Recovery after thyroid atrophy
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi
I have been underactive for 12 years and most of this time I was over medicated with levo thyroxine.
As a result I was told that my thyroid was atrophic (had shrunk) as a result of being over medicated.
My question is, is it possible to ever completely come off thyroid medication if your thyroid had shrunk? Would the damage be permanent?
I'm embarking on a new nutrional programme which is supposed to bring metabolism and hormone levels back into harmony so I am hoping to at least reduce medication at some point.
Any advice would be much appreciated
0 likes, 3 replies
MtViewCatherine Tutu123
Posted
Hi Caz, welcome to the other side of thyroid medication! I’m in the same boat.
I gained a ton of weight while on the level thyroxine. When I quit the level thyroxine I gained even more weight. It’s been pretty horrible. And I have the lasting gift of severe bone loss, resulting broken bones particularly in their feet and hands.
I’ve been off the meds completely for about two years now. I transitioned off the levo onto NDT fir w a few months. The NDT didn't work the way it gad prior and I suspect it was cut with synthetic levo. After a few months, I switched to a glandular (bovine glandular), and was on that for another 9 months. But the company changed their manufacturing, and I kept getting a glutten reaction.
I was fed up, so I quit the bulb and glandular cold turkey. I did some research before I quit, and I came up with the idea to try some essential amino acids instead of taking the medication. I took massive doses of essential amino acids when I went off of the glandular. This prevented the severe headaches that I normally would’ve gotten
It was about a year and a half until I started to feel like myself again. To be honest I could smell the level thyroxine coming out in my ear and for months after I went off of it. Even as much as a year later I could still smell the level thyroxine coming out.
About a year and a half after the level thyroxine, I was able to actually start exercising. I started very slowly with swimming and built-up for six months. Then I started taking cardio classes. It was really hard. After about four months of cardio classes, just when I was getting in really good shape, I broke my foot. This is actually the second time I broke my foot. The first time was when I was still on the level thyroxine. Also during that time I broke a finger. I don’t even know how I broke my finger.
So I’ve been continuing with the amino acids as needed. Initially I took a very very high doses for about three months. Then I tapered them off and that took so I don’t know 3 to 6 months. Now I take them as needed.
hey sir hope for recovery after level thyroxine? I don’t know. But I’m hopeful. To be honest I feel so much better off with a level thyroxine then on it. In addition to the amino acids I’ve been doing acupuncture, chiropractic, supplements, and herbs. I’ve always felt that if I could just get myself strong enough to exercise that that would make a huge difference for me. I was correct. However with the bones breaking so easily, I find it very difficult to maintain my workouts, as every time I make progress, I break something and am out of commission for months.
Keep me posted on what works for you.
Tutu123 MtViewCatherine
Posted
Thanks for the reply!
Sounds similar to my journey. Currently on bovine ndt which used to work well but now my levels are so up and down I'm sure they have changed the strength of it.
About to start a thyroid support in the next couple of weeks which I believe may also contain amino acids. I'm just so sick of medication ruling my life I want some control back.
I do not trust levo thyroxine at all. I felt more dreadful on it than I did before taking any medication. I don't know how they get away with prescribing it as a one size fits all drug in the UK.
I'm glad you have managed to reduce your meds and what you have done sounds really positive !
Which amino acids do you take? Do you mind me asking what dose you started with when you came off the other stuff?
MtViewCatherine Tutu123
Posted
Hi Caz, nice to hear from someone else in the other end of the meds.
Are use essential amino acids. These are the ones of the body can’t make. The body uses the essential amino acids to make all of the other amino acids. Tyrosine is required for the production of thyroxine. Tyrosine is produced from phenylalanine, which is an essential amino acid. So a deficiency in phenylalanine could cause a thyroid problem. After researching quite a bit about amino acids, I came to the conclusion that thyroid disease can be caused by mal-nutrition. I figure if I’m deficient in one amino acid, I’m probably deficient in others, so the best approach was to take all of the essential amino acids and let the body make the ones it needs.
In addition, I’ve done extensive acupuncture. I’ve also done quite a bit of chiropractic treatment. I’ve found that neck health is extremely crucial to thyroid health. I recently discovered a different way to treat the neck by my chiropractor, and I found it to be extremely effective in overall health. And in fact my energy levels have increased dramatically.
I should also tell you, that for a while I was able to get access to vitamin B 12 shots. I feel those were very helpful.
So really improving health following thyroid problems isn't just one thing. I took a multi-treatment approach. Well it is extremely costly to go to Accupunture twice a week plus go to the chiropractor frequently and buy all the supplements, being sick for the rest of my life is not an option.
It’s been a long time of illness. I’m finally starting to feel better and feel more like myself now that I’m off of the thyroid medication.
My feeling is that thyroid disease is caused by environmental exposures and lack of proper nutrition. I also feel that thyroid disease is temporary or can’t be temporary. Taking the medication showed me that the medication is worse than the disease and in fact only worsens thyroid disease. So that isn’t the answer. I suspect that with thyroid disease, waiting it out while cleansing and supplementing highly might be the best approach.