After a year of struggling to get my levels right, my doctor is finally changing me to Nature Throid.
So, my question is if you take it, has it helped more than Synthroid? Have you noticed that is has helped joint pain, exhaustion or brain fog?
What has helped you in conjunction to your medication to relieve your symptoms?
The odd thing I notice when starting Nature-throid was that I could smell things that I never knew had a smell. (ie hydrangeas) It also helped to reduce muscle pain. I did not have joint pain.
I addition to Nature-throid I added T3, and in my case that has helped with fatigue and feeling cold. Not everyone needs to do that, but some benefit from additional T3.
Synthroid alone did not work well for me. Many people do not convert well enough for it to be the stand-alone solution. I had been on Synthroid and Cytomel too...but Nature-throid was an improvement for me.
The smelling thing, that's interesting to me. Started on Levo, got sicker---went to NDT, and got way better, but also noticed I could HEAR way better, almost to extreme irritation.
That’s really interesting! I’m wondering what I haven’t noticed I’ve lost. I get to start the NDT tomorrow. Kinda excited to see what happens
I'm excited for you. Hope it helps 
Hi Asunnybeachday,
Yes I’m on compounded NDT and T3. I’m in Australia where compounded NDT is the only option, and it seems to be good quality. I’ve been on it 4 months now, having tried T3 alone, T3+T4, and plain T4 Oroxine, over the 19 months prior.
I’ve just posted “Optimal range”... about the improvements on NDT and T3 so you might find that helpful, encouraging.
As for other things I’ve done which have helped:
* Finding a good GP and Endochrinoligist, who listen respectfully, are knowledgeable, up-to-date on the latest research and who treat according to my symptoms, not TSH.
* Complete rest for about 6 months when I was at my worst. Resting fully at least one whole day a weekend now that I am on the mend. At least 9 hours sleep each night.
* Reaching out to people here when I really need help and understanding. Everyone “gets it” here The search function is especially helpful (under the “more” button) as there is a lot of encouraging and helpful information gong back years!
* Getting a low-stress, admin job once I began feeling a little improved with T3. It’s helped so much to have a structure and helped ease me out of those 6 months of bed rest. It was hard at first, some days I was so grateful that all I needed to do was sit and answer the phone, because I could barely do even that. Then by lunchtime I would be feeling a bit better, just to have my mind taken off my woes for a while did help. Now I’m starting to get bored with this job and looking around for alternatives so I think that’s another sign of improvement.
* Supplements and healthy food. There’s lots of good advice here. Personally I’ve tried special diets Eg keto, SCD — mostly when I’ve been feeling sooo frustrated with slow progress on medication— and it’s actually made me feel worse, feeling so obsessed with it all. I steer clear of special diets now. Cutting out dairy just made me miserable (clearly I’m not allergic to dairy!) That said, I do watch my food though — I follow gluten-free (I have to, being Coeliac), no alcohol (I’m sure I used to hide my Hashimoto’s symptoms with a few glasses of wine, which only delayed getting proper treatment, and alcohol adds to inflammation!), minimal refined sugar, fresh meat, veggies and fruit. It’s a personal thing. No doubt though that what you eat and having good mineral and vitamin levels help your body recover.
* Friends — the true friends and family who stick by you through this time. They are gold <3
I hope the NDT works for you Asunnybeachday, and you’re feeling better soon.
BBxx
I feel so much better on NDT;having tried armour,nature and NP Thyroid. Originally I was on levothyroxine alone and i could barely function as I was so tired and had constant brain fog. Adding T3 helped somewhat with these symptoms but I still felt as I was functioning at 60%. NDT has given me back my life. Good luck x
I’ve been on NatureThroid for six months. 1 grain twice a day. Nothing. I’m still in pain. Brain fog. Forgetting words, grocery lists and names. Heck, I don’t remember two days ago. My doc refuses to get labs. I’m at a loss. I’ve almost run out of NatureThroid and it cannot be found in the US. Shortage I guess. I’m in a quandary. Do I take it or not when I run out? Oh, I have a large non cancerous nodule. I’ve posted results here before and didn’t get anywhere. If you get relief Sunny, please post in hopes of helping me.
Why are you on 1 grain daily after six months?! One grain is a starting dose, and you are supposed to get labs regularly (every 6-8 weeks) until you have rid yourself of all hypo symptoms. For most patients, that seems to be on 3-5 grains daily, although some require more and some less.
If your doctor refuses to get labs, and keeps you on a starting dose of NDT after six months, s/he is not very knowledgeable about thyroid hormone replacement. All the symptoms you list are indicative of low thyroid (being under medicated).
Is there any way you could order private labs? Or find a new doctor?
Thanks for the reply Anna. I’ve asked this doc (a man, an family practice guy who fancies himself a thyroid expert because he’s been published) several times about labs. He is smart alec and condescending. I am going to see a REAL endocrinologist next week. I’m afraid he will stop the NatureThroid and put me on synthoid. I had it in the past. Not a good result. Lots of side effects. What should I do next week?
The best thing, of course, would be to find a doctor willing to work with NDT and to prescribe labs to monitor your progress as you go along. Do you know if there are any doctors like that where you live (or reasonably close)?
It seems endocrinologists in general are not more inclined than any other doctors to prescribe NDT, so my advice would be to make sure in advance the doctor you choose works with NDT.
I do not know any docs locally. Im kinda stuck. I’m hoping the endocrinologist next week will write for more grains and let me see if it helps. At six months in? I should give it a shot as it’s full effects. Wish me luck.
Best of luck, and make sure to keep us updated
Anna69. Please search my other post. I’m a newbie. No one really responded completely in that post. Thank you if you can.
Melissa,
Sorry, would you mind reposting your questions/comments?
I just reposted it with follow up responses from me. Thank you for your interest. Xo
Where are you in the states? I'm in GA and my doc (nurse practitioner prescribes NDT (Armour) and understands that TSH isn't everything. She allows me to run high at .01
NM, I read lower... Does Armour Thyroid work for you? Ask for THAT instead Nature throid. It's basically the same, might have some different "other" ingredients...?
I’m in Illinois. The doc who prescribes the NatureThroid is in Wisconsin and insists on NatureThroid. No idea why. I agree Armour is the same(ish). I’m hoping my endo appt on Tuesday is open to nutrient testing and NDT.
You can order NDT directly from several suppliers in Thailand, as these would be substitutes for prescription NDT in the U.S. Just google two products, one is "Throid-S" or "Thiroyd." Many people have had excellent results with either of them.
Also, they are available at the fraction of the cost of prescription NDT...I don't know about the US, but in Belgium where I used to get mine NDT is horribly expensive. I agree with what you say about the quality of Thai NDT.
Melissa, if you are in the US get a complete thyroid panel from True Health Labs. They are great and they are who I use (I am also in the US). You order through the internet (go to their web page), pay them and they send you a "purchase order" that is honored by Quest Labs and in some cases other labs.
I agree with Anna's post that 1 grain is pretty low, I tried that once just out of curiosity (and thought I would obey my endocrinologist stupidly thinking that maybe he knew more than I did about me) and I was so ill, starting with a suppressed immune system i.e. constant snivels followed by the 'flu, followed by constant snivels for about 3 months. I never get sick like that so I knew it was the decreased NDT because that was the only thing I had changed. As soon as I bumped my dose back up to 1.5 grains (of Armour) daily, then I recovered.
I just ran into a acquaintance who said she was on NatureThroid so I am not sure if there is a shortage. If I can find her again I will ask.
Lahs! Hi from a US site! I’m in Illinois. I will consider True Health Labs after my endo appt next Tuesday. Im hoping he is receptive to the NatureThroid increased dose. 1 grain twice a day is not enough. Every time I asked the doc (a family medicine guy in WI) who wrote the NatureThroid script to increase it-he is condescending telling me to be patient and making fun of me. So hurtful. As if physical pain wasn’t enough. Emotional pain too? He won’t order blood work either.
I’ll let you know how it goes with the endo next week. Thank you hon. Thanks for the reply.
There is another tack you can take - and what many of us here do - just bump your own dose up for about a week and see if your symptoms disappear. You will then have the answer for yourself to your main problem and now you only have one problem left, getting the 'script. Actually, I am not so sure that you even need a 'script for NatureThroid in the US. Again, if I can ever contact my acquaintance again I will post her answers.
My Endo prescribes 1.25 grains daily and tries to get me to take 1.0 grain. I take 1.5 grains and he has never studied the frequency of renewing my 'scripts. It's a sort of don't ask don't tell arrangement. I guess if I show up still fit and alive that's the end of his responsibility and he doesn't dig further.
I’m taking 2 grains but divided into two doses. I’m almost out and YES-it is in shortage in the US. Horribly hard to get. Please let me know what your friend says. Any help is appreciated. I’ll see if I have enough to bump it up for a few days. How long before I should know if a higher dose helps?
Well, T3 has a half life of 8 hours so you should feel some improvement within a couple of hours. For me the switch from Levo to NDT took 20 minutes, It was a morning I will never forget. Everything cleared up faster than I realized what was wrong. You might think of calling the manufacturers and ask where they are distributing so that you can locate a source quickly. I had to do that with Armour at one point, they sent a lot of material and were generally only too happy to help. (Naturally they want to sell their stuff!) I will try to get hold of my friend.
I only have five of six halves. Damn. I can’t try bumping up my dose. I have to wait to get it from Health Warehouse in Kentcky (last place I found it in stock). It’s no where in central or eastern Illinois. Believe me. I’ve tried. I need a miracle. Who manufactures it? I’ll call anyone.
Oh gosh Melissa, I wish I could do more. I will see if my friend will answer an e-mail to see if she too is affected and if so what she is doing about it.
OK, I just fired off an email, I will contact you as soon as I get a reply.
Thank you hon. This BS stresses us enough to make homeostasis a pipe dream! Can we PM on here?
Changing to Naturethroid was the best thing I have done in managing my Hashimoto’s. At the same time I was advised to quit dairy, all grains, sugar and alcohol. Suddenly I had my life back. Brain fog - gone! Painful joints - gone! Plenty of energy, got my libido back (and a happier husband). I hope you get similar results.
Hi Asunnybeachday
I've just started taking Nature Throid a week ago so very early days but I have noticed my temperature has gone up straight away I feel a lot warmer I can tell something's different already 😀 I certainly don't feel any worse than in Levo if that's any help to you so far so good ! My only worry is self medicating I haven't got the back up from GP .
Good Luck I really hope you start to feel better on this
Kazbe 😀
Is NT the same as Armour Thyroid (just a different name)? I know when I switched over from Synthroid to Armour Thyroid I felt sooo much better. My brain fog was gone, I wasn't so tired, my hair stopped falling out and my skin was no longer so dry and flaky. I'm now living in the UK and the doctor only prescribes synthroid and I feel awful again. I'm currently in the process of ordering Armour Thyroid online.
I think it’s the same. My doctor asked me which one I wanted and I was unsure. So She suggested NT because it’s less expensive and carried by pharmacies more often. I really don’t know if there is a difference.
Hi I think NT and WP are hypoallergenic forms of NDT so for someone who has allergies or sensitivity to foods and drugs these are a good option ! There are people on the forum who have helped me with so much knowledge so if you are unsure ask the questions and someone will answer you .
Take Care and Good Luck
Kazbe x
Nature throid v thiroyd
Nature throid. 
Nature Throid 
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