- Dosing

[Guest guest]

, to answer your questions about dosing, read the following excerpt.

I am in a hurry, so typos are mine, also words in brackets are mine.

One reason to find a good doc, even if you have to travel is that you

will probably get to your optimum dose more quickly. If you are self

medicating, you have to increase slowly, only 1/4 grain every four to

six weeks. So it could take months to get back to your old self. To

see more about this book and read an excerpt, go to

http://tinyurl.com/yvmy7

From " Thyroid, Guardian of Health " by G. Young, MD Pages 77 &

following

" ...One should not get side effects until the physiologic dose [the

dose that equals normal thyroid output] is exceeded. The feedback

mechanisms ....will keep the blood levels of thyroid unchanged as long

as the increase in dosage is truly gradual. In a normal individual one

should not be able to give enough thyroid to appreciably change thyroid

function until a dosage of four and one half grains is exceeded in a

small individual, or five grains in a larger individual....Above this

dosage one may start seeing hyperthyroid symptoms. In a few

individuals, poor absorption or antibodies to thyroid hormones result in

larger doses being needed and individuals will remain euthyroid on doses

of 8 grs or more. .....one can and often will see side effects at

smaller dosages.... The more severe the hypothyroidism, the more likely

problems are to arise.... For some reason being low thyroid leaves an

individual supersensitive to the effects of thyroid hormone. Though in

most individuals a starting dose of 1gr is very well tolerated and even

starting dosages of 2 grs are without unwanted side effects in most

young men, these dosages are not tolerated in some who are severely

hypothyroid [more reason to start early, before you get really bad].

Even when adrenal support is added, these individuals cannot tolerate a

1 gr dosage. They feel jittery and develop other symptoms like

palpitations which are produced by an excess of thyroid hormone. The

starting dosage will have to be dropped in these individuals. No neat

formula exists to tell what the initial dosage should be for these

patients. In some supersensitive individuals, one may need to start at

a dosage as low as 1/16th of a grain..... It will take time and

patience.....in some cases two years or more. ....about five percent of

patients fall into the sensitive category.....

....individuals with underlying heart problems..... if the dosage is

increased slowly, by 1/4 increments, the individual can eventually be

increased without any problem to a dosage of 2 grs. of thyroid, the

recommended dose for people with severe heart problems.

By far the most common side effects from taking thyroid are due to

it's inter-relationship with the adrenal and it's hormones. .... In fact

a trial of adrenal support is warranted if the patient feels worse in

any way when placed on thyroid. ....the dosage level that will get rid

of their hypothyroid symptoms...for the average adult ..is about 3

grs... Most individuals will not need to change the dosage once the

correct dosage is determined. "

Blessings,

Debbie K.