and just get the dose right? i felt fine on 50mg but just needed more energy. 100mg was too high.
This nature throid has literally taken me down, i feel awful. i can barely talk, cannot stay awake, feel over stimulated, tight chested. im talking only half a grain split into 2 doses, morning and afternoon. Its only been a few days but the reaction has frightened me as i never had this with Levo, which felt positive. I was just hoping the T3 aspect of NDT would give me the energy boost im craving and help me shift the extra Weight that hashimoto’s has lumbered me with.
I’d be so grateful for anyone’s thoughts. I really thought NDT was going to be my magic solution as everyone is so down on synthetic T4 but im starting to think that maybe synthetic T4 is simply what works with me best right now.
Would like the booklet sent in mai is this possible
Hi Geri,
I’m not sure which booklet you are referring to.
I am 64. I’ve been on desiccated thyroid for 37 years, various doses. I was on Synthroid for about 3 months in 30s and needed to switch back. My TSH has declined 0.02 – 0.01 for past decade, post menopause. My dose is reduced and now frequency is every other day. I have had heart superventical tachycardia for about a year. I don’t experience changes in the palpitations when thyroid is changed and I feel emotionally worse (weepy, sad) on the every other day frequency. Do I have to suffer from low thyroid to see if my heart issues are agitated by thyroid medication? Please write with your suggestions.
Hi Robin,
I would find an electrophysiologist and see if you can simply ablate the problem, then you don’t have to worry about your thyroid dose.
I am 62 and have Hashimoto’s. I am a runner and I follow a paleo diet, no gluten, no sugar, no legumes, no grains. I was taking about 82 mg of dissected thyroid and felt awful: swollen ankles, puffy eyes, brain fog, insomnia, serious hair loss, high cholesterol, but my ND refused to increase my medication and kept it for two long years because my THS was “low”. I am now at 150 mg and I am feeling great: in about two weeks, all my symptoms disappeared (and I can run again as my running shoes are fitting my feet again). I am myself again. My Free T4 is 1.21 ng/dL and Free T3 is 3.9 pg/mL. TPO is 99 IU/mL, and Thyroglobulin ab is 5.8 IU/mL. The only question for you, should I have to worry about my suppressed THS? The result is 0.009 uIU/ml, but I have never felt better since diagnosed. Thank you so much. All the best.
I notice you mentioned that Nature Throid (or any of the NDT) is not the best thyroid treatment. In your opinion, what is the best thyroid treatment?
Hi Teresa,
There really isn’t a “best” thyroid treatment in a general sense, instead there is a “best” for each person.
I’m back on levothyroxine after an awful experience of Nature Throid (drugged feeling, unable to stay awake, tears and depression). I’m glad I’ve ticked it off my list as something to try but I wish I’d just stayed on levothyroxine this whole time. I was swayed by all the messages from sites and forums that really trash levo and champion NDT as the only option that ‘really works’. That’s amazing for the people that’s true for, but not me. So my advice to everyone is feel good about whatever works for you and makes you feel better! Stick to resources of info that include ALL the options, not just one or two.
Im a few days in to levothyroxine again and feel better already.
I’m glad I found this site as a resource for balanced, unbiased info and commentary.
Hi Lucy,
Thanks for the comment and I’m glad you find it unbiased.
Thank you for posting this. I couldn’t agree more. Isn’t it amazing how persuasive people are? Yep, let’s be happy for what works for US. I am in the middle of a trial with NDT, from 16 years with synthroid and cytomel that I was not unhappy with, just to see. If this doesn’t pan out I will proudly tout T4/T3 synthetic combo as what works for me.
Hello,
I switched from Armour to WP 3 months ago and feel so much better. I have a very sensitive stomach and lots of food sensitivities/allergies. I am also prone to horrible headaches. I refilled my prescription last night and the pharmacy substituted Nature Throid. What is your opinion on this? I am concerned because I did a lot of research and begged my doctor for WP.
Hi Michelle,
The pharmacy filled a substitute because WP thyroid is harder to get, just have your doctor send in a new rx.
I started taking Nature Throid 6 months ago, and I’m wondering if I will have to take it for the rest of my life? Does your body become dependent on NDT supplements? I am hoping to only have to take Nature Throid for short term in hopes to get my thyroid back on track after years of low carb dieting, etc. Without looking at my specific labs, in your expert experience, do you ever see patients get off of these mess with success?
Hi Sarah,
In some cases, yes, it really just depends on why you were put on it to begin with.
Hi. I have been on Naturethroid for about 6 months. I am gaining a lot of belly fat and losing my hair in a male baldness pattern. I don’t feel well. I have some good days but either can feel really tired and depressed or intense like severe PMS. I am a 55 year old female who has already gone thru menopause. Still have hot flashes but am just overheated at all times! I have had a thyroidectomy due to cancer. My blood tests keep coming back with low T4 but high RT3. Can you help? Going to get new bloodwork today and will not take my medication before I test and see what happens. Thank you for any help.
Hi Cherry,
Not all problems are thyroid related, you should have your testosterone and insulin levels evaluated. You can check out this article for more information: https://www.restartmed.com/high-testosterone-women/
Hello! My doctor wants me to switch from Synthroid/ Cytomel 75/5 to Nature Throid in two doses with 32.5 in the morning and 16.25 in the evening. Would the evening dose interfere with Mg I take before bed? Do the same rules apply as with Synthroid? On empty stomach and 4 h before taking Ca? I eat my dinner late too, unfortunately. Thank you!
Hi Marina,
It’s best to take thyroid medication away from your supplements just to be safe.
I started taking nature thyroid three days ago but have been reading that it can cause hair loss. That is the primary reason I went on it as well as low body temperature. What is the percentage of patients suffer from this?
Hi Marie,
It’s fairly unusual, probably less than 10% of people have issues with hair loss. You can read my comprehensive guide on hair loss and thyroid disease here: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-hair-loss/
Hello my most recent blood work indicated my thyroglobulin antibodies were high 178. My doctor stopped the armour continued the 50mg of synthroid and added 2 cytomel in the am.
How do I lower the antibodies?
Hi Barbra,
You can find more information on how to lower antibodies here: https://www.restartmed.com/tpo-antibodies/
Dr. Childs,
Thanks for your videos. I’m happy to see that someone out there might have the answers to my issues.
I am a 45 year old woman. My thyroid was removed 2.5 years ago due to a large goiter. I have been on Nature-throid most of that time and don’t have any issues with it other than there are times when I feel very fatigued. My last blood work, the doctor increased my dosage from 2.5 grains to 3 grains. I have gained 30 pounds since having my thyroid removed. Am going to give your plan a try – even though you say I probably will have a difficult time. I’m willing to try anything at this point. ๐ Anyway…I am due for new bloodwork in July. Should I have the blood work done first and then look at adding T3 or should I contact my doctor and start on the T3 and then see where my blood work lies?
Hi Elizabeth,
Weight loss tends to be more difficult for patients post thyroidectomy unless they are aggressive with the therapies that I recommend in my weight loss guide – it’s not impossible, but I try to be as straight forward as possible when I discuss expectations for certain groups of people.
In regards to your labs it would be best to get a baseline set of labs prior to using T3.
I switched a week ago from levo 100 mcg to armour 60 mg.and my neck has felt swollen and tight, it this normal and will it go away
Hi Donna,
You went from taking 100mcg of T4 to taking 38mcg of T4 and 9 mcg of T3, so your total dose is lower than what it was previously which may account for some of your symptoms.
Westin!
Awesome blog.
I have been treated for Hashimoto’s since I was 30, so for the past 16 years.
Until 2 months ago I was treated with 88 synthroid and 15 cytomel.
I had to advocate for myself 1 year into treatment and instituted on the cytomel addition.
It was the only thing that resolved lingering depression.
Recently recalling that my late mother only took Armour I wondered if I was missing out.
Took Armour for 6 weeks, gettting up to 90. Switched to Naturthroid yesterday as symptoms I was having I was attributing to Armour.
These mostly regard my gut….my belly becomes distended a couple of hours after taking NDT, I have put on weight, am bloated in that area in general, and totally constipated.
I haven’t seen anything specifically about NDT causing constipation or distended abdomen anywhere.
Any thoughts? It’s pretty weird and not at all comfortable. I do take what I think is a quality probiotic. Do you reccomend aniy specifically?
Otherwise I do love the difference….sunnier, more social, more energy.
Thanks in advance!
Dr. Child’s,
I have a question. I was on Armour Thyroid and started having extreme fatigue and light headed ness. So my Dr. Switched me to Nature Thyroid. Took first dose this morning and I have been having a little bit of a spaced out feeling and some nausea. Was wondering if that was normal and if you think I should take half a dose in am and the other at night. It’s a low dose of 32 mg. I seem to be super sensitive to all medicines.
Hi Pamela,
It’s probably too soon in taking the medication to make any definitive statements about how you are reacting to it, I would at least give it a few more days.
Hi Dr. Childs! Always appreciate your thoughtful guidance. I think I have a simple question. I am considering requesting an small incremental increase in my NatureThroid. I switched from T4 to Nature about 16 months ago and have been at 97.5MG for about 6 months. I do feel better than where I was before the switch. I supplement consistently with B-12, D, Zinc and Selenium.
My recent labs are:
Free T3 – 2.3
Free T4 – 0.8
Reverse T3 10
TSH 7.4
Reverse T3 Ration 23 (calculated by me).
I think I have room to improve and feel even better. I also see the TSH and think it should be more suppressed.
Would you be inclined to bump the NDT to 113.75 per day and/or maybe split into an AM/PM dose?
Had thyroidectomy ’99 due to encapsulated cancer … started on Levothyroxin and did not do well … been on Armour Thyroid 90 Mg’s since 2005 … Levels became unstable in November of 2016 and have jumped from hypo to hyper since then … have increased doseage and lowered but still no stability in levels … seems I need a dose between 75 and 90 but Armour does not make that dosage … should I try the Naturethroid 81mg’s ??? Endo is willing…. I am very frustrated with extreme symptoms and just want my life back please help …..Have had b12 ….ferritin and cortisol levels checked… b12 is low 542 Cortisol is on the low side … ferrritin is 149 ……. I am 62 yrs old Any suggestions would be appreciated
Hi Shelia,
It’s important to make the distinction between true hyperthyroidism as it relates to a combination of your TSH + hyeprthyroid symptoms, and a suppressed TSH. Until you tease that out you won’t be able to determine your optimal dose. Also, it’s quite easy to add 15mg of armour thyroid to 60mg for a 75mg dose.
I have been sick since my emergency c-section 17 months ago. Have had several symptoms the entire time including extreme fatigue daily, hair loss, migraines, pain, anxiety, depression, muscle weakness, shakiness. I finally had thyroid labs pulled and they came back normal but a RT3 of 21. Two weeks later tsh was 3.08 and free t4 was 1.0 so my ob put me on naturthroid. He only pulled tsh and free t4 so I immediately wrote to my endo and she ran them again. As of this week my tsh is 1.10 free t4 0.9 and free T3 is 2.7 she doesn’t believe I need any meds. I am lost on what to do? I never started the naturthroid because my ob never tested T3 at all. I have Bycuspid aortic valve and already have heart palpitations and bouts of anxiety sometimes. So I am lost and terrified. I don’t see a natural functioning endo until September. I can’t take much more of these symptoms. I have lost my job from symptoms and need help. Thanks for listening.
Hi Dr.
I had my thyroid removed 5 years ago due to hashimoto dx. and large nodules on my thyroid. It took 10 months to get my levels adjusted to where I feel good (finally, on NatureThyroid).
Recently, I had to switch providers because of change in insurance. My new provider doesn’t think it is necessary to check t3 or t4 levels, only tsh. I saw her recently because I felt my thyroid symptoms had returned with a vengence after having a major surgery. I insisted she check all three levels, and sure enough, TSH =49.06, T3= 2.2, T4= 0.46. She did increase my doseage, but still insists onlt the TSH needs to be checked.
1. Do you recommend any supplements at this time
2. What lab tests should I insist on right now?
3. How do I find a practitioner in my area who is educated on thyroid treatment?
Thanks-
Christal
Hi Christal,
You can learn more about lab testing here: https://www.restartmed.com/lab-testing/
I just found this site and found it very interesting. I was taking .88 of levo. Been on that dose for years. Just had blood test. TSH 3.74 Free T4 .99 they did not do the Free T3 but last years test said it was 3.33. all other test were great. I hate levo. I took a half of nature throid this morning (1/2 grain). have a terrible taste in my mouth and mouth feels funny, but not like a allergic reaction. Now I am afraid to continue with this medicine. Should I just go back to my Levo? I keep saying I am not sure I even need thyroid medicine. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Nancy,
If you are interested in having Dr. Childs evaluate your blood work you can find more information on this page: https://www.restartmed.com/lab-testing/
Hi There, I started on Levothyroxine 6 years ago, but wanted out of pharmas, so I’m on Naturethroid, at 2 grains a day, but I’m going to go to 3 grains due to lack of supply for 2, just wondering if it would be better to take half in the a.m. & half at night??
Hi Angie,
You can learn more in this post: https://www.restartmed.com/take-levothyroxine/
Dr. Childs, I want to think you for providing the information about time of day and thyroid hormone supplementation. I have been suffering since my dose of Naturthroid was reduced from 1.5 grain to 1 grain. I am 64 and have been on thyroid since age 27. I don’t believe the irregular heart rhythm with premature atrial contractions is necessarily thyroid associated but ablation is not indicted at this time, so I am having to find ways for the lower dose to be more efficient. I did gain 8 pounds in 1 month and became bloated and fight against low moods and concentration difficulties. But I feel gratitude because I believe the 3 days of taking the thyroid at bedtime are giving me some relief from the dose change symptoms. I am hopeful for improved stability on this dose. Thanks for the tip. If you know of other things I can do to enhance this thyroid use in my body, please share. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for your posts on thyroid medications and treatments . I just got diagnosed with hypothyroidism . I had to beg the Dr to run more labs since my TSH test was normal range . The Dr first diagnosed me with hyperthyroidism and started me on methimazole ; I took it for a week . Today I was called & told there was a mix up on how my labs were done and I was misdiagnosed and I have hypothyroidism instead of hyper . It made more sense with hypo since my sx’s are more associated with hypo.. So my question is, how much damage does one week of wrong medication do to my thyroid ?
And is it normal to start patients out on nature thyroid and Cytomel ?
I’m not certain lab results but I do believe my T3 was either really high .
Hi Naomialaska,
I am not sure how your labs were mixed up, but 1 week of methimazole shouldn’t cause too many issues long term. The combination of naturethroid + cytomel may be fine, but for some patients it might be too aggressive – it just depends on the person.
Hello Dr Childs my wife had her whole thyroid removed. She has been on synthroid. She doesn’t feel good at all. She doesn’t eat much,goes to the gym 7 days a week. She’s not happy with her weight slowly going up, depressed on and off,not sleeping good, constapation,good bit of hair coming out, feels tired all the time. It’s been two years since she’s had it removed. Her dosage has been moved around some trying to help it. She just went up to 150 on synthroid, and she read some of your stuff on t4-t3 and reverse t3. We’ve never heard of any of that stuff. She’s thinking of switching to naturethroid after reading some of your stuff. What’s your advice on this, dosage to start with and what would the dosage of that be equal to 150 synthroid. Just had blood work done had them check tsh,free t4-t3, reverse t3, estrogen. Should get results back today. Thanks
Hi Scott,
When switching from levothyroxine to other medications it’s important to base your dose off of your labs and symptoms. Some people do worse when switching from T4 to NDT if they don’t do it correctly.
My wife had her entire thyroid removed 3years ago. She’s only been on synthroid. She had been gaining weight and feeling depressed,tired,not sleeping good. Her TSH had went up from 1.39 to a 1.89. got them to increase her dosage from 125 to 150 synthroid. Been on it for 3 months has felt worse the last couple of months, very depressed. Checked her levels again, had them check rt3 since we had read articles about that. We plus our Dr didn’t know anything about rt3. Her numbers came back TSH .21 ft4 1.3 ft3 2.9 rt3 22 range for rt3 is 8-25. Leptin 5.8 progesterone .5 estrodiol 76. We got him to switch her from 150 synthroid to naturethroid 81.25 we were going to cut them in half and take half pill for two weeks then take whole pill. How does this sound, is that too little dosage of naturethroid. The rt3. Number sounds high from what I’ve read if you go above 11 that’s where you’re starting to have trouble with rt3. Any info please thanks.
Taking nature throid and started having hairloss. I’ve never taken thyroid medicine prior to this. Dr recommend to increase dose in the afternoon based on labs.
I don’t know if an increase will make the hair loss worse or if I should stop the medicine all together.
Hi Amanda,
Naturethroid can cause hair loss, you can learn more about how to deal with thyroid hair loss in this post: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-hair-loss/
Hello!
First of all, thank you for your work and the time you take to educate everyone. ๐
I switched to a low dose of Naturethroid approx 9 months ago. I also add in 7.5 of time released T3 due to high RT3. I fit the mold of folks you indicate might not do well on NDT (more than 10-20 lbs overweight, insulin resistance, higher leptin levels, etc.).
While my labs come back normal for the most part, I’ve been experiencing significant joint and muscle pains in the last 3-4 months. I’m fairly active, but the pain is increasing. Could this be due to Naturethroid? Would you recommend going back to my Synthroid / Cytomel combo to see if the pain reduces?
Thanks,
Sue
Hi Sue,
Joint pain could be from a number of issues ranging from thyroid hormone to other hormones like estrogen and even systemic inflammation. You should be evaluated for all of these to find out for sure.
Hello Mr. Childs
Long story short: I was diagnosed with Hashimoto 3 years ago.
I started taking Euthyrox which is Levothyroxine medicine in Europe.
Now I am on 100mcg Euthyrox and I asked my doctor to write me a prescription for Nature Throid.
Now I am going to switch to 1.5 grain of NatureThroid.
My question is: regarding the fact that NatureThroid contains also T3 and I took only Euthyrox which is T4, it will be an overkill if I will a 1.5 grain of NatureThroid.
Thank you!
Hi Westin,
I was diagnosed hypothyroid about 7 years ago, started out on Synthroid with few side effects but wanted to try something natural so I got my dr. to switch to Armour. Armour got pricey, so I switched to what I was told was the same thing, NP Thyroid. During that time my hair began to thin and fall out. I am now on 65mg Nature Throid and although I feel great now I was dealing with a hellish amount of stress during the time that my hair was beginning to shed. I mentioned it to my gyno, who said that it was the weight of my dreadlocks that was pulling my hair out. But even after cutting the ends of my hair significantly I’ve noticed absolutely NO growth and the top of my head is almost bald! I’ve recently switched to a gp that is a DO and haven’t had any blood work done yet. In short, I feel great except for a stinging sensation that I sometimes get in my chest and the hair loss. My A1c at last check was 6.8. Would an adrenal support supplement be a good place to start? Thanks!
Hi Beth,
You can find more information about hair loss and hair growth in these posts:
https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-hair-loss/
https://www.restartmed.com/hair-growth-vitamins/
I have been taking a low dose of Nature Throid, I have been feeling lethargic/fatigued recently and have a high serum calcium level. My question is this: Is this from the medicine, or is this a separate issue with the parathyroid gland. I don’t have any problems with my thyroid, my doctor gave me this to try to help with lupus fatigue. It helped me at first, but now my fatigue is much worse.
Hi Shelly,
Fatigue can be caused by a number of different issues, so without looking deeper into your labs, etc. there would be no way to determine if it was caused by the naturethroid or not.
Hello-
Thank you for your site! Please see 3 questions below. My TSH is dangerously low.008 on Nature-throid. I am weaning down on the dose now at 130 mg.My doc is following the pharmacy dosing steps.
1. Can you describe the best way to change from one natural thyroid med to another?
2. Does the dosing stay the same from NT, Armour, WP? Need to change from Nature-throid back to Armour due to increased symptoms. Do you have an article on this?
3. Also- What is the recommended weaning schedule to get back to a healthy TSH? Thank you
You’ve got to at least spell Nature-Throid correctly. It’s not Naturethroid.
Hello Dr. Childs,
My doctor just prescribed Nature-Throid 97.5MG. While I am curious about whether it would give me more energy and mental clarity, I hate the idea of taking a drug – any drug (or supplement for that matter), for life. Two questions . . . 1) Can I make changes to my lifestyle that would provide the same positive affect as Nature-Throid and 2) If I take the drug for a period of time, will my body become dependent on it and then function even worse, should I ever stop taking it? The truth is, drugs scare me and supplements are a mystery to me . . . I’ve never noticed a real change in how I feel from taking supplements.
I recently switched from Levothyroxine 175mg to Naturethroid 146.25mg 1 once a day and Vitamin D3 5,000 ius but I am still very very big. I weighed 160 and now I weigh 217. I walk anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 steps a day and no weight loss, I have not worn heels in 5 years since the radiation because my legs cramp my hands feel like they have arthritis I always feel so tired. My upper arms are like thighs and my belly is huge. Nothing has worked. now im reading the hormones post and i wonder can you tell us how much of the zinc, b12 and other things the patient was given in doses?
15 years ago I had my thyroid removed because of cancer. I started off on Cytomel for a short time and then have been on Synthroid ever since. Can I switch to Naturethroid when I’ve had cancer?
I took one half of the lowest dose of nature throid earlier today. I am feeling tired and out of it and my appetite seems less. Do you think I should continue with this or try levothyroxine which is T4i only because my T4 was low and T3 was normal. My TSH was a tad bit high at 3.65.
The symptoms I am trying to resolve are fatigue, moodiness, irritability, anxiety.
Thank you.