Hi all, I am currently on nature throid, I've been on NDT for around 2 years and had been doing really well on it for about 6 months (thought I'd found my optimal dose). Recently I've been feeling tired again and depression is creeping back. My latest bloods show my T3 has dropped so I have increased my dose and am now up to 4 1/2 grains with no relief yet. I'm wondering if speculation about a possible reformulation of nature throid could be correct so am considering switching to thiroyd. It would be cheaper for me too but I know thiroyd probably has more fillers. I would be interested to hear your thoughts, particularly from those of you taking thiroyd.
Thanks in advance
Natalie x
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NatChap
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Just a thought but I'm wondering if you are now taking too much. How much did you increase by when you saw your FT3 had dropped?
My comment re Thiroyd is a only could tolerate it for a few days and had to swap. I'd been taking Thyroid S successfully but that has even more fillers but it was working well. So was in a bit of a quandary! Before I went down the NDT route I read and asked questions for a long time and noticed that some, like me wanted to try Thiroyd after Thyroid S but couldn't tolerate it and threads were saying the reversal as well. This could be purely a filler problem but I couldn't stand the Thiroyd more than 3 days, the headaches were unbearable! So I went back to the S so not wanting to but you off but sharing my observations, many couldn't swap from one to the other but some were fine. Just wanted to share that should you have a similar reaction. Difficult though to know the ratio as with any other problem you tend to only share or comment if things didn't work out for you. We come across similar comments in many saying they have read that Levo doesn't work and they are striving to go outside the box as they are struggling and asking for results it's more often that not being on the wrong dose! The ones good on Levo don't post on here as too busy enjoying themselves! So what I'm trying to say that swapping from one to the other from the two you can often get from the same source then if you really struggle with it you may be better with the alternative.
I got tested because my symptoms were returning and my T3 had dropped considerably which is why I've increased my dose. I had previously been on the same dose for months but my deterioration does coincide with the availability issues with naturethroid. I've only increased by half a grain since testing a month or so ago so definitely not over medicated. All other tests (vits/minerals) are optimal. I was on levo for a year before switching to NDT and it didn't work for me so I'm not going back to that!
I've been told that after 2 grains to increase with quarters. In fact when I started out I sailed passed my sweet spot up to three and felt good but not quite there. Endo told me to drop to 1.75 which I thought was so wrong but he was right! So going to to 2 in halves meantvid missed it!
At the moment just been asked to drop down to 1.5! On alternate days at the mementvon the way down and felt he was right from my blood at FT3 top of range 24 hours after taking it. At the miment it's affected my voice-few sessions of sounding like sniffing some helium and not sleeping well. But temp up slightly and had a gut bug so that could be causing problems so holding a while and see if it settles down but feel dropping a quarter everyday may be too much for me
Yes I do increase in quarters, always have done. I think you might be misunderstanding me though. I am increasing because my symptoms had returned and when I checked my T3 I found it had dropped so it makes sense that that is why my symptoms had returned. Since increasing my meds my symptoms aren't improving so I can't be over medicated as there has been no relief. Also, when I go over I tend to get anxious, palpitations and chest pain which I haven't had. I am just wondering if it's a reformulation of nature throid that is the problem and if I might be better switching?
That's fine. I was just. Once these that taking more than 1/4 you might not be feeling good because you had over dosed but were thinking that you still weren't taking enough! Hence the reference to me taking doses in halves to two then quarters but then got up to 3 be default because I'd missed my sweet spot at 1.75 by going 1.5 to 2. I always drop back if I'm unsure then titrated up if dropping made me worse. So it's the first question I ask to get the lay of the land!
Don't forget that T3 varies exponentially during the day. You will measure very high or optimal first thing in the morning and then very low by about 4:00pm due to it's half life of about 7 hours.
If you have had your blood taken 24 hours after your last dose (i.e. before you take your pills) you will also see this effect, just on a lower scale and the difference will not be so great. Always have your bloods done at the same time of day and at the same clinic. This way you rule out any variation due to equipment or your own diurnal variability.
This post was from a year ago. I have switched to Thai Thiroyd now and I'm taking 5 grains and doing well. When over medicated I generally feel anxious, tightness in throat, palpitations etc..
Hi NatChap. I swapped from Naturethroid to Thyroid S and must admit felt no difference except in my pocket. Only problem I seem to have now is very high cholesterol, even the yellow spots in eyelids which I didn't have with Naturethroid. I'm wondering if I need to up my dose. But give Thyroid S a go. You have nothing to lose if you're feeling crap anyway. I was on 3 grains and just did 3 tablets of S. But I'm not a dr and this is just what I'm doing. Hope you improve soon x
Thanks 🙂 If I feel no worse but save money then that would be something at least! I'm just so disheartened as I really felt like I'd got myself sorted. Nature throid had been great for me so to have all these issues with availability etc.. is so frustrating and I'm starting to worry that I may never find the right medication or dose that eliminates all of my symptoms. The depression is the worst bit 🙁
I hear you. I swapped in November when I couldn't get the 3 grains Naturethroid and way too expensive to buy all the small doses. Initially it was just to have a back up plan as I was having kittens about not having any NDT. I honestly think that: try it and see how you get on, that way at least you have another source of NDT. I'm not sure about the depression. Mine only improved once I'd swapped from Levi.
Depression and fatigue are the first symptoms to return whenever I'm under medicated 🙁 Brain fog went away permanently when I switched from levo 2 years ago so never going back on that that's for sure.
Thanks for your reply, I think you're right.. I have nothing to lose!
Isn't Thiroyd more like Naturethroid in that it doesn't contain cellulose? In my own experience, Thyroid-S and Thiroyd are not at all interchangeable. I do really well on Thyroid-S, yet, feel hyperthyroid on the same dosage of Thiroyd. The many fillers in Thyroid-S, including cellulose and slow-release substance Eudragit, seem to agree with me. If someone has been doing really well on Naturethroid, maybe it would be best to try Thiroyd first, as it seems to be closer to the Naturethroid formula...? And yes, it contains slightly more fillers than Naturethroid, but not nearly as many as Thyroid-S...I am still amazed I can feel so well on a pill containing so many fillers, but I have tried half a dozen brands and Thyroid-S is the best for me. However, if previously on Naturethroid, I'd try Thiroyd first.
i think thiroyd is stronger than thyroid s. I was fine on thiroyd for 18 month and decided to try thyroid S. My results were worse and it was as if the thyroid S were doing nothing for me when I was taking the same dosage as my thiroyd. I felt I would have to increase the thyroid s to match a lower dose of thiroyd. I decided just to go back on thiroyd and I am fine on that.
I think Thiroyd definitely feels stronger because it contains less fillers than Thyroid-S and no cellulose...which many believe to be the problem with Armour and Naturethroid as well, after they were reformulated and the cellulose content increased.
Hi NatChap I've been on thiroyd over a year and haven't had a problem with it. My blood tests have always reflected an increase dose wise. It's the only NDT I've tried so I can't compare it to any other, same as you I didn't do well on levo. If I was you and felt it wasn't working I'd try a different brand to see if that raised my t3 levels, you really don't want to go slip backwards it takes too long to feel well again! If that works then you'd know it was a problem with the NDT if not I don't really know!!! Trying to get well is like doing a jigsaw puzzle blindfolded, and I haven't found all the pieces yet.😊 wishing you well whatever you decide x
Thank you 🙂 Yes it really is difficult, just starting to feel like I'm fighting a losing battle at the moment, especially as it's affecting my marriage too. I will give it a go and see. I have just placed an order for more nature throid though which is annoying as it's cost me £150 and that's before handing charges and tax 😡
Sorry to hear other areas of your life are being affected too. Stress is something you really don't need. I find taking vit c helps to support adrenals, don't want them feeling stressed as that throws everything out of balance. I'm taking Doctors best vitamin c powder with quali-c. Look after yourself first xx
I have been using thiroyd s for some years and have found that it suits me very well. I take 2 grains in the winter and 1 and a half in summer.
When I moved from eltroxin, which my gp prescribed I was extremely ill with Oedema, swelling, can’t think how to spell it, and multiple vit and min deficiencies and got well using pure t3, then a combo of t3 and ndt then solely ndt. Have used armour, erfa, thiroyd and thiroyd s and have found them all fine so opt for the thiroyd s for cheapness. I am not expert in any way but your current dose sounds very high to me and I am wondering whether there is something else going on for you, are your vit and min levels optimal, as it is easy for them to slip and not to notice until you’ve hit the tipping point.
Yes my other levels are optimal unfortunately.. it would be simpler to correct a vitamin deficiency. I know it's a high dose which is why I'm wondering if nature throid has been reformulated. My T3 level in September last year when on 4 grains, was 5.43 (3.10-6.8) but last months result was 4.7 (3.5-6.5).
I've just been looking back at my diary and I felt really well between July (when I increased to 4 grains) and January when fatigue started to creep back in. Nature throid were having availability issues just prior to Christmas so it would definitely fit.
Given those dates, another possible explanation could be that you're a person who needs a slight increase over winter..
That doesn't explain why you haven't felt improvement, though
I take Nature-throid, and am now completely on the new batch. I haven't had any problems, but have also been increasing every 8 weeks or so, so that smooths over a lot of issues.
It’s necessary to take more ndt, and possibly other forms of thyroid hormone, during the colder months in order to keep warm, or if you like less in the summer when the body doesn’t have to work so hard to keep warm. Dr Hertoghe suggests this and it does make sense if you think about the thyroid as being the boiler of the body.
I suppose there are other vits and mins which ideally should be adjusted seasonally like vit d, which you mention.
It’s fascinating but also scary because the medics are often clueless about even the basics.
Thanks, I hadn't heard that but it makes sense - so much to learn on this journey - but I know more than my GP already! I'm doing so much better since being left on 25mcg of levo for over 2 years! Looking after my own health now. I don't really struggle to keep warm though but that could be down to the menopause - another treat I have to deal with! Onwards and upwards - thanks for sharing that info.
Clutching at straws here, do you drink caffeinated drinks as apparently caffeine interferes with utilization of thyroid meds, can’ t remember the details though and gluten too causes issues.
What do your blood results look like on this high dose? If T3 not optimal then possibly reduce ndt and try adding some pure t3?
The thyroid s is very reasonably priced, I recently got 2 bottles of 1000tabs each for 150 inc delivery
Thank you for your replies, much appreciated 🙂 I will look into thiroyd and thiroid s x
Have it's a pity that nobody has answered you question regarding the reformulation of the NDT that you are taking. I swapped about 2.5 years ago from Levo to Thyrod s, 2.5 grains per day suit me. When on 3 grains I was way over the FT3 higher level.
I have no other issues either i.e. vitamins and minerals or hashis.
You could give thyroid s a try it's much cheaper too.
• in reply to
Has a reformulation of Naturethroid been reported anywhere? The STTM usually is quick to mention those things.
Hi, I dumped levo for Thiroyd in January and getting on fine with it - currently on 1 1/2 grains per day - brain fog and tiredness gone - excess weight a work in progress!
Hi NatChap, I'm sorry you're experiencing a return of symptoms. I'm wondering about the 'new' Nature-Throid, as well. Our situations are different in that I'm a work in progress and have other factors as well. Recently I experienced an increase in symptoms (fatigue/low energy and low mood). My inclination was to think it was my other issues, but I think I saw this issue raised in a couple of places and it has me wondering. I put in a question to my prescriber. I haven't heard back, but I can pass along anything relevant that I hear. Although it sounds like you've decided to try another brand of NDT. It's so disheartening to feel well and then to have a setback. I hope you're back on track soon.
Thank you, just looking back at my diary and the dates the availability issues with naturethroid started for me it really does seem to be linked. It is very disheartening but fingers crossed I find a solution! Hope you are feeling better soon too xx
My hubby changed to a new bottle of Naturethroid at the time when the supplies were short (in February/March?). He started getting headaches quite quickly after changing bottles. He changed to Thyrogold and the headaches went away. Not sure if's a coincidence, but thought I'd mention it after what you said.
It's so interesting hearing everyone's experiences. At least I now feel a bit more positive as there seems to be a reason for my decline rather than just fighting a losing battle against my thyroid!!
I’m also noticing a difference in the potency of nature-throid and have increased my dose substantially. I will stick with it until my next blood tests but I’m not happy as I was doing really well.
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