NDT changing from porcine to bovine

[birdy51]

Hi all,

have been reading through all the interesting posts and information here. I have been on NDT for many years now, first through Dr. P, and then sourcing on my own over the internet. For years I used an American source, but for the last 2 years I have been using a UK porcine one (some people are afraid to try it because we have been told there is no confirmed amount of hormones in it) - I feel really well on it and am pleased I made the move as I also feel better knowing the source is within easy reach (I live in Europe, not in the UK and since Brexit, have been ordering these from Holland to avoid paying tax if I order from the UK).

I read about nucleotides being added, and causing problems in some people, but I haven't had any, or at least not yet. What I'd like to ask is if anyone has changed over from the porcine to the bovine sourced NDT as I made a mistake with my last order and ordered two of the bovine one instead (which is supposed to have less nucleotides and therefore cause less problems). So instead of sending them back, I will try them, and was thinking of substituting some of the porcine for the bovine one gradually, then if all goes well, I may switch over permanently. Any experiences or comments? Please feel free to write a pm if you want to mention the name of the product. I think you all know the one I mean.

A word to all those who are having problems with levo - I had terrible problems with that and the 3 different endos I saw here refused to consider any alternatives (I had severe palpitations, my weight went up instead of down, my face and eye area were swollen, my eyesight was getting worse.....and I just felt truly terrible). That's when I decided to go to Dr.P in the UK as I used to live there - he immediately put me on the right path by treating my adrenals and using NDT, and my life turned around! So there is hope out there - just find what works for you and your own body and don't let anyone tell you that the only answer is levo, because for many people, including me, it's not!

Thanks!

[Hidden]

Another non-satisfied user of Levothyroxine.

Could you share with us a little background information? Has your thyroid been surgically removed and/or have you had treatment with Radioactive Iodine?

[birdy51 in reply to Hidden]

No, my thyroid hasn't been removed, and I haven't had treatment with radioactive iodine. I began suffering with various problems many years ago, like hair loss, weight gain, very dry skin, worsening eyesight, swollen face and eye area (along with dry, red eyes), tiredness, gynaecological problems, and other things I can't remember. I went to several different doctors but nobody suspected a thyroid problem until I went to have my eyes checked (nothing found) and asked if it could be my thyroid causing the problems. The doctor agreed with me and sent me to do a blood test, which showed I was just over the upper limit for TSH.

Then I began the odyssey of one endocrinologist after the other and all of them insisted I take levothyroxine even though it obviously wasn't working, and on the contrary, just made things worse! I just stopped taking it one day when my palpitations got so bad that I thought I was going to have a heart attack and called my endo, who insisted that I carry on with the levo! So I started searching the forums and discovered there were so many people like me, and discovered NDT. Then I decided to go to the UK and see Dr. P. because by then I also suspected an adrenal problem, and he resolved all my problems by putting me on adrenal support and NDT which at first I ordered from the States.

There used to be a really excellent NDT which cost next to nothing in the pharmacies here and no prescription was required - I discovered and used this later, after using the American ones, and after searching for an easily available NDT, and it was wonderful! It even brought my cholesterol levels down to what it should be. But, obviously this did not sit well with the pharmaceutical industry, and soon enough this was taken off the market and the only alternative left was levo!! If you have a prescription you can get it filled in the Vatican here, but I haven't had one for years so I usually just order online. I have regular blood tests to check my levels of everything including B12, iron, sodium etc and recently had a scan of my thyroid which showed that 2 of the 3 nodules I had aren't there anymore, but I do have a small cyst which they told me would resolve on its own (apparently just water filled). The only thing I still have is raised cholesterol, but I am taking some natural stuff for that, in the hope that that will keep it at a reasonable level. So that's me. I do hope the new bovine version I will be using will be as good as the porcine has been, otherwise I will be ordering the porcine one again.

[Eton in reply to birdy51]

Hi birdy51

Can I ask what adrenal support you used and if you still need it please?

[birdy51 in reply to Eton]

Hi Eton, Dr. P put me on HC at first as my adrenals were rather in a bad way (5mg 3 times a day) and then he moved me to adrenal cortex. I used adrenal cortex (after being on HC for several months at first) for at least a year, maybe two, then gradually tapered off and began using just natural herbal adrenal support and then stopped that too when I felt I was doing well enough. I don't know if I am allowed to mention product names here?? Will pm you the names of the ones I used.

[Eton in reply to birdy51]

That would be really helpful Birdy51 if you don't mind.

[Noelnoel in reply to birdy51]

When you say NDT do you mean glandulars?

[Lalatoot in reply to Noelnoel]

Yes it seems that the poster means glandulars as she states they have no declared hormone content

[LuckyKat]

I've used both the porcine and bovine. Both are fine, but I stick with the bovine now - the difference is very slight and if the bovine was out of stock I wouldn't hesitate over buying the porcine.

[birdy51 in reply to LuckyKat]

Thank you LuckyKat, let's hope it agrees with me as well as the porcine does!

[Brightness14]

Hi, there are several people on this site using M successfully. If you would like to know I would PM you with the details.

Some use the P one in the morning and the B one in the PM.

I live in France and had been using Thyroid s NDT for years until last year when it went wrong. I have tried the Levo plus T3 and it's awful, anyway I had also ordered supplies from Holland the cost is lower but as I have no Thyroid I have to be careful.

I have spent the last year feeling very ill trying out different things which haven't worked.

The M sounds like the one. The Bovine one is supposed to be stronger but I haven't tried them yet.

[birdy51 in reply to Brightness14]

Hi Brightness14, so sorry to hear you're not doing well. I didn't realise you could mix the porcine and bovine, thought you had to choose between them! Please do pm me whatever you've found out, I would be most interested, thank you!

[Brightness14]

It's the way to go naturally I know the NDT Thyroid s was the ratio that suited me 4:1

Humans are different, I often wondered why I had such an affinity with pigs. I was brought up on a pig farm, so perhaps that's why.

The Thyroid s has so many fillers but I took it for over seven years and felt well.

Good Luck