Amour or Thyroid Gold: Out of frustration and... - Thyroid UK

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Amour or Thyroid Gold

Jillkh profile image
137 Replies

Out of frustration and desperation I started to self medicate with Thyroid-Gold. I am feeling much better on it with the head fog cleared, I have got my energy back , my face swelling has gone down and finally I have stopped gaining weight.

So that I could monitor my bloods I then found a private Dr who is willing to prescribe Amour. I would be really interested to hear about people's experiences on Amour as I have been reading that the company that make the drug was taken over and now there are a lot of problems with Amour. I don't want to switch from Thyroid Gold , if I am going back to a ton of health issues again. Any thoughts or advice would be so appreciated. Thank you

Jill

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Jillkh profile image
Jillkh
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137 Replies

I have been taking Armour 3 grains for a few years now, started on lower dose. I take mine at night so don't have problems with blood pressure meds. I feel better than l have in years and have lost and maintained weight. Also found l was lactose intolerant which helped. My doctor monitors my bloods and is happy, she also prescribes high dose Vit D as l was below range. I am in France.l buy my own Armour as not licences in France so can be pricey but worth it in my opinion.

Lynneypin profile image
Lynneypin in reply to frenchreikimaster

Slightly off topic but wondered how you discovered you were lactose intolerant. Were you tested?

frenchreikimaster profile image
frenchreikimaster in reply to Lynneypin

I have always had stomach problems dismissed as irritable bowel but a few years ago developed large red weeping rash on my chest. Nothing helped it and then my fridge broke down and improved within 2 days. GP was amazed but agreed it was dairy caused it. I occasionally have a little goats or sheeps cheese as smaller more easily digestible lactose molecules but soon realise when l have too much as itching and redness starts straight away.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to frenchreikimaster

Thank you for your reply. I have heard negative stuff about the new type of Amour, so good to hear some positive experiences

Jull

Schenks profile image
Schenks in reply to frenchreikimaster

Another off-topic, but may I ask how 3 grains of Armour affects your T3 ans TSH levels? Wondering because at some point I am going to have to challenge my endo by going back up in the Nature-throid dosage, and the dimwitted gods of the medical elite round here will begin to stir like nettled hornets in their £2500 per week medical warehouseperson little queen/kingdoms. (Ooh, I do beg your pardon, a momentary lapse in self-control.)

frenchreikimaster profile image
frenchreikimaster in reply to Schenks

Fully understand your sentiments, l am an ex nurse so know how they tick! I gradually increased my dosage and used my symptoms plus basal temp and heart/pulse rate as a guide. My TSH is suppressed on this dose which took some explaining to the doc here, especially in French! My Free T3 and T4 are in the upper 25% of range and l feel better than l have for last 20 years. My blood pressure is now under control as well, first time in years.l have other hormone issues, early hysterectomy at 28 and ovaries out at 40 and gall bladder removed in 30s.Thyroid problems run in my family so was bound to happen really. I changed docs here because the first one didn't listen and would only give me 25 of Levothyroxine and a bag full of other stuff for my many symptoms .l then did it alone for a year with Armour while l recovered. My new doc is lovely and listens! Sorry for the long reply but needed clarification.

Schenks profile image
Schenks in reply to frenchreikimaster

Wow. Fantastic - brave and tenacious. and living in France - lucky b****r! I'm an ex-podiatrist and I have to say working with doctors has left a legacy of contempt in varying degrees. Decent ones are rare, and by decent, you'll get my drift. I CANNOT find a doctor who is not wedded to the TSH crap - and what's both as astonishing as it is outrageous is the power that bl**dy LAB technicians have - returning blood results with comments about TSH levels and would you believe, only testing for T3 and T4 if an ENDO specifically asks for them!

I'm currently building up my dose of LDN, so I'm permitting the status quo of Levo and NDT dosage, but once the LDN is up to strength and I can discern the difference between its not inconsiderable effect and the remaining symptoms, I'm going to be reevaluating the thyroxine dosage. Am I correct in thinking the ranges of the T4 and T3 in your results are incidental to your dosing for symptoms, rather than aimed-for?

frenchreikimaster profile image
frenchreikimaster in reply to Schenks

My understanding is that we all feel well at different levels of T3 and T4. For me l find l am better in the upper quadrant of the range.l know when l need an increase now due to symptoms . I think l always did but took a while to get over years of being made to feel like a hypochondriac!

I worked in the NHS and in the private sector and private was worse, consultants really do think they are God and we know nothing.

Schenks profile image
Schenks in reply to frenchreikimaster

Gotcha on the first paragraph and hear b***y hear to the second!

Blue2 profile image
Blue2 in reply to Schenks

I'm one of those bl**dy lab scientists, and you obviously do not know what goes on outside of your narrow offerings. Technicians do no testing or reporting. We used to do things properly in the NHS in the 60s and 70s, and binding globulins, T3, thyroid antibodies, etc, used to be regular tests performed. Then along came Thatcher with her pathological hatred of the NHS and her 'management' bean-counters. Non medical types laid down laws about what could be asked for and what couldn't. If you step outside of these, you're sacked, and mealy-mouthed pc is now the order of the day. I KNOW my FT3 is low, but all my bloody GP (and I agree here - most quacks coming out of med school are next door to useless) will request is the TSH which I know is OK, so hardly a 'saving' when you throw away money on a useless test. When I worked in Harley Street, we still did the full range of tests though.

Read Barry Peatfield's book - it's an eye-opener.

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to frenchreikimaster

when you say your tsh is surpressed , how much so? how low did you safely go......

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to frenchreikimaster

also do you take in divided doses or all at one time.....i hate the divided doses and so i changed back to t4 meds and i had some heart paps....but my face stopped looking swollen and spongy and now that is back so i think i changed back too soon.....ijust hated dividing the dose and when i didnt i felt my body yearning for more meds like my neck pulling feeling.....

Klmitch profile image
Klmitch in reply to frenchreikimaster

Could i ask what this amour is? I take 200 mcg levo hve done for 5 years hve no thyroid at all had it removed die to cancer?

frenchreikimaster profile image
frenchreikimaster in reply to Klmitch

Armour is aNartural Dessicated Thyroxine and combines both t3 and t4 . It is a more natural product.maybe someone with a bit more pharmaceutical knowledge could expand.

in reply to frenchreikimaster

It's very interesting that you have had such good results with Armour! I was put on it in 2011 (I'm in Belgium where it's licensed although few doctors know about it), did very well on it for about six months, then started going downhill. Around this time, there was a lot written about Armour being reformulated in 2009 (dextrose replaced with cellulose, the latter being said to impair hormone absorption). So I switched to Erfa as the STTM was singing its praises all day long...only, Erfa was never optimal for me, not even before something happened to it that has obviously made it work less well.

So you never had any potency problems with Armour, never noticed any symptoms of hypo...?

I have been thinking lately about giving it another try, even though it has tripled in price in the past year, as I don't like Erfa, WP and NP Thyroid are not available in Belgium, and I don't want to risk having meds from Thailand confiscated by customs.

Crlnfly profile image
Crlnfly

If everything is going good for you I would stick with thyroid gold xx

skypix777 profile image
skypix777 in reply to Crlnfly

Yelps, I agree. I switched to Gold after I developed terrible rash which may have been caused by another NDT, naturThroid, which I had liked. I've done Gold for two years now. I take two tablets now (one month) after one felt not quite enough. Im 185 lbs. No blood tests for 18 months. My outer eyebrows, nonexistent for 15 years, have started growing back just this week!

Crlnfly profile image
Crlnfly in reply to skypix777

Woo hoo would love if mine grew , was thinking of getting them permenant make up eyebrows ☺☺

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to skypix777

Thank you for your reply. I seem to be responding to the Thyroid gold. Glad to hear it has worked for you as well

LindaC profile image
LindaC

I know someone who swears by these types of products [over Armour, Erfa etc]... if it works... don't rock the boat until you need to. Great to hear you're feeling better xox

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to LindaC

Good point ... If it's working why change it.

Thank you

Jill

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Jillkh

Jillkh, I couldn't tolerate Levo, used Armour for 2 1/2 years but was too scared to take it up higher and higher [which I clearly needed] and not doing that, apparently, can make it all worse... so wish I'd stayed with it. On T3 alone since Dec 2012... lots of good times but still not 'fixed' [other issues in the background] and not an endo in sight with a clue. You stick with what you're doing... only get concerned if you have to. You may never have to change... a friend is doing great on the Thai stuff. Hmm, I wonder if I... ;-) Take care and be well x

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to LindaC

It's so scary to take over our health care, probably why I saught out the blood tests. But I think I will go by how my body feels and the basal temperature guide. What stops you from trying again or are you okay in your current meds

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Jillkh

Please accept my apologies, once this damned hypothyroidism really took hold, because I can no longer precis... I tend to write too much :-)

It is rather worrying even now for me [dreadful arrhythmia due to long term failure to diagnose] to largely self medicate when so many signs and symptoms existed for 30 years, starting with extreme fatigue [like I could have lain down on the curb at any time of day... no one would listen to me]. Next thing was weight gain and several other niggling things that, put together, were so obvious. It took so long for me to get a diagnosis - in fact it was Dr Chris Steele on This Morning who first 'diagnosed' me. I was sitting punch drunk, unable to function (and that REALLY was not me) and heard him listing signs/symptoms of hypoth'dism. I finally asked the GP about this, was fobbed off... Dr Chris a year later... I insisted and finally saw and endo (I won't bore you with the crap... it's likely in one of my posts) but I was sent off with a flea in my ear. The following year I got to see another endo... list of signs and symptoms... still no joy.

In Feb 2010 I saw Dr Gordon Skinner who just had to look at me to 'KNOW' [in the strongest sense]... the pics of me from that time were just like those from over 100 years ago. The funny, lovely Dr S started me off on Levo... I was great for a couple/few weeks... getting up literally 'dancing and singing' and saying, "Yayyy I'm back to my old self"... 'til I crashed: I simply did not need any more T4. Armour was then prescribed for me in April 2010 and I felt so much better but was too scared to keep increasing [due to the heart issue] when I couldn't get any regular blood tests done. Not going up to find out how much I needed may have led to my problem with Armour... anyway, by Dec 2012 it just seemed not to be working as it had been.

In March 2012 I developed a huge bloated gut [never had any such issue before; just progression of hypothyroidism!] which I also have to manage [for a couple of years this was costing me £175 pcm for probiotics etc etc]. I guess I've just now gotten used to this crap and, largely having little to no medical support to help me with it.

Dr P had advised me to take T3 in May 2010 (he was already of the view that my adrenals were pretty shot and that even Armour might not do the trick... with it still being predominantly T4 based), so when I felt Armour wasn't doing the trick, I started on T3 [Cynomel from Mexico] and it worked a treat... well, as much as it can. BTW, I only went to Dr P to try to wean myself of the vits/mins/supplements that I'd started taking over the years in my desperate attempt to 'fix myself'... he added to my list!!

I have very low temps sometimes (e.g. 34.4 C instead of 37C, which is mild hypothermia, and that can happen even in the height of summer) but not always - generally only winter - so I do pretty well most of the time. In summer no one would know there is anything wrong with me [not even me ;-) ] but each winter now I get really ill: (I've even started taking Phosphatidyl Serine in winter to help with the dreadful, not just brain for but 'punch drunk', stupor I end up with). In winter or when I feel really rubbish, I add in some Armour Thyroid (it is still prescribed for me).

So, to answer your question, oops... I think this is the best that I'm going to get [first time I've said that, so thank you] and for maybe 8 - 9 months of the year I'm pretty good (until we have yet another rubbish summer!). Also, having followed current medical dietary advice for a long time, unable to lose weight - despite an exemplary diet and the best exercise routines - I went LCHF almost a year ago and for the first time in years the weight just started falling off and is still off with three good meals a day and way less exercise. I have so little faith in general medicine and endocrinology... I'm sure some of my posts express my contempt for some fields of medicine? So there you go, I hope there's something in this that might help?

Take care and be well xox

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to LindaC

Thank you for your reply Linda. What a terrible time you have been forced to endure. I understand some of what you have been through. The inability to think with the awful brain fog. I was some days, literally not able to string a sentence together and the experience of being dismissed as over reacting or depressed rather than sick wore me down until I started to doubt myself. I think I have been lucky in that I adopted a gluten free Low carb diet a long time ago without knowing about the links to Hashimotos, that I think helped stopped some of the progression of this disease. I am a last hopeful with this Thyro Gold .best of luck. Hopefully we have a scorching summer that will lessen your symptoms. Thank you once again. Jill

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Jillkh

Jillkh - thank you for your kind thoughts and yes please to a hot summer :-)

Yes, many people don't seem to understand what the horror of 'brain fog' can be like... at its worst I lose coordination even and stumble but not this winter - so only a couple of times did that happen.

When things are good, then its all fine... so at least I get a reprieve that many people don't.

Great that you already started eating in such a way that has helped - food is definitely a key.

You take care now and be well :-)

Lindsay1995 profile image
Lindsay1995 in reply to LindaC

Off track but what is LCHF please? Not sure of the H! Thanks for your post. L

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Lindsay1995

I understood LCHF to mean Low Carb High Fat. Sort of like Atkins way of eating... But then I might be totally off track my self

Lindsay1995 profile image
Lindsay1995 in reply to Jillkh

Ahh. That makes sense. Thank you!

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Lindsay1995

Hi Lindsay 1995 - it is Low Carb High Fat which has worked so far.

Lindsay1995 profile image
Lindsay1995 in reply to LindaC

Thank you. Glad it's helped. I know low carbs help me and glad you've reminded me!

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Lindsay1995

Oh having done everything possible for many, many years to no avail, until...

Low Carb, High Fat and good protein + only three reasonable meals per day with 5 hours in between, so 14 hours overnight (i.e. choose your time, I eat any time between 10.00 - 11.00 am, then nothing but drinks, obviously no sugar or milk; then again any time between 3.00 - 4.00 pm, then again between 8.00 - 9-00 pm - the hour leeway is for flexibility to avoid not keeping with this. My usual is 10.30 am, then 3.30 pm, then 8.30 pm and it works a treat. If I'm going anywhere, I re-jig the timings or miss one meal on that day = don't eat until 2.00 pm and then at 8.00 pm). Once your leptin and ghrelin hormones get back into good shape [therefore your insulin will also be well improved] you really don't miss that meal!

Oh I also stopped my heavy duty exercise (way too much stress on the adrenals for no reward at all) for Tabata and a little strength training and some walking.

This is all SO simple :-)

Lindsay1995 profile image
Lindsay1995 in reply to LindaC

Wow! Thanks for the details. If you have time can you say more about why regularity with eating and the 5hr gaps are important? Also the 2 hormones I've not heard of before? Is this for diabetics or good practice for those of us with low or zero stomach acid and easy weight gain? I'm really interestedas I've not heard this advice before.

Isn't it great you've finally found something that works for you you can stick with.

Thanks

L

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Lindsay1995

Hi Lindsay1995, this can apply to many different categories of people... especially where hormones have gone awry.

I posted this last year, it may answer your queries:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

skypix777 profile image
skypix777 in reply to LindaC

Consider the Thyro-Gold, It comes from New Zealand cows thyroid only and they are strictly regulated...no hormones, forced feeding, any of the heinous practices we do in our industrialized meat practice here in America. It's super stuff, I love it. Have been on it for almost 2 years now. NO problems.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to skypix777

That's really helpful thank you. It does concern me how the NDT is sourced. Can I ask do you have any probkscwith the supply. My experience with buying Thyro gold had been very positive do far.

skypix777 profile image
skypix777 in reply to Jillkh

Mine too. I once had a problem with a shipment in that I had to be in a place for only a couple of days and asked them if they could try to make sure that it would get there. They bent over backwards to make sure that I got my shipment and I was very impressed and very grateful. It's a super company to deal with, the people who supply the product are very conscientious personally as well.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to skypix777

Way above usual customer service. Sorry for more questions but... Do you split dose, how much are you on and any side effects. I split my dose on the rationale that our thyroid gives us a steady supply of thyroid hormones so better to try and replicate that. I am on 600 mg but I think I may be over medicating slightly. I am having trouble sleeping

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to skypix777

if you dont mind me asking...i am on 100mcg of synthroid, how much thyro gold would i need daily and do you divide the dosage during the day or need to.......i know they have different strengths and need to know which bottles to order and how to go from synthroid to thyro gold without a glitch hence my hair is falling out on synthroid......

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to jacrjacr

I am happy to help, but my knowledge is pure trial and error from my experiences. I was on 150 mcg of Levothyroxine. I read on here that 50mcg of Levo is equal to 150 Thyro-Gold. I brought a bottle of the 300 mg and a bottle of the 150mg. I stopped the Levo and started on the 150mg the next day. Taking my body temp every morning. Which was 35.1. I increased over a period of a month to the 600mcg but in retrospectthat was too fast as I did get heart palpitations.i have now settled on 600mg a day that I take in a split dose. I am going to have my bloods tested in three weeks privately to be safe, but I feel fine. My body temp is now stable at 37. I have lost 5Lb and my brain fog has cleared. I am hopeful for the first time in years.

Jill

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to Jillkh

thank you for that kind response....that is the scary part, not wanting to have hypo symptoms get worse etc or go overboard....thank you so much for your experience!!!!!!

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to Jillkh

wow....that sounds so promising....

i assume you take it away from food and vitamins just like other thyroid meds...splitting the dose is the aggrivating thing for me but if it works......its better quality of life.....and i definitely need to feel better...i feel like a old person most of the time...just not natural..

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to jacrjacr

Yes I take so many supplements I rattle. I don't mind splitting the dose. It feels that this would sort of replicate our own natural production of the hormones

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to LindaC

i went to a dr who is md and homopathic dr which told me that my bloatedness was a response of poor digestion which can alter the vitamins you get from food and also make you constipated and feel terrible so told me to take enzymes with meals, betaine w hci and to take probotic b4 bed at night......now if i could remember to do that at every meal and night...

he said it is common with hypothyroid and comes with the territory

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to jacrjacr

Thank you jacrjacr - yes I take two kinds of probiotics [used to be three that cost £175 pcm], one before bed and also HCI with betaine and Digestenzyme [from Lamberts]... plus 'herbal antibiotics' [olive leaf extract and oregano oil + other stuff meant to be good for it]. When it stays down it is fine... then, out of the blue it comes back. Just recently someone [the marvellous Marz :-) ] mentioned taking Vit C before bed, which I am now trying.

I've now decided that the next time this happens, I'm going to stop everything that I take, wait for a month and have a full gut test done via Genova Diagnostics... to try to see what's in there. Hopefully it won't go up again... I'm always optimistic that 'this time its fixed'. Thanks again, best wishes to you xox

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to LindaC

I was sat with a dear friend last night who is having a terrible time with her health. Exhausted, brain fog, joint pains.. All sound very hypo but she has also this terrible bloating even when she has not eaten.she does look about 7 months pregnantDo you think this could be linked. She had her thyroid tested and DR said it was fine. But we all know what nonsense that is.

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Jillkh

It seems that some hypothyroid people suffer with gut issues. When mine is up, it is the equivalent of a full term pregnancy until I 'take it down' with Abx]: if I don't 'take it down' it stays up, all day every day... there is no reprieve from it at all. My thyroid issues were there long before the bloating but everyone's clearly different.

As for having thyroid tested, the most I ever showed up on a TSH test was 3.8 [at that time hypothyroid in the USA, when it was 3.3 or above] but not here. I was on my knees and I had so many signs/ symptoms [including that square face, and stupor] that even an optically challenged man on a galloping horse would have viewed as ludicrous not to diagnose. (As docs did before these tests.)

I'm afraid we're being treated like primary school children by bullying prefects. The whole hypo/hyperthyroid treatment in this and other countries is scandalous and is being influenced by Endocrinologist (Professional) Groups who seem determined to 'stamp us down'. The last one I saw is on the European Committee...

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to LindaC

Well said. The patronising attitude I have been met with.. Told it was my menopause. Or that I was just stressed. I will talk with my friend. This sounds very relevant for her. Your man on a galloping horse comment made me laugh out loud

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to Jillkh

did you look at her eyebrows to see if the outside edges were gone....thats a big clue for her. sounds hypo to me. how does she sleep, definitely needs to take enzymes or betaine hci with two biggest meals of the day bec she is not digesting her food and that can lead to deficiencies.....happened to me

is her hair overly dry or have hair loss

has she gained alot recently with the symptoms;

is she exhausted from doing small chores

does she have carpel tunnel in arms or hands

has she had her b12, d3, ferritin, tested...she could do her own blood test from online order to see if anything is off.....no one should have to suffer with this....

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to jacrjacr

I will ask her. It was horrible to see such a usually vibrant woman so drained and I'll and with no answers. Hopefully this could put her on the right tracjk. Thank you. Jill

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Jillkh

That sums it up! A usually vibrant woman so drained... almost beaten. Fortunately there is a lot of info on here, so hopefully you can help :-) Best of! xox

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to LindaC

ironically when i tried nature throid, although i didnt like it, my stomach was not as bloated but i had added some enzyme too but when iwent back on synthroid, the bloating came back

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to jacrjacr

I have never tried that brand of NDT... much of this is a case for trial and error to see what works for each of our needs - another nail in their 'one fits all' coffin ;-)

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to LindaC

i think it was the difference in synthetic and natural thyroid that my body liked and although i had adrenal fatigue so i had other issues, it liked the natural thyroid

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to jacrjacr

I had a great experience with Armour Thyroid for the 2 1/2 years I took it, so was sad to go to T3 alone. Take care xox

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to LindaC

wow you sound alot like me...lol..i know it is common in hypothyroid patients

Crlnfly profile image
Crlnfly in reply to LindaC

Hi linda your story is amazing. Can you PM me details of the cynomol in Mexico please, I will purchase if allowed please

Bluedragon profile image
Bluedragon

Looking at it from a financial view - thyroid gold reasonable price- I understand Armour more expensive and you will have to pay for a private prescription? What is the reason you want to go to the Dr?

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Bluedragon

Hi Blue Dragon.

My reason for going to a private Dr was to get a full blood screen. I don't regret my decision to come off Levo and start self medicating, but I was nervous that I may be missing something. As it appears, all is well so far.

Jill

Schenks profile image
Schenks in reply to Jillkh

Really interested in your story - I think you were so brave to come off Levo and start to self-medicate. Do you know how Thyroid gold affects your blood results yet? Have you given your medics the screaming abdabs? And what made you pick Thyroid Gold (ignorant - not heard of it!)?

Schenks profile image
Schenks in reply to Schenks

P.S. just found Thyro-gold

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Schenks

Thank you. It was scary, I chose thyroid Gold because at the time I did not have access to a private Dr and Thyroid Gold could be purchased without a prescription. I read up a fair bit on the company that produce it and was impressed with their knowledge and support. I started on the Thyroid Gold and started to feel better within a week, however I was still nervous and after reading about the importance of a full blood analysis started to research where I could get it done and by accident found the Private Dr who could prescribe Amour as well as monitor blood. I think I will stick to the Thyroid-gold. As people on this thread have said. Why change if it's working

Bluedragon profile image
Bluedragon in reply to Jillkh

Hi Jill, coversely I sacked my private Dr to self medicate. I started on Thiroyd about two months ago now. I will arrange for my own blood tests at a much lower rate than he was charging me - and I know how to read them now - or I will post the results on here and get these lovely people's opinion. Blue Horizon or Genova will do full screening. I personally am going with the urine T3 results and getting that to a good level. It is a bit lower than the blood - I understand because it reads at cellular level.

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to Bluedragon

Bluedragon,

I've not seen anyone on the forum able to interpret thyroid urine results.

Angelamargaret profile image
Angelamargaret

Glad you are feeling better good luck what is thyroid gold please and where to you obtain it thanks

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Angelamargaret

I buy it from the makers in Canada, if you google Thyroid Gold it should give you the link. Any problems PM me and I will give the direct address

Angelamargaret profile image
Angelamargaret in reply to Jillkh

Thankyou I appreciate your help

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Angelamargaret

My spelling is wrong. It is Thyro-gold

eeng profile image
eeng

Thyro Gold is not very strong. You may end up having to take quite a lot of it. If this becomes the case you may want to change to another form of NDT but I would stick with what you have found works for now.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to eeng

I am currently taking 600mg a day. If I have to increase then you are right it will get to expensive. So far so good . Fingers crossed

Glynisrose profile image
Glynisrose

Armour is the most expensive of the NDT families if, like me you need to keep a little in the freezer to compensate for the lacks such as one time it was nowhere to be found and I personally like to keep a little spare. Trouble is its expensive, I had to pay £25 vat on mine even though it was under the limit.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Glynisrose

Same here with the Thyroid Gold I had to pay import Tax.

JimA profile image
JimA

What is this Thyroid Gold and where can you buy it? On Google can only see a product called Thyro Gold The only reference to mThyroid Gold is Thyroid Gold for cats. Wouldn't think this is what you mean, is it?

Crlnfly profile image
Crlnfly in reply to JimA

Ha ha lol

Crlnfly profile image
Crlnfly in reply to Crlnfly

Sorry that was funny

It's spelt thyro gold , hope that helps ☺

JimA profile image
JimA in reply to Crlnfly

Thank you. I wans't intending it to be funny so I apologise if any offence caused to anyone. This forum is large and international and as a result has massive amounts of advice, information and product references. There is also a common language (abreviations etc) that has devoloped and is understood by more established contributors. This in addition to mis-spelling, causes new members like myself, some confusion

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to JimA

No offence was taken by me. I thought it was rather amusing... In all the horribleness of this illness we need to be able to laugh

JimA profile image
JimA in reply to Jillkh

It is my wife who is the sufferer of this horrible illness although I like many others, partners or carers etc, suffer along with her. if I made you and others laugh then although unintended I am gflad as it is a good thing. Have just ordered Thyro Gold this am and will see how she gets on as up till now cant see any great benefit on Levo

Crlnfly profile image
Crlnfly in reply to JimA

Sorry I was not offended It just cheered me up reading your post ☺

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to JimA

I think it may be my spelling!! I buy mine straight from the company in Canada that promotes and produces it. It is Natural Dessicated Thyroid. I was constant sick on the synthetic thyroid hormone Levo which Is why I started to self medicate

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to JimA

natural thyroid solutions . com.......is the online source for thyro gold

Armour is a very expensive product and not too reliable as it has been reformulated several times. You are fortunate to have found something that works for you with the thyrogold. You could become unwell again if you swap. You dont need a doctor to get a full panel of bloods done, you can do this with blue horizen. I was on armour for a while but it was costing me £120 for 3 months prescription and I was paying a doctor to prescribe it at £80 not sustainable for me. I now take nature thyroid which is a lot cheaper.

Crlnfly profile image
Crlnfly in reply to

Can I ask how are u finding the nature thyroid?

help1another profile image
help1another in reply to Crlnfly

Look at RLC Labs website, maker of Nature-throid and WP Thyroid. I use their premium, WP, which I get at Walgreens. In past, I got it at Sams and Rite Aid, too.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to

Thank you for your reply. I think I will stick with the thyro gold. How often do you get your bloods tested?

in reply to Jillkh

I am really lucky and my GP surgery is testing my bloods every 6 weeks T4 T3 and tsh. But most people dont get this service. I dont think you would need to private test as often as this. Maybe moniter your pulse and temp and see if you feel well and do bloods occasionally if you dont feel so good.

Rosierebel profile image
Rosierebel

I am not sure about Armour, as like you I have heard that they have problems with the product and they are more expensive. I am on ERFA which is, again prescribed. This is the Canadian version of Armour. I find ERFA is very good, it's also cheaper than Armour and a lot cheaper than Thyro Gold, which I did look into but decided against it as it worked out too expensive. I have found a private GP who is prescribing ERFA for me. Hope this helps, I would say if your Doctor is willing to prescribe Armour he/she would also be willing to prescribe ERFA.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Rosierebel

I am not familiar with ERFA. But will look into it if it's cheaper. How crazy is it that we have to seek out and pay to get well when we have the NHS!!

Rosierebel profile image
Rosierebel in reply to Jillkh

Yes it is really crazy, doesn't make any sense at all that the NHS or rather NICE won't license NDT. It was the original treatment for Hypothyroidism so not as if it is a new untried treatment it isn't. It was used from 1892 to 1970. I am looking into starting an online petition about this. The expensive part for me was having to pay for a private Doctor, they can be very expensive.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Rosierebel

A petition sounds like a brilliant idea.

I am so worried about the expense of keeping this up. I am hoping once my body has stabilised on the NDT I can limit the private DR contact

Cheers Jill

Rosierebel profile image
Rosierebel in reply to Jillkh

I don't know as yet how often I will have to actually see the private GP, at present I can have repeat prescriptions and my own GP is doing the blood tests and monitoring, the results of which I am sending to my private GP, I am hoping I get away with possibly seeing her only once a year which keeps the costs down. The repeat prescriptions are £15. Fingers crossed here, I have only just started on this so am learning as I go along.

HeatherC profile image
HeatherC

Bluedragon how do you get the urine sample tested?

Rosierebel profile image
Rosierebel in reply to HeatherC

Won't your own GP Surgery do this for you?

Bluedragon profile image
Bluedragon in reply to HeatherC

Hi Heather- I had them done through Genova. First time round I had adrenals, full blood incl rt3 and urine. Not cheap but gave good overall picture. And you need to be organised on the day lol. Just blood and urine since.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Bluedragon

Hi Bluedragon. Where is the Genova clinic that you used please. Jill

Pufika profile image
Pufika

I also had stopped taking Armour thyroid after reading about the changes but 8 months or so of hell trying just thyroxine ,different low doses I am now back to arumour thyroid and for the first time on the right dose (self adjusted out of desperation as well) , I swear the day I took 60mg (was only taking 15mg per the doctors, instantly the same day my constant yawning and severe fatigue went away and the swelling in my face almost gone, I feel like a million bucks, I was also feeling a lump like feeling on my left side for the longest time and that went away as well. Hope this helps.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to Pufika

Thank you for your reply. We do indeed need to listen to our bodies. But we have been taught to trust Dr and not our own experiences. Hope you continue to get well

Rosierebel profile image
Rosierebel in reply to Pufika

That's crazy, 60 mg of NDT is same as 100 mg Levothyroxin. I don't think Doctors know much about thyroid. I recently went to see an Endocrinologist and had to explain the problems to him and explain NDT, this isn't good is it.

LAHs profile image
LAHs in reply to Rosierebel

You've got that right. I am on my forth Endo. So far he seems to be good. I think they make their "name" in diabetes which is simpler (less variables swanning around), thyroid issues are far more complicated. So you hear about a great Endo but find that he didn't have much training nor has much interest in the thyroid aspect of endocrinology and so, as far as we are concerned s/he comes across as an idiot.

I take it all in one 3 grain tablet at night.thought it might keep me awake but have had no problems.l had the occasional heart palms when increasing dose but dropped back for a bit and not a problem.

My last TSH was 0.08

phoenix23002 profile image
phoenix23002

Would your doctor be willing to prescribe Naturethroid instead of Armour? Naturethroid is another NDT like Armour but it is relatively inexpensive compared to Armour. It is terrific that Thyro-Gold is working for you.

If it were me, I would get my labs done before changing anything..... see where you are at and how you are doing on the Thyro-Gold. It is considered a whole glandular and some think it is weaker than the prescription extracts (Armour, WP, Naturethroid etc). So, if you do switch from Thyro-Gold to Naturethroid or Armour, you should start off at 30 or 60 mgs and work your way up on dosage.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to phoenix23002

That's really helpful thank you. i will talk with the Dr about it. If it's cheaper and works just as well then that would be fantastic.

phoenix23002 profile image
phoenix23002 in reply to Jillkh

Naturethroid is cheaper. Armour just got bought out last year and the new owners have promised not to 'mess' with the Armour formula but complaints have started. So, maybe until the whole Armour thing rights itself, choose Naturethroid or WP as a good alternative? But... if Thyro-Gold is working well for you, I would keep taking it. Again, labs every 8 weeks or so will help you to know how you are doing. Also, you can take your body temp and heart rate each day.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to phoenix23002

Thank you for your reply. I am going to stay away from the Amout and see Dr about the Naturethroid. I have been taking my basal temperature for 8 weeks now. It's risen from 35.3 to 36.9. Of which I am ridiculously proud☺️

Thank you once agdin

TSH110 profile image
TSH110

I take ThyroidS it is very cheap compared to armour etc. I have tried naturethroid and find it is stronger (I go a bit crazy on it!) than ThyroidS and it tastes really horrible. I take ThyroidS sublingually as the taste is fine. At 28quid for a bottle of 1000 1 grain tablets - a year's supply for me - it really is very affordable. I have never been taxed duty on it either. It is worth considering I'd say if the thyro- gold becomes very costly. I think it sounds to be a great product with a guarant of purity etc that ThyroidS does not give, still I find it much better than levothyroxine I feel almost like I used to before I got ill with hypothyroidism. Like many here a diagnosis was far too many years in coming from the supposed professionals. I have little faith any more in doctors or their limited/blinkered way of treating this illness, after what I have been through. I have never looked back since self medicating. B

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to TSH110

nature throid made me crazy too , i didnt like it......i was on 100 synthroid..how much were you on and what is your thyroid s dose you have found to help>>z/ tried it again and love it

TSH110 profile image
TSH110 in reply to jacrjacr

jacrjacr originally I took 1.25 grains of ThyroidS but found I had to up it and now I am on 2.5 grains. I swapped the .5 grain for naturethroid and that made me go a bit bonkers I get very bad tempered or more so than usual 😳 but have loads of energy like I used to before I became ill with hypothyroidism (I do wonder if I was a bit hyper naturally as I always had tons of energy and only slept about 4-5 hours a night) so I have never tried any bigger dose of it for fear it might give me a heart attack😂😂😂. I now do about 1 day a week with 2 ThyroidS and .5 naturethroid and the rest of the time stick with 2.5 grains of ThyroidS and that seems good bar the evening when I often crash out should probably split the dose. I am thinking of trying l tyrosine too see if that helps.

Crlnfly profile image
Crlnfly in reply to TSH110

Can I ask how u went after the nature thyroid please, as that's what I am taking ? ☺

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to Crlnfly

i reverted back to synthroid liking the once daily dosage and yet i feel slightly undermedicated and i have hair loss that started before the ndt ......so i have been feel sub par ....and i keep reading all the articles or blogs on how everyone feels great on some form of ndt...and not all ndt are the same which makes me rethink it may have been nature throid and i may need to try another and i am considering thyrogold....or going back to dr and asking for ND thyroid...My dr told me that adrenals if they are weak from stress or other problems, that you will not feel well on any ndt med so he suggested taking adrenal glandular and build them up but he did a hand test for weak adrenals....My hair starting falling out about a year ago and dr also said that is almost always due to thyroid problems.....yet i have been on synthroid for

4 or 5 years and took ndt for about 3 months but i took too much and went hyper with fast heart beat but my labs showed low tsh but okay ft4ft3 so that was confusing........just never could get balance on ndt....i went from 100mcg of synthroid to 2 grains of nature throid building up over 2 mths and started having heart paps alot......i had never had that.....that is when i got scared and went back on synthroid.....UPDATE...FOUND OUT THE REASON I DID NOT DO WELL ON NATURE THROID BECAUSE THE DR DID NOT EXPLAIN TO ME THAT YOUR BODY HAS TO GET USED TO THE T3 IN IT OR YOU MAY HAVE HYPER SYMPTOMS AND YOU NEED TO SPLIT THE DOSE.........EVEN WHEN I TOLD HER WHAT WAS HAPPENING, SHE STILL DIDNT TELL ME....changed drs

TSH110 profile image
TSH110 in reply to Crlnfly

@Crinfly hi I stated reducing Levo by 25mcg and adding 1/4 grain ThyroidS as per Thyroid Patient Advocacy guide to NDT. I fell huge improvements after just three days. The pschycological problems I suffered on levothyroxine resolved rapidly. I kept upping the dose of TS and ditching a bit more Levo very gradually and continued to feel loads better and decided to switch over completely . I was 12.5 stone (felt terrible) and went down to 9.5 ( I had always been 8.5 till this wretched disorder took over) but I was delighted to feel close to the real me again. Antidepressants went in the bin after years of chronic depression and I have never had depression again! I also went gluten free and felt better for that too. So all round I'd call it a result! I take 2.5 grains a day which seems to be about right. I just go on how I feel. I tried naturethroid to see how it compared to ThyroidS I much prefer TS hope that helps and that you have as good a result on it was I have done 😉

help1another profile image
help1another

If Thyroid Gold is doing all the things you listed, then you are doing quite well in the scheme of things. After years on Synthroid, then 1 year on Armour (with a thyroid specialist monitoring detailed lab work), I was not achieving positive outcomes on my labs. I switched to WP Thyroid, which is a pure natural dessicated thyroid medicine that comes from porcine, and I feel better than when I was on Armour or Synthroid. To me, WP Thyroid by RLC Labs, is the only prescribed thyroid medication worth using. Everyone I know with thyroid issues has long ago backed away from Synthoid and Levothroid. Since then, with the company changes and modifications to the product, Armour has been discontinued by all same patients. We've switched to WP Thyroid. At pharmacies, however, they will try to substitute other products. I print out package insert from the manufacturer website for each pharmacy I use now, in advance, so there is not mistake or substitution in filling my WP prescription. Hope this helps!

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to help1another

That is very helpful thank you. I am glad I daughter advice in here before starting in the Amour. I will either try and get a prescription for th Naturethroid or the WP thyroid or stick with the Thyro Gold. I won't risk going back wards. Thank you

Jill

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to help1another

wow that is interesting...i didnt do well on nature throid either and i thought i was resistent to natural thyroid...thanks for posting that help1another

help1another profile image
help1another

Hi, Jill! Me again. Just want to make sure you know that Naturethroid and WP Thyroid are made by the same company, RLC. WP is their premium thyroid medicine. I do not recommend Nature-throid. The pharmacies here substituted it for WP in past. It is not equivalent. Best wishes....

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to help1another

No I did not know that. Thank you. I only really researched Thyro-gold and Amour. Where do you get your prescription from?

help1another profile image
help1another in reply to Jillkh

I live in USA. I get mine from Walgreens. My insurance does not cover it so I use GoodRx. It really helps and is so easy to use.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to help1another

Sorry for my Ignorence. But is Walgreen a supermarket and you can buy this over the counter...questions questions!!

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to Jillkh

Are you, perhaps, confusing Walgreens and Walmart?

Anyway, we have pharmacies in Sainsbury and Tesco in the town I live in. And Asda which is part of Walmart.

And...

In 2014, the company agreed to purchase the remaining 55% of Switzerland-based Alliance Boots that it did not already own to form a global business. Under the terms of the purchase, the two companies merged to form a new holding company, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., on December 31, 2014. Walgreens became a subsidiary of the new company, which retains its Deerfield headquarters and trades on the Nasdaq under the symbol WBA .[4]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walgr...

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to helvella

Yes I think I am. Often confused these days!! So the Natruethroid will be prescription only not brought in the supermarket!

help1another profile image
help1another in reply to helvella

I'm sorry. I am in US, but I follow your UK thread because our medical system is unreasonably limited by our government and we do not have access to treatments and practices that Europe has. Here, Walgreens is a pharmacy chain. Walmart is a discount superstore that includes a pharmacy. I have not tried to get WP Thyroid filled at WalMart. This is what I advise and what worked for me; I printed the WP Thyroid information from the RLC Labs website. I took my print-out to the pharmacist to insure that I get exactly WP Thyroid and no substitutions or confusion. The pharmacists greatly appreciated this approach because they learned about the product from my tutorial. Best of luck!

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to help1another

No apology needed by anyone!

Simple, common-or-garden misunderstanding/misapprehension/confusion/whatever else!

No-one has been harmed. :-)

help1another profile image
help1another in reply to Jillkh

No, Walgreens is a large pharmacy chain in US. WP Thyroid requires a prescription here, but if you go to the manufacturers website, RLC Labs, they kindly offer to assist folks in getting it.

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to help1another

i didnt know was a big difference between the two....i went hyper on naturethroid and just never felt okay.....but test showed i was not hyper but i had heart paps etc....weird......have you tried both and what is your opinionon the difference....

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to jacrjacr

For a few days on the Thyro -gold my I had palpitations and felt hyper but this only lasted about three days. I felt it was my body just getting used to it. No longer have them

phoenix23002 profile image
phoenix23002 in reply to jacrjacr

hi, jacrjacr.... WP and Naturethroid are produced by RLC Labs. WP stands for Westroid Pure and it only has 3 ingredients besides the desiccated thyroid extract. It is considered hypoallergenic. Naturethroid has a host of additives in addition to the desiccated thyroid extract. We often will react negatively to the additives in NDT so we have to experiment with different brands to find ones suit us.

The excipients (additives) can effect the way we are able to absorb NDT so it is not a 'one size fits all' situation. I take WP and don't care for Naturethroid. I also can't take the 'new' Erfa (Canadian NDT) or the Thailand brands. They all make me dizzy and light-headed. You can go to the RLC Labs website and ck out the various ingredients in their NDT products.

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to phoenix23002

Hi Phoenixz

I know this is an old thread. I have decided to try the WP

And wonder if you could PM where you source yours. I have been in Thyroid gold a few months now. I am so much better but I am starting to have some strange side effects. Mouth ulcers. My skin itches, I have a red rash. I do believe NDT is the way forward for me, I just need to find the right one

Thank tou

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to Jillkh

how much thyroid gold were you on...in usa you have to have a prescription for WP from a dr. i had thought about thyroid gold

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh in reply to jacrjacr

Hi Jacrjacrjacr. I have just written you a reply. But I think I may have lost it. So much for thinking my brain fog has cleared. So excuse me if this is a repeat post.

I was on 175 of Levothyroxine. Was really unwell on this so finally switched to Thyrogold. Increased it to 600mg, in retrospect too quickly. But have been doing well on this. The anxiety and depression has improved. My energy has improved, brain fog gone . Weight is finally dropping off. But recently started to get mouth ulcers and itchy skin as well as a rash. I was thinking maybe it was the type of NDT I was on. So hence thinking about switching. What are your reasons for changing brand

Jill

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to Jillkh

i tried ndt nature throid but i was low in ferritin and had adrenal fatigue so i felt really weird on it ...hard to explain...had heart paps etc but i went overboard about half a grain too hence hard to get that magical dosage..i was losing hair and thougt it may help since i have low free t3 issues and low freet4 on t4 only meds but low tsh on them too so dr hates to increase....the heart paps scared me so i went back to t4....but my dr told me adrenal fatigue and ndt dont do well together so he put me on a adrenal glandular product by xymogen...i have weight issues and ft3 is the metabolism hormone they say so i really wanted to do well with ndt...if i had to do over again i would do the wp instead of the nature throid....but i liked that many people take thyroid gold once a day....DID YOU?bec it can be effected by things in the stomachh if you take it in the afternoon etc and i like that it is natural

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr

i sometimes wonder if they didnt change synthroid because all 3 of my friends at church that are also on it stared losing hair the sme time i did...that is so strange

Jillkh profile image
Jillkh

That's helpful to know, I will stop splitting my dose and take all first thing in the morning. Are you going to start on the Thyro-Gold?

help1another profile image
help1another

Have any of you tried Biomodulator treatment for your thyroid issues? This is not common here in US, but I will be trying it in the next few weeks.

tennantbiomodulator.ca/2-un...

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr in reply to help1another

keep us posted that is interesting...it does make sense....you are brave...HOPE IT HEALS EVERYTHING

gizziesmum profile image
gizziesmum

I couldn`t tolerate Thyroxine or any other thyroid medications because of the fillers in them. Thyrogold is the only one which got me back to normal health. If I was you I would stick with Thyrogold. x

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr

so gizziesmum......you take both of your pills at once...do you get a buzz from the t3 in thyroid gold or does it keep you up at night, do you take 4 hours away from food, can you tell me why you take it at night.....i tried taking nature throid twice daily as they suggest bec t3 leaves the body in a few hours and it leave you feeling like you need more meds but i never could get adjusted to the meds and i hated taking it twice and trying to stay away from food and vitamins, did you ever experience that taking the meds once daily...i am really interested in thyrogold and your experiences that may help me

Ellieallen profile image
Ellieallen

Hi

You can obtain it still and buy it yourself with out a prescription if your dose has been prescribed by a doctor/endo.

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