Thyroid: Tinkering

Successful weaning, I've been off thyroid medication for three weeks and I didn't see any significant changes.  I weaned very slowly, by quarter tablet of T3 over many days at each dose.  At the end, I got ill, cold etc. with the same frequency as before.  Just to clarify, my most exasperating symptom is getting a headache with nausea and fatigue anywhere from noon-fourish and having my body basically check out for the day.   Before using iodine, this was happening 3-4 times a week.  Now, it's decreased to several times a month, often bunched together.  (It always resolves with sleep.) 

Just prior to starting tapering off the thyroid medication, my hair started falling out again.  I'm wondering if that is iron related, so I've started supplementing with iron for one week each month and we'll see how that goes for my next labs.  (I had stopped since my level had reached normal.)  I've removed all the other regular supplements too except for 1/4 tab of iodine and fish oil.  I even take the multivitamin only on weekends and I've decreased Melatonin to 3mg each night.  So... I'm eating healthy whole foods and quite pleased to focus on that for my complete nutrition!

Happily off lots of pills, but still getting ill.  What next?  About one week ago I decided to try the Low Dose Naltrexone.  It is a medication that can take two months to show effect and supposedly has no side effects at this dose (3mg instead of the 50mg it is prescribed for for non-autoimmune issues).  I've been taking it for about a week and haven't noticed anything negative.  On the positive side, the few times I've been feeling ill it hasn't progressed to the same degree of discomfort and once it actually resolved (highly unusual for me to start feeling ill and rally without sleep)!  The pilot studies appear well done and show great promise.  As something autoimmune (thyroid or other) seems the most likely cause and this trial appears safe to me, that is my next attempt.   Here's to figuring this all out with some trial and, hopefully, not too much more error!

Still having tons of fun... I taught my kiddo very basic sewing to put patches on his Halloween costume :)   He's going as the daytime sky.  Blue with birds, dragon flies, clouds, and a smily sun... gotta love that creativity!