NDT - funny spell

[fixit]

I have just raised my Erfa from 30mg to 60mg. I took 60 this morning and have just had a really horrible spell of feeling really unwell. I started to feel very dizzy with a feeling of pressure at the back of my head. My heart started to beat really fast and I felt disorientated and sick. Is this the Erfa? Anyone had similar?

[galathea]

Did you split the dose? Ie 30 in the morning and 30 at night or did you just hit your body with the doubled dose? If so, maybe just take the usual 30 for a couple of days, before adding another 30 some 12 hours away from when you usually take it.

Xx. g

[fixit in reply to galathea]

Thanks Galathea, my private practitioner told me to alternate 30 and 60 each day. I took 60 at 7 this morning. Feel a little better now. I will take your advice and drop back to 30 and then split the dose.

[Framboise]

I've taken ERFA for several years at 2.5 grains a day and never had a problem until my latest batch. I tried to switch from one batch to another by substituting bits of the new batch for the old as I knew some people had problems with it. Taking 2 grains of the old and 1/2 grain (30mg) of the new I had stomach upsets, but when I took 1.5 grains of the old and 1 grain of the new - so 60mg - I had an awful stomach upset and after about half an hour I felt pressure in my head became faint and dizzy and got palpitations and felt very hot. It wore off by the evening but was quite frightening and I reported the batch as faulty and haven't taken any more. Exactly the same happened when I tried Thiroid. Do you have the batch number and expiry date of your ERFA? This may be a co-incidence and not be anything to do with the ERFA in your case, but if you find it happens again it may be an idea to report it to Dr Knafo at ERFA here: [e-mail]

Also did you buy it from your homeopath (I checked a previous post of yours to see how long you'd been taking it) or take a prescription to a pharmacy? If you got it from your homeopath you could ask him if anyone else had a similar reaction. Unfortunately quite a few people are reporting similar reactions to ERFA at the moment. You could have a look at this thread on the STTM blog, it's page 4 of 4, which explains what some people are finding and gives some batch numbers:

stopthethyroidmadness.com/2...

I don't know if it's better to think it's the ERFA or something else, but good luck whichever it is!

[fixit]

Hi Framboise, what you describe is exactly how I felt. I have felt no improvements on 30, yet reacted as if I were overmedicated on 60 (which is only a small dose). I have heard of problems with Erfa but put it to the back of my mind. Am now thinking this could well be the problem. I will discuss with my homeopath who prescribed it. Many thanks for your advice.

[Framboise in reply to fixit]

Do you know the batch number and expiry date of your jar of ERFA? That would be the biggest clue to whether this is a case of the ERFA or needing to adjust to the dose.

[fixit in reply to Framboise]

Unfortunately I don't as my homeopath sends them out in a small bottle. He obviously buys in bulk but I will

let him know of my experience with it.

[Framboise in reply to fixit]

Oh that's a shame but it does mean you can ask him if anyone else has had a problem and would know that way.

[rosetrees]

When I tried Erfa it gave me awful headaches. I stopped taking it. I did purchase some thyroid-s, but it's still in the fridge. On the "to do" list of things to try.

[fixit]

Thanks Rosetrees, it has been given me headaches but I am trying to stick with it in the hope my body will get use to it. I am very drug sensitive and I tend to feel worse when going on or off any medication.

[Peacefullbliss]

I have no thyroid. I switched to WP Thyroid in May 2014 using the STTM protocol. Starting at 1 grain (65mg), raising every 10-14 days by 30mg until you get to 3 grains (180mg). Holding for 4-6 weeks at this level while you do labs. Then continuing to raise by 30mg till you get to an optimal level.

For me from grain 1 - 2 1/2 grains (unusual) I struggled. Pain at the back of my eyes, blinding headaches, vertigo etc. I had low iron which I supplemented to bring up. You body has to adjust to the addition of T3 again which takes time. For me it wasn't until I got to 2 1/2-3 grains that I started feeling great. I am now on 3 1/2 grains. Your body is getting used to this new medication which has T1, T2, T3 and calcitonin which was missing from T4 only meds.

NDT is a "big reveller". If you have deficiencies it will show it up. You should always test your cortisol (24 hour saliva test), iron (all 4), ferratin, B12 and D3 when making the switch to an NDT. If you have low iron or struggling adrenals you would have difficulties raising you dose.

[Framboise in reply to Peacefullbliss]

Peacefulbliss can I ask where you got your WP Thyroid from (please PM I think) and if you've had any problems with it getting too hot? That may sound funny but I've read here and on other forums that some people have found theirs has been stored somewhere too hot and the tablets have become sticky and not worked properly. It seems to make a difference whether they are dispensed from a pharmacy here with a prescription, or posted and take a while to get here. As I am self-treating I don't want to waste money if by ordering online and having them posted I get a heat damaged batch. I was on 'old' Armour, then ERFA, recently switched to Thyroid-S but just don't feel right and am worried about what to try next.

[Peacefullbliss in reply to Framboise]

I haven't had a problem with batches or tablets being sticky. I keep my tablets in the bottle they come in either in a draw (I don't put them in the freezer) or in my handbag.

[Framboise in reply to Peacefullbliss]

Thank you, that's good news!

[fixit]

Thanks Peacefullbliss for the advice. I did do the cortisol test which did show lower than norm levels. I have been on Nutri ThyroComplex and NutriAdrenomax for 2 months prior to starting NDT to address this and any vitamin deficiencies. Good to hear it may take a while to improve. Looks like perseverance and patience is the name of the game. Just felt a little frightened last night when I felt so ill.