Are you on thyroid medication and are looking for ways to come off it?
I was. And I learnt the hard way.
Now, anyone who has suffered with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s will know just how debilitating it can be when your thyroid gland doesn’t work as it should do.
The medical approach to addressing the problem is to put you straight on medication. I was advised to do that back in my early 20s when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism.
Well, as I was becoming more and more aware of natural ways of addressing health issues, I thought that I should just stop taking my thyroid medication.
It was a BIG mistake.
Let me share more with you in this video:
Why You Should Never Suddenly Stop Thyroid Medication
Over the last 7 years, we’ve worked with hundreds of clients.
Hormonal, including thyroid imbalances are experienced by most of the women who come to work with us.
Whilst we’ve seen some of our clients successfully come off their thyroid medication, some women need to remain on it.
And if you want to try and wean yourself off it, you should definitely do this whilst under your doctor’s supervision, gradually, and by addressing other underlying factors that may be adversely affect your thyroid.
So here are just some of the reasons why you should not abruptly stop taking your thyroid medication.
1. Your body is reliant upon medication it must be given hormone medication as it just can’t produce any or anywhere near enough of its own.
If you have no thyroid due to a (thyroidectomy) or Hashimotos for a prolonged period of time, too much damage may have been caused and your thyroid can’t produce the hormones that are needed for your body to function properly. Coming off medication won’t help the issue …
2. HPT axis communication (hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid gland). This is the communication network between your hypothalamus gland, pituitary gland (both in your brain) and your thyroid gland. If you are already taking thyroid medication for hypothyroidism, then this will interfere with this whole system.
The problem if you suddenly stop taking your thyroid hormone replacement is that your body has not had any time to adjust itself to the sudden loss of hormones that you have been giving it.
And this loss of hormones can actually take weeks or even months for your thyroid to start producing by itself again, if at all.
3. Your medication might not be the issue. You might be feeling really bad and have all the thyroid symptoms, but it may have little or nothing to do with your actual thyroid medication. Your diet, your gut health, nutrient levels, including other important lifestyle factors can have a very big impact upon your health and how you feel and this is something we see with so many of our clients who have thyroid issues.
4. Supplements can’t replace thyroid medication. Supplements should not be taken as a replacement for actual thyroid hormone medications.
They can certainly have their place in a healthy regime to support your thyroid, but there are many other factors to consider.
For example, taking large doses of iodine can actually hurt your thyroid gland instead of supporting it, as we explain here.
So here are a few more sensible actions that you can take instead of suddenly stopping your thyroid medication:
- Work on removing the root cause of your thyroid imbalances, including optimizing your liver, gut, losing excess weight, changing your nutrition plan, etc.
- Try a different hormone replacement if you feel your current one is not working well for you. Don’t be reluctant to go and see your doctor and explain how you are feeling. Symptoms are very important. If your doctor is not helpful, then find a new one.
- Alter your dose of thyroid medication.
- Support your thyroid with some supplementation that is going to help it function to its best potential,
Ready for your big health leap?
We’re excited to invite you to our FREE online masterclass.
During our training, we’ll walk you through the 5 steps our clients use to overcome hormonal imbalances and drop 10-50 pounds of extra weight … whilst never restricting themselves of carbohydrates and sugar.
Don’t miss out, claim your spot here!
P.S. If you want us to help you reverse your hormonal issues, reduce or get off medication and release weight naturally – schedule your Health Accelerator Call and let’s talk about your next steps.
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My TSH was 41 the highest my doctor ever saw, and he wanted me to go on medication right away I told him I want to hold off and see if I can help myself and I did I reversed my hoshimotos thyroiditis naturally But I have never started my synthroid medication Once you start with the meds it’s very hard to get off Do your research before you start taking meds
Exactly what we teach people as well – do everything you can to avoid going on medication, address the root cause.
Amen! Absolutely never ever stop thyroid meds or any other drug that affects hormone levels abruptly. The brain neurotransmitters were initially known as Neuro-hormones because they ARE hormones & affect mood & behaviour. For example I work as an expert in violent crime produced by medications – generally antidepressants. But a couple of years ago I called on the case of a young mother I had assumed must be an antidepressant-induced murder of a 5 month old baby by his mother.
The mother was absolutely shocked at what she had done & telling everyone to look at what she had done to the baby. That often is indicative of a REM Sleep Disorder where you act out nightmares in a dream state. It has LONG been known as a drug withdrawal state but now 86% of those found to be suffering it are currently using antidepressants! This deadly sleep disorder has long been known to include both murder & suicide – after all, what are nightmares made of? When I spoke with the mother’s parents, the baby’s grandparents, I was shocked to learn this family had heard previous media interviews I had done & were already aware of the dangers & were avoiding those drugs. But this young mother had been very busy moving into a new home when she ran out of her thyroid pill & had been too busy moving to refill it. So the pill had been abruptly discontinued a month before this tragedy-apparently just long enough to severely disrupt her sleep. Any longer a very large number of prescription meds can produce this in abrupt withdrawal produce this effect, making it critical to wean very gradually off any prescription drug. Be very careful & REMEMBER that nearly all illegal drugs started out as a “safe & effective” prescription drug. Also massive numbers of thyroid disorders are caused by the use of antidepressants. PLAY IT SAFE & MAKE FOOD YOUR MEDICATION! While dying of cancer 45 years ago I made food my medicine & have never seen a doctor since then! It works!
Yes, exactly. Many people can come off meds, but gradually.
I am not on thyroid meds, but I would like to test if I have issues with it. My drs won’t test for it. They only focus on looking when a issue comes up not preventing it. How do I know if I have issues with thyroid and how do I self test?
You would need to get your blood tested at a lab, either with a more amenable doctor or a private clinic. The thyroid panel should also include thyroid antibody tests as well, which is very important.
My TSH is 1.65, I’ve been on Synthroid for a few years and cannot get answers for my chronic fatigue, Insomnia, night sweats, etc. I’ve switched to T3 and T4 meds, no difference in my energy what so ever. I want to wean off and start taking a natural supplement and see how I’m feeling. If it does improve, I’ll retest at the lab…if it’s still not better, I’ll just go back on Synthroid at a lower dose and monitor my symptoms. It’s been about 8 years, every specialist rules everything out because all tests are normal. I’m thinking this medication is the main cause and that maybe, just maybe I’m still borderline hypothyroidism but not enough to need medication. So we shall see.
Have you tested for Hashimoto’s? There are so many things you can do to reduce your symptoms and start thriving. Why don’t you hop on a call with us to see if we can help inside our coaching program? http://www.rawsomehealthy.com/apply