total Erfa confusion

Hi,

I am very confused.

I have been on Erfa Thyroid for the past 15 months. I am now on what the STTM website calls "reformulated Erfa".

Until April, I was on 125 mg pills. I took four a day = 8 grains.

Labs in late April:

FT4 1.0 (ref 0.7-1.5)

FT3 3.5 (ref 1.7-3.7)

TSH <0.001

I then switched to smaller pills (30 and 60 mg), still taking 8 grains a day. These are my latest labs, from early September:

FT4 3.3 (ref 0.7-1.5)

FT3 6.6 (ref 1.7-3.7)

TSH <0.001

On 4 pills of 125 mg daily, I still had some hypo symptoms, funnily enough. I found it almost impossible to lose weight, I felt slightly sluggish and cold. On the 30 and 60 mg pills, I feel just fine, I have lost 10 kilograms in the past two months, I get comments on how much better I look, but I have one problem: severe itching. I did not have this problem on the 2 grain. Plus, my labs most recent labs indicate seriously hyperthyroid.

I have read that the various Erfa pills contain different fillers and binders, so that could explain why I seem to react better to the smaller pills (except the itching).

I have now gone down to 7.5 grains daily, but the itching is still there. I have been wondering if maybe I should go back on the 2 grain pills (would also be more cost-effective), and take maybe 8,5, 9 grains or even more? Funnily enough, the 2 grain pills did not make me itch (not even 8 grains daily) but, on the other hand, they were less effective in revving up my metabolism and making me lose water weight...

I admit to being at a total loss here, and would really appreciate any input from you. I have been considering trying NP Thyroid or one of the Thai brands but, since I have been doing well on Erfa, I would hesitate to switch...

[Hidden]

PS. I have another question: before going on Erfa, I was on Armour Thyroid. I did OK on the smaller pills (up to 120 mg), yet lousy on the bigger ones. On 5 grains daily (120x2 + 60, or 90x3 + 30) my labs were:

FT4 1.1 (ref 0.7-1.5)

FT3 2.9 (ref 1.7-3.7)

TSH <0.001

My doctor said my FTs were lowish, and switched me to Erfa where I have remained since.

But now, given the itching on high doses of Erfa, I am starting to wonder if I should have given Armour a chance...I mean, I seem to need +/- 8 grains of Erfa to rid myself of all symptoms...does this mean that I would have felt better, and my labs looked better, had I raised the Armour?! On Armour, I never went above 5 grains...

[waveylines in reply to Hidden]

So sorry to hear about the problems you are experiencing with Erfa. I was on Erfa for three years -I did really well on it until about 10 months ago. I gradually declined and despite increasing dose of Erfa I became more and more hypothyroid. There are quite a few people complaining about Erfa Thyroid online -will give you a link to this at the end. Anyway I became so poorly that I had to go sick off work. Last July I switched brands to WP Thyroid -it has three natural fillers in it -it has taken me 2-3 months to get back to my old self. I am now much better and my hypothyroid symptoms have gone. ( albeit I still have about three stone in weight to loose that I gained!)

My understanding about Erfa Thyroid is that they switched factories, the country it is manufactured in and changed their pill compression machinery. I went to see an Endocrinologist and she said she had not had much success with using Erfa Thyroid......

I did well on Armour Thyroid until they reformulated it in 2009 -I then crashed but spotted it more quickly then I did on Erfa. I am definitely sensitive to the fillers -I think -in particular cellulose. I understand the the low grains of Armour have been formulated back to the old Armour recipe.

So you may wish to consider switching brands.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/2...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/2...

[Framboise in reply to waveylines]

Waveylines sorry to but in here but could you please PM where you get your WP from and if it has been consistent both times? I heard from Edysia and Tony that hers wasn't effective due to getting too hot either in the US or during posting to her here, so I was hesitant to try it and didn't want to get it from the same pharmacy as hers, but I need to find something else to take now ERFA isn't so good.

Thanks!

[Clutter]

Anna, try taking an antihistamine an hour before you take your Erfa. If it relieves the itching it seems likely that one of the fillers is causing you problems. I have seen members report problems with one dose of NDT (not just Erfa) but are fine on a different dose of the same brand.

Your FT3 and FT4 are double the top of range which suggests you are overmedicated. I don't know whether this would cause itching.

thyroid.about.com/od/thyroi...

[tarzan23]

I am not an expert but in the meantime while you are sorting out the root cause of itching please try melon juice, it does relief itchiness, blend it with the seeds! Good luck xx

[Caze]

Oh dear I was going to try Erfa as I understood it cd be taken sublingually so avoiding the gut. I am finding it difficult trying to take iron plus thyroid meds. Are there any other NDT of T3 meds which bypass the gut?

[waveylines]

STTM hav a list of other thyroid meds and which ones you can do under your tongue:-

stopthethyroidmadness.com/a...