Alternatives To Synthroid, T3, T4?

[Guest guest]

Hi All;

I'm new here, have been reading all the posts and have a

question.... My better half was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few

years back and has been on 100 mcg of synthroid since. He says the

Doc told him it just supplements his thyroid but I read somewhere

that it (synthroid) shuts down the thyroid completely leading to

further side affects and complications down the road. has anyone

else heard of this? Or can prove whether or not its true? In my

personal research I have also read that Virgin coconut oil, and

Norwegian Kelp can keep thyroid levels in check with out any

medications. Problem is I've never read an exact ammount of either

does it go by weight or by the current dosage one is currently

taking of synthroid? Any one that might be able to shed some light

on this minor delema would be greatly apppreciated. Thanks

O.

[Guest guest]

There are two kinds of thyroid dosage. One is thyroid supplementation (this is

not the same thing as supplements from the health food store). Thyroid

supplementation provides what thyroid hormone is missing (not provided by the

dysfunctional gland). The hormone made by the gland and the prescribed dosage

together make up the amount of total hormone the person needs. Another kind of

dosage is suppressive. This means the person takes a high dose of thyroid

hormone and it suppresses what the gland is trying to do. Most thyroid patients

actually report feeling best when the TSH (the hormone that signals the gland to

make more thyroid) is low, so that would mean suppression dosage.

The medication does not destroy the gland. The gland is not functioning

properly because of damage or disease. If the thyroid problem is autoimmune,

then the body makes antibodies that attack the gland and destroy it. Sometimes

the gland may produce more or less thyroid hormone depending on how damaged it

is and how many antibodies are in force. If a person has had radiation, thyroid

cancer, removal, hardening nodules, etc. then the gland has been totally or

partially destroyed.

Coconut oil has not been documented to do anything for the thyroid; although

there is a lot of testimonial evidence around, I believe a study showed it to do

basically nothing. It did nothing for me when I tried it. I believe that if a

person is fat deprived, then coconut oil may provide some extra energy that

people perceive as a boost to metabolism.

In developed countries in the past 60 years or so, iodine deficiency has not

been a source of thyroid malfunction. In developed countries, autoimmune disease

is the leading cause of thyroid problems. IF you have an iodine deficiency,

then iodine will help. That is pretty much unheard of if you live in a

developed country (and your being on this group implies that you do). Iodine in

large amounts is also a poison and it can interfere with thyroid medication.

The use of kelp and other natural iodine sources to treat goiter and slow

metabolism is well established in folk medicine; but bear in mind that folk

remedies are very old and date from the time when most thyroid disorders were

due to iodine deficiency.

orphan1948 <orphan1948@...> wrote:

Hi All;

I'm new here, have been reading all the posts and have a

question.... My better half was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few

years back and has been on 100 mcg of synthroid since. He says the

Doc told him it just supplements his thyroid but I read somewhere

that it (synthroid) shuts down the thyroid completely leading to

further side affects and complications down the road. has anyone

else heard of this? Or can prove whether or not its true? In my

personal research I have also read that Virgin coconut oil, and

Norwegian Kelp can keep thyroid levels in check with out any

medications. Problem is I've never read an exact ammount of either

does it go by weight or by the current dosage one is currently

taking of synthroid? Any one that might be able to shed some light

on this minor delema would be greatly apppreciated. Thanks

O.

[Guest guest]

I don't believe that taking medication shuts down the thyroid, I

believe the progression of thyroid disease does that. There are

people who start on the lowest dosage of Synthroid and need

increases until they are in a full replacement in a year. Others

take the lowest dosage for 15 years, with no increases needed - so

it isn't shutting down their thyroid.

As for kelp, I have to say no no no. Iodine deficiency in the modern

Western world is pretty much unheard of. It will do more harm than

help him.

Also, I would NOT encourage him to stop the medication. Thyroid

disease is very serious and can kill. It is not a tiny little thing

you can play around with. Even if stopping it now doesn't kill him,

it will definitely make his disease harder to manage - it will be a

long time of adjustment until he is ok again. And every day without

medication is a day where his future risk of heart disease and

osteoporosis increase, just to name 2.

As for the coconut oil, sure, it is worth a try. It is a good oil.

But it won't replace thyroid meds. Have him take the meds for the

thyroid and the oil for general health.

Remember also that these testimonials of people that are cured with

kelp or coconut oil or thyropower/thyroboost/thyrocare or whatever

supplement are always on the sites of the people selling them. I am

yet to see a real person in one of the groups say something like

that - I am not even saying there are no clinically documented cases

in medical journals, I am saying there is not even a person I " know "

from the internet saying it.

Jan

> Hi All;

>

> I'm new here, have been reading all the posts and have a

> question.... My better half was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a

few

> years back and has been on 100 mcg of synthroid since. He says

the

> Doc told him it just supplements his thyroid but I read somewhere

> that it (synthroid) shuts down the thyroid completely leading to

> further side affects and complications down the road. has anyone

> else heard of this? Or can prove whether or not its true? In my

> personal research I have also read that Virgin coconut oil, and

> Norwegian Kelp can keep thyroid levels in check with out any

> medications. Problem is I've never read an exact ammount of

either

> does it go by weight or by the current dosage one is currently

> taking of synthroid? Any one that might be able to shed some

light

> on this minor delema would be greatly apppreciated. Thanks

>

> O.

[Guest guest]

my naturopath says everyone should use iodine drops. Dr. Derry in Canada

believes iodine prevents breast cancer. I always used iodized salt but

also seem to need the iodine.

Gracia

>> In developed countries in the past 60 years or so, iodine deficiency has

not been a source of thyroid malfunction. In developed countries, autoimmune

disease is the leading cause of thyroid problems. IF you have an iodine

deficiency, then iodine will help. That is pretty much unheard of if you

live in a developed country (and your being on this group implies that you

do). Iodine in large amounts is also a poison and it can interfere with

thyroid medication. The use of kelp and other natural iodine sources to

treat goiter and slow metabolism is well established in folk medicine; but

bear in mind that folk remedies are very old and date from the time when

most thyroid disorders were due to iodine deficiency.

>

> orphan1948 <orphan1948@...> wrote:

> Hi All;

>

[Guest guest]

I got some from my NP last year after my test results...I don't take

it..maybe I'll start.

Thanks!

Re: Alternatives To Synthroid, T3, T4?

>

> my naturopath says everyone should use iodine drops. Dr. Derry in Canada

> believes iodine prevents breast cancer. I always used iodized salt but

> also seem to need the iodine.

> Gracia

[Guest guest]

For everyone? Even for people who breathe it all the time, eat iodized

salt, and eat seafood 5-6x a week? Sort of like megadosing vitamin C?

I've read iodine actually stimulates the inflammation process of Hashi's.

Jan

Gracia wrote:

>my naturopath says everyone should use iodine drops. Dr. Derry in Canada

>believes iodine prevents breast cancer. I always used iodized salt but

>also seem to need the iodine.

>Gracia

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I know I know. I hardly thought I needed it also. I live 20 miles from

Atlantic and thought I ate a lot of fish, but actually fish is getting to be

rare and expensive. But now I am religiously taking my iodine drops every

day, which equals 300mcg I think.

Gracia

> For everyone? Even for people who breathe it all the time, eat iodized

> salt, and eat seafood 5-6x a week? Sort of like megadosing vitamin C?

>

> I've read iodine actually stimulates the inflammation process of Hashi's.

>

>

>

> Jan

>

> Gracia wrote:

>

> >my naturopath says everyone should use iodine drops. Dr. Derry in Canada

> >believes iodine prevents breast cancer. I always used iodized salt but

> >also seem to need the iodine.

> >Gracia

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ok, 300mcg a day - I am gonna check how much I am getting in salt, and

in fish, and discount the one in the air. I live less than a 1,000 feet

from the ocean though.

The way my health is messed up right now, anything is worth a trial.

Jan

Gracia wrote:

>I know I know. I hardly thought I needed it also. I live 20 miles from

>Atlantic and thought I ate a lot of fish, but actually fish is getting to be

>rare and expensive. But now I am religiously taking my iodine drops every

>day, which equals 300mcg I think.

>Gracia

>

>

>