Tight feeling in the throat after starting NDT

[Daimyo]

Hello,

I've send my cousin who has Hashimoto thyroiditis some NDT (Thyroid-S) as for years she felt miserable on Euthyrox (T4 only). Her recent dose was 125 mcg of T4 a day.

She felt instant better. Increased mood, energy levels, reduce swelling. Unfortunately she recently started to have a tight feeling in her throat. What that might be..?

She also is concern about her low TSH, as she is planing to have a baby in few months (I mean to get pregnant in few months). I know Peat's opinion about TSH, but she is concern with her low level. I guess it's even lower than RP recommends..?

She has blood work after 1 month of being on 2 grains (120 mg of pig thyroid extract).

FT3: 3,89 (Lab Norm: 1,71-3,71) pg/ml
FT4: 0,85 (Lab norm: 0,7 - 1,48) ng/dl
TSH: 0,0095 (Lab Norm: 0,3500 - 4,9400) mcg IU/ml
anti-TPO: 66,37 (Lab Norm: 0,0 - 5,61) IU/ml
anti-TG: 15,6 (Lab Norm: 0,00 - 4,11) IU/ml

Her antibodies are high, but before they were <1000. I would say it's a healing process and she is on the right path. What's your idea guys and girls?

 

[natedawggh]

A tight feeling in the throat is an enlarging of the thyroid. Theoretically if you are using thyroid and it helps the gland activate, it could go and/or already be enlarged.

Yes, I agree that her labs look like everything is going great. Low TSH is ideal, high T3 and T4 are ideal. If she feels better and begins to lower thyroid dose, the gland may shrink back to normal, but only do this if symptoms are all okay.

 

[Daimyo]

I got second person who report the same feeling, as if something is in the throat... Should that person be a concern?

 

[Giraffe]

I got second person who report the same feeling, as if something is in the throat... Should that person be a concern?

Laryngitis?

 

[tara]

Maybe lower thyroid dose a little, as nate suggested?

 

[aguilaroja]

... my cousin who has Hashimoto thyroiditis some NDT (Thyroid-S) as for years she felt miserable on Euthyrox (T4 only). Her recent dose was 125 mcg of T4 a day.

She felt instant better. Increased mood, energy levels, reduce swelling. Unfortunately she recently started to have a tight feeling in her throat...

The first thing to assure is that the person using NDT is dividing the total per day into multiple doses, using amounts, say, four times per day. This allows the short-acting T3 to be absorbed in amounts closer to physiological.

In those I have met, throat sensation can suggest either an enlarged thyroid, or a shrinking thyroid that is improving with support. So it is important to understand the specific situation.

No matter what dose or what labs, it is always best to understand support in relation to symptoms and signs. If, for instance, the heart rate is more rapid or there are other hyperthyroid/hypermetabolism signs, either the dose can be adjusted or other measures used.

It would be preferable that pregnancy planning be adjusted for a time when your cousin feels really well, rather than "merely" noticeably better. It is encouraging to hear she has improved substantially in a short time.

It would be good for your cousin to look over lists of low thyroid (and hyperthyroid) and also of high estrogen symptoms and signs, to understand what factors can guide her.
--

http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/ray-peat.htm

"Dr. Ray Peat: Occasionally, a person with a goiter will temporarily become hyperthyroid as the gland releases its colloid stores in a corrective process. Some people enjoy the period of moderate hyperthyroidism, but if they find it uncomfortable or inconvenient, they can usually control it just by eating plenty of liver, and maybe some cole slaw or raw cabbage juice. Propranolol will slow a rapid heart."

 

[Daimyo]

Thanks for the opinion guys.

I got a third case, I recommended her to try to lower the dose slightly.

 

[Greta]

Hello!
I guess the problem when the TSH goes too low due to taking exogenous thyroid hormones, it's that sometimes the thyroid might shut down or just become "lazy", and it might stop working if this happens for a long period of time, so you will end up relying on the medication totally, or at least this is what doctors say and why they are catious when it comes to giving supplementary therapy.

Also some people (not everybody) who suffers from autoinmune hypothyroidism might do better on synthetic than on natural supplementation. Sometimes NDT might increase the antibodies.

 

[NathanK]

I asked Ray something similar last year when I first started on T3 and my throat was feeling a little tight and also had some adrenaline issues. I'll paraphrase what he said:

"...catecholamines inhibit TSH and when that stress is relieved then TSH would activate or at least enlarge the gland... PUFA and estrogen are other possible inhibitors of of secretion, permitting enlargement... Too much or too little iodine could account for enlargement rather than activation."

 

[FitnessMike]

I got a tight feeling if I don't take enough NDT and, its working harder while it cant i guess.

 

[Peatful]

Ill add my experience in case it helps anyone solve their problem:

I had the tight or lump In throat sensation
My naturopath at the time told me to separate more and to slowly up my dose

Didn’t work


What did work was-
Eating more

And consequently
Once I started to eat more
I didn’t need to supplement thyroid



In hindsight
Food not only nourished or fed me
But calmed my adrenals down to stop my stress response

Thyroid was exacerbating it


Hope this helps anyone past present or future