The only brand that really worked for me was old ERFA years ago, I felt for a few weeks great until I didn't run out and received new ERFA formation back then. Since then I tried different brands and no other brand worked so good despite I got optimal hormone levels. I am not sure if it is possible that it was old ERGA formation that made me good or it was just coincidence.
Anyway I am wondering what is the latest opinion/users experience with the latest NDT brands. Are there any new brands since last few years, any new formations that people found more beneficial than others? Not necessary specific for UK market. Back then when I tried different brands I remember there was NP Thyroid that some people found useful. There was also some brand from beef.
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newbie85
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The problem with NDT of all types and brands now is that sourcing the raw material (i.e. getting hold of healthy pig thyroids) is increasingly a problem.
It’s common for just about every user of NDT to complain “it isn’t as good as it used to be”. Some of that is subjective—hypothyroid conditions aren’t as stable as we might want them to be, especially if you suffer from autoimmune thyroid disease.
But increasingly it’s to do with the quality (and availability) of the raw product. There aren’t many farms across the world prepared to breed pigs in a manner which make them suitable “donors” for NDT production. Therefore there aren’t many new players in the market either.
I’m not sure that even if you found a “good” brand it would stay good these days.
It's so sad. I still have an old empty Nature Thyroid bottle to remind me of the brief time I truly felt good in my life. I don't know what I'm clinging onto it for.
I don't think the veganism tend is encouraging to livestock farmers either. I could eventually see there being just one or two ndt brands left on the market (with an hyper expensive monopoly) or none....
Yes what's that about? Lol, a form of ndt PTSD.....but it's real though. I keep hoping in vain they'll bring it back, knowing full well they never will.
Newbie 85, I started on Armour Thyroid almost 30 years ago and was good on it; changed over to Erfa when problems arose with obtaining Armour and was still good; changed to Nature Thyroid because of expense and was really good on it until batch around 3 years ago didn't appear to be working (it subsequently was withdrawn from sale for being sub-potent). Changed back to Armour Thyroid a couple of years ago but not sure it's suiting me as well and it's terribly expensive but at least I don't have a problem in getting it which is good right now as I'm dealing with other medical issues.
Yes, could not take the ups and downs a couple of years ago as had to move to a new brand, was ok for a while and then it went downhill. Had to give up and move to T3.
So can I ask you how good you've been on T3 and are you taking a combination of T4 and T3 - I have this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach that I will be forced to change at some point but feel very reluctant to do so at this moment in time?
How did you take to T3. Did you start low? What type of T3 do you use? I am struggling to find a suitable treatment which doesn't make me feel like I've just been scraped off the floor and a beached whale. Thyroid S worked pretty well for some years, but after the formulation change (although the manufacturer won't admit that), I've felt awful (crushing headaches, fatigue). Chopping and changing to try and find something which makes me feel better is playing havoc on my thyroid levels (now way too low). T3 Uni Pharma makes my BP rise if I take more than a tiny dose. I can't afford Armour and can't get a prescription. I'm a bit nervous of T3 only due to my BP levels which started after my latest batch of Thyroid S.
I converted what I was taking into roughly equivalent T3 dosage and started from a rounded down version of that which was fine. I built up a little from there until seemed right.
Not at all, any information is helpful. I'm very new to synthetic T3, and just trialling it, with, and without the Thyroid S. I am feeling pretty awful right now, so I'm fumbling around in the desperate need to find what works for me. It has been going on way too long feeling totally rubbish.
That's Great you do well on Levothyroxine 😄! It's certainly less hassle and cheaper than all this other stuff. Having support from the docs is a big plus too. My GP has given up on me thyroid wise, so like many others, I am trying to be my own doc with trial and error, error being the operative word lately 🙄😃
I started off on both T4 and T3 but after a little while realised the T4 did not really make a difference so dropped it. I seem fine on T3 only. Altho it is expensive to self administer. I have tried to save myself some money by using personal referrals of cheap sources -Eastern European or Mexican brands. However, these have all of left me feeling not right so sticking with a more reliable source of T3 only (no NDTs as they became unreliable too) now, despite the cost, as it is not worth feeling unwell!
I was on Thyroid S for several years after struggling with Levothyroxine. I chose this brand because that was the only NDT I could afford and a prescription is not needed. Recently, for reasons such as a reformulation in the tablet, use of poorer quality pig thyroid, or a change in my body, I have felt quite rough on it (severe pressure headaches, fatigue, high BP) even though my bloods show a good T4/T3 score. I am crushed about this as I liked using it, and it was more affordable. I am trialling T3 as Levo makes me put lots of weight. I don't seem to tolerate the T3 brilliantly. If I rise the dose, I get a headache again. I know of other folk who have struggled with the newer batches of Thyroid S too. Armour and NP Thyroid is too expensive for me, otherwise I would try those. They say Armour is the most consistent, but like all U.S FDA approved meds, they cost a fortune. Since coming off the Thyroid S and trialling first Levo/T3 and now T3 my blood results have plummeted right down to just about in the normal range, which I am finding pretty depressing. It's like I'm back a square one years ago before starting on NDT.
I also left Thyroid S a month or so back after 4 successful years using the product and it literally changing my life. There definitely was a reformulation which manufacturer denied when when I questioned different colour of the tablets in my latest batch. My T3 went through the roof and symptoms were creeping in so something was definitely off. I was getting worse and worse as weeks went by despite lowering the dose and eventually decided it wasn’t worth it anymore.
Did your T3 go up or down at that point? What do you take now? My T3 was just slightly higher than normal range when I was taking it fully. Now, after trialling with Levo/T3 and just T3, all my levels are rock bottom, barely in the normal range which is causing awful issues. Levo bloats me and causes fatigue. and I cannot tolerate Liothyronine T3 in high enough doses for it to be of any use ( elevates my blood pressure, headache). Things are not good for me treatment wise at the moment. I am taking a tiny (6mg) T3 dose before bed, as I tolerate it better then, and I have just introduced 1 grain of Thyroid S back in yesterday to retry it. Will do the same today and keep my fingers crossed. I can't afford Armour, so I'm stumped for trying other NDTS.
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