Re: T4 prescription, much to my surprise

[Guest guest]

Buy a cast iron frying pan and cook eggs in it every morning. I found that

helped.

Miriam

I'm trying to improve my iron through diet, so I imagine it's going to take

quite a while.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the tip Miriam, I've done that already! Just had my first fried

breakfast from my new cast iron skillet - fried tomatoes and black pudding.

>

> Buy a cast iron frying pan and cook eggs in it every morning. I found that

helped.

> Miriam

[Guest guest]

It's entirely up to you Helen. For most people, if their iron

levels are low, and your ferritin is exceptionally low, the thyroid hormone

cannot be properly utilised at the cellular level so taking levothyroxine before

this is raised could stop its conversion into the active thyroid hormone T3 -

which is what the body uses. If you are going to hold off the levothyroxine for

a while, I would get your TSH, free T4 and free T3 tested at the same time that

you get your iron levels tested again to see whether your hypothyroid condition

has deteriorated.

Some people start their thyroxine with low ferritin and do not

necessarily find this to be a problem, and this is why I say it is entirely up

to you.

Are you taking high doses of vitamin C e.g. 3/4000mgs daily?

What iron supplements have you tried - the gentler one's are Spatone and I

believe Bluebonnet is less aggressive than Ferrous Sulphate which is what the

NHS usually prescribe.

Luv - Sheila

However, might it be a bit daft to start the levo before I know my ferritin is

adequately raised? Should I ask for another blood test just on my iron levels,

in another couple of months, to see if it's improved, BEFORE I try the levo? As

I can barely tolerate supplements, I'm trying to improve my iron through diet,

so I imagine it's going to take quite a while.

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[Guest guest]

Thanks for the advice, Sheila.

Yes, I'm taking up to 4000mgs of vit C daily. I tried ferrous fumarate

(disaster!) and then Floradix, which at even half the full dose - i.e. 10ml per

day - gave me a terrible stomach. However, I persevered with 0.5ml per day, am

now up to 1ml a day, and hope to continue increasing as I acclimatise

(hopefully!). I also got some Spatone today and have just started with that as

well. (A full sachet, and no ill effects.)

I also bought a cast iron frying pan - my researches tell me that we can indeed

make use of the 'inorganic' iron that leaches into the food and this should also

help.

My current thinking is that I'll just keep up with the iron regimen, increasing

as much as I can, and keep taking my NAX, for another 2 months. Then I'll try

the Levo and see how I go, probably without getting another test done first.

Because, if my ferritin *hasn't* increased to 70, then what? I might as well try

the Levo anyway.

At least, that's how I feel about it today. I may change my mind tomorrow.

> Are you taking high doses of vitamin C e.g. 3/4000mgs daily? What iron

> supplements have you tried - the gentler one's are Spatone and I believe

> Bluebonnet is less aggressive than Ferrous Sulphate which is what the NHS

> usually prescribe.