Hypothyroid Remedies

I am supposed to take 250mg of levothyroxine and I am extremely unhappy at having to do so. I haven't been taking it so thyroid levels are considerably unbalanced. My hair is thinning, skin is dry, tired, cold etc. I am desperate for a natural supplement. Can you recommend some kind of lugols protocol please?

I was recently told I was hypothyroid so I came here first to see how to best manage it, but after reading this post about Synthroid it made me wonder if this was the cause of the problems with broken bones and bone loss happening to someone near and dear to me... so I asked her if she was taking Synthroid and she said, YES! Now, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee help me to help her. What to do now? Just stop taking it? Switch to a different one? And how to reverse the bone loss damage? Thank you!

My doctor gave me the minimum dose of levothyroid. It caused problems as in major palpitations. I cut the 25 mg pill in half and it still caused palpitations. I seemed to be able to handle 1/4 of a tablet which is maybe 6 mg with less of a problem. I guess I am glad I tried to cut it back just to make it work somewhat but I can see why people have a bad response to this.

Would you be able to tell us how much ACV you are taking to cure your hypothyroidism? How much and how frequently? Thank you so much!

I started out at two teaspoons a day and now take 2 to 4 tablespoons depending on how I feel. I'm of larger size and build so I do typically see great results with four tablespoons per day.

I've been on levothyroxine since 2004. I really want to be cured of my thyroid issue. Does the ACV really work to bring levels back up to normal?

T: ACV has beneficial influence on metabolism, digestion, and elimination. Also to help the Thyroid it is recommended to take Potassium Iodide, Tyrosine, and Coconut Oil. If you do all these recommends, you will proly need to lower the Levo dose, so do these remedies beginning in small doses and gradually increase.

So, what exactly did you take, in what amounts? Thanks.

Hello. I just turned 50 and take .75mcg of Levothyroxine and have for about 3 years now. I hate taking meds and seem to miss more than I take. I am looking for a better more natural way to get this hypothyroidism in check so I can throw my pills away. Advice from anyone who suffers from this and has taken a more natural approach and feels better would be great!

Thanks, Teri

T: Check out the E.C. page for this disorder here https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hypothyroidism.html

Hi. I am well over 50 and have been taking 'pills' for hypo thyroid / Hashimoto's thyroiditis for quite some time. I too, do not like ingesting chemicals. My doctor calls for fairly frequent testing to make sure "all" of the numbers are good. She has prescribed "Nature Throid", which as the name implies, a natural / chemical free alternative. There is another one, although I honestly don't know if they still make it, call Armor.

My personal experience has been that trying to control my thyroid without prescription medication was not a good idea... Others may have had better luck.

Hi, I am 13 weeks pregnant and suffering from hypothyroid currently taking 50 mcg synthroid. Can I take ACV and coconut oil for my thyroid during pregnancy?

Dear Mili,

I have taken ACV all through pregnancy. I would not take huge amounts of it or anything. But I probably took up to 2 Tablespoons a day.

Coconut Oil is a great oil to use in pregnancy.

I am assuming you are not going to off your synthroid? I would not make any prescription changes during pregnancy without doctor supervision. Low thyroid can cause miscarriage or other problems with the baby.

Some pregnant moms need to have medications adjusted as pregnancy may change the amount of synthroid you need. So if ACV and coconut oil improve your condition and make it so you need less of the synthroid, presumably this would be picked up during bloodwork you have as part of prenatal care.

~Mama to Many~

My thyroid is only slightly underactive. Was put on 25 thyroxide and within days felt very very ill. So came off it. Then went onto the natural one and felt very ill in a different way. Am now using iodine.

Thanks for sharing! I'm now off the levrothyroxine and learning more about what I can use instead.

Armour Thyroid is difficult to get; but it's still out there. You may have to pay cash for it.

Kelp tablets are easy to take, to naturally build up iodine levels in the body!

Hello! I am diagnosed with hypothyroid 2 years ago.

I have been struggling with low energy, oversleeping and still feeling tired, depression and anxiety, racing thoughts, visual side hallcinations, muscle and joint pain during day and night, low blood pressure and heart rate, very cold hands and feet, bouts of insomma, low concentration, anaemia, repeated stomach upsets with diarrhoea, irregular periods extreme sensitivity to light and hair loss amongst others.

My Dr. changed me from levothyroxine to Endonorm and for the first time since I have been hypothyroid I have felt better and my body temperature is now normal!

Be careful with Armour. They changed the formula a few years back and some people don't do well on it since then. I got a doctor to let me try it and actually gained weight quite quickly on it - 30 pounds in a few months - and did not feel too well. Others have reported similar experiences, even folks who had been on it for years with good results.

Can you share if you had any weight loss after taking ACV for so long? Thanks.

Thanks, for sharing your experience, I tired ACV so many time and always I got good result, it's work very good for Uric acid problems too.

HOW DOES PAT FROM COOS BAY TAKE THE CAYENNE, CAPSULES OR POWDER?

How much cayenne did you need to get your results? I have capsules, but I also dash it on food quite a bit. Some like it hot :-) .

Dear Lauren,

I have used charcoal (internally and externally) for years. I also am hypothyroid, though currently symptom free. I just am careful not to take charcoal within two hours of supplements that I take for my thyroid, or any supplements. I have never had a problem with it.

I love charcoal...it is inexpensive, easily accessible, safe and effective.

Have a great day!

~Mama to Many~

To mama to many -- just curious what have you used charcoal on externally. Thanks

Dear Suseeq,

I have used charcoal in poultices externally on me and my children and most recently on my father...here are some things on which I have used charcoal...

-insect stings (spider bites, tick bites, bee stings) to draw out the poison and reduce pain and swelling.

-skin infections or wounds that look like they might become infected.

-infected finger (at the nail area. I have seen the poultices draw pus out over several overnight applications.)

-staph infection on the skin (in conjunction with other remedies internally.)

-over a surgical site that I was concerned could become infected.

-over the ovary area for cyst pain.

-mixed in water and strained out to use in the eye for pinkeye or in the ear for an ear infection.

-packed into the hoof a a goat with a hoof infection.

-poison ivy.

-eczema.

Charcoal draws out infection and reduces inflammation. It has been effective for our family in so many ways that I never hesitate to use it.

Have a great day!

~Mama to Many~

Tthank you, mama to many, charcoal is a very handy thing to keep on hand. I didn't know it can do so many things. I always keep it but I'll use more from now on, thanks again

Thank you Mama to many for your response. You are very kind and helpful always. I am curious though.....what did you do to become symptom free from thyroid disease? I have been trying for the past four years to achieve that....I mean I feel like I have taken every vitamin out there, I have drunk every green juice on this earth, I rarely eat junk food and yet I am struggling especially since menopause...any suggestions would greatly help....thank you so much

Dear Lauren,

I would be happy to share what I have tried for my low thyroid…I hope it will be helpful to you. Of course you may have already tried these things if you have been working on healing for so long. It sure can be vexing to try remedy after remedy and not find the answer.

Currently I am taking 2 droppers of Lugol's 2% iodine and 200mcg of Selenium. I take Vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin D as needed. I use Celtic Sea Salt daily. For a long time I was using 2 T. of extra virgin coconut oil daily, but I have gotten lax about that. We are on well water so I don't have to worry about the chlorine or fluoride in the water, which apparently can be an issue for some. I eat a pretty good but far from perfect diet. I eat a lot of whole foods but it is not all organic or anything. We eat out some and I love chocolate. :) I try not to worry so much about what I am consuming when out with friends as it is important to me to be able to enjoy times with friends and family without having to stress about food. I think what I eat cheerfully probably is better for my heath than what I don't eat fearfully, if that makes sense.

That is the short answer…here is a longer version with some other thoughts. Four years ago I was having unquenchable thirst. 20 cups of water a day and I still had a dry mouth. I went to a doctor who tested me for thyroid issues. My thyroid was off and I started to take a low dose of synthroid. My mouth was not dry any more, but I felt awful and my hair was falling out in handfuls. So, I quit synthroid and tried other things. I know the next time I had bloodwork, maybe 6 months later, my thyroid was still off, though I didn't feel as bad as I had on synthroid. But a year or two later, my bloodwork showed the thyroid to be working. Apparently you can have normal blood numbers and still have a thyroid issue, so I tend to go by how I feel. If I run out of iodine, my dry mouth symptoms return. But it took me a year or two to get the right amount of iodine for me.

So, I wish that this would work for everyone. It seems to work for some. But it seems that everyone is different and there isn't a one size fits all solution. Some people need to add dessicated thyroid to what they take. Maybe the stuff I am doing only works because of other stuff I am doing and I am unaware of the connection. I do try to walk regularly. I use Apple Cider Vinegar most days. I took Burdock Root for neuropathy for 6 or 12 months. I take 3 capsules of Borage oil daily to help skin issues. Sometimes I take turmeric. Maybe one of those things helps the other stuff to work for me. And but for the grace of God, none of this would work.

If you don't mind a bit of rambling, I think health is related to things beyond just our intake. I think what we eat is important, but there are so many things that also affect our health. A few years ago I read about a study that linked heart problems and high cholesterol to stress and not to diet. Thousands of years ago, Solomon said that a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Richard Wurmbrand was a pastor who was imprisoned under dreadfully inhumane conditions with very little and poor quality food, and yet he went on to live quite a long and productive life. God was sustaining him in spite of a horrendous diet and living conditions.

It puzzles me that my children's health is not identical. They eat the same food, have the same genes, live in the same house. But they recover differently from sickness. One has had some chronic health problems. So, I have to conclude that there is more to it than just supplements and diet. I know people that have “near perfect” diets that still struggle with health problems. I had a friend who had an amazing diet and was so sweet and cheerful and she died of cancer. There are just some things that are beyond our control. (Lots of things, really! )

Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble there a little.

Oh, and I am blessed to not yet be dealing with menopause. That will be a whole new set of things to learn about…I am 47, so I am figuring sooner than later. Anyway, I have read a little bit about Dong Quai and Black Cohosh for menopause symptoms and those will be some things I may try when I get to that point.

Well, keep in touch and let me know how you are doing!

~Mama to Many~

Hi Mama to many.....Thanks a million for your detailed response. You couldn't be more right when you said that sometimes its not just about the diet but many other factors contribute towards illness. I can attest to that cause that's exactly how my life played out....a lot of stress on a daily basis....maybe that's why I can't regain true health. But I am not a quitter...I keep pressing on with the good Lord by my side and hopefully one fine day, I will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Anyways, thank you again for taking the time to answer my query with such detail. I really do appreciate it and yes I will let you know what worked for me if I find something that does.....I heard about a product called Thyrogold that I am thinking of trying cause I don't want to be on medication all my life. Have you heard of this and if so, what are your thoughts? Looking forward to hearing from you, Take care and have a blessed day....

Dear Lauren,

I admire your attitude!

I have never used Thyrogold, not have known anyone to. However, when I read about it online, it seems like something I would try if I were wanting to get off medications and what I was trying was not working. So much of what I have learned has been trial and error on myself.

Have you ever read any of Dr. John Lee's books? I have his book called, "What Your Doctor May not tell you about Premenopause." He also has one for menopause. His writing is somewhat technical, but also interesting and helpful. I mention this because in his Premenopause book, he talks some about thryoid, particularly its relationship to other hormones. The premenopause book is directed towards women in the 30-50 age range and the menopause one for 50 and over. You have obviously done your research and tried many things...there may be a few more "stones to unturn" in his writings.

Keep in touch and God bless.

~Mama to Many~

Thank you Mama to many....I definitely would check out the books...never thought of that and I am a reader....thanks for that tip...take care and have a blessed day......

"Mama to Many" mentioned she wasn't worried about her water because she has well water. I got sick in 2000 with "fibromyalgia" and had a heavy metal test done and arsenic was high. My test said sources of arsenic were well water or run off from an orchard. Had my well water tested and there was arsenic in it, but the fluoride levels in the water were even worse. My 440 foot deep well had less than a grain of hardness (old well had 55 grains of hardness), so I never thought to get the water tested. Just because it is well water doesn't mean it is safe. Fluoride can be naturally occuring as well as heavy metals. The symptoms of fibromyalgia are the same as chronic fluoride poisoning:

http://www.life-enthusiast.com/fluoride-the-cause-of-fibromyalgia-a-3782.html

Ivy

Wow Ivy, thanks for sharing that! It is good to know. It never occurred to me that well water could have flouride in it. I knew what I was dealing with with our water since we had it tested when we moved to our current home. It was orange and we wanted to know what we were dealing with (Turns out it was manganese, which is easily filtered with charcoal.) I should not have assumed that well water in general does not have flouride! I agree that well water is not always safe! Years ago my children were all of a sudden vomiting and had no fever or other symptoms. We finally realized it was when they drank water. We had it tested and it had bacteria in it. We had to treat our well. I guess the moral of the story is that people on well water should get water tests to make sure they know what they are dealing with... Thanks again for the helpful information! ~Mama to Many~

There are SO many external forces that can undermine your health. It is SO true. We all are different, so can I just say LISTEN to your body, and be sensitive to how you are made. Don't let anyone tell you what is right for YOU. Be it a Dr, friend, relative or family, though they may mean well, NO ONE lives in your skin. So get attuned to your body, be kind to it, and gentle. And it never hurts to keep a wellness journel, so you can possibly pinpoint what changed or helped.

My reply to Mama of Many regarding your well water... it's easy to think it's safer than city water. But my brother in law's family were on a well, and two of their four children were diagnosed with diabetes, insulin dependent. It's very sad because now they have to be on diabetic meds for the rest of their lives. They traced the issue to pesticide run off from the farms around their property. So please get your water checked (if you haven't already).

And thank you for sharing your remedies for hypothyroid. I am hypo, and take iodine daily, plus all the vitamins I can afford.

Best wishes, Lauren

Lauren, Your children do not have to be on medications for the rest of their lives...Go to watercure2.org. Then read the testimonials for the close to 50 diseases...Bob Butts will have a coach call you (On their dime) and walk you through the simple procedure...It's ALL free as Mr. Butts cured himself of cancer and is spreading the word about his cure and many other cures through a web site and radio show...He should be sainted...

I am avid supporter of selenium and have been for years. Selenium sources are just as important as the trace mineral itself. Brazil nuts vary widely in their selenium content depending on the soil content where they were grown. I swear by an organic high-selenium yeast with a broad spectrum of selenoproteins because it is safe and guaranteed.

Iodine and selenium are great tools for thyroid health.

Also, a great iron source is Floradix. One of the best organic iron sources out there with superior absorption.

For every good product there are always a plethora of crappy and ineffective ones. Do your research, when you get supplements, choose a pharmaceutical-grade quality instead of wasting your money at grocery stores and retail chains.

Hello mama to many, I know this post was very old, but just came across it. Was curious how much synthroid you took in the beginning? how did you "manage" to get a dr to prescribe the blood work if you were not taking the medicine? I do not have hair falling out, but have mercury toxicity we are working on slowly, but I'm wondering how many of my symptoms are from syntroid or exacerbated by it? I DO have hashimotos also, had a hot nodule and stupidly ( because I felt so bad, and just WANTED relief) took the radioactive iodine, it was probably 8 months then went hypo and 3 weeks after starting synthroid, my sleep stopped or went to 4 hours max. which then snowballed into all this other stuff. Im just searching for hope in the middle of this mercury madness.

Thanks for any input!

Dear I.M Trying

To answer your question…

I first went to a doctor not knowing why I had excessive thirst, thinking it was diabetes. Tests said it was low thyroid. I was given 25 or maybe 50 mg of Synthroid, which I took for about 3 months. When I was retested in that time, my thyroid number was okay, but I was not and ended up weaning off Synthroid and trying natural remedies. A couple of years later I had blood work done for pregnancy and they checked my thyroid as a matter of course. I didn't mention that I was taking iodine or other supplements. My thyroid level was normal.

I never did have the more complex thyroid panels done. In recent years I can only go by how I feel. If I run out of iodine, my dry mouth comes back. I was not diagnosed with Hashimoto's specifically, though I wouldn't be surprised if that would have been diagnosed had I had further testing or gone to an endocrinologist as I had another autoimmune issue going on at the time.

All that to say, I don't know if iodine would work for you or not. Some say iodine is bad for those with Hashimoto's. Others say it is necessary. You may want to read what Dr. Brownstein has to say about thyroid and iodine.

And you are dealing with the mercury toxicity, another layer.

I would encourage you to keep reading on EC. You may find another story or two here that will resonate with your situation. Surely you will get many ideas for things to try; just don't try too many at once or you won't know what is helping or not. The wellness tips page is one place to start if you haven't checked it out already.

Keep us posted!

~Mama to Many~

Thank you so much!!! I appreciate you responding, I will read what Dr. Brownstein wrote and discuss with my naturopath.

My reply to "Lauren" (great name btw :-). My brother in law and his family live in the agricultural basin of California (from Sacramento all the way down to below Bakersfield) and were on well water. Two of their four children got diabetes while teenagers, and are on diabetes medications for life. I always suspected it was due to pesticide run-off.

It pays to test your well water and not 'assume' that it is safe. Our underground water is not as pure as it used to be.

All the best,

Lauren

Dear Dee,

Glad to hear that the ACV and coconut oil are helping. I find them helpful, too.

Regarding kelp versus potassium iodide....well, I have tried both in my family. The thing is that if you are truly deficient in iodine, which so many of us are, you would need a lot of kelp to get the amount needed. I don't personally notice much difference when I take kelp. But some do.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years ago. I took a very small dose of levothyroxine and it made me feel much worse. (But my doctor assured me that I was better since my labwork looked good.) Well, I ended up going off the medication and trying natural stuff. It took some time but I did find things that helped me. ACV and coconut oil being some of them. But potassium iodide made the biggest difference for me. I take Iodoral (the pill form of Lugol's.) I take 1 12.5 mg tablet a day (12.5 iodine/potassium iodide.) Iodine supplements should be taken with Selenium and B-complex. Some also include vitamin C.

If you take some time to read people's stories on Earth Clinic's Iodine page and Hypothyroid page, you can read a lot about what people do and what helps. The one thing is that different things help different people. Some feel a lot better taking iodine. Others do not.

You may find that you need less of your thyroid medicine if you supplement with iodine. It might be helpful to try Lugol's iodine (the liquid form) as it is easier to take less and build up to more.)

Keep us posted on your progress.

~Mama to Many~

Hi Dee...If you have a hypothyroid condition, then this is a condition that occurs when you have low iodine levels in the body and perhaps a lack of certain critical minerals in your body as well. Most people are low thyroid these days but if you lack certain mineral anti-oxidants in your body -- like magnesium, zinc or glutathione peroxidase -- this can even cause or aggravate hypothyroid and thyroiditis problems.

The protocol that you should be using is the full Lugol's Iodine Protocol with Companion Nutrients. Never take Lugol's Iodine just on it's own for reasons that are all explained here in this link. This link, which is a short excerpt from my book on Candida, describes, in detail, the reasons and causes for higher dose iodine problems.

If you are hypothyroid, it might also benefit you to supplement a natural bio-identical thyroid from bovine or porcine sources(such as Nature Thyroid for example) which contains real T1, T2, T3, T4 and calcitonin (hormone that controls bone formation). This form of thyroid is all natural, whereas allopathic equivalents like Synthroid only contains synthetic T4 to control the thyroid via the TSH from the Pituitary gland.

More reasons to use natural dessicated thyroid.

The Iodine Protocol with companion nutrients should definitely help to relieve your hypothyroid problems. A good series of books has been written by Dr Brownstein to help people to more understand and naturally resolve their own thyroid problems and these are:

Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can't live Without It

Overcoming Thyroid Disorders

The Miracle of Natural Hormones

If you prefer to use the potassium iodide then just buy some SSKI (Saturated Solution of Potassium Iodide) from the health shop or from ebay.com and take one drop of SSKI in water or juice twice a day. One drop of SSKI is equivalent to 25 mgs of iodide. Therefore 2 drops is 50 mgs which is the minimum dose you should be taking for hypothyroid. Always take the iodine/iodide companion nutrients if you take this as a supplement to avoid problems.

Personally, I would rather take either lugol's iodine or Iodoral (LI in a pill) for thyroid problems because it does much more than just iodide alone. Iodide is a very useful antioxidant that is needed for absorption by the thyroid gland. Lugol's Iodine contains iodide and elemental iodine that react together in solution to also produce Tri-iodide(same as nascent iodine) in this reaction:

I₂ + I^- « » I^3-

And as you can see, lugol's iodine contains all three useful forms iodide/iodine/triiodide, which is much more beneficial for the whole body's absorption of iodine(not just for the thyroid).

If you have your thyroid checked by the doc then do not have the TSH test -- this test is very inaccurate because it only checks T4 levels(inactive form). Get the Free T3/Free T4 blood check for a more accurate check of your thyroid hormone levels. Insist on this from your doctor. If you doctor won't do the Free T3/Free T4 test then find another doctor or naturopath that will do it.

If you supplement iodine then you should also avoid all foods containing dairy and soy -- calcium and soy are goitrogens that tend to inhibit the absorption of iodine into the body and the cells.

What might also help you is to have a hair analysis(not expensive). This will tell you exactly what minerals you are lacking in diet and will also tell you what heavy metals and other poisons like chlorine, fluorine and bromine that you have in excess in your body(which are detrimental to the thyroid gland). This will allow you to more fine tune your protocols to address these mineral deficiencies and other problems concerning chelation and removal of excess heavy metals and halides in the body.

HI Mama to Many. First of all thank you so much for responding me I always read your posts on this site . They are all so useful and I cannot Belive that somebody I adore responded me.. I will definately try liquid pottasium iodide with selenium (can I eat 3 brazil nuts instead selenium pill) and b complex as you suggested.

Am lacking iron (stopped taking iron tablets now sick of taking them) and b12 (taking shots regularly) and vitamin d too. And I am vegetarian not vegan. Its feel so good that somebody lives so far understood my pain and took some time out to respond me back. Thank you so much!!! Am not feeling alone now. Take care.

Dear Bill, thank you million for all the information you shared. I will go for a tFfree t3 and t4 test and also hair analysis test too . And also thank u So much for all the info regarding iodine and how to take it.. Am on the path to heal my self naturally . Your time and support means a lot to me.. This site is amazing!!!! I put my husband on ACV for his allergies issue and heseems to start believing in natural products now.. Thank again. God bless you!!!

Dear Dee,

Hi again! Regarding using Brazil nuts instead of a Selenium supplement, I think that is a good idea. Whenever possible, I like to get the needed nutrients from food. Then they are perfectly balanced with other needed nutrients. I think the recommendation for Brazil nuts is 1 or 2 nuts a day (ideally, one and a half! )

Have you considered Blackstrap Molasses for your iron? It has helped me greatly with pregnancy related anemia. It is wonderfully nutritious. I once saw a naturopath who put almost all of her patients on Blackstrap. She must have seen great results from it. (1 Tablespoon per day.)

Keep us posted on your progress! God bless you!

~Mama to Many~

Hi. I have been under active for nearly 18 years following my last pregnancy. Tuesday I have to have a fine needle biopsy done on my thyroid due to a cyst. Scared!!!!!! A have a build up of calcium that was detected it blood tests and the cyst in an ultra sound I'm on 150 mg thyroxine tablets but today have started taking ACV and Coconut Oil. I have lost 43 kg in weight since 2013 and have that to loose again.

This morning I out 1 tsp coconut oil in my fresh green juice and couldn't taste it at all. I will do this twice daily.

I put 1 dsp ACV in warm water and took this afterwards. I will try and do this three times a day.

Do you think I'm taking enough of the vinegar and oil? Thanks

Dear Sheryl,

When I am taking Coconut Oil for medical purposes, I take up to 3 Tablespoons a day. But less may work fine for you. You could up it slowly and see what you think.

A total of 1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar a day is helpful for many people for a variety of conditions. Others end up taking 2 or 3 Tablespoons a day. Again, you could increase if you like and see what you think.

The calcium build would make me suspect the body needs more magnesium. If so, you could try a Tablespoon of Blackstrap Molasses a day, frequent Epsom Salt baths, or Natural Calm. I take about 1.5 teaspoons of that each night. (If you get loose stools, cut back some.)

Yes, getting a biopsy is scary! Let us know how it goes.

~Mama to Many~

Hi Dee, I believe that your problem is that the doctor is giving you way too much thyroid meds. I took 150 mcg when I was a small child because children require more. But as we age, we require less, so a doctor put me on only 100 mcg for over 40 years! Now I realized that the reason why I always feel exhausted is because I need to split the tab, take part in the morning, and part before bed....it was still too much at 100 mcg to take all at once. Your doctor is probably wrong that "you're fine because the test came back normal". Ask him or her for the more sensitive and precise 3rd generation tsh test, instead of the regular 1st generation one because it is much more exact. Doctors have a way of always saying they are right, or if you question them, then a lot of the time they say it's your fault, not theirs, whatever the problem is! If the doctor ignores you again by telling you there is nothing wrong, then it's time to say sayonara, baby, and get a different doctor that will listen to your problems and concerns, and try out different ideas that may help you. Some doctors that are not endocrinologist (and even some that are ) don't really know very much at all about thyroid disorder. My own Endocrinologist, Dr Yank Coble, had me on 100 mcg for over 40 years, meanwhile I constantly complained of horrible, daily exhaustion where I would sleep in a semi-comatose state for 8 or more hours a day, even though I got enough sleep at night and ate well. During my sleepy time I could be dehydrated, or famished but I was too weak to get up to get something to drink or some food...I must've been very close to death thousands of times. Meanwhile, Dr Coble went on to become the head of the American Medical Association and the head of the World Medical Society, yet he never really listened to my pleas for help, nor changed my dosage. Years later, one day I planned that I would get a written prescription for my blood work, and go get my blood drawn only when I became very exhausted, like what was happening to me, only when I had such exhaustion that I could barely stay awake....and that way I could find out whether my tiredness was due to my meds being too high or too low. The results came back showing a huge amount of T4 circulating in my blood, and an overly suppressed, very low, sub-normal reading on the TSH test. All of that means that I was over medicated on 100 mcg a day. So at that point I started splitting the tab, taking half in the morning and half at night. I also tried out only 88 mcg dosage. Both ways worked better than taking the 100 tab all at once. Now I split the 100 mcg, and even though I feel sleepy and sometimes have to take a nap, I'm not going into a semi-comatose state, and having to sleep 8-12 hours a day until the meds wear off some. Make your doctor allow you to see the results of your tsh test, and discuss it with you. Don't let him get away with just telling you, "you're fine....there is no problem....the test results are normal". The tsh paperwork should show a range, like from 1 to 10 on it, and your tsh level should fall somewhere in the middle of that 1-10, or 1-5, or whatever the range is.

Lauren, I lowered my thyroid hormone, after being prescribed 100 mcg per day for almost 50 years. Today I took half of the 100 tab in the morning, and half at night. 150 mcg you say? That sounds way too high, ...unless you weigh 200 lbs or more. The reason you get exhausted and irritable is because that dosage is way too high. I have been getting exhausted for years, so I decided to get a prescription for blood work, and to force myself to get the blood drawn when I was very exhausted, and could barely even stay awake. That way I could tell if my exhaustion was from the med being too high or too low. The results came back: a huge amount of thyroid hormone was circulating in my blood, and my tsh was a very small, below normal value...this means the medicine was way too high. Yet lowering the dosage made it be that I didn't get enough in a 24 hr time period. So splitting the tab was the best idea for me. 150 mcg is the amount I was on as a child, but as we grow to adulthood, we need far less...even the best endocrinologists don't always know what they are doing. My old endocrinologist became the head of the American Medical Association, and the World Medical society, yet he could never help me, as I was constantly beyond exhaustion, ... he just kept giving me 100 mcg, never suggesting that the problem was that my dosage was too high, because he believed that giving me the largest amount of med I could possibly stand was a great idea. After all, my test results showed my tsh was in the normal range. But he was wrong because he was over suppresing my tsh, even though the test results were in the "normal" range, normal, for me, is a different number within that supposedly normal range. There are different tsh tests including 1st generation, and 3rd generation tsh tests. Try to get a 3rd generation test because the results are much more accurate. I found that I was actually being over medicated by taking the whole tab all at once. Now I split the tab and take half the 100 mcg in the morning and half at night. When you feel agitated, it means your dosage is too high. If your doctor won't allow you to lower the med, or want talk with you, or listen to your concerns and problems, then find another one, ... perhaps an Endocrinologist knows better than a regular plain MD. Many people think the Doctor is their boss, but in reality, the best Doctors are the ones that listen well to your concerns, and then try new ways to make it better for you. Find someone willing to try new, different ways to help you, ... Try lowering the tab to 100 mcg. If that doesn't work, then try splitting the tab in two and taking only part in the morning.

Most weight loss experts these days don't recommend calorie counting because all calories are not created equal. A glass of vegetable juice might have more calories than a '0 calorie' diet drink, but the juice is full of vitamins, minerals and other great things, while the diet drink is junk in a bottle.

VCO is a good example of this. It's crammed with medium chain triglycerides (about 60%). MCTs aren't stored as fat. They are converted to ketones that your cells can burn instead of sugar. MCT's are being researched as a treatment for Alzheimer's for this reason.

For hypothyroidism iodine is the thing-along with removing things that inhibit thyroid function from your diet. Fluoride, chlorine and bromines are big culprits. Soy and raw cruciferous veges like broccoli and cauliflower can also cause problems. Check the iodine section here for instructions on how to do an iodine patch test and see if supplementing helps.

Hey Guys,

I am a newbie to this site and happy to see so many people sharing their experiences. I am 27 yrs old and have been on thyroid medication for a year now. Although this disease has messed up my life - body and mind.. The doctors I have met seem quite unconcerned with the problems I am facing. From being an extremely active girl, I have become the laziest and tiredest of all. I have put on 20Kgs in last one year and look extremely puffy. Nothing interests me and at times I feel detached to my loved ones. I don't understand why! I have asked many doctors about it... but all they do is get my blood test done and then change my medication amount accordingly.

Looking for alternatives is how I found this site and hope that it may help me to cure or at least cpe with the situation. I have started with EVCO - cold pressed today. My stomach is not taking it well right now, but I am feeling much more energetic ( I might be just imagining it! ). Anyhow, I am feeling happy enough to enroll for swimming - used to be my passion in college.

Hoping for the best!

Hi Hope from Delhi,

Just a thought - If you're swimming indoors, in a chlorinated pool, it's possible that could be counterproductive. Isn't chlorine one of those things that can negatively affect thyroid function? (I've also read that school-age children who swim regularly in chlorinated pools are more prone to get asthma. ) Best Wishes to you.

Actually, if you look hard enough, there are salt water pools available present day.

Hi, I am no expert, but cocnut oil is very healthy and can be used with any food etc. But if you are conserned don't take them at the same time. Coconut oil is just like any other oil like Olive oil etc, but healthier, so it can be used with evrything and also you may want to consider taking a few tabel spoons of it every day with salads, on bread or alone, also you can use it for cooking.

Does ACV act like an antacid to reduce the stomach acid and make our bodies more alkaline? If so, could ACV reduce absorption of Vitamin B12 as mentioned below for antacids:

"The use of antacids will also lower your stomach acid secretion and decrease your ability to absorb vitamin B12.

Stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) is a crucial ingredient in your body's ability to absorb B12. If you're taking a medication specifically designed to reduce the amount of stomach acid you produce, your body's ability to use vitamin B12 from the food you eat or the supplements you take will be significantly compromised."

As Vitamin B12 is very important for our complete well-being, I would appreciate response to this query.

Response to old post from Sangeetha, Grand Cayman of 5-19-09 regarding B-12 absorption: B-12 is best absorbed directly into the blood via injection or sublingual, not in the stomach. Best B-12 is methylcobalamin avail on the net as sublingual & dosage depends on need. Vegetarians need more. Most of the B vitamin complex tablets on the market are petroleum based & not good for DNA over long term use. Dr Bob Marshall has researched this. Also regarding oils, please read Dr Russell Blaylock nutrition book. He is a neurosurgeon of 35 yrs. & states most all oils are excitotoxic to the brain. Best to use olive, coconut,or peanut oils. He does not recommend any others. Dr David Brownstein has researched iodine for over 20 yrs & recommends Iodoral. His books are very cheap on the net & see also his book on salt. He also has videos free on the net. Please note that the thyroid & hormone tests that are prescribed by 'Docs'are what they are taught in med school & are inaccurate, & it is a waste of your time to argue these points with most Docs as they are very protective of their trade. Example: you cannot test hormones via blood samples, only via saliva. Check Drs. David Zava & John Lee, pioneers in this field.Regarding coconut, I use raw extra virgin organic 'butter' which is the entire meat & oil combined. Thank you & I extend blessings to all.

Yikes! Thanks. I've been taking my B vitamins at bedtime with my ACV/baking soda drink. Will start using lemon/baking soda then instead! Thanks for the heads up.

BTW that molasses tea drink sounds great, going to try it with my Bigelow vanilla caramel tea.

I use extra virgin coconut oil, and apple cider vinegar together in my homemade salad dressings. They should be fine together, unless you have a particular sensitivity. I'd also add that using them in a dressing makes the vinegar a lot more palatable. I just add a few spices and garlic flakes and sea salt and pepper.

Tip: Add some olive oil to the dressing to help stop it from going solid at room temp.

Hi, I am a new mom for 2 weeks old baby girl. She is under the medication with synthroid 0.44mcg/kg/day after she was diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism. Her thyroid gland is under-active producing 0.4 T4 level. We are badly broken. Is there any chance for my daughter to get cured completely. Prayers and medicine are our only hopes.. Please help. Thanks

Dear Shiny,

I would ask around locally and try to find a natural doctor you could take her to. With a tiny baby, even with natural treatment you will want to monitor your baby and make sure what treatment you are doing is working.

I am assuming you are breastfeeding your baby? You will want to continue that for at least a year at all possible. Two years is ideal for a child with special health or physical needs.

Whether you continue with conventional medication or natural, try to keep her health secondary and enjoy every day with her. They grow so fast and these days with a little one you can snuggle and cuddle are really quite short, though at times they can seem long! :)

~Mama to Many~

Hello Shiny,

in your child's case I would like to encourage you to give them the synthroid daily. Their development at this stage is so crucial that not doing so will effect them for the rest of their life.

Our son, who is now nine, was born with only the tiniest amount of non functioning thyroid tissue. We have giving him synthroid daily since he was nine days old. He is now at the top of his class, is considered gifted in math, super athletic, and one of the tallest kids his age. He would have been a different kid had we not made sure he took his medicine daily.

I'm all for trying natural remedies for most ailments, but not in the case of congenital hypothyroidism.

Dear Nursing Student, Forget about CHOICE. It is against the law not to test newborns, and I believe, also against the law not to treat them for thyroid disorder. Otherwise, like you said, they will become a cretin, or totally retarded. Born in 1959, I'm incredibly blessed that my own thyroid gland kicked in for the first 2 years of my life, which is the time most crucial in childhood development (other than in the womb) for a brain to develop and function. Because there was no law back then about testing newborns. Now it's mandatory, ...you must.