consultant has changed me from Armour to ERFA ?

[Avidreader]

hello - Has anyone for experience of changing NDT from Armour to Erfa please ?

I’ve been on Armour ( at huge cost to me for 2 years - it’s good for me ) previously was on Nature Throid - but that went bad & they recalled - I was on 4 grains of that

Armour. Seems better only needed 3 & 1/2 grains

However as levothyroxine has never worked & I wasted 25 years on it - I’ve now managed to get NDT on NHS - but consultant hasn’t told me - just changed it to ERFA ( 7 tablets a day ! No instructions with it )

eg aside from

Coffee / empty stomach as I did before with other ?

many advice please ? I’ve not dared to start it !

the ERFA has come as 30mg ? Not grains

[Lalatoot]

Erfa 30mg is half a grain and it contains T4 18mcg and T3 4mcg.

[Anthea55]

I've tried both. I would have preferred Armour but I had side effects. Erfa is quite a bit cheaper. Your 7 Erfa pills is the same amount as 3.5 grains of Armour. I treated them both the same, dose split into two - Armour 2 + 1.5 or Erfa 4 + 3.

Erfa had a different set of side effects for me - but I seem to be like that.

I suggest that you try the Erfa and see how you get on. If it suits you, stick with it, if not then insist that you go back to Armour - after all you are paying for it.

You should be able to google for the Erfa information leaflet - you should have been given that with the pills.

Hope that helps.

[Avidreader in reply to Anthea55]

yes isnt it strange ? All I got was a bottle of pills sent - just “ THYROID “ not even Erfa written on it - & take 7 a day - im currently suffering long term AstraZeneca damage 20 months now - & so scared to rock the boat with changing brand - I do well on Armour - though still get odd days when my eyes go dead & sunken - so I dread changing

[archipoeta in reply to Avidreader]

I am so sorry about the mRNA damage? Have you reported it? Have you told your doctor? We need to make a fuss about this!

[Anthea55 in reply to Avidreader]

They shouldn't send you pills without identification - they could be anything!

However, I just googled for Erfa and found this link

eci2012.net/product/thyroid/

This shows pictures of the Erfa pills and other info from the leaflet which should come with the pills. If your pills don't look like that you need to complain and not take them.

Good luck.

[Avidreader in reply to Anthea55]

thanks for doing that for me - I know it’s most odd - just writing Thyroid 30mg & no brand name or instructions-

[Anthea55 in reply to Avidreader]

Not just odd, I think it might be illegal. Have you checked your pills against the pictures on that link I gave you? Hope they match!

[Avidreader in reply to Anthea55]

they were couriered from Lloyds pharmacy- so they must be ok - I phoned them to check & it was them who named it as ERFA - on the bottle it says THYROID ! Very odd - maybe it’s because NHS doesn’t like / approve of NDT ? Who knows ?

[Anthea55 in reply to Avidreader]

I'm sure you are right, but I would compare your pills with the picture in that link that I sent you.

Maybe you could ask them why they didn't write ERFA on the bottle and why they didn't send you a PIL (patient information leaflet). You ought to be given the PIL in case you get side effects or you need to know the ingredients or interactions with any other medicines you are taking. In my opinion they were just being a bit lazy.

[SmPea]

Your lucky to get ERFA on the NHS. I am refused it in West Sussex. I have been on ERFA for over 2 years 2 grains daily (60mg) tablets. Have it prescribed by private Endo. I am better for the higher FT3 it gives me. Initially I had heart palpitations with it due to increasing dose too quickly but seem fairly settled on this dose now.

Hope it works for you.

[Avidreader in reply to SmPea]

I dint do well on Levothyroxine & have done like you for over 5 years paying for armour at cost of £550 every 3 months ! It’s unsustainable- yes olus private endocrinologist- so I finally kicked up a fuss

[Avidreader in reply to SmPea]

I always have palpitations! Scary -

[pennyannie]

Hello Avidreader :

I would maintain the same routine you had when taking Armour but just be aware that Efra 'looks ' to be slightly less potent.

1 grain Efra ( 60mg ) contains 8mg T3 and 35 mg T4 :

whilst

1 grain Armour (60mg ) contains 9mg T3 and 38mg T4 :

[dizzy1979]

Hi,

I am wondering what hospital borough you are under please? I am trying to prove to my Endo that this is something that is prescribed on the NHS ( I am west herts )