Any other long time Hypothyroid guy's here?

**EverettCD** · 08-16-2013, 07:28 PM

I was originally diagnosed as having Hypothyroid when I was around 11-12 years old. Now, 34 years old I have been on TRT for about 9 months. I have been taking Levothyroxine @ .137MG for 8 years or so, BW hasn't indicated a need to change dosage. Has anyone else here been Hypothyroid for many years & end up on TRT 20+ years later?

My Dr. says being Hypothyroid all these years is "probably" what caused my Low Test levels. I'm just now beginning to research Hypothyroid causing Hypogonadism.

**powerlifterty16** · 08-16-2013, 07:51 PM

hypothyroid does cause low t he is right...i think i may have hypo even though i was skinny all my life...my tsh is a little high..that's why im considering seeing dr shippen who is an expert in hypogonadism and thyroid.

**powerlifterty16** · 08-16-2013, 07:52 PM

your doctor is a very smart man, a lot of drs dont know thyroid lssues lower t

**EverettCD** · 08-17-2013, 08:44 PM

Found a informative site about thyroid issues:

Stop the Thyroid Madnessâ„¢ - Hypothyroidism and thyroid mistreatment

**EverettCD** · 09-02-2013, 06:36 PM

Has anyone gone from taking T4 only meds to Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) with great success?

**FRDave** · 09-02-2013, 06:40 PM

Couldn't you just take T3 since T4 converts to T3 in the liver?

**powerlifterty16** · 09-02-2013, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by FRDave

Couldn't you just take T3 since T4 converts to T3 in the liver?

i always find it best to take the active hormone as opposed to the prohormone..so i agree..but i think there is a reason for taking t4..im going to google it.

i think natural desicated thyroid is t3 though..so op is going that direction

**powerlifterty16** · 09-02-2013, 06:45 PM

search lets discuss t3 vs t4...it is on e.li.te fitness has some good points

**FRDave** · 09-02-2013, 06:48 PM

Looks like NDT is a combo to T4 & T3 so I would think this is better, but may be hard to dose based on your individual needs. Then again, if supplementing, your natural production, if any, is shut down so I'm sure they use the correct amounts knowing your body converts approx 80% T4 to T3...

**Sgt. Hartman** · 09-02-2013, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by powerlifterty16

i always find it best to take the active hormone as opposed to the prohormone..so i agree..but i think there is a reason for taking t4..im going to google it.

i think natural desicated thyroid is t3 though..so op is going that direction

T3 is the more "active" thyroid hormone. But the majority of it is converted from thyroxine t4 which is why doctors as the first step usually treat hypothyroidism with t4.

Op is taking t4, levothyroxine is synthetic t4.

**FRDave** · 09-02-2013, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by Sgt. Hartman

T3 is the more "active" thyroid hormone. But the majority of it is converted from thyroxine t4 which is why doctors as the first step usually treat hypothyroidism with t4.

Op is taking t4, levothyroxine is synthetic t4.

Any reason to treat with T4 and not T3 directly? Or a combo of the two?

Or is it like TRT where most Dr's are just set in their ways and not up to date?

**powerlifterty16** · 09-02-2013, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Sgt. Hartman

T3 is the more "active" thyroid hormone. But the majority of it is converted from thyroxine t4 which is why doctors as the first step usually treat hypothyroidism with t4.

Op is taking t4, levothyroxine is synthetic t4.

yeah that's what i was saying is t3 is active t4 is pro, but i dont understand your logic in the second sentence..why not treat with t3 and skip the t4?

reading on another forum they said its safer to let the body convert t4 to t3 as opposed t forcing t3 in the system...i guess this can be applied to trt and hrt? maybe hcg therapy and clomid is safer than test?

**Sgt. Hartman** · 09-02-2013, 09:17 PM

I'm not sure about calling t4 a pro hormone it does have biological effect just like t3 but not nearly as much.

I think the reasoning for starting hypothyroid treatment with t4 is that it is much less suppressive to TSH than t3 so it could be considered milder and a more conservative treatment. It's the natural way the body does it and there could be some benefit in the conversion process (via deoidinase enzymes) itself.

Armour which is a combination of the 2 is becoming more and more popular in treating hypothyroidism as many people already have or develop issues with converting t4 to t3. IMO most people consider it superior than treatment with either of the thyroid hormones by themselves.