I finally got my Endo to prescribed NDT (Nature Throid to be exact) about 5 months ago. I've been taking 4 grains for the past 2 months and haven't really noticed much difference if any. I went back to him yesterday, told him I don't feel much better but don't feel worse either, he said "yes that's often the case when people switch to NDT, we might as well get you back on the thyroxine now". I said "well rather than do that, how about I try some Armour instead" - HE ACTUALLY LAUGHED AT ME. So annoyed. I asked my own GP to do 24 saliva test but he refused and just did a cortisol blood test which came back 'normal'. I just give up on the doctors, I really do. I'm so fed up with them all! I have so many health issues and no proper diagnosis!
Anyway, I was going to try Armour but it's much more expensive - do you think it's worth it? It is better than Nature Throid?
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MoaningLisa
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MoaningLisa, Your endo is wrong to say it's 'often' the case when people switch from Levothyroxine to NDT. Most people stick with it for a few months before switching to another brand as some have found it can take up to 6 months to work. Like everything, different brands work for different people. It's certainly worth trying Armour before giving up on NDT though, if you can afford to.
Some people haven't done well on various brands of NDT and usually switch to T4+T3 or T3 only.
(please email Louise with details, louise.warvill@thyroiduk.org)
Having recently come off NDT in the hope my annual blood test will prove my half thyroid is struggling - yes it works, but now I go to work (just) come home & sleep (but I cannot comment on the efficacy of Levo as not had the opportunity to try it).
Hope you've sorted out any deficiencies first in order for any hormone replacement to work. Irons, ferritin, folate & B12 and D3 - just for starters... J
Hi Lisa, I doubt that Armour will make any improvement. I've been on Armour and Erfa and found them both excellent. I also think Naturethroid had good reports. You may be showing tissue resistance due to other factors. Have you optimized all the other factors?
I was supervised quite carefully when I came off levo and on to Armour, which was about 8 years ago via Dr P (private). After several months on Armour I felt no better, although the dosage was gradually increased. I can't remember how many grains I was taking when I actually started to deteriorate.
T3 monotherapy was advised at that point and the dose very gradually increased. Over the years, all kinds of problems disappeared that I had thought were caused by other conditions, though progress has been slow. The longer you've been hypothyroid - since childhood in my own case - and the longer you've been untreated or on unsuitable treatment, the slower the progress may be. I have a range of other chronic problems, so my health is still poor. But at least I don't have all the old hypo symptoms!
Your consultant laughed at you? What a toe rag. Bear in mind that even a more 'sympathetic' endo will not have the patience to see how things go with different treatments and dosages over a long period of time. They need to discharge patients back to GPs asap.
Doctors will often tell you to just replace your levo with NDT, I'm sure they do this so they can 'prove' it doesn't work!! You need to stop your levo for at least 2 weeks before taking NDT and build up from about 1/4 grain.
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