Comments on: Here’s the skinny about the “new” Naturethroid: the good, the bad, and the curious

By: jojo

jojo — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:47:05 +0000

Thank you Janie so basically the paltry amount I am taking isn’t enough to do much right? So would I have to taper or can I just stop? Your site here is really cool I am having a little trouble figuring things out on it so thanks for your help and patience with me. I am seeing an endocrine doc at cleveland clinic and she refuses to move me up any higher on the med she says she doesn’t even usually treat hashi just goes on lab tests but since I was having symptoms she agreed on this low dose. What can I do, no doctors will help me, they all go on these lab results.

(From Janie: read the above links; join patient groups. That will all help. And you need a FAR better doc. Here’s how to find one: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/how-to-find-a-good-doc)

By: jojo

jojo — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:39:39 +0000

Just got some naturethroid the other day and on one side is an N and the other side says 025, so are these yet again, a new formulation? I also have been gaining weight steadily once starting naturethroid and am thinking of stopping. I am on 1/2 grain once a day can I just stop or do I need to taper? I have hashi and my levels have always been in their “NORMAL” range.

(From Janie: 1/2 grain is a paltry amount!! Most start on one grain, then raise by 1/2 grain every few weeks, slowing down in the 2-3 grain area. Read: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/things-we-have-learned then join patient groups for feedback: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/talk-to-others)

By: Noreen

Noreen — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 22:58:31 +0000

Does anyone know of a yahoo thyroid support grp for hypothyroidism or/and athyroidism (born w/o thyroid). I am scared, I have had constant issues (20+yrs) with synthetics, then Armour & now NT. I do believe there is a conspiracy to keep us sick; everytime we find a good med, it’s reformulated (for the worst) or gone for good. I have tried chewing, sucking on it (under tongue), you name it, to no avail.I’m going to get EFRA if I can get an Rx for it, I’ve only heard good about it.

(From Janie: Join the original NTH group from here: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/talk-to-others Also check out the “thyroidless” group from the same page.)

By: Barb

Barb — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:21:05 +0000

Janie – So what are you suggesting – adrenal and ferritin testing and going on Cortisol and Iron? If I am in fact hyperthyroid – do I even need any thyroid supplementation? This is all so confusing. Thank you for your help in understanding this nightmare.

(Go here: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/talk-to-others )

By: Barb

Barb — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:45:25 +0000

Donna and Miriam Hamsa – Lowering your dose of NT – did it relieve the anxiety issues and high Free T3? I’ve been on Armour Thyroid for years most recently at 90mg. I had a hysterectomy in April 2009 and quit HRT last June because of friends dying from Breast Cancer. Since 2009 I’ve been having anxiety, insomnia, heart palpatations and other symptoms which would seem like I’m hyper. Doctor’s say anxiety is due to Insomnia, only testing my TSH which has been from 1′s to 2′s so saying Thyroid is normal. Just put together that the reformulation is probably my problem. I’ve got an appt with an Endocrinologist in 2 weeks what tests should I insist on? Thank you anyone for information. I feel I’m going crazy.

(From Janie: Barb, a high free T3 with your symptoms points to one or both of these: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/adrenal-info or http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/ferritin And an Endo is most likely going to keep you sick by putting you back on T4. Read the above.)

By: Donna

Donna — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:14:10 +0000

Oops, couldn’t go back and edit for some reason. Free T3 is 11, NOT 4.11.

By: Donna

Donna — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:07:51 +0000

@ Miriam– Hi Miriam My FreeT3 suddenly tested high for the first time ever– 4.11 !!! My endo’s testing policy is to do it in her office, and I’d taken my meds nearly 5 hours before. She’s tested me this way previously, and NEVER, EVER has it tested this high before. I get my NT from my ND– and she was unaware of the reformulation. I’d been stable on NT and adrenal support for over a year, and I think my adrenals have taken a hit due to the reformulation. The pills definitely changed around January, when I refilled with the ND, and by February, I was having insomnia, hypoglycemia, and other anxiety issues. My ND purchases NT in bulk, so I think she’d gone through the supply of old NT, and was into the new shipment of new NT, and I got the new stuff. Ugh.

By: Miriam Hamsa

Miriam Hamsa — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:06:57 +0000

Interestingly, last Sept. my thyroid suddenly tested high after 10 years. I’ve been on naturthroid for probably 3 or 4 years now. We lowered the dose and tested again after 6 months. Still hyper. Go figure. My naturopath didn’t know about the reformulation. He thinks (and maybe there is some sense to it) that the reason my thyroid is suddenly “working” is that I have been mostly off gluten for the last year. Dropping to 1 gr from 1.5 and originally 2. Stay tuned!

By: Leigh

Leigh — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 01:40:03 +0000

I take 65mg Nature-throid daily plus very small amount of Unithroid because of T3 issues (because makers of Unithroid were first to go through proper procedure of applying for and receiving FDA approval while Synthroid was still balking—my opinion of Abbott Labs’ ethics is very low. And I’ll always be amazed at Janie’s courage going toe-to-toe with a Synthroid sales rep in that sneaker store, or wherever they ran into each other. But I digress…). CVS pharmacy did not have 65mg Nature-throid when I presented my prescription, so they gave me 130mg tabs to split. Those tabs were scored, with NT above the score and 2 below the score. NOW, CVS gave me 32.5mg tablets (merry-go-round thyroid meds, what can I say?!), which are small and lack a score altogether. I am having an entirely different experience taking two 32.5mg tabs instead of half a 130mg tab, and I do not know if I was taking the new formulation and now the old formulation, or vice versa. WHAT A TOTAL BUMMER THIS MEDS MESS IS!!! I can’t tell if I have too much med in me or too little, I’ve noticed over the past few years that I’ve been taking this stuff that it can be difficult to distinguish too much med from too little. Pill identifier at “drugs.com” does not recognize Nature-throid, so, Janie, do you know any site that can identify these tablets and reveal whether they are different formulations?

(From Janie: no, I don’t, sadly. But I know there are private laboratories that will analyze meds, but they are very expensive. Hope someone with money to spare will use one and report back to me.)

By: Audrey

Audrey — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:35:46 +0000

So thankful for this website!! My story is, I was diagnosed with low T3 15 yrs ago, put on Synthroid. Then a few years later, after feeling little relief from my meds, was taken off because my new Dr told me that I was in a depression and the only help would be antidepressants. And yes, he tested my thyroid but not for T3. This started a 10 year cycle of therapy and last year I ended up on a 30 day treatment center due to severe depression. It took years to find the right Dr, I’m thankful I finally did!! I got my results back last week and they are the following:

Low T3 3.0
Low cortisol
A food allergy that has made it difficult to process and absorb proteins
Low testosterone (over prescribed birth control pills, 20 yrs) which has also made it impossible for my body to absorb nutrients and vitamins
Low Vit D
And finally low B 12 (300 points under).

Last week I started on 1/2 grain Naturethriod, 2 tabs isocort, digestive enzymes, omega 3, liquid vit D supplement, daily liquid B-12 drops and weekly B-12 shots. My issue right now is that I feel like crap. My coordination is worse, I’m still pretty chilly, brain fog and fatigue more intense (I’ve been napping every day… I can’t stand daytime naps) and because of this my mood is low. My Dr said it’s called a “healing crisis”. She said my liver is releasing toxins and because of this it’s releasing years of suppressed symptoms. Apparently I should expect a few more days, possibly week of this, then I should feel great. Because she was smart enough to run the right tests I want to have faith in her. I guess I’m trying to figure out if what I’m feeling is Ok, or maybe I need to up my dosage of thyroid or adrenal medications. I know my diagnosis is pretty specific but any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated. I’m back in the low thyroid game and a little out of touch from what I should expect. Very thankful the internet is useful for this too. Not so much available 15 yrs ago.
Thanks in advance!!!