Desiccated Thyroid Hormone

[StelAnd]

I want to insist my doctor changes me to desiccated thyroxine hormone from Levothyroxine as my blood pressure has started to become raised. I have only discovered this from doing my own research that a thyroid problem can cause raised blood pressure. I do NOT want to be put on blood pressure tablets as I live a very healthy life and I’m devastated that I have now started with this life threatening heart problem. Help!

[Marz]

Ummm - think we need more information. Oh and Welcome

[StelAnd in reply to Marz]

Thank you for the welcome! It’s actually mentioned on the Thyroid.org.uk website. I can only give it a go? I don’t want my heart compromised when theirs an alternative

[StelAnd]

Thank you for the welcome. It’s actually mentioned on the Thyroid.org.uk website about it. I could only give it a go?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

If you are in UK it's extremely unlikely you would get any NHS GP or endo to agree to prescribe

Would need to go for private consultation and pay for private prescription

NHS will consider adding T3, but it's difficult as currently T3 is extortionate price so Endo's being pressurised not to prescribe

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, StelAnd.

NDT isn't licensed for UK use and is rarely prescrbed on the NHS. You can't insist your GP prescribes an unlicensed medication. Most members using NDT have a private prescription or buy online and self medicate.

If you need information where to source NDT without prescription Write a new post asking members to send the information via private messages. Members are more inclined to share sources with new members who include some background about their illness such as how long they’ve been diagnosed, recent thyroid results and ranges, and current thyroid medication.

[StelAnd in reply to Clutter]

Ok, thanks for the info

[StelAnd in reply to Clutter]

Long winded but I’ve copied this from the Thyroid.org.uk website

All medications in the UK are regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA is the Government agency which is responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices work, and are acceptably safe. Manufacturers must obtain marketing authorisation for any medication that they want to sell.

All major medications that are licensed in this country will be found in the Monthly Index of Medical Specialities (MIMS), which is an independently written publication designed as a prescribing guide for general practitioners. Generally, if the medication your doctor wants to prescribe is not in the MIMS, then he will not prescribe it.

However, there is an exception to the rule! Some medications can be prescribed on a "named-patient" basis. This means that, in certain circumstances, your doctor can prescribe this medication because the patient has a special need for the medication.

Reasons why drugs may be supplied on a named-patient basis are:

•A license has not been granted yet due to ongoing clinical trials

•Discontinuations

•Drug shortages

•Temporary supply problems

•Clinical trials

•Special needs of an individual patient

Because none of the natural thyroid hormones are licensed in this country, you will not find this medication in the MIMS and the only way you can obtain this is by your doctor prescribing it on a "named-patient" basis.

If your doctor is willing to give you a prescription for a brand of natural thyroid hormone, you should be able to take it to any High Street pharmacy such as Boots, Lloyds etc. any supermarket pharmacy or local independent pharmacy. Ensure that your doctor has written the name of the medication along with the number of grains required and the wording, "for hypothyroidism" on the prescription. Some wholesalers ask for a "letter of clinical need."

Because natural thyroid hormones are not manufactured in the UK, your chemist will need to find a wholesaler who has a license to import medications on a "named-patient" basis. Here is a list of wholesale pharmacies:

[Clutter in reply to StelAnd]

StelAnd,

Key is "If your doctor is willing to give you a prescription..." Doctors cannot be forced to write prescriptions for unlicensed medicines.

[Clutter in reply to StelAnd]

StelAnd,

Ask your GP but expect a negative response. UK doctors aren't taught in med school about alternatives to Levothyroxine so your GP will probably not be familiar with the acronym NDT and if you say natural dessicated thyroid will probably think it is some sort of herbal supplement. Mention Armour, NatureThroid or Erfa which GP may have heard of.

[StelAnd in reply to Clutter]

Will do. Thanks again

[Angel_of_the_North]

If you are in the UK, you won't get it. You might get levo + T3. You could just buy your own NDT and self-medicate. You don't *have* to take anything that is prescribed, but high blood pressure is a risky business. Are you eating enough good fats?

[StelAnd in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Yes, my LDLs are a great rate

[StelAnd]

Thank you. I’m so grateful for all these replies

[StelAnd]

Hi all it’s me again at my wits end. After trawling the internet for the last week almost every minute, I am turning myself into a raving lunatic. So, I take 100mg of Levothyroxine and as I’ve said in a previous post my blood pressure has become raised! Looking into this it is becoming evident to me that this med certainly can cause this to happen. I’m checking my bp like a fanatic which is driving me mad (which can’t help) I know thyroxine replaces salt in your body? A factor to raised bp! Please help someone who’s going insane & frightened as to whether I can change from Levothyroxine to something else that will help me? I’ve also started experiencing the feeling like my heart is pumping out of my chest at times and anxious. HELP! There surely is something else I can take instead of Levothyroxine to help my bp as I don’t want bp tablets when I’ve had nothing wrong with my bp until recently? This seems a common problem since reading up on it. I had my levels checked last week that apparently were fine!