The Thyroid Thread
Mar 28th 2008, 12:28 pm
#167
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: The Thyroid Thread
You can ask for up to 6 months supply I think... check with your doctor. You're emigrating, then you're due that much to tide you over. Rules may have changed but I know it's 3 months at least.
Mar 28th 2008, 12:31 pm
#168
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: Underactive thyroid club (oh and high cholesterol too just for good measure!)
Its Natural thyroid Hormone and it comes from pigs thyroid(it does too cos it smells like a farmyard)I was on thyroxine but it made no difference to me so they put me on this,it has t3 ,t4 etc and has all the same ingredient as your own thyroid,which the synthetic version doesnt.It costs an arm an a leg though,i was paying about $30 for thyroxine about 6months supply(i reckon thats cheap)but the NTH costs me$90 for about 6 weeks
On top of that i have DHEA $90,to try to get my hormones up again ,along with progesterone cream $95.I call that expensive.
But hey its better than spending allday,every day in bed.
good luck to all
donna
On top of that i have DHEA $90,to try to get my hormones up again ,along with progesterone cream $95.I call that expensive.But hey its better than spending allday,every day in bed.
good luck to all
donna
Mar 28th 2008, 12:38 pm
#169
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: Underactive thyroid club (oh and high cholesterol too just for good measure!)
but what are the antibodies? And what does the thyroid panel mean? Right. If you have Hasimoto's then you have an auto immune condition. This means you are more susceptible to poor health, colds etc... but it also attacks your thyroid and knackers it. To find out if you have Hashi's you have your antibodies tested... and if you have thyroid antibodies it means you have Hashi's.
A thyroid panel is a full load of tests for your thyroid. So you'd have a TSH test, a liver function test, your cholesterol tested, a Free T3 and Free T4 test (the amount of free's in your blood indicates where you are running low and on what, enabling medication to be far more targeted) etc. Those are usually the tests involved in a full thyroid panel which a good thyroid doc will do for you.
Flippin' heck, have I caught up yet?
Mar 28th 2008, 12:39 pm
#170
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: The Thyroid Thread
On the contrary, I had far more trouble in the UK with my meds than I have had here. For me the doctors here have been 500% better with the medication, their attutide and their knowledge of thyroid problems. If you are going to let anything stop you migrating, then don't let it be the doctors as they are fantastic here.
Agreed with Wendy totally. You can choose your best option here, not suffer at your GP's hands if he or she isn't good.
I've had much better care here in Aus.
Mar 28th 2008, 12:41 pm
#171
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: The Thyroid Thread
I am on 200mcg's per day so take two whole tablets, when I first got here though I was on 150mcg's and was able to buy both 100mcg and 50mcg tablets. If I hadn't then I would have just snapped one in half 
You can buy 'branded' or 'generic' tablets, the generic ones are just the same as the branded ones only cheaper - do not for one minute think they are better just because they are dearer. That's like saying starbucks coffee is better than the local cafe just because it's got a brand name that you are paying extra for - they both sell the same coffee, it's just in a different cup and one charges more than the other.
Don't know about dentists, don't like them so won't go unless I have to.
You can buy 'branded' or 'generic' tablets, the generic ones are just the same as the branded ones only cheaper - do not for one minute think they are better just because they are dearer. That's like saying starbucks coffee is better than the local cafe just because it's got a brand name that you are paying extra for - they both sell the same coffee, it's just in a different cup and one charges more than the other.
Don't know about dentists, don't like them so won't go unless I have to.
Right, that's me done. Have a nice day y'all.
Mar 28th 2008, 12:44 pm
#172
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2002
Location: brisbane
Posts: 1,020
Re: Underactive thyroid club (oh and high cholesterol too just for good measure!)
Hope all is going well with you
donna
Mar 28th 2008, 12:49 pm
#173
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: Underactive thyroid club (oh and high cholesterol too just for good measure!)
If it is, taking the T3 will get rid of it and get you back to normal. I don't calculate... I just take it until I feel well.
Mar 28th 2008, 1:15 pm
#174
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 960
Re: The Thyroid Thread
Hi Tidllypom, i take my tablets first thing in the morning with a cup of tea, should i change to evening time. I have been taking thyroxine in the morning as i thought i had to eat something with the tablets.
Mar 28th 2008, 1:22 pm
#175
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 960
Re: Underactive thyroid club (oh and high cholesterol too just for good measure!)
Right. If you have Hasimoto's then you have an auto immune condition. This means you are more susceptible to poor health, colds etc... but it also attacks your thyroid and knackers it. To find out if you have Hashi's you have your antibodies tested... and if you have thyroid antibodies it means you have Hashi's.
A thyroid panel is a full load of tests for your thyroid. So you'd have a TSH test, a liver function test, your cholesterol tested, a Free T3 and Free T4 test (the amount of free's in your blood indicates where you are running low and on what, enabling medication to be far more targeted) etc. Those are usually the tests involved in a full thyroid panel which a good thyroid doc will do for you.
Flippin' heck, have I caught up yet?
A thyroid panel is a full load of tests for your thyroid. So you'd have a TSH test, a liver function test, your cholesterol tested, a Free T3 and Free T4 test (the amount of free's in your blood indicates where you are running low and on what, enabling medication to be far more targeted) etc. Those are usually the tests involved in a full thyroid panel which a good thyroid doc will do for you.
Flippin' heck, have I caught up yet?
Mar 28th 2008, 7:53 pm
#176
sorry..I don't understand
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 168
Re: The Thyroid Thread
Ah, your doctor's receptionist is a thyroid expert... that's quite common. 
Right, you need to find a doctor who can give you proper medication because if you are not symptom free, then you are not optimised. End of story.
Find a doc who will go on symptoms and not on your numbers.
I would speak to your net doc guy. He sounds good.
Some thyroid people do increase their own dose if they can't get help from their doctor.... You cut your little pills up with a pill cutter (available from your chemist) and then you increase by 25mcg every few weeks until you are better.
Of course, I am not a doctor and would not recommend such an action because this could be seen as irresponsible but it's very common because people don't get help and get desperate.
Are you taking any vitamins?
How about selenium? Co enzyme Q10? Vitamin B complex? C? Magnesium? High dose yourself on these things.... essential for energy and T4 conversion.
Avoid taking your thyroxine with other vitamins... no iron or calcium with it. So don't swallow it with your coffee in the morning... calcium in the milk...
Take your T4 under your tongue and let it dissolve there... you get a higher dose. This way you don't have to wait for an hour before you eat.... and you can drink what you like then..
Does that help any? Hope so.
Find a doc and push for your health. It's important because left untreated it's a life threatening condition... You can feel well again, for sure.
Right, you need to find a doctor who can give you proper medication because if you are not symptom free, then you are not optimised. End of story.
Find a doc who will go on symptoms and not on your numbers.
I would speak to your net doc guy. He sounds good.
Some thyroid people do increase their own dose if they can't get help from their doctor.... You cut your little pills up with a pill cutter (available from your chemist) and then you increase by 25mcg every few weeks until you are better.
Of course, I am not a doctor and would not recommend such an action because this could be seen as irresponsible but it's very common because people don't get help and get desperate.
Are you taking any vitamins?
How about selenium? Co enzyme Q10? Vitamin B complex? C? Magnesium? High dose yourself on these things.... essential for energy and T4 conversion.
Avoid taking your thyroxine with other vitamins... no iron or calcium with it. So don't swallow it with your coffee in the morning... calcium in the milk...
Take your T4 under your tongue and let it dissolve there... you get a higher dose. This way you don't have to wait for an hour before you eat.... and you can drink what you like then..
Does that help any? Hope so.
Find a doc and push for your health. It's important because left untreated it's a life threatening condition... You can feel well again, for sure.
I'll wait and see what he says before I think about increasing dosage (incidentally we get 25mcg tabs here too so I wouldn't be needing the pill cutter as I' ve still got some in date from the last increase!)
Never thought about vitamins either, I'll look into those you mentioned.
What's the deal with the different foods? I'm vegetarian but eat fish (so not vegetarian, I know!) and have a goiter and Hashimotos
Mar 29th 2008, 9:56 am
#177
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: The Thyroid Thread
Arghhhh!
No... no food. Ok, if you take your thyroxine in the morning, you do not eat for at least an hour and it must be on an empty stomach.... To get around this, you can instead put the tablets under your tongue where they will dissolve and enter your blood stream by the sub lingual vein which runs there. This way, you get a higher amount of thyroxine in your system as it's not lost by being processed by the liver (which is what happens when you take it into your stomach)
If you take it sublingually, you can eat straight away if you like... food in stomach, meds in blood stream... see how that works?
As studies indicate that you make more T3 (what you need for your thyroid) from your tablet of T4 overnight, then the best way to do this is to take it at night, last thing before bed, sublingually....
Then you have the best of all worlds.
Don't have tea with it because the milk will affect the absorbtion. In fact, tea's quite high in fluoride too.... which isn't good for your thyroid.
Betcha wanted to hear that, right?
Actually, caffeine suppresses thyroid action too... but hell, I love coffee and there's only so much you can give up.
Mar 29th 2008, 10:02 am
#178
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: The Thyroid Thread
Thanks for the reply, seeing doc on Monday (ah the wonders of school holidays!)
I'll wait and see what he says before I think about increasing dosage (incidentally we get 25mcg tabs here too so I wouldn't be needing the pill cutter as I' ve still got some in date from the last increase!)
Never thought about vitamins either, I'll look into those you mentioned.
What's the deal with the different foods? I'm vegetarian but eat fish (so not vegetarian, I know!) and have a goiter and Hashimotos
I'll wait and see what he says before I think about increasing dosage (incidentally we get 25mcg tabs here too so I wouldn't be needing the pill cutter as I' ve still got some in date from the last increase!)
Never thought about vitamins either, I'll look into those you mentioned.
What's the deal with the different foods? I'm vegetarian but eat fish (so not vegetarian, I know!) and have a goiter and Hashimotos
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...&postcount=159
Avoid raw goitrogenic foods. You shouldn't have that goitre if you're being effectively treated... that's your thyroid swollen from working too hard.... Kick that doc's ass.
Mrs Jackaroo had her thyroid removed and it was considerably huge.... Sometimes it's worth going down that route.... but my doc in Sydney would sort you out for sure. People come from all over Australia to see her, she's so good.
Good luck at the doctor.
Mar 29th 2008, 10:06 am
#179
sorry..I don't understand
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 168
Re: The Thyroid Thread
Different foods thing is explained in this post:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...&postcount=159
Avoid raw goitrogenic foods. You shouldn't have that goitre if you're being effectively treated... that's your thyroid swollen from working too hard.... Kick that doc's ass.
Mrs Jackaroo had her thyroid removed and it was considerably huge.... Sometimes it's worth going down that route.... but my doc in Sydney would sort you out for sure. People come from all over Australia to see her, she's so good.
Good luck at the doctor.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...&postcount=159
Avoid raw goitrogenic foods. You shouldn't have that goitre if you're being effectively treated... that's your thyroid swollen from working too hard.... Kick that doc's ass.
Mrs Jackaroo had her thyroid removed and it was considerably huge.... Sometimes it's worth going down that route.... but my doc in Sydney would sort you out for sure. People come from all over Australia to see her, she's so good.
Good luck at the doctor.
Thanks for the link, just off for a read.
Mar 29th 2008, 12:27 pm
#180
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2002
Location: brisbane
Posts: 1,020
Re: Underactive thyroid club (oh and high cholesterol too just for good measure!)
My free rt3 336(140-540)
My free t4 12.1(10-20)
All within range but on the thyroid site i was told it was not good when they did the calculations.
Im soo confused.Which t3 do you take again.
You should set up a consultantcy for this.
thx again donna
