If you have this active gene, it can take a LOT of thyroid meds

I, Janie, along with a few who reported to me, noticed that there were some hypothyroid patients (of any cause) who seemed to need quite the higher amount of thyroid meds than others did. They needed those high amounts to even begin to be free of their symptoms. The gene causing this issue is called the THRb gene.
~Janie Bowthorpe, thyroid patient and site creator

In the early days of STTM (Stop the Thyroid Madness), there was a gal who loved riding motorcycles who said she had to be on 8 grains (eight of the 60 mg pills) of desiccated thyroid (NDT) to even begin to feel better and have an optimal FT3. We were shocked!

She said after starting her desiccated thyroid, and doing normal raises, she still had symptoms. She kept raising and raising and raising, and to her shock, it was taking quite a few raises to even notice anything, and it was 8 grains before she felt wonderful again!

The THRb gene

THRB stands for Thyroid Hormone Resistance beta. It means your cell receptors to T3 (the active thyroid hormone) are not as sensitive to the T3 as other people who do not have this mutation. An analogy: Picture that you tend to be cold-natured. So whereas a family member who is more hot-natured with a higher metabolism would only need a lightweight jacket in cool weather, YOU might end up needing a down jacket plus a sweater underneath!!

So with this problem, the total amount of T3 that might make many others finally feel wonderful with an optimal free T3 (and that amount of T3 varies between the individuals) won’t do it for you!!

Symptoms

You might find yourself with an enlarged thyroid, or high circulating levels of T4 and T3, and just plain continued symptoms! And sometimes, the TSH doesn’t become suppressed like it does for others on their right amount of T3 that finally relieves you of your hypothyroid symptoms.

Should you test for the THRb gene?

If you keep going higher and higher and higher as compared to others (let’s say over 4 grains of NDT and/or over 100 mcg of T3 and still have symptoms) it might be worth it to ask your doctor to test this gene. Why? Because docs may not know about this, and they could resist the high amounts of NDT or T3 you can need to get rid of those symptoms! So get proof!

(This STTM page is still work in process)

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