Stopping Thyroid Hormone - How Long Until TSH Returns Back To Normal

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Apr 25, 2018
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Hey everyone,

I had been experimenting with T3/T4 (levothyroxine, through doctor supervision) but want to stop taking it. It gets me wired too much and I started having other side effects (hair shedding, insomnia, etc.)

I wanted to know after stopping how long would it take to get TSH back to normal? I want to try to fix my diet first before relying on synthetic thyroid hormones.

Is it a couple weeks?

Also, let me know if anyone has any studies to back it up!
 

Queequeg

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sorry it didnt work out. What is normal tsh to you. Curious how you got a Doctor to prescribe T3/T4 with a normal TSH. Are your other numbers off?
 

Blossom

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From the forum wiki
HOW TO STOP THYROID] If a person's thyroid gland has been inhibited by very high doses of a supplement, it takes only 2 or 3 days for the gland to resume full activity, and because it takes time for the hormone to be excreted, suddenly stopping a supplement shouldn't be noticeable, when the gland isn't being inhibited or malfunctioning.

Experimenters using isotopes gave large doses of thyroid until the subjects' glands were completely shut off, and when they stopped giving the doses, everyone's gland returned to normal activity in just 2 or 3 days. The gland is extremely quick to adjust its activity, both up and down, except when it's inhibited by stress, or PUFA, or estrogen, etc. [TAKING THYROID WILL HAVE LONG-TERM EFFECTS]
 
OP
BestSinceDAYONE
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From the forum wiki
HOW TO STOP THYROID] If a person's thyroid gland has been inhibited by very high doses of a supplement, it takes only 2 or 3 days for the gland to resume full activity, and because it takes time for the hormone to be excreted, suddenly stopping a supplement shouldn't be noticeable, when the gland isn't being inhibited or malfunctioning.

Experimenters using isotopes gave large doses of thyroid until the subjects' glands were completely shut off, and when they stopped giving the doses, everyone's gland returned to normal activity in just 2 or 3 days. The gland is extremely quick to adjust its activity, both up and down, except when it's inhibited by stress, or PUFA, or estrogen, etc. [TAKING THYROID WILL HAVE LONG-TERM EFFECTS]

Hmm I don't know if I agree...
sorry it didnt work out. What is normal tsh to you. Curious how you got a Doctor to prescribe T3/T4 with a normal TSH. Are your other numbers off?

So I had tried using T3 for several days and stopped and then after about 2-3 weeks had a physical back to the doctor and labs showed a high TSH of 9.1. That's why I don't think it takes 2-3 days for it to come back to normal.

Previously, I had TSH of around 2 but without optimizing with Peating so I wanted to try that out first.
 
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BestSinceDAYONE
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From the forum wiki
HOW TO STOP THYROID] If a person's thyroid gland has been inhibited by very high doses of a supplement, it takes only 2 or 3 days for the gland to resume full activity, and because it takes time for the hormone to be excreted, suddenly stopping a supplement shouldn't be noticeable, when the gland isn't being inhibited or malfunctioning.

Experimenters using isotopes gave large doses of thyroid until the subjects' glands were completely shut off, and when they stopped giving the doses, everyone's gland returned to normal activity in just 2 or 3 days. The gland is extremely quick to adjust its activity, both up and down, except when it's inhibited by stress, or PUFA, or estrogen, etc. [TAKING THYROID WILL HAVE LONG-TERM EFFECTS]

I find that hard to believe. From what I hear it should take 30-45 days.

Do you have a link to a study that shows that?
 
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BestSinceDAYONE
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No, sorry it was just copied from the forum wiki. It’s Ray’s reply to an email on the subject.

No worries, thanks for the reply. I don't know if I agree though. I had taken thyroid and stopped and 2 weeks later my tsh was 9.0...

So unless I have some serious thyroid disorder I think it may take some more time.
 

sweetpeat

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I wonder if the gland resumes its function in a few days, but returning serum levels to homeostasis takes longer? I found this study:

Vagenakis AG, Braverman LE, Azizi F, Portinay GI, Ingbar SH. Recovery of pituitary thyrotropic function after withdrawal of prolonged thyroid-suppression therapy. N Engl J Med. 1975 Oct 2;293(14):681-4.

The pattern of thyrotropin secretion was analyzed in seven euthyroid women, before and after withdrawal of long-term thyroid hormone, by serial measurements of thyroid 131l uptake, serum thyroxine, tri-iodothyronine, and thyrotropin concentrations, and the response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone. During exogenous hormone administration, 131l uptake was suppressed, and serum thyrotropin concentrations before and after administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone were undetectable. After withdrawal of exogenous hormone, thyrotropin secretory function was transiently impaired, as indicated by undetectable basal thyrotropin concentrations together with absence of response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone, and subsequently by normal values of basal thyrotropin concentration and normal responses to releasing hormone while serum thyroxine and tri-iodothyronine concentrations were subnormal. Decreased thyrotropin reserve persisted for two to five weeks. Detectable values of serum thyrotropin (less than 1.2 muU per milliliter) and a normal 131l uptake usually occurred concurrently in two to three weeks. Serum thyroxine concentration returned to normal at least four weeks after hormone withdrawal. PMID: 808728
 
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BestSinceDAYONE
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I wonder if the gland resumes its function in a few days, but returning serum levels to homeostasis takes longer? I found this study:

Vagenakis AG, Braverman LE, Azizi F, Portinay GI, Ingbar SH. Recovery of pituitary thyrotropic function after withdrawal of prolonged thyroid-suppression therapy. N Engl J Med. 1975 Oct 2;293(14):681-4.

The pattern of thyrotropin secretion was analyzed in seven euthyroid women, before and after withdrawal of long-term thyroid hormone, by serial measurements of thyroid 131l uptake, serum thyroxine, tri-iodothyronine, and thyrotropin concentrations, and the response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone. During exogenous hormone administration, 131l uptake was suppressed, and serum thyrotropin concentrations before and after administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone were undetectable. After withdrawal of exogenous hormone, thyrotropin secretory function was transiently impaired, as indicated by undetectable basal thyrotropin concentrations together with absence of response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone, and subsequently by normal values of basal thyrotropin concentration and normal responses to releasing hormone while serum thyroxine and tri-iodothyronine concentrations were subnormal. Decreased thyrotropin reserve persisted for two to five weeks. Detectable values of serum thyrotropin (less than 1.2 muU per milliliter) and a normal 131l uptake usually occurred concurrently in two to three weeks. Serum thyroxine concentration returned to normal at least four weeks after hormone withdrawal. PMID: 808728

Thank you sweetpea!
 

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