NDT?

[Hot59]

What is NDT. I know nothing about it.

[Lalatoot]

Natural dessicated thyroid. Pigs or bovine thyroid manufactured into a tablet. It contains t4 and t3 .

It is no longer licensed for use in the UK so it is very rare to get it on the NHS. Most users buy their own from abroad and get it posted to them.

[Hot59 in reply to Lalatoot]

Thanks

[helvella Administrator]

NDT = Natural Desiccated Thyroid (also called Desiccated Thyroid Extract - DTE)

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Some years ago, I started compiling a list of many of the abbreviations and acronyms that appear on the Thyroid UK forum ( healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk/ ) regularly. The idea was to make it relatively quick and easy to look up abbreviations and acronyms without being waylaid by the many irrelevant possibilities that web searches tend to return.

I continue to update the document quite frequently!

helvella – Abbreviations and Acronyms

dropbox.com/s/2423slilh0or6...

You might never have downloaded a copy, or not for some time, perhaps months or years If so, I suggest you download a copy and save it (or a shortcut) somewhere easy to find.

Please, if you think there is anything missing or wrong, let me know. Post on the forum or send me a Private Message.

If I have posted this because you asked about, or referred to, an abbreviation or acronym, please take this as intended, a way of helping you now and into the future. Not a criticism that you asked.

Do not feel you have to reply to this response!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

Can see from your profile you’re in the U.K.

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

Link re access

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet

Just testing TSH is completely inadequate

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

Many people find different brands are not interchangeable

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

As you have alopecia your thyroid disease is almost certainly autoimmune

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

[serenfach]

I too had no idea NDT existed until I joined this forum. A medical accident destroyed my thyroid and of course my GP just stuck me on Levo. I did not get better, found this forum, tried T3 (Liothyronine) and was much better but not quite right. Then I saw lots of posts about this stuff called NDT and I tried it. SO much better.

This forum has literally saved my life. Keep reading as many threads as you can and you will get a really good feel for what this thyroid business is all about. What suits one person may not suit another, and it is worth getting your blood results and sticking them on here for more advice. Good luck!

[RhianR]

Hi, I'm thinking of trying NDT as nothing else has helped me in 11 years. I'm 11 yrs Hypo/Hashi with ME/CFS. Currently I'm on 100mg Levo + 20mg T3 Liothyronine (private prescription) but no improvement. Thinking of either increasing T3 or trying NDT. Any feedback appreciated, including where you get your NDT from? Thx.