Miss Lizzy Thyroid Support

Can I have hypothyroidism with normal TSH?

Miss Lizzy

Yes, absolutely. It’s more common than most people realize.

TSH stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, but here’s what many people don’t know, TSH is actually a measure of how the pituitary gland is signaling the thyroid. It’s not a direct measurement of how well your thyroid is functioning or how your cells are using thyroid hormone.

Even though doctors have relied on the TSH test for decades, it doesn’t always reflect what’s actually going on in the body. This is why many people experience clear signs of hypothyroidism including fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, cold hands and feet, but they’re told everything is “normal.”

That was true for me, and it’s true for many people I’ve worked with.

How Common Is Undiagnosed Hypothyroidism?

Depending on the source, it’s estimated that up to 20 million Americans have a thyroid disorder, and many more may go undiagnosed. Hypothyroidism affects women more than men, and 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid disorder in their lifetime.

You probably know someone with undiagnosed hypothyroidism. They’re the friend who’s always tired, can’t lose weight, wears a sweater in summer, and struggles to focus or remember words. Maybe that person is you.

If you’ve been told your thyroid is “fine” based on TSH but still feel off, there’s a reason for that—and you’re not alone.

Why TSH Can Be Misleading

TSH is not always reliable. Here are a few reasons why:

  • TSH can fluctuate up to 200% during the day.

  • The “normal range” varies between labs and is still debated.

  • TSH doesn’t measure how much active thyroid hormone (T3) is available to your cells.

  • It doesn’t show whether your body is converting T4 (inactive hormone) into T3 (active hormone).

  • It doesn’t detect thyroid resistance or adrenal issues, both of which can affect how thyroid hormone works in your body.

  • In some cases, people have low thyroid function but still show a normal or even low TSH.

If your doctor is relying on TSH alone, they might miss what’s really going on.

What Happens When Hypothyroidism Goes Untreated?

When TSH is used as the only test, many people get misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. That means years of symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, depression, low libido, hair loss, and poor sleep. It also means years of being told it’s “just stress” or “all in your head.”

For me, that meant years of going from doctor to doctor, being told my thyroid was fine, but continuing to suffer from symptoms. I knew something was wrong, but my labs didn’t show it. So I was dismissed. When I finally got diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I spent another decade trying every type of thyroid medication trying chasing thyroid lab test numbers but continuing to suffer from symptoms.

If you’ve been in that position, you know how frustrating and hopeless it can feel.

What To Do If Your TSH Is Normal But You Have Symptoms

If you suspect low thyroid function, here are a few steps I recommend:

  1. Request a full thyroid panel, not just TSH. This should include:

    • Free T3

    • Free T4

    • Reverse T3

    • TSH (as a reference range)

    • Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies (for Hashimoto’s)

  2. Track your body temperature. Your thyroid controls temperature regulation, and low body temperature is one of the most reliable signs of low thyroid function. A waking temperature below 97.8°F and an afternoon temperature below 98.6°F can point to hypothyroidism.

  3. Pay attention to symptoms. Symptoms matter. Energy, focus, temperature, mood, digestion, skin, sleep are all measurements your thyroid is either working well or not. If your thyroid labs are “normal” but you feel anything but normal, trust what your body is telling you.

  4. Work with someone who takes a full-picture approach. If your doctor refuses to run these tests or dismisses your concerns, it may be time to find a new healthcare provider. It’s not your job to convince a doctor who isn’t open-minded. And you deserve to have someone on your team who will help you.

The Role of Body Temperature

I talk about temperature a lot in my work because it was the missing piece for me. Where lab testing failed me, tracking my body temperature saved me.

When I finally started tracking my temperature, I realized I wasn’t just “a person who’s always cold.” My body temperature was consistently below 97°F. That’s a sign the thyroid is underactive, even if TSH says otherwise.

Once I learned how to support my thyroid and adrenals the right way, my temperature came up, and so did my energy, mood, and metabolism. Everything started to make more sense.

If This Sounds Familiar, You’re in the Right Place

This is exactly why I created the HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol to help people who are still dealing with low thyroid symptoms even when the labs look normal.

The protocol teaches you how to track your temperature, understand your symptoms, and support your thyroid with minerals, without chasing lab results or constantly adjusting medication.

If you’ve felt ignored, frustrated, or like you’ve tried everything and nothing works… this is a new approach that actually makes sense.

Click here to learn more about the HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol and how it can help you feel like yourself again. 👉 Take the HypoHero Thyroid Symptom Quiz

Miss LizzyCan I have hypothyroidism with normal TSH?

Do You Have Hypothyroid Symptoms, Even With “Normal” Labs?

Miss Lizzy

If you’ve been feeling off, but your doctor says everything looks “fine,” you’re not imagining things.

Many people live with undiagnosed or misdiagnosed hypothyroidism, often for years. And the reason? Most doctors rely too heavily on TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels, which don’t tell the full story about what’s happening in your cells.

I personally struggled with all the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism including fatigue, brain fog, slow metabolism, and cold hands and feet for years. Even though my TSH was “in range.” And I’m not alone. Thousands of people report classic symptoms of hypothyroidism while being told their thyroid labs are normal.

Here’s the truth:
TSH is not always reliable. That’s why it’s critical to understand the full range of symptoms and pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you.

From low body temperature and constant fatigue to hormone imbalances and hair loss, the signs of hypothyroidism are often dismissed or overlooked. But when you know what to look for, and how to respond, you can finally start feeling better.

Body Temperature and Metabolism

  • Low body temperature (below 98.2-98.4 at 3pm)
  • Easily gain weight
  • Difficulty losing weight
  • Difficulty tolerating cold
  • Feeling cold when others are comfortable
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Raised body temperature

Energy, Motivation, and Exercise

  • Fatigue or loss of energy
  • Feeling tired even after a full nights sleep
  • Sleeping more than average
  • Less stamina than others
  • Less energy than others
  • Nodding off easily
  • Requires naps in the afternoon
  • Exhaustion
  • Difficulty working a full-time job
  • Inability to stand on feet for long periods
  • Complete lack of motivation
  • Long recovery period after any activity
  • Inability to hold children for very long
  • Arms feeling like dead weights after activity
  • Bizarre and debilitating reaction to exercise
  • Slowing to a snail’s pace when walking up slight grade

Mood and Mental Focus

  • Depression
  • Feeling uninterested in life
  • Seasonal blues
  • Memory loss
  • Fuzzy-thinking
  • Difficulty following conversations
  • Brain fog
  • Anxiety
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Less ability to cope in relationships
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Forgetfulness
  • Irritability
  • Intolerance of others

Digestion

  • Candida
  • Lactose intolerance
  • Inability to eat in the mornings
  • No appetite
  • Constipation
  • Colitis
  • Extreme hunger, especially at nighttime
  • Nausea

Hair, Skin and Nails

  • Irregular periods
  • Dry skin, brittle nails
  • Brittle hair, itchy scalp
  • Hair loss, thinning hair
  • Bumps on legs
  • Breakout on chest and arms
  • Hives
  • Thinning outer eyebrows, or no eyebrows
  • No hair growth, breaks faster than it grows
  • Broken/peeling fingernails

Hormones

  • PMS moodiness, bloating, heavy periods, and cramps
  • Irregular periods
  • Reduced sex drive or no sex drive
  • Fertility issues including lack of ovulation
  • Inability to get pregnant
  • Miscarriages

Endocrine

  • Puffy face, around eyes, neck, wrists and/or hands
  • Hoarse voice
  • Bruising or blood clotting problems
  • Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol
  • Heightened risk of heart disease
  • Swollen lymph glands

Other

  • Asthma or allergies that suddenly appear or get worse
  • Persistent cold sores
  • Sleep apnea which can be associated with low cortisol
  • Air hunger which feels like you can’t get enough air
  • Osteoporosis
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Handwriting nearly illegible
  • Internal itching in ears
  • Ringing in ears
  • Fluid retention
  • Swollen legs that prevent walking
  • Low blood pressure issues
  • High blood pressure issues
  • Varicose veins
  • Tightness in throat
  • Plantar fascitis
  • Cold gluteus maximus

Want to Know What’s Really Going On With Your Thyroid?

The HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol goes beyond basic lab tests to help uncover hidden thyroid patterns using temperature tracking, symptom awareness, and targeted minerals to support your thyroid health.

It’s a 3-part process to help you:

  • Track your body’s symptoms so you can finally connect the dots

  • Fuel your thyroid with the minerals it’s been missing

  • Optimize your energy, mood, metabolism, and temperature

If you’ve been told your symptoms are “in your head”… we believe you. And we have a plan.

👉 Take the HypoHero Thyroid Quiz to Get Started Today

Miss LizzyDo You Have Hypothyroid Symptoms, Even With “Normal” Labs?

Hypothyroidism

Miss Lizzy

Living with Hypothyroidism: Why So Many People Are Undiagnosed (and What You Can Do About It)

Are you struggling with symptoms no one can explain? You’re not alone and it might not be “all in your head.” It could be your thyroid.

The Silent Epidemic of Hypothyroidism

More than 12% of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition at some point in their lives. And yet, thyroid disorders are still one of the most underdiagnosed and misunderstood health issues today.

According to the American Thyroid Association, an estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease, and up to 60% of them don’t even know it【ref: http://www.thyroid.org/media-main/about-hypothyroidism/】. That means millions of people are waking up every day battling fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, and other symptoms… with no idea what’s really going on in their body.

And it gets more frustrating: many people do seek help, only to be told their lab tests look “normal.”

Why Are So Many People Misdiagnosed or Undiagnosed?

Standard thyroid testing is notoriously unreliable. Most doctors rely heavily on TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) as the main indicator, but TSH alone doesn’t give the full picture of thyroid function.

As a result, countless women (and some men, too) are dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told they’re just anxious, depressed, overeating, sedentary, or aging.

The truth?
Your symptoms are real. And your thyroid may be the missing link.

How Common Are Thyroid Disorders?

According to RightDiagnosis, about 1 in 13 people has some type of thyroid disorder, many without even knowing it. And those numbers may be climbing.

With increased exposure to bromine, fluoride, and chlorine (chemicals that block iodine and disrupt thyroid function) in our food, water, and environment, thyroid issues are becoming more widespread than ever before.

So if you’ve ever asked yourself…

  • Why can’t I lose weight even when I’m eating clean and exercising?

  • Why am I so tired all the time?

  • Why do I feel cold, sluggish, or foggy?

  • Why is my hair thinning? Why are my nails so brittle?

  • Why can’t I sleep or focus like I used to?

  • Why does everyone act like I’m fine when I know I’m not?

…you’re not being dramatic or lazy. You’re likely dealing with thyroid dysfunction.

The Problem Isn’t You. It’s Your Roadmap.

What we’ve learned is this:
You can’t fix hypothyroidism by chasing lab results or guessing with medication.

And most supplements and thyroid diets fall short because they don’t address the root causes of hypothyroidism like low iodine, blocked thyroid receptors, mineral imbalances, and inflammation.

That’s why we created the HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol.

Ready to Take Back Control of Your Thyroid Health?

The HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol is a 3-part method that helps you:

✅ Track what your labs may be missing including low body temperature and daily symptoms
✅ Fuel your thyroid with targeted minerals like molecular iodine, potassium iodide, selenium, and trace minerals
✅ Optimize your energy, focus, metabolism, and temperature using real data and step-by-step adjustments

Whether you’re already on thyroid medication or haven’t been diagnosed yet, this protocol helps you get clarity and results, without the confusion or guesswork.

You’re not stuck. You’re just missing the right strategy, supplements, and support.

Take the HypoHero Thyroid Quiz and get started today.

Miss LizzyHypothyroidism
Lab Tests for Hypothyroidism

Lab Tests for Hypothyroidism

Miss Lizzy

If you’ve been told your thyroid is “normal” but still feel tired, cold, foggy, or stuck, there’s a good chance you haven’t had the full picture. It’s not just about TSH. And it’s not just about labs.

When you’re trying to get to the root of fatigue, weight gain, low body temperature, or other thyroid-related symptoms, having the right tests can help but they only work if you know what to look for and how to connect the dots. That’s exactly what we do inside the HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol.

Why Standard Lab Testing Isn’t Always Enough

Most doctors run a TSH test and stop there. But TSH is a pituitary hormone, it’s not a direct measure of thyroid function. It doesn’t tell you how well your body is converting thyroid hormone, how much active hormone is available to your cells, or how your adrenals are influencing your energy levels.

That’s why many people get told “everything looks fine” while still living with hypothyroid symptoms. I was one of them.

Here’s a better set of labs to request if you’re still trying to get answers.

Basic Thyroid Labs

Free T3

This measures the active form of thyroid hormone your body actually uses. If Free T3 is low, even with “normal” TSH, you can still have hypothyroidism symptoms. It’s one of the most important thyroid markers to monitor over time.

Free T4

Free T4 is the storage form of thyroid hormone. Your body converts T4 into T3. Low Free T4 can signal underactive thyroid, but it must be interpreted alongside Free T3.

Reverse T3 (RT3)

Reverse T3 is a blocker. When it’s too high, it can slow your metabolism and compete with active T3 at the cellular level. The best way to evaluate this is by looking at the Free T3 to RT3 ratio—we explain how to do this inside the protocol.

TSH

This test can be helpful as a reference range over time, not as the single diagnostic test.

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO)

This test can help identify autoimmune thyroid issues like Hashimoto’s. If TPO antibodies are elevated, your body may be attacking its own thyroid.

Adrenal Health Labs

24-Hour Saliva Cortisol Test

This test maps your cortisol rhythm throughout the day. It’s helpful if you feel wired at night, can’t wake up in the morning, or crash in the afternoon. Cortisol patterns matter more than a single cortisol value.

Note: If you’re planning to take this test, stop any adrenal supplements at least two weeks beforehand for best accuracy.

Nutrient Labs That Impact Thyroid Function

These labs aren’t always run, but they may provide additional insights:

Ferritin (Iron Storage)

Low ferritin can mimic hypothyroid symptoms. For thyroid function, most women feel best with ferritin between 70–90.

Vitamin B12

Low B12 can lead to fatigue, brain fog, and mood issues. Some people with thyroid issues don’t absorb B12 well and may need sublingual or injection support.

Vitamin D

Aim for a level between 50–70 ng/mL. Low vitamin D is common in people with autoimmune conditions and can affect immune and thyroid function.

Serum Iron / TIBC

These tests help determine if your body is absorbing and transporting iron effectively. Iron is required for thyroid hormone conversion.

Zinc

Zinc is needed for hormone production and immune health. Blood zinc may look normal even when you’re functionally low, so symptoms and temperature tracking are important.

Secondary Labs (Optional but Useful)

These may be helpful in certain situations:

  • DHEA-S

  • Aldosterone / Renin

  • ACTH Stimulation Test

  • RBC Magnesium

  • Folate (Vitamin B9)

We go into more detail about when and why to consider these in the Optimize phase of the HypoHero Thyroid Protocol.

Why Lab Tests Alone Aren’t Enough

Even with all the right labs, it’s still possible to miss what’s going on. That’s why, in the HypoHero Thyroid Protocol, we focus on daily temperature tracking and symptom patterns.

Your body temperature can give you clues about thyroid and adrenal function in real-time (something no blood tests can’t do). When temperature is consistently low (especially under 97.8°F in the morning), it’s often a sign of low thyroid function, even if labs are in range.

Inside the HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol, we show you how to:

  • Track temperature and symptoms daily

  • Identify patterns that point to thyroid, adrenal, or conversion issues

  • Use labs alongside your data, not in place of it

  • Support your body with targeted minerals

  • Adjust your approach based on progress, not guesswork

Ready to Understand What’s Really Going On?

If you’ve been running in circles trying to get lab answers that make sense, the HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol gives you a different approach—one that puts you back in control.

Take the first step now and start your thyroid transformation:
👉 Click here to learn more and take the quiz

Miss LizzyLab Tests for Hypothyroidism
Miss Lizzy’s Hypothyroidism Success Story

Miss Lizzy’s Hypothyroidism Success Story

Miss Lizzy

For most of my life, I had symptoms of hypothyroidism, but didn’t know it. I was cold all the time, gained weight easily, struggled with energy, had brain fog, and couldn’t lose weight no matter what diet I tried. Doctors ran thyroid tests and told me I was fine. But I didn’t feel fine.

I also tried every type and dose of thyroid medication (T4, T3, NDT, even compounded formulas), but none of them gave me steady results. I kept adjusting the doses, hoping the next adjustment would work. It never did. I spent years chasing solutions so that I could feel normal.

My First Clue: Weight That Wouldn’t Budge

I started struggling with weight when I was a kid. At 11, I was put on a strict diet and told to count every calorie. I followed the plan exactly—measured food, tiny portions—and still didn’t lose weight. Adults assumed I was sneaking food. I wasn’t.

I didn’t understand it at the time, but my metabolism was already running slow. I could gain weight even on a low calorie diet. Meanwhile, my friends were eating pizza and soda and staying thin. I was eating cottage cheese and still gaining.

Exercise Made Me Feel Worse

When I told doctors I couldn’t lose weight, the answer was always “exercise more.” So I did. But instead of feeling better, I felt worse. I’d work out and then crash for days—tired, achy, and sometimes sick.

Later I learned my adrenals were involved too. When cortisol is off, exercise can actually drain your energy instead of helping. That explained a lot.

I Was Tired All the Time

It wasn’t regular tired—it was hard to wake up, hard to focus, hard to get through the day. And when I finally did sleep, I’d still wake up exhausted.

My sleep-wake cycle was flipped. Cortisol was low in the morning and high at night, so I couldn’t fall asleep easily. I relied on sleep aids just to get some rest.

Everyday tasks like grocery shopping or doing the dishes felt overwhelming.

Always Cold, Puffy, and Sick

My hands and feet were cold year-round—even in the summer. My face was puffy. I had chronic sinus infections, asthma, low blood pressure, and high cholesterol. At the time, I didn’t realize how many of these symptoms were related to low thyroid.

No One Looked at the Full Picture

After I had a baby, I developed a goiter. Still, doctors insisted my labs were normal and said I wasn’t hypothyroid. One even suggested removing my thyroid.

By that point, I’d already started doing research and came across the Stop the Thyroid Madness site. I saw story after story that sounded just like mine—people with symptoms, normal labs, and no answers.

When I brought that information to an endocrinologist, she dismissed it and said, “You’re not hypothyroid. You’re just looking for a quick fix to lose weight.”

That was devastating. But it didn’t stop me from looking for answers.

I Finally Found a Doctor Who Was Willing to Help

Eventually, I found a doctor who didn’t brush me off. He didn’t have all the answers, but he was open-minded. He listened, asked good questions, and actually took my body temperature. It was 95.5°F, in the middle of July.

That was the first time anyone noticed or acknowledged that my low body temperature wasn’t normal. It finally explained why I was always cold and tired.

He ran a full thyroid panel, but the real turning point was that he looked at my symptoms not just the numbers.

What Helped Me Turn Things Around

The biggest change came when I stopped relying on thyroid labs and started tracking how I actually felt. I started taking my temperature daily and paying attention to patterns. I began supporting my thyroid and adrenals with minerals.

That’s when my body finally started working again. My energy came back. I could sleep without pills. My weight became easier to manage. My body temperature came up, and I finally felt warm again.

Everyday tasks didn’t feel overwhelming anymore.

Why I Share This

I created the HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol because I know how frustrating it is to feel like something is wrong and not have anyone take you seriously. This protocol is based on everything I wish I’d known sooner, especially the importance of tracking symptoms and temperature, not just chasing lab results or medication adjustments.

If you’re still struggling, I hope this helps you feel less alone.

You’re not lazy or imagining it, and you’re not stuck. You just might need a different approach, one that considers the full picture and supports your body in the right way.

Miss LizzyMiss Lizzy’s Hypothyroidism Success Story
The Importance of Sleep for Adrenal Health

The Importance of Sleep for Adrenal Health

Miss Lizzy

If you have adrenal fatigue like me, or know someone who does, getting up before 9 a.m. can often be painful. As far back as high school I joked about not being “a morning person”. Staying up late at night was easy for me, but mornings were so bad that in college I scheduled all classes after 2 p.m. Seriously, I did.  I would be a zombie until around noon. People thought I was lazy, I thought I was lazy. But my brain just didn’t function in the morning, so I did what my body was telling. And you know, my body was pretty darn smart, thank you.

Even as a adult it was painful to wake up before 9 AM. I admired early-risers and longed to be one, having a strange idea that morning people are good people. Only the lure of coffee would pull me from the comatose state of sleep.  The idea of waking up at 6 a.m. actually made me panic. If I woke up before 9 a.m., I could easily drink two cups of coffee and go right back to sleep for hours.  Curiously though, if I slept until about 9 a.m. I could pop right out of bed awake and alert.  This always seemed odd, but apparently, there are lots of people out there like me!

Anyone who has chronic illness will understand you lead a secret life, arranging your business hours around rest opportunities and finding excuses for missing social events – Lynne Farrow, author The Iodine Crisis

Then I started learning about Adrenal Fatigue and how cortisol runs our body clock. So my sleep pattern wasn’t a matter of choice after all. What a revelation! According to James L. Wilson, Ph.D, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, though most people’s schedules do not allow it, it helps to sleep until 8:30 or 9 in the morning.

Wilson also writes, for people with normal functioning adrenals, cortisol rises rapidly between 6-8 am, which helps them to pop out of bed.  (And explains why some people can’t sleep past a certain time.)  Further, there is something magical about the restorative power of sleep between 7-9 a.m. for people with Adrenal Fatigue. Partly, he says, because cortisol levels rise slower in people with adrenal fatigue, and when cortisol levels are lower it takes longer to feel fully awake. Wilson also explains that with adrenal fatigue, when you sleep may be more important than how much you sleep.

Finally something that made sense after all these years!  After getting treatment for Adrenal Fatigue, my Cortisol levels have become more normal, so waking up is much easier. In fact, I can get up at 7:45 a.m and actually function these days. But given the chance, I sleep late without guilt, knowing it will help me tackle the day with energy. Brilliant.

 

Miss LizzyThe Importance of Sleep for Adrenal Health
Three Medicine Options for Hypothyroidism

Three Medicine Options for Hypothyroidism

Miss Lizzy

Hypothyroidism Medicine Overview

Three medicine options for hypothyroidism treatment include T4 medicine, Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine, and T3 medicine. All three are prescribed by a doctor. Each medicine option for hypothyroidism has its pros and cons. Thyroid medicine can be complex to understand because each medicine works differently in the body.

T4 Medicine

Hypothyroidism medicine in the form of prescription T4 is called Synthroid, or generically known as Levothyroxine. T4 medicine contains only the inactive T4 thyroid hormone. Therefore T4 medicine relies upon the body’s ability to convert T4 to T3. Though T4 medicine has been considered the standard treatment for hypothyroidism by Endocronogists 1., there are many patients who report that T4 medicine does not work for them, only partly works, or makes their condition worse. 2.

Pros and Cons

The pros of T4 medicine is that it is taken once a day which makes this hypothyroidism medicine very simple. For patients who feel T4 works for them, then this is an easy option for treatment.

However, many patients taking T4 medicine report on-going hypothyroid symptoms. Consequently, these patients believe they are getting the right treatment for hypothyroidism but are actually not. In some cases, patients find their hypothyroid symptoms remain or get worse on T4 including hair loss, weight gain, depression, anxiety, cortisol issues, and more. 3. Each person is different.

Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine

Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine (NDT) is a hypothyroidism medicine that has been successfully used to treat patients for over 100 years. 4 The medicine is natural, not synthetic like T4, which means it comes from powdered pig thyroid gland. It is a prescription medication under the name Armour, WP Thyroid, NP Thyroid and others.

Patients like Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine because it provides all the thyroid hormones naturally created in the body. These include T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin.

Pros and Cons

There are many pros to taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine. Many patients report hypothyroid symptoms improve including weight loss, hair growth, depression lifting, warm hands and feet, and many more. The cons to Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine is that it needs to be taken several times a day, it can reveal issues with low or high cortisol which need treatment. In addition, on NDT patients sometimes report pooling or Reverse T3 which causes hypothyroid symptoms to return.

Patients report taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine anywhere from one to several times a day. Spreading the medicine out through the day seems to help patients with maintaining energy levels.

Typically patients start at one 60/65mg pill (also called grain) and increased up to two or even three pills a day. This medicine increase is reported to take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. Patients increase their medicine based on the elimination of hypothyroid symptoms, and increased body temperature.

In terms of how to take Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine, foods and supplements can interfere with the medicine. As a result, patients prefer to let the pill dissolve under the tongue, called sublingually. Taking the thyroid medicine sublingually allows the medicine to go directly into the blood stream (not through the stomach. This means patients can eat and take supplements immediately before and after taking the medicine. 5. A terrific resource for patient to patent experience is the Stop the Thyroid Madness book.

Support Groups

For Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine support join this group on Facebook, based on the book Stop the Thyroid Madness. Make sure to read their rules for posting.

T3 medicine

T3 medicine is the active thyroid hormone at the cellular level in the body, known by the name Cytomel, Cynomel and generic Liothyronine. If patients are on T4 medicine but not feeling well, they might benefit from adding T3 medicine or switching to a T3 6

After years of trying Synthyroid and NDT, Paul Robinson discovered that he had issues converting T4 medicine. As a result he switched to T3 medicine and wrote Recovering with T3, a through resource for patients with similar T4 conversion issues.

Pros and Cons

Both a pros and con of T3 medicine is that it is fast acting. T3 medicine lasts about 4-6 hours in the body consequently T3 doses need to be taken through the day. In addition, patients need to be very careful to monitor their body symptoms to find the right T3 dose.

Patients who don’t convert T4 medicines (including converting T4 in NDT) report success on T3 once they find the right dose. Through his research, Paul Robinson discovered T3 medicine helped strengthen the adrenals in patients who have low cortisol. His treatment solution is called Circadian T3 method which uses T3 medicine to support the body’s natural cortisol cycle.

Support Groups

For T3 medicine support join these T3 groups on Facebook. Make sure to read their rules for posting.

 

Notes:

  1. https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/hypothyroidism/synthetic-t4-supplements-hypothyroidism ↩
  2. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/t4-only-meds-dont-work/ ↩
  3. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/t4-only-meds-dont-work/ ↩
  4. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/natural-thyroid-101/ ↩
  5. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/natural-thyroid-101/ ↩
  6. https://www.verywell.com/t3-natural-desiccated-thyroid-treatments-3233007 ↩
Miss LizzyThree Medicine Options for Hypothyroidism
Reverse T3 (RT3) when normal thyroid treatment isn’t working

Reverse T3 (RT3) when normal thyroid treatment isn’t working

Miss Lizzy

If you are taking the right dose of thyroid medicine, and perhaps are even getting adrenal support, but still have many hypothyroid symptoms you may have Reverse T3 (RT3).

This information came from the experiences of other patients on the RT3 Yahoo Group and specifically patient Nick Foote who did some great work compiling a Question and Answer site about Reverse T3 (RT3).  Please read the entire page for important information and cautions.

What is “Resistance” caused by Reverse T3?

“Resistance to thyroid hormone” refers to people that don’t respond properly to thyroid hormone supplementation (such as natural desiccated thyroid medicine like Naturthroid or Erfa), and continue to have hypothyroid symptoms and normal blood test results.

Why does this happen?

It helps to first understand the relationship between the thyroid hormones T4 and T3 in the body. T4 is the main hormone that is produced by the thyroid gland. This hormone is totally inactive biologically. It’s only after an iodine atom is removed, making it into T3, that it has an effect on the body. T4 is a storage hormone and lasts for weeks  in the body. T3 has a life of a few days in the body, but it is the important catalyst that the body needs to progress at the right speed. Without enough T3 people experience Hypothyroid symptoms  (cold, tired, and lethargic, etc..).

Reverse T3 (RT3) is what is made when the “wrong” iodine atom is removed from T4 which results in blocking the action of T3 on the body. This means  that your body doesn’t respond properly to T3 leading to hypothyroid symptoms despite a normal TSH, T3 and T4 lab levels.

This is what they refer to as “Tissue Resistance to Thyroid Hormone.” According to Nick Foote’s website, doctors will say this is very rare, but that’s because they don’t look for it!

What are the symptoms of Reverse T3 (RT3)?

Hypothyroidism that won’t respond to desiccated thyroid treatment (at a proper dose).  It may sound similar to Chronic Fatigue Symptom.

Unless you have a very clued in Doctor this disgnosis will probably get missed. It can by picked up by blood tests, but only if they do the right ones and then interpret the results correctly.

How is Reverse T3 (RT3) diagnosed?

The initial sign tends to be that normal thyroid treatment doesn’t work. Other signs of possible RT3 problems are low but stable temperature, Ferritin of at least 70, Free T3 (FT3) near the top of the range (which varies by lab).

RT3 can be accurately diagnosed by calculating the ratio of Free T3 to Reverse T3 from your lab results. Simply divide the Free T3 number by the reverse T3. It should be 20 or greater. If the ratio is less than 20, its very likely you have an RT3 problem.  Please note: lab ranges vary so look at the ratio instead.

If you only had a T3 lab test (but not a FT3), then divide the T3 by the RT3 result.  The ratio should be 10 or greater.  Less than 10 likely means an RT3 problem.

A FT4 reading that is over 1.4 is a marker for potential high RT3.

What causes Reverse T3 (RT3)?

The body naturally produces some RT3 and this is fine for many people. The problem arises when the Free T3 to Reverse T3 ratio is too low (below 20:1) because the RT3 then gets in the way of the T3, causing hypothyroid symptoms. Here are some common causes for a low FT3/RT3 ratio:

  • Extreme dieting, the RT3 increases to slow the metabolism and make better use of the available food
  • Low Ferritin
  • High cortisol, this disturbs the balance of the thyroid hormones
  • Low cortisol, this again disturbs the balance of the thyroid hormones
  • Insulin dependent Diabetes
  • Low Vitamin B12 levels

How is Reverse T3 (RT3) treated?

The treatment for too much RT3 first involves stopping more RT3 being made and waiting for the RT3 already in the body to decay or be excreted.

This is relatively easy but there are pitfalls along the way. A lot of Drs are worried by people doing this as things happen too quickly to be done by lab tests.  Patients need to adjust the dose by symptoms and vital signs.

RT3 is only made from T4. If you get rid of T4, both from your own thyroid and from supplements, then no more RT3 gets made. In order to do this and stay alive an alternative source of the bio-active T3 is neededthrough synthetic T3 hormone.

The basic treatment is to stop all medicine containing T4 (such as Naturthroid, Armour, Erfa, etc..) and start T3 medicine instead. Slowly increase the dose of the T3 medicine week by week as the T4 levels in your body diminish. After about 6 weeks, the T4 and RT3 levels in your blood will be very low. It takes about a total of 12 weeks for the RT3 to clear the receptors.

During this time, its very likely you will experience Hypothyroid symptoms.  To help with this you can increase the T3 medicine levels but be prepared to drop the dose as soon as the thyroid resistance clears because this can happen dramatically and suddenly. Overnight you may very well have to drop you T3 medicine dose almost completely. Then ramp back up to about half the previous dose until you stop feeling hypothyroid. So its very important to carefully watch symptoms, including pulse and body temperature, especially around week 12.

(If you are worried about this you can keep the T3 dose lower but it means feeling hypothyroid until the RT3 clears. If you need to get on with life and can’t afford to stay hypothyroid for another the three month clearing time, then increase the T3 dose as noted above).

 What lab work do I need?

Lab work has a lot of value to it but needs to be interpreted carefully, just because the results are “in range” doesn’t mean you will feel well, they need to be in the right part of the reference ranges. There are some excellent resources on lab work, including many that you can order without needing a Doctor. See STTM Lab page.

RT3 and FT3 tests can be ordered without a doctor and there are sources of this in the Yahoo RT3 group files area for members. IMPORTANT NOTE: To calulate the RT3 ratio, the Free T3 and RT3 lab work has to be done at the same time.  

Econolabs and Life Extension are currently the cheapest sources for RT3 testing.

What is T3 medicine?

T3-only medication include brand names like Cytomel (American), Cynomel (Mexican), or Tertroxin (UK). The Chemical names for this are Liothyronine sodium or triiodothyronine. See Wikepedia for more information

What if I am already on Thyroid medicine?

If you are on synthetic T4 medication such as Synthroid, or Natural Desiccated Thyroid such as Armour, Naturthroid or Erfa, these all contain T4.  During the 12 weeks or so that you clear the RT3 from your body, you will need to change your medication to a T3 only medicine (noted above).

Do I want/need Sustained Release T3 (SRT3)?

According to Nick Foote’s site, no, sustained release is not necessary.

Do I need T4 at all?

When it comes to RT3 people, NO, T4 is not needed. For these people, T3 only is the protocol. There are people who have been on T3 only for 20 years without ill effects.

DANGERS, Please read!

Once you are on T3 only it important to stay on it, or if you are switching medicines to change very gradually. If you suddenly stop taking T3 you could be in a myxadema coma within 24 hours. Its well worth carrying a medical warning note that you are on T3 only and the dosage in case you are rendered unconscious in a car accident.

Stopping Meds before Lab Tests

When performing lab tests you sometimes need to stop your medication before the blood draw. This is a list of the common withdrawal periods. Unless specified otherwise you only have to stop taking the hormone being tested for.

Thyroid Medicine
Don’t take any thyroid medication on the day of the blood draw. Consider not taking any T3 after lunchtime the pervious day, especially if your Dr gets concerned by over range FT3. You can take your HC as normal on the day of the blood draw if you are on it.

Cortisol/Adrenal Support
The “gold standard” for Adrenal hormones is the “4 times a day saliva test”.  If you have taken any cortisol (HC), Isocort or had Licorice 2 weeks before testing the results will be inaccurate.

Sex Hormones
If you are supplementing sex hormones using creams applied topically then saliva tests are not accurate. Blood tests remain accurate if you are supplementing but none should be taken on the day of the test.

Ferritin/Iron Panel 
Stop all iron supplements 5 days prior to blood draw.

Where can I get more help on Reverse T3?

Join the 1200 members on Yahoo’s RT3 group.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Please note, I do not suffer from RT3 (at least from what I know) but wanted to share this information from Nick Foote’s site because it seems so important, and everyone is different. Good luck!

 

Miss LizzyReverse T3 (RT3) when normal thyroid treatment isn’t working
High Cholesterol & Hypothyroidism

High Cholesterol & Hypothyroidism

Miss Lizzy

For many people with high cholesterol the underlying issue may actually be hypothyroidism. Rather than diagnosing and treating the hypothyroidism, many people are told they simply need to eat healthier, exercise more and take medicine to lower their cholesterol.

What’s worse is that sometimes doctors make us feel bad, like we must be fat, unhealthy people who have no control over ourselves when in fact it could be low thyroid.

 When the thyroid slows down (hypothyroidism), it also slows down the body’s ability to process cholesterol.
– Heather M. Ross, About.com

Certainly eating healthier and exercising are good, but cholesterol medicines (statins) have some scary side effects. But even more important, properly treating hypothyroidism could result in naturally lowering cholesterol, like it did for me and many others. On Stop the Thyroid Madness read people’s stories about how they lowered their cholesterol, not through statins, but through the right combination of desiccate thyroid medicine and other treatments.

When I was 18 years old, a doctor told me I had high cholesterol but no one made the connection to hypothyroidism. At that time in my life I was about 15lbs overweight. The doctor made me feel like I was fat and unhealthy, so I was therefore to blame for having high cholesterol at such a young age.

Now at age 41, on proper thyroid treatment my cholesterol is completely normal and healthy. Like me, if you have high cholesterol as a result of hypothyroidism learn more about thyroid symptoms, understanding thyroid lab work (even when the results say you are normal), and finding and good doctor:

 

Miss LizzyHigh Cholesterol & Hypothyroidism
Blood Pressure & Hypothyroidism

Blood Pressure & Hypothyroidism

Miss Lizzy

According to the Stop the Thyroid Madness , blood pressure and Hypothyroidism can go hand-in-hand.

Apparently, it is common to have low blood pressure due to thyroid disease or being treated with T4-only medicines like Levoxyl, Synthroid, Extroxin, etc…

If untreated or treated with these T4-only medicine, low blood pressure can take an ugly turn into high blood pressure. Learn more. For some people, the root of solving blood pressure problems can be found in good thyroid treatment.

Before being treated for Hypothyroidism I had low blood pressure. On the Mayo Clinic website, the symptoms of low blood pressure can include:

  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Fainting
  • Lack of concentration
  • Blurred vision
  • Nausea
  • Cold, clammy, pale skin
  • Rapid, or shallow breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Depressions
  • Thirst

For years I experienced many of the symptoms noted above. Especially lightheadedness or a woozy feeling when I stood up too quickly (or inverted like a in the yoga pose downward dog, lack of concentration for everyday tasks (my brain and thinking felt soft and foggy), overall fatigue and low energy, a low grade depression.

Sometimes we become so accustomed to symptoms we believe it’s “normal”. After being treated for Hypothyroidism with Natural Dessicated Thyroid medicine (and Iodine for me personally) these symptoms all cleared up and my blood pressure became normal!!

Treatment for Blood Pressure

According to Janie Bowthorp, of Stop the Thyroid Madness, common treatment for hypothyroidism symptoms (including blood pressure) include:

  • Iodine (if one is Iodine deficient)
  • Natural Desiccated Thyroid Medicine

Symptoms are removed, lives are returned to being active, moods are improved as is one’s entire health and well-being.

 

J.CROW’S® Lugol’s Solution of Iodine 5%
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Miss LizzyBlood Pressure & Hypothyroidism

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