What is Whole Thyroid?

[helvella]

We have seen several mentions of Whole Thyroid (or WholeThyroid) here. It is not something most of us know anything about, so when I found this brief description, I thought it might be worth posting.

Some GPs are comfortable prescribing whole thyroid (a prescription only medication in NZ) while others are not. There have been minimal side effects reported from patients on whole thyroid, although patients allergic to porcine products are likely to have adverse reactions. The same process is followed as on Thyroxine, where patients are tried on a dosing regime and adjustments made as required, patients can monitor their temperature to also gauge their progress. Whole thyroid is available as a compounded medicine and can be provided by a number of pharmacies in New Zealand. Pharmaceutical Compounding NZ Limited (PCNZ) specialises in compounded hormone supplementation and is an informative resource for Doctors and patients who wish to pursue this avenue of treatment.

thyroid.org.nz/treatment-op...

Note: This site is actually run by a pharmacy in New Zealand - it is not meant to be any form of endorsement nor to suggest they can supply without prescription.

[shaws]

Thanks Rod. It's informative so it is another form of NDT (i.e. compounded).

[Spareribs]

I'd not heard of it but a good name, a better approach 'whole' implies there's nothing missing (unlike the 'government funded' synthetic version). 'Tho Synthroid isn't government funded either- so it's not like they automatically fund all synthetic versions, so why not a natural one next? (I would think this would happen in NZ if anywhere).

Again I'm sure I read that diabetics who couldn't tolerate the newer synthetic insulin remained on the animal version, a choice was recognised.

I like the nutritional support paragraph too, it promotes well-rounded sensible information (to me anyway!) J

[waveylines]

I have friend who is dialectic -when they moved across to the synthetic insulin she did not respond well to it but she was not allowed to move back to the animal form.....she became very ill on the synthetic but still they wouldn't. In the end she had to procure a pump which regulates the synthetic version.....she had to seek funding to get this!! It saved her life..... Strange world we live in!! She has been dialectic since a child and had no problems on the animal form of insulin. All this sound familiar to the thyroid world?

[greygoose in reply to waveylines]

Dialectic?

[Spareribs in reply to waveylines]

Wavey - it sounds very familiar indeed

Animal insulin is still available on prescription....

diabetes.co.uk/insulin/anim...

[waveylines in reply to Spareribs]

Maybe its because my friend lives in Wales? .......but I will let her know though am sure she will have explored all avenues as she is highly intelligent assertive lady -she ended up seeing the top specialist i n the world which is how the pump came about in the end......lol...

[Spareribs in reply to waveylines]

it's scarey if she had no problems originally but they still wouldn't put her back on it, I hope she's OK now J x

[waveylines in reply to Spareribs]

She is fine at the moment spare ribs -thanks -though she'd much preferred the animal insulin even with the use of a pump. yes it is very scary how much you have to do these days to protect your health and take the initiative.....if you don't you do so at your own peril!!! lol...

[waveylines]

Oh sorry -should read 'diabetic'!!!! Lol.....

[Heloise]

Isn't that exactly the same as Armour, minus the fillers?

A natural preparation derived from porcine thyroid glands and has a strong, characteristic odor. (T3 liothyronine is approximately four times as potent as T4 levothyroxine on a microgram for microgram basis.) They provide 38 mcg levothyroxine (T4) and 9 mcg liothyronine (T3) per grain of thyroid. The inactive ingredients are calcium stearate, dextrose, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate and opadry white.

[helvella in reply to Heloise]

Not sure it is without "fillers".

There is almost certainly some form of diluent which is used in standardising the desiccated thyroid powder. And, I'd guess, something else to bulk it out even if it is in a capsule. Mind, I didn't see any details on the site.

So probably different excipients rather than no excipients?

[Heloise]

Rod, I'm just saying that I thought Armour was a "whole thyroid" (for a hundred years) and this isn't a new product from NZ. I think I'll post this compiled list of most thyroid products which are available. stopthethyroidmadness.com/a...

[helvella in reply to Heloise]

The Thyroid UK page is fairly comprehensive:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

It does not include the Thai products - at least partly because the company seems to want to keep the ingredient list secret - at least the usual makes have to declare the ingredients and maintain that information in public. Not sure that what someone told someone else, possibly years ago, is satisfactory.

[Heloise in reply to helvella]

Rod, I thought we were talking about natural desiccated thyroid. Your list is in regard to synthetic T4. But, no matter, since the NHS tends to stay far from it anyway and leave poor souls to fend for themselves.

[helvella in reply to Heloise]

I was and still am talking about desiccated thyroid. The bit that says:

Non-UK - Desiccated Thyroid

(PS: Not my list, Thyroid UK's list. )

[Heloise in reply to helvella]

All right, not YOUR list but I hold you responsible for pasting it here The STTM is very comprehensive with about 14 products.

I'm actually surprised since I wasn't sure Armour was making enough profit on it to continue and that others are doing it. Perhaps you have to find a way to dispose of animal glands and it's better than the dump.