Changing brands of NDT....?

[sporty333]

hi,

just wonder if anyone has changed brands of NDT and noticed any differences? I was on Erfa for a year and as of monday i changed over to Armour. I've had an annoying headache from tuesday.......

Cheers

Si

[erfathyroid]

I have been on erfa for over 1year .getting nowhere. wondering why you come off it.

[sporty333 in reply to erfathyroid]

..i put in a repeat prescription for Erfa but my gp gave me one for Armour! :0/

[galathea]

I went hypothyroid on Erfa and I know of someone else who didn't get on with it. I also went hypothyroid on Thyroid S.

I do fine with Naturethroid and with thiroyd, have never tried Armour but it was reformulated a few years ago and a lot of people struggled.

Might be worth you changing brands?

G

[sporty333 in reply to galathea]

...lol...changing brands!?!? i just got another 8 months supple off my GP! i can imagine his face if i asked him to try another brand cause i have a headache.....

Si

[erfathyroid in reply to galathea]

Yes KEEP going hypo. Say Armour and Era same. where do you get your meds from. Feeling rotten.

[Clarebear]

I always get a headache on Armour when I increase the dose - maybe you are experiencing this due to the slightly higher ratio of T3 to T4 in Armour compared to Erfa? x

[sporty333 in reply to Clarebear]

yeah we always get a headache when we raise don't we Claire! lol I've not really raised my actually level though. its been 3 grains for 2 weeks now. Thats the only difference i have noticed this week. a horrible headache from yesterday afternoon and a low level one today. You think its the Armour then? x

[Clarebear in reply to sporty333]

There is more T3 in 3 grains of Armour than 3 grains of Erfa, so I suspect it is that - hopefully will settle after a few more days. x

[sporty333 in reply to Clarebear]

oh i didn't know that! i thought they were the same levels!

Do you know anything about Armour being inferior, Claire?

x

[Clarebear]

I don't think it is inferior (in fact G implied that Erfa was less effective for her), but I do think different brands suit different people, and it is a case of trial and error.

I always chew my Armour, as I read that this is necessary on the STTM website, after the reformulation - it works for me x

[galathea in reply to Clarebear]

Well. both erfa and Thyroid S are less effective for me, because I go hypo with them. However, lots of people do fine with them.

Thyroid S is supposed to be close to Erfa and there is a description of how thyroid S is different to Thiroyd. (which suits me) on the thyroidS website. - the difference being in the coating and the fillers. Thyroid S (and I presume Erfa) are designed to have a longer shelf life. it appears that this, for me, is a problem.

I don't believe any brands are inferior, they all contain roughly the same amount of hormones but some suit people better than others. I was just pointing this out because it may be that no one is aware of it.....

It's like trying to compare washing powder, you won't know till you try, though in theory they are all the same.

G x

[Rynner in reply to galathea]

Hi Galathea,

How do you mean you go hypo on Thyroid-S? is it because you don't want to dose higher than Thiroyd? I find I can take 4 grains of Thyroid-S but still don't feel its enough

[sporty333 in reply to Clarebear]

...when you say chew Claire? I pop the pill in and chew it like food...? do you swallow with water.....:0) x

[Clarebear in reply to sporty333]

Sometimes with water but if out and about just on its own - mmmm yum yum (not) lol

[sporty333 in reply to Clarebear]

ssounds like my old clubbing days claire ;0) x

[sporty333 in reply to Clarebear]

reply below.....

[shaws Administrator]

I tried several NDT's but not Armour. I have found that Nature-throid suits me very well. Whether it is because it is hypoallergenic, I don't know. The makers also make Westhroid which is also hypoallergenic.

[erfathyroid in reply to shaws]

You say you have tried several NDT brands. have you ever tried erfa. I have been taking it for long time. Still feel bad. increase, decrease. have days then go down.

[shaws Administrator in reply to erfathyroid]

Yes, I tried Erfa for quite a while but began to get palpitations again (I did whilst on levo too) but have had no problems since I switched, I also sleep well too.

[sporty333 in reply to erfathyroid]

Yeah that sounds like me..... Up and down, u and down! No days are the same :0(

[erfathyroid in reply to sporty333]

I have been trying to get right for 13 years. Levo no good Went on to ERFA. not doing well, with help from doctors. I cannot go by blood tests, so its hard. Now gone over with help from private doctor. Temps have gone down.36.4 36.1. 36.2. pulse 83 63 missing beat. 84. t4=23.9. t3=9.7. tsh=0.02.

[sporty333 in reply to erfathyroid]

13 years!!! what keeps you going and not giving up E?!?!

[erfathyroid in reply to sporty333]

Knowing i have days when i feel better. Sent referral letter to another private doctor, recommended by someone . Hope to get appointment soon. How are you doing on Erfa. Doctor at London hospital decreased my dose down to 90, she was going by my blood test. could not walk went back in wheel chair.Had to start again. Who put you on Erfa. I need someone to tell me, whats happening to me. local doctors no good, all go by blood test. i know that is no good to me. So i keep messing up. Went to see private thyroid doctor 4 weeks ago. 2nd appointment he did not have my file, so could not remember what he had told me to do. He has put me over medicated. My temps were up i was felling good at the time. now had to decrease dose, now temps dropped. Yes i have felt like giving up, but what can you do.

[sporty333 in reply to erfathyroid]

..i'm not longer on Erfa. My GP didn't listen to my repeat prescription request and just gave me one for Armour. lol Oh well.....Erfa i never noticed anything while taking it. Well i tell a lie, when i stopped it once for 5 days i got a lot worse. Its working out why there's this seesaw of being better then worse again isn't it....

[erfathyroid in reply to sporty333]

More downs than ups with me.WHO PUT YOU ON Erfa?. How much are you taking.You would think with every increase in dose, you would feel better. But you do not. Think this is it. then go down. Armour what dose you up too.

[sporty333 in reply to erfathyroid]

yeah my Gp gave me the Erfa when i asked him. I am now on 3 grains a day of it. I'm in the process of working out why i get the downs.....instead of staying up! lol

[erfathyroid in reply to sporty333]

Me also just gone down to 3. grains 6 days in. My GP would not.How you feeling? I was o.k for few days, taking 31/4 grains. then went to private Endo, He said 31/4 not enough. take 31/2. 2 weeks later says go back to 3grains. what a mess

[erfathyroid in reply to sporty333]

SORRY brain fog. You get prescription from doctor. My doctor would not give prescription for n.d.t. Have to buy it.

[nobodysdriving in reply to erfathyroid]

have you tried T3 only? maybe you need only T3 and your body cannot tolerate any T4? (NDT has T4)

[erfathyroid in reply to nobodysdriving]

hi no. not tried that. My t3 is high =9.4. might be my body can not tolerate t4. I have sent referral letter to a doctor on Louise Warvill good doctor list. people say she is very good. Waiting to hear from her. My cortisol level is in range, but bottom of range. So have to make list of all these things. what are your thyroid levels like? Sent doctor all blood tests. So now have to wait for reply.Are you feeling the same as me? ill and weak. I just shut myself away, people do not understand this. You feel like a nut case, and i think people think you are. Doctors do not know much about thyroid.Good that your doctor gave you prescription. All should. Helps talking to people in the same boat.

[erfathyroid]

Hi. Do you need prescription for Nature Thyroid, where do you get it from? I have been getting Erfa via Dr.S. Either up or down. down most of time. Feel bad.