Query on Natural Desiccated Porcine Thyroid

[020880]

I have an under active thyroid (& fibromyalgia) was taking 125 of Levothyroxine daily - side effects - bad. Am also receiving repeat prescription of Vit.D. & B12 jab. Decided to try natural route after seeing Naturopath- feeling great...but,GP concerned as TSH has gradually climbed from 4.52 to 13.4. He suggested I contact Thyroid UK - though in favour he says local health authority will not allow him to prescibe 'Natural Desiccated Porcine Thyroid' - so I have 2 questions. What does it cost to buy it privately & is an individual allowed to? Secondly & more important to me because it involves my faith & conscience (because as last resort I could return to Levothyroxine) does N.D.P.T. contain blood components/fractions? Many thanks for qualified expert replies.

[Clutter]

020880,

How refreshing that your GP referred you to TUK

T4 and T3 in natural dessicated thyroid (NDT) are derived from dried pig thyroid. I imagine the blood components have been separated from the T4 and T3 but as I have no knowledge of the process I can't say it with any certainty. You could write to some of the manufacturers of Armour, NatureThroid, WP, NP or Erfa and ask them.

Individuals are allowed to import NDT and other non-restricted medications into the UK for their own use. Cost will depend on what dose NDT you require. How much Levothyroxine were you prescribed prior to trying "the natural route"? If you weren't previously well on Levothyroxine you try Levothyroxine + Liothyronine (T3) combination therapy. Levothyroxine and Liothyronine are synthetically produced so there will definitely be no blood products involved.

[020880 in reply to Clutter]

I'm grateful for your reply. I may have no choice other than a recourse to artificial thyroxine - in which case I will discuss with my GP Liothyronine with Levothyroxine combo., which I was unaware of. I was on 125mg daily of Levothyroxine before trying the natural route, due to increasing horrid side effects. If my blood results show the naturopath route hasn't worked - it would be brilliant if NDPT had no blood fractions....so I will follow your suggestion & contact the manufacturers. Of course this still wouldn't overcome the problem that the local health authority will not allow my favourable GP to prescibe N.D.P.T. - as he says, his hands are tied by politics!

[Clutter in reply to 020880]

020880,

Your GP may not be able to prescribe Liothyronine either. Many CCGs insist that it may only be prescribed when recommended by a NHS endo but many CCGs have also banned it from being prescribed due to the extortionate cost of Mercury Pharma Liothyronine. Happily Greek, Turkish and Mexican T3 is affordable and available without a prescription.

If you ascertain there are no blood products in NDT you can post a question asking members to send you private messages where to obtain it. If you prefer to try T3 then you can request members send you PMs where to source it. I was unable to tolerate Levothyroxine on it's own but I've been well on Levothyroxine + T3 combination for several years.

[shaws Administrator]

If, for religious reason, you cannot take a porcine product, there is a non-prescriptive replacement hormone called Thyro-gold made from New Zealand grass-fed cows.

[020880 in reply to shaws]

Thank you for going to the trouble of replying - it isn't the 'porcine' product that would trouble my conscience but rather the blood. But I will certainly investigate the N.Z. product which is new to me.

[shaws Administrator in reply to 020880]

It was developed by Dr John Lowe so that people weren't prohibited and he was also an Adviser to Thyroiduk.org.uk before his untimely death.

He also ran Thyroidscience.com, Drlowe.com and Fibromyalgia Research Foundation. All of these are now archived and sometimes access is difficult.

His wife now runs the NDT side of the business.

naturalthyroidsolutions.com/

He detested how we are diagnosed and would not prescribe levothyroxine for his patients. Only NDT i.e. Armour etc or T3 only for resitant patients. There are topics at the top of the page I'll give you a link :-

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[steviecat]

Thyro-Gold works for me

[Strydom2888 in reply to steviecat]

I'm on 125mcg of levothyroxine. Did you add the thyroid gold or replace it altogether and how do I know how much to take please. Tx

[steviecat in reply to Strydom2888]

Sorry. I missed your question about how much to take. I'm not qualified to answer that. However, I can say that one 150mg capsule of Thyro-Gold contains the equivalent of about 100mcg of T4 - Levo. This amount is disputed, but that's what I work on. I find it is quite potent, so I tend to open the capsules and divide the powder up. Three-quarters suits me best.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Strydom2888]

Usually, if switching to NDT you don't take levothyroxine. However, you can take levothyroxine with T3 added to it. Natural Dessicated Thyroid hormones were the very original replacement for us hypothyroid patients successfully since 1892. When levothyroxine was introduced as the perfect replacement and the promotions and monetary rewards to doctors who prescribed it in the USA, gradually all Endocrinology depts worldwide now state levo is best. For many suffering people, as we know, it isn't.

[steviecat]

I replaced it altogether. I'm no expert, but I firmy believe that unless there are compelling reasons, mixing NDT and Levo is not the best way to proceed.

[lucylocks in reply to steviecat]

Hi steviecat,

I was thinking of adding levo. to my NDT, may I ask why you think this is not a good thing.

[Strydom2888 in reply to steviecat]

Txt for that. It makes a lot of sense. Where do you get your thyroid gold from and how much is it please. I have only ever been tested for tsh and t4. My doctors seem to think that's all that is necessary. She's doing a basal test this time. Do you know what that is? Apparently I've never been tested for that and I've been underactive since 1999.

[steviecat in reply to Strydom2888]

Hi, Strydom. I get my Thyro-Gold from:

naturalthyroidsolutions.com/

Can't be specific on price because I am in France and there is international postage to consider. However, I paid the equivalent of about £95 (incl. postage) for 6 month's worth.

Basal test? I only know about basal temperature tests. And she wouldn't be doing that, I imagine. As far as tests are concerned, you need Free T3 test. This is the most important of the lot.

[Strydom2888 in reply to steviecat]

How do they do the basal temp test. Is it a blood test?

[steviecat in reply to Strydom2888]

As I understand it, you would need to do your own test. Every morning before getting out of bed. Use a basal temperature thermometer available from Amazon. Consistently, low temperatures would indicate likelihood of hypo. Too much information to write here. Search this site and have a wander around the interweb.

[steviecat]

Lucy. I'm not qualified to give scientific reasons as to why one shouldn't mix the two. All I can say is, it seems counterintuitive to use a natural product, which already contains a 'balance' of hormones , and one, which is a source of 'artificial' T4. To my way of thinking, one's intake of T4 would be greater than might be needed for conversion to T3. Would it not be best to find the level which suited one best from either NDT or Levo?