My doctor says that giving me dessicated thyroid would be like giving me speed. Is this true?

[Jacolet4]

[Hidden]

I don't know why it is that some doctors tend to press the panic button and say the first thing that comes into their head when dealing with hypothyroidism. NDT MAY be exactly what you need and if it is carefully diagnosed and monitored will certainly not act like speed. That was a very ignorant comment and I suspect he knows nothing about NDT.

You may wish to show him the second article on this page: thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/resear... He should be able to prescribe it for you on a named patient basis.

If you find that it is NOT what you need you have other options like adding T3, or T3 alone. It is a matter of finding what suits you best.

Jane x

[Angel_of_the_North]

Good grief! Has this doctor any knowledge of biochemistry at all? "Speed" (an amphetamine, eg dextroamphetamine sulfate) is usually prescribed to children for ADHD or for things like narcolepsy (which my aunt had). It increases noradrenaline and dopamine. It is chemically quite different from a natural T4, T3, calcitonin mixture like NDT.

The only similarities I can see are that taking too much of either make you have "hyper" symptoms - anxiety, raised heart rate etc, but you can get acute paranoia and hallucinations with speed - not heard that reported with NDT! "Speed" is addictive, but AFAIK NDT is not. But a doctor should make sure you are on the correct amount.

[shaws Administrator]

Why do they try to frighten you, when they clearly do not know what the consistency of NDT is. First of all it has been in use for more than 100 years, is more synergistic to the human body and replaces what is missing in hypo, T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin and maybe other things we are yet unaware.

Levothyroxine (much cheaper) is deemed perfect by the RCoP and BTA and although some may appear to do well many do not. We should be allowed to trial an alternative at the very least.

Levothyroxine has had more recalls than NDT so a lot of people had to have problems with levo before it was withdrawn.

[Hidden]

Let me guess. NHS gp? they are ignorant and totally uneducated about ndt...and it shows

[Essybabe]

My GP said this last month - said I'd feel great for a few weeks before an inevitable crash.

[Muffy]

I believe that doctors have to justify what they say, so get an explanation from him/her.

Natural desiccated thyroid was the only medication for hypothyroidism before thyroxine.

[PinkNinja]

Wow! I am actually at a loss for words and that almost never happens, believe me!

There are some excellent answers above. NDT is just replacing what you thyroid is failing to produce so it would be nothing like giving you speed. I am absolutely amazed at the ignorance of some doctors. They give the rest a bad name!

I hope you get your NDT eventually.

Carolyn x

Had to edit due to crazy auto correct. It came out as I'm absolutely smashed instead of I'm absolutely amazed. I promise you not a drop off alcohol has passed these lips! Lol.

[Hidden in reply to PinkNinja]

you gotta love 'smart' phones!

What I can't get my head around is that NDT (& others) are Hormones - not drugs!

and are just replacing what your thyroid is not producing (as you say) J

[PinkNinja in reply to Hidden]

I'm stuck with my phone as the laptop is poorly. I can type much faster, and more accurately, on the laptop!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

There is, of course, one very significant difference. Several amphetamine-related medicines are listed in BNF. Despite being Class 2 controlled drugs with many known serious side effects. Including (ironically, I feel) "hyperthyroidism". There are also endless arguments about the use of amphetamines.

Desiccated thyroid is a very much safer medicine. Anyone taking too much would usually tend to reduce their dose and not allow themselves to become truly hyperthyroid. Further, most people who would take it have already been diagnosed with a disorder which requires thyroid hormone replacement or supplementation. The argument is really only about precisely which form that is taken in. Most of the possible danger seems to lie in possible long-term slight overdose (or, indeed, underdose!). Any such long-term dose issue could be checked out and considered calmly.

(Obviously some people are not diagnosed when we might all think they should be, and doses might be a source of disagreement.)

Rod

[Zephyrbear]

Has this man any knowledge at all about the history of thyroid disease? If he did he wouldn't make such a stupidly ignorant remark!!! With just a simple Google search he would have found: 'Desiccated thyroid or thyroid extract, refers to porcine (or mixed beef and pork) thyroid glands, dried and powdered for therapeutic use. Pork (or mixed beef and pork) thyroid preparations were developed in the late 19th century, and are still used today to treat hypothyroidism, the condition of having an underactive thyroid gland. This product is sometimes referred to as "natural thyroid", "natural thyroid hormones", "pork thyroid", thyroid USP, thyroid BP, or by the name of a commercial brand, such as "Armour Thyroid" or "Nature-Throid" & "Westhroid".'

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desic...

Or is he so stupid as to think all thyroid patients given this remedy from the 19th century onwards were as high as kites, preparing to jump off high buildings thinking they could fly? Is he the future of medicine??? I do hope not!

[ellarose1234]

Good Grief! Change doctors! Don't even think about it.

[archipoeta53]

And a published study in July links synthetic T4 only with lung cancer in females. Would your GP prescribe you cigarettes

Here is a neat journalistic summary of a recent Italian study in July's Journal of Reproductive Endocrinology

greenmedinfo.com/blog/study...

and here is the article itself

rbej.com/content/11/1/75

I hope this is helpful. Good luck.