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Becky's avatar

I’ve been on Synthroid for 25 years. Recently lost my taste and smell (no covid) and in my research I see that long-term Synthroid use can be a cause. Don’t know the mechanism though, or what if anything I can do. Or if I can get off of it. Working with a homeopathic doctor at the moment, but homeopathy is slow and “try this, try that.”

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Karmy's avatar

Homeopathy is slow because the homeopath is trying to detox your body from what allopathic drugs did to get you to this point. Be patient.

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Fred's avatar

And be very aware of cognitive changes. Friend missed some early signs when HMO switched her to generic.

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Joni's avatar

I use Armour Thyroid and have for 25 years. It is a natural product made from animal thyroid glands (usually a pig's). Only had to have it adjusted once. It also has to be prescribed. For some reasons most doctors run to Synthroid since its synthetic. My parents were on it for years, and my mom still is. Dad passed away in 8/2021.

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Becky's avatar

I did use Armour for a time but often had trouble getting it because of their production issues. My doctor also said that Synthroid was more precise in measurement of the hormone. But I’ll look into Armour again.

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Joni's avatar

Armour has T3 and T4, so I've stayed on it. I've read about other natural ones, so possibly check those out. Armour has been around for years. My doctor at the time was not familiar with it so he called the compounding pharmacy and reviewed it with them for over a half hour. The pharmacist told me he never had a doctor do that before. Unfortunately, he retired right before covid hit! He was the best!

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E.Z. Prine's avatar

My medical plan doesn't cover it. They only cover the synthetic because that's where the money is. I had a good experience on Armour and paid out of pocket for it until I moved to England, where coverage varied from one place to another.

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Joni's avatar

I basically pay for it. They barely cover it under the plan I have now. When I worked they covered more of it, but the Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. are similar to what you are experiencing.

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Krystine Kercher's avatar

Often, losing your sense of taste and smell is associated with a magnesium deficiency. (and with being low on other trace minerals like manganese).

Although being on Synthroid for that long can be very bad for your health in other ways and even cause cancer, there may also be other contributing causes. (Synthroid is a "BandAid, not a cure." It doesn't actually correct the imbalance, and can leave other major organs without adequate hormonal support, causing a failure cascade further down the road.)

Filtered water can also be a culprit in depleting magnesium and trace minerals, as all of the good minerals are filtered out along with all of the toxins. Drinking electrolytes can really help. Deep Roots at Home has an article about how to make "salt sole," which can also help with mineral replenishment.

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Becky's avatar

Thank you. It’s definitely past time for me to find an alternative to Synthroid.

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Fred's avatar

Just fyi, C can also cause that with zero other symptoms. Weird, huh?

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Becky's avatar

If that is the cause, does one simply wait for the return of taste and smell? I tried nicotine patches, seeing online that it worked for some, but not for me.

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InquizitiveOne's avatar

Go to https://covid19criticalcare.com/ and look for treatment

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Fred's avatar

Not much choice, I guess. 😢 I will add that the folks I know for whom it worked used the gum. Local effect??? Have no idea.

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