Price of NDT vs T3.

[Sparklingsunshine]

Haven't posted for a while but read the forum daily. Anyway I've been on NDT only for a few months now (using an old Thyroid S supply I bought several years ago). I've struggled on Levo monotherapy despite being prescribed 150mcg daily. TSH is low but so are FT4 and FT3. Honestly never felt particularly well on it.

I'm getting on better with NDT but I'm thinking long term about ongoing costs as well as potential supply issues. I have no idea how much Thyroid S is nowadays. I know the amount of tablets has shrunk, 500 vs the 1000 size I'm using.

I'm wondering about which option is more cost effective, NDT or self sourcing T3 and going back on Levo. I'd like to stay on NDT but like everyone else the cost of living is having an impact and I'm already paying for lose dose naltrexone via a private prescriber which I need for Fibromyalgia.

[GlowCoach Administrator]

This is a complicated one due to the variables of self sourced medication and reliability of suppliers.

Likely a cheapish option is to get an officially prescribed source via private doctor/Endo. Possibly only one consultation a year costing around £250 then ongoing cost if you get Thybon-Henning of 50-60p per tablet. You would need to provide private blood results also.

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to GlowCoach]

Thanks for the reply but going through a private Endo with official T3 and all the faff with blood tests wouldnt be possible for me financially. I know several members self source both NDT and T3 and hoped someone could reply.

[SarahJane1471 in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

do you travel to Greece? Or have someone you know that lives there?

My T3 is from a friend who travels to Athens a lot for business. She buys it OTC for about £2.50. As far as I can work out there is nothing illegal about this method.

Unless anyone can tell me otherwise 🤷‍♀️

[helvella in reply to SarahJane1471]

This is meant to be informational - not to be critical, not cause anyone problems.

I believe that the legal basis for personal importation allows it for yourself and members of your household. Therefore bringing in for another person is not allowed.

(I cannot comment at all on the legality within Greece!)

Have a look at my blog page about this:

helvella - Personal Importation of Prescription-only Medicines

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[SarahJane1471 in reply to helvella]

😳oh really !! Thats a big problem for me as I wouldn’t want to put my friend under any pressure 🙈.

I just assumed if she was buying it OTC then it would be the same as buying paracetamol and bringing it home 😬

[helvella in reply to SarahJane1471]

I am in no way legally experienced or qualified.

But they have far bigger things to be concerned about.

What concerns me more than anything else is someone innocently trying to help a friend and then getting asked by customs, saying something that is untrue, and getting in trouble for that. Rather than the original issue for which customs might just confiscate the tablets.

[SarahJane1471 in reply to helvella]

Good point 👍

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to SarahJane1471]

No to both points lol.

[healthkiwi]

For your pricing calculations, currently Thyroid-S costs around £90-£100 for 500 1 grain tablets, depending on exchange rates.

[Alanna012 in reply to healthkiwi]

Is that from one particular source? The price was much higher (at least twice that) direct from the original supplier, but I am thinking up to about a year ago, obviously something may have changed by now.

[meme in reply to healthkiwi]

it’s about £120 for 500 when I Iooked a few days ago.

[healthkiwi in reply to meme]

Gosh, that's a jump - my last order in January was about £95. Inflation going crazy round the world.

[Alanna012]

Imo, self-sourced T3 plus NHS funded levo is the cheapest option (and the least trouble) depending on what manufacturer of T3 you choose.

I hate to break it to you though, that it's not necessarily a straight conversion. Many people tend to think only in terms of T3 and T4 hormone, but NDT isn't just that, it is a different product and, as such, the real question is: can I thrive on T3 + T4? Or do I do better on NDT because it is a product my body can utilise more fully?

Some people find even the T3 + T4 combo doesn't give them their 'vim and vigour' back. Of course there's no way of knowing for yourself unless trying.

But in that scenario, then Thyroid S becomes the most affordable option, that is excluding the glandulars which aren't a real 'dosed' NDT but work for some, and may work out most affordable of all, if you're lucky to fall into that camp...

[meme in reply to Alanna012]

have you tried Bitiron? It’s a 3/4 combo. I know nothing about it. It came up on a Google search. Seems a very reasonable price if you can work out a dose with it.

[Alanna012 in reply to meme]

Yes, I forgot to mention it, thanks Meme!. I tried it and have two boxes left. I think I may have reacted to something in it, and I couldn't find the ingredients list, (but I was combining it with a bit of NDT and rather foolishly taking some other supplements with Ashgawanda) so it might have just all been too much. But it was quite potent.

I didn't return to it. So I can't say I gave it a fair trial, but I would definitely say if it works, you're right, it is the most cost effective solution and good to have on hand generally.