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Low thyroid? Seeking balanced Holistic approach
Dear Community,
I’m glad to have found this great resource! I was recently diagnosed borderline hypothyroid and would love support to tease out this puzzle so that I don’t start on medication if it’s not needed. I have been reading the horrible stories of people taking Levothyroxine on here! I do not take any other medication and am generally very healthy, without being overzealous.
I recently had a physical and my doc wants to put me on 25 mcg of Levothyroxine. I am borderline low thyroid, but I do not have any symptoms (I don’t think). I am a 34 year old woman with no children and the only problematic symptoms I experience are insomnia (especially during ovulation when I have more energy) with a feeling of being totally awake inside my mind when I try to sleep (not worrying, just awake), intolerance to heat, especially at night (my beau and I can’t even snuggle as I am too hot), and mild mood swings (it appears I am working on anger and occasional sadness at the moment, having gone through a period of working through anxiety the last 10 years). But I am generally happy and super functional. I sometimes feel very tired (who among us doesn't?), but that seems more related to when I can’t sleep or am overworking. I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian and include salmon once a month or so. I supplement with B12, a food-based multivitamin (Vitamineral Green), Maca powder, an ayurvedic compound called Shilajit, and some therapeutic grade essential oils (mostly Frankincense, Fir, Orange, and Peppermint). I exercise 3-5 times weekly, including cardio, core, and power yoga.
My question is if I should really put Levothyroxine in my body or if there are other more holistic things I can/should be doing before going the Western-medication route, especially since I don’t seem to have the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism. I’m hesitant to start a medication for many reasons, one being that I periodically go on meditation retreats in which I stop all medication and supplementation (even caffeine!) and don’t want to make things harder on myself. I have included my recent lab results below (again, I have NOT started taking any medication or even herbs for low thyroid). I appreciate any input you have!
Thanks!
LAB RESULTS
12/14/14
Free T4 1.2
TSH 6.39
12/12
TSH 6.58
VIT D 26
CALCIUM 9.3
POTASSIUM 4.3
CREATININE 0.65
SODIUM, SERUM 140
FERRITIN 28
I’m glad to have found this great resource! I was recently diagnosed borderline hypothyroid and would love support to tease out this puzzle so that I don’t start on medication if it’s not needed. I have been reading the horrible stories of people taking Levothyroxine on here! I do not take any other medication and am generally very healthy, without being overzealous.
I recently had a physical and my doc wants to put me on 25 mcg of Levothyroxine. I am borderline low thyroid, but I do not have any symptoms (I don’t think). I am a 34 year old woman with no children and the only problematic symptoms I experience are insomnia (especially during ovulation when I have more energy) with a feeling of being totally awake inside my mind when I try to sleep (not worrying, just awake), intolerance to heat, especially at night (my beau and I can’t even snuggle as I am too hot), and mild mood swings (it appears I am working on anger and occasional sadness at the moment, having gone through a period of working through anxiety the last 10 years). But I am generally happy and super functional. I sometimes feel very tired (who among us doesn't?), but that seems more related to when I can’t sleep or am overworking. I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian and include salmon once a month or so. I supplement with B12, a food-based multivitamin (Vitamineral Green), Maca powder, an ayurvedic compound called Shilajit, and some therapeutic grade essential oils (mostly Frankincense, Fir, Orange, and Peppermint). I exercise 3-5 times weekly, including cardio, core, and power yoga.
My question is if I should really put Levothyroxine in my body or if there are other more holistic things I can/should be doing before going the Western-medication route, especially since I don’t seem to have the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism. I’m hesitant to start a medication for many reasons, one being that I periodically go on meditation retreats in which I stop all medication and supplementation (even caffeine!) and don’t want to make things harder on myself. I have included my recent lab results below (again, I have NOT started taking any medication or even herbs for low thyroid). I appreciate any input you have!
Thanks!
LAB RESULTS
12/14/14
Free T4 1.2
TSH 6.39
12/12
TSH 6.58
VIT D 26
CALCIUM 9.3
POTASSIUM 4.3
CREATININE 0.65
SODIUM, SERUM 140
FERRITIN 28
I'm copy and pasting another answer of mine. :)...
My mother is going into remission with Hashi's and her symptoms are improving. She was never on medication so I'm interested if her thyroid cells will regenerate fully as her thyroid hormone levels are improving.
Her ultrasound shows signs of old thyroiditis and no sign of active disease. Nodules have all disappeared on the right side (largest nodule was 1.2 cm) and 50% reduction in the left lobe (largest nodule was 1.6 cm). Thyroid gland reduced in size with no goiter and antibodies have reduced from 1200 down to 200 IU (from memory). Antibodies are a snap shot of what has happened in the past so I'm interested to see how the numbers look in a few months time.
This is what my mother has done to improve her health...stopped taking nexium (acid blocker) and started taking betaine HCL with pepsin supplements to increase stomach acid and digestive enzymes to improve digestion (no more GERD and LPR and optimal absorption of nutrients!); corrected her deficiency states such as vitamin D, calcium, vitamin B12, magnesium, zinc; got rid of all added sugar in her diet and stopped the wholemeal bread (looked 10 years younger and had more energy in a week not eating the bread!), started brazil nuts (after reading selenium helps to decrease TPOAb antibodies), drinking spring/rain or filtered water, has lost 10 kg so far since ditching the sugars/bread.
My mother is going into remission with Hashi's and her symptoms are improving. She was never on medication so I'm interested if her thyroid cells will regenerate fully as her thyroid hormone levels are improving.
Her ultrasound shows signs of old thyroiditis and no sign of active disease. Nodules have all disappeared on the right side (largest nodule was 1.2 cm) and 50% reduction in the left lobe (largest nodule was 1.6 cm). Thyroid gland reduced in size with no goiter and antibodies have reduced from 1200 down to 200 IU (from memory). Antibodies are a snap shot of what has happened in the past so I'm interested to see how the numbers look in a few months time.
This is what my mother has done to improve her health...stopped taking nexium (acid blocker) and started taking betaine HCL with pepsin supplements to increase stomach acid and digestive enzymes to improve digestion (no more GERD and LPR and optimal absorption of nutrients!); corrected her deficiency states such as vitamin D, calcium, vitamin B12, magnesium, zinc; got rid of all added sugar in her diet and stopped the wholemeal bread (looked 10 years younger and had more energy in a week not eating the bread!), started brazil nuts (after reading selenium helps to decrease TPOAb antibodies), drinking spring/rain or filtered water, has lost 10 kg so far since ditching the sugars/bread.
Please post the reference ranges for your tests. Ranges vary lab to lab, so you have to post the two together. A good way to do that is:
Test Result (Reference range)
For example:
FT4 1.2 (0.8-1.8)
Your vitamin D and ferritin are way too low for the proper synthesis of thyroid hormones in the thyroid and for the proper metabolism of them at the cellular level. Are you supplementing?
Test Result (Reference range)
For example:
FT4 1.2 (0.8-1.8)
Your vitamin D and ferritin are way too low for the proper synthesis of thyroid hormones in the thyroid and for the proper metabolism of them at the cellular level. Are you supplementing?
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