Anyone taken the REFORMULATED Nature-Throid yet

[magpieannie]

Just checking to see if anyone here has started on the reformulated Nature-Throid yet?  If so, please tell us how it is working for you.

[qpaploo]

Hi Emmy,
Your results from a few years ago are similar to my current ones and I'm wondering if things normalized for you.  Are in a better place?  If so, what worked?  I tried Armour in 2010 and broke out in a rash so I stuck to Synthroid, but I have never felt good.  I finally tried NT and felt great in the first week, but then it's been getting worst ever since - hypo symptoms - brain fog, weight gain.  I'm on 2G now with the results that you had... trying to figure out the best next course of action.  

[Swoozie1]

I'm not sure if this is any help, but I was on (and still am) ERFA from Canada.  Due to problems getting it to where I live, I started to order Nature-Throid.  I took the NT in the morning and the ERFA in the afternoon.
I went for my blood work a few weeks ago, and I have had a complete turn around, after just about getting there with my blood work, and feeling better. I am also now on tablets for pre-diabetes, which I managed to hold off from doing since my last blood work.  My cholesterol is up too after controlling them both.
It would seem either NT isn't as good, or my body doesn't like it.
I'm back fully onto ERFA morning and afternoon, with half a grain of NT in the morning. Blood work to be done in another 6 weeks or so.
My endocrinologist seemed sceptical about the NT and said he would do his research on it.
So, for me NT doesn't work.

[LazyMoose]

Yes, NT was reformulated late 09 to early 2010, just after Armour was reformulated. These companies change without notice, I have no idea what NT is like today. There are people that say Armour changed again, for the better, stop The Thyroid Madness site mentions this.

Erfa has to be ordered from Canada. There is no gaurentee US customers will be able to do this indefinitely due to something slid into the the Obama Care law from big US pharma companies.

If I were you, I'd give the new Acella NP Thyroid a try. Its like original Armour and Erfa. Its made in the USA, Walgreens, Walmart and Target can order it.

[jaydee1938]

I did not know they had reformulated NT all I know is my BP started going through the roof pain in upper arm I have reduced dose with out doctors permission am going to go with erfa next new armour does not do it for me.I just found out that NT has polyethylene glycol in it and I am sensitive to a lot of that stuff. Any one else had BP spikes on NT ?

[LazyMoose]

Still doing well on the Erfa. Wish I had discovered it years ago, can't get back lost time. I got a new bottle a few weeks ago from a reputable supplier, the tablets are harder to split which was a concern but I feel the same. I just hiked a very steep, rugged eight miles on the superior hiking trail which was a section I wanted to do for a couple of years now, it would not have been possible on the other thyroid meds I tried that did not work for me. Seems like most of the Erfa folks have disappeared from hear, I suppose that's a good thing? Its good to get updates since we get this from another country.

[magpieannie]

Just reread this whole thread! Wow! What a stressful time for us all! How are you? Are you still doing well on the Erfa thyroid from Canada? My daughter has been on it over a year now and is doing well and is very stable on it. Her labs in May 2011 wer almost identical with a lower reverse t3 then they were 6 months prior (Nov.2010) so this was great news! I recently had to reorder another years worth from Canada and had no trouble getting it shipped in (arrived in 10 days),  and she has been in the new 500 count bottles for 3 weeks! So far so good! (Praise God!) She will have labs taken again in November 2011. She is still on 2 1/2 total grains per day split between 3 doses per day (just as we started her on). Hope you are well and can give me an update on your status?

[LazyMoose]

Just so others know, this post is over one year old. Nature Throid was reformulated in late fall 2009, early winter 2010. Some people did not respond to the change very well and others moved on to other brands of thyroid replacement with good results.

  

[DocFeelgood]

you should read all of Dr. David Brownsteins books. If you are not responding it may be that your adrenals are not functioning. If the adrenals are down no amount of any form of thyroid will help you. Also, you may need other supplements he talks about like iodine (iodoral 12.5-50mg/day), zinc, selenium, A,C,E, B2,B3,B12 and protein. Stay away from soy, bakery goods, soda pops and gatorade. Detox and drink lots of water. You probably will experience some cleansing crisis' (comes on gradually and lasts several hours to several weeks, it is due to the toxins being stirred up but not yet exiting the body- increase water and temporarily decrease detox agents)and even a healing crisis (comes on suddenly right after a feeling of intense well being and lasts several days to several weeks), but this all means you are actually getting better. You may have a bumpy road ahead, but you cannot give up. Not an option. Good Luck.

[magpieannie]

Here's a great article conecting PVC's, and Afib to Hypothyroidism (low available thyroid hormone)--remember- t4 is just  a storage hormone that must convert to the biologically active thyroid hormone T3--- if this is too low--it can cause issues with the heart for sure.

http://heartdisease.about.com/od/lesscommonheartproblems/a/thyroidheart.htm

[magpieannie]

Here's an old thread that has lots of hypo. people on it with heart palps as a symptom.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/palpitations-and-rapid-heart-beat-with-hypothyroid/show/744773

[Emmy4337]

Interesting labs after being on the new NT.
               4/14                   6/11                   7/16                  range
          OLD NT 4-5grains  OLD NT 3 grains   New NT 4 grains
TSH         .02                   .03                       .02                   .34-5.60
FT4          .84                   .83                       1.01                 .58-1.64
FT3          4.43                 3.31                      3.26                2.39-6.79

I reduced the old NT as I was feeling great but getting severe hand tremors and wanted to see if still felt good at lower dose while getting rid of tremors.  Tremors left but didn't feel quite as good.  Felt much more hypo on new NT.  Interesting that FT4 rose though.

[Emmy4337]

Thanks.  Do you have any information about low T3 causing PVCs?  I'd love to give it to my uncle.  His heart is beating out of rhythm and they are going to shock it to try to get back in order.

[magpieannie]

My daughter had PVC's in her lower right ventricle on Synthroid alone. Of course her pediatric endo. also never checked the freet3. I later found out it was very low yet her t4 was very high (conversion issue) She no longer has heart issues on desiccated now that she gets help with the t3 level through her meds. We now keep her t3 high in normal range and t4 around mid range. total opposite of how her endo. kept her numbers. She feels better in EVERY way, but the heart was the biggy and enough to make me say-no more of this! New doctor, new med,  new life! Now if "they'd" just quit messing with our desiccated meds so we could all stay consistent and well. I pray the Erfa is the answer for us both and that it will not be changed (pharmacy said it's been the same for 20 years) or made unavailable to us in the future.

[Emmy4337]

Thanks.  I read on stopthethyroidmadness site that it has slightly less T4 & T3 in each pill.  I'm shooting for 4 grains before labs in 3 months as I was on 4 on the old NT. If I started feeling hyper I will of couse drop it a alitte.  I was undermedicated on the old armour at 2.5 tp 3 grains.  Since I have to do a complete switch with no weaning over it might get interesting.  I went back on my old armour yesterday since I was less hypo on it than the reformulated NT.  I felt really good all day and had too much energy to go to sleep at my usual 9:30 time.  Joints didn't hurt either.  Definitely a difference between Armour & NT. My uncle who has graves and no thryoid now was recommeding his endo yesterday to me.  He loves him and is the only dr who can get him feeling good.  I called and he won't prescribe dessicated ever so I'm not interested.  Of course my uncle is having heart arrythmia problems right now.  I wonder if it is related to his synthroid?  His TSH was 1 something and of course the frees weren't tested. They lowered his syn because of the heart beats.  

[magpieannie]

That's good to hear Emmy. I hope you'll be "back up and running" soon! I am slowly getting my daughter switched over to it little by little. She started taking 1/2 grain split into two doses in place of 1/2 grain of her N.T. a week ago. I've slowly been tweeking it up. She is up to 1 grain taken in two 1/2 grain doses with the rest of the daily dose being her Nature-Throid. I will slowly keep doing this until I have her completly switched over. So far so good. No complaints and she is acting correctly. She has been on 21/2 grains of Nature-Throid. I hear the Erfa is slightly stronger, so I's shooting for 2 grains of Erfa before labs and then we'll see if she needs more. She was on 2 grains of original Armour, which was perfect for her. Keep in touch and best of luck to you too!

[Emmy4337]

My doctor didn't give me any problem ordering it.  It is being processed by the pharmacy you recommeded and I think it will be shipped today.  I went back on my reformulated armour since at least I didnt' hurt on it and I don't know how long it will take for the new stuff to arrive.  Thanks for your help!  I'll let you know what happens.  Interesting when I went to the website it listed it as Armour Thryoid!  When I called to confirm my script had been faxed they said it is marketed as Thyroid and is manufactured by ERFA.  Can't wait to see the bottle. I order 500 so I would get the manufacturing packaging.  Wish me luck!

[magpieannie]

My daughter is nine and born without a thyroid gland. I switched her from Synthroid to desiccated Armour brand before reformulation 1 1/2 years ago and she did great until they reformulated. Then I switched her to Nature-Throid 1 year ago and she has done fantastic. Now it has been reformulated like the Armour. We will NOT be trying it!  We will try the Erfa as it is similar to old/good (before reformulation) Armour and not too expensive. If it does not do well for her, then we will have to try compounded or go back to Synthroid with t3 Cytomel added. Synthroid alone did not cut the mustard for her (conversion issue). I have high hopes for the Erfa though, and am hoping for a smooth transition to it from the original Nature-Throid. If in the future, it is not available, then we will cross that bridge if and when we get to it (I have 6 months of original Nature-Throid left to hold us over if this happens until we can decide on a plan B). You can order up to 1 year in advance if your doctor will write a script for that much. It took 11 days to get it in the mail and it took 2 phone calls and 1 fax.It wasn't really that difficult to set it all up. I'll keep you posted!

[Emmy4337]

I have thought of it but am hesitant about buying from Canada.  If the gov't cuts off access I'll have to go to compounded anyway.  It isn't looking good for my insurance to pay for compounded dessicated.  If it is available in another form ins. won't pay according to the rep. I spoke with yesterday.  Not sure aboutthat though as I just submitted and was paid for a compounded prescription for my son and I know it is available pre-made.  It just doesn't work as well so we use the compounded version instead.

[magpieannie]

Have you thought about trying Erfa brand desiccated thyroid from Canad? It is suppose to be like old (before reformulation) Armour.

[Emmy4337]

I had 2/3 removed in 206 due to nodules and suspected cancer.  No cancer thankfully.  The remaining 1/3 had atrophied according to the 2010 ultrasound.  I've been on dessicated ever since I started and have Hashimotos.  I was hoping I would feel okay on the new formulation but I'm not.  I don't know if it is because I have been sick, the medicine really isn't working right or it is all in my head!  I can't wait for my next labs.

[magpieannie]

Thanks Emmy for letting us know. Please let us know your lab results and ranges when you get them. Do you have a thyroid gland?

[Emmy4337]

I've been on the new formulation for NatureThroid for 9 days now and I am starting to feel it.  Very tired, wanting naps, waking up at night more, weepy, depressed.  I had bronchitus right after I started so some of this may be related to being sick but I don't think all of it is.  I have a dr. appt for labs on July 24th so I hope I can hold out until then.  I've already talked to the local compounding pharmacist and she can do a time release with my dosage.  Just have to talk to insurance to find out my cost on it. Wish me luck!

[alfonsina]

Thanks for your response. I have tried every single brand for T4 and I got the same effect.

My doctor said that if my T4 was over 1 he was happy with it, because T3 is the active one.

I will follow your suggestion about posting my inexplicable T3 raised.

Please keep us updated about your daughter and NT.

[magpieannie]

I think that with all desiccated the t3 will usually run higher then the freet4 on labs. The issue with the new Nature-Throid and Armour is that the seperation in the two is even greater on labs. The manufacturers increased the cellulose and decreased the dexstrose in the fillers/binders and for some reason it's making the freet4 too low and the freet3 too high. Optimally most people need the t3 higher in the range without going out of range, with the t4 at mid range or slightly higher (a little lower then the freet3 level). The problem is that the t4 is way more then a little lower, it's falling significantly lower, close to thye bottom of the range , with the t3 often out of range on the high side. They should be in the same ball park! The old Nature-Throid is better at keeping things balanced, our issue is that her levels have been creeping up since we improved her intestinal issues and went Gluten free. It just seems that she is needing less med. now. Her t3 and t4 are close in range, the only issue is that they are both too high now and her reverse t3 is rising some. So we've backed off by 1/2 a grain for the first time ever, and she seems to be doing great so far (1 week now). Labs will be done at the end of the month, so we'll see  for sure then.  As far as the t4 meds go with the itching, did you try more then one brand? You are right that t3 is used quickly , yet I have heard that it lags behind on labs, so these do seem to contradict each other don't they? I just can't figure out why the t3 would have gone up after your decrease though? Maybe you should make a new post about this? It would be interesting to see if anyone can figure it out here! Keep in touch!