NP Thyroid and Nature-Throid Voluntary as of August 25th, 2020
Some more bad news for thyroid patients.
RLC labs have issued a voluntary recall for ALL unexpired lots of both Nature-throid and WP thyroid as of August 25th, 2020 due to sub potency.
This announcement can be found on RLC labs official website here as well as on the getrealthyroid.com website.
Unfortunately, this comes in the wake of the recent recall for NP thyroid due to super potency as well as the more distant changes to the WP thyroid as well as Nature-throid that I’ve discussed here.
What we Know So Far
This recall is voluntary which means that RLC labs made the decision to recall the lots on their own.
They weren’t forced to do so by the FDA for complications related to the lot.
The reason for the recall is due sub potency of the active thyroid hormones found in certain lots of both WP thyroid and Nature-throid.
It does not appear that ALL lots were affected even though they have decided to recall them all.
In their official statement, RLC labs stated that the active thyroid ingredients (T3 and T4) in certain lots are less than 90% of what they claim on the packaging.
Per standard guidelines, each grain of Nature-throid and WP thyroid should contain 38mcg of T4 and 9mcg of T3.
If the dose is sub potent (90% of normal, in this case) then it means that each grain would contain 34.2mcg of T4 and 8mcg of T3 instead of the regular 38mcg of T4 and 9mcg of T3.
What does this mean for you? It means that if you were taking one of these affected lots you were getting LESS thyroid hormone than you or your doctor expected.
And, in this case, you would have been more likely to experience low thyroid symptoms despite taking your medication faithfully.
This sub potency issue was found during testing of the active ingredients and the lots which are affected were not specified in their announcement.
For unknown reasons, they have decided to recall ALL unexpired lots even though not all lots may have this issue.
Officially, they have not reported any adverse effects from this sub potency issue but if you have experienced an issue please share your story in the comments below.
What we don’t know is what this means for the long-term outlook of both WP thyroid and Nature-throid.
Are they going to continue to produce these medications? If so, how long will they be out of stock? How difficult will they be to get when they do come back in stock? Etc.
These questions are very real and very important for thyroid patients who were doing well on these medications before this change.
No Official News from the FDA with Conflicting Information from Various Pharmacies
This news doesn’t appear on the official FDA website but I did call a few pharmacies to get additional information.
One pharmacy (CVS) reported that they were aware of the recall and that the only NDT formulation available at their pharmacy was Armour thyroid.
I received a conflicting message from another pharmacy (Walgreens) which stated they did not hear about the recall and it wasn’t in their system.
This particular Walgreens stated that they had Nature-throid on their shelf which was ready to be prescribed.
The official date of the announcement was August 25th, 2020 which was yesterday as of the time of this writing so it’s possible that some pharmacies have not received the information yet.
I have several calls out requesting additional information from RLC labs and I will update you with more information as I receive it.
What This Means For you if you Take These Medications
Unfortunately, this isn’t great news for thyroid patients or for NDT brands in general.
Thyroid medications, but NDT brands specifically, have taken a beating over the last few years with several recalls and reformulations.
And with each recall and reformulation, we are seeing more and more problems.
Thyroid patients who were previously doing well are now experiencing hypothyroid symptoms and so on.
As a thyroid patient taking thyroid medication, one of the most important things you can do is to ensure that your thyroid medication is sufficient for the needs of your body.
Doctors, at baseline, tend to underdose thyroid patients due to a variety of reasons and this sub potency issue may complicate that issue even further.
What should you do if you are currently taking any lot of Nature-throid or WP Thyroid?
I would recommend calling your pharmacy and asking if they are aware of this recall (share the information you obtain from them in the comments below, if possible).
The pharmacy will be able to contact your doctor and get you a prescription for a new formulation of NDT (this will most likely be Armour thyroid).
If you’d like to switch medications entirely, which is what I would probably recommend, then you will need to request these from your doctor.
Which NDT Brands Are Still Working?
What if you want to stay on NDT medication?
Unfortunately, it would seem that your only option as far as NDT is concerned is to use Armour thyroid.
You may be able to find some pharmacies which have NP thyroid but NP thyroid suffers from the super potency issue (previously mentioned) as well as the reformulation issue.
Armour thyroid hasn’t had significant changes made to it for several years and while it normally isn’t the best NDT option available, it may be the ONLY option available to you right now.
Armour thyroid is dosed in a similar way as Nature-throid and WP thyroid when converted into grains.
The mg dosing of Armour thyroid is slightly less than equivalent grains of WP thyroid and Nature-throid.
For instance, 1 grain of Armour thyroid is equal to 60mg whereas 1 grain of Nature-throid is equal to 65mg.
Both of these doses contain the same amount of T4 and T3, though, so you can essentially ignore the mg component.
Other Thyroid Medications I am Recommending Right Now
In light of this recall, what medication should you use as a thyroid patient?
If you are determined to stay on a brand of NDT (natural desiccated thyroid) then it looks like your only option right now may be Armour thyroid.
Armour thyroid has had issues in the past but is definitely still working for many people.
The switch to Armour thyroid will be relatively easy if you transfer over on a grain-by-grain basis.
But what if you want to stay away from NDT medications entirely?
I would probably recommend this route IF you were not doing well on WP thyroid or Nature-throid.
This transition can be a little bit more complicated, however, because you will be going from 1 medication that contains two different thyroid hormones to 2 different medications (if you follow my preferences).
Earlier this year I wrote an article in which I outlined the thyroid medications that I am having the most success with.
You may or may not be surprised to know that NDT formulations didn’t really make the cut, but you can find a shorthand version of these recommendations below:
- Tirosint + Cytomel
- Tirosint + Liothyronine
- Tirosint + SR T3
- (Note: If you can’t get Tirosint then the white 50mcg tablet of levothyroxine/Synthroid may work as well as Levoxyl)
- Armour thyroid is another alternative as well but your mileage may vary in terms of success
These combinations are meant to replace NDT formulations as they contain both T4 and T3 thyroid hormones.
The only downside is that you will most likely need to get two NEW prescriptions unless you decide to swap over to Armour thyroid.
I recommend these medications because they are currently the cleanest options available with the fewest number of inactive fillers, binders, and dyes.
Tirosint, which is incredibly clean, can sometimes be expensive though so you may need to swap it out for cheaper versions if you need to.
Good alternatives include the 50mcg tablet of Synthroid and levothyroxine (which does NOT contain additional dyes) or you can just swap it out for Levoxyl.
Alternatively, you can also get your thyroid medication from a compounding pharmacy that can provide you with equivalent doses of both T4 and T3.
Consider this example if you are a little bit confused.
Imagine you are taking 1.5 grains of Nature-throid. 1.5 grains is equal to 97.5mg.
Because each grain of Nature-throid is supposed to contain 38mcg of T4 and 9mcg of T3 you can simply multiply these values by 1.5 (which represents the ‘grains’ you are taking).
1.5 x 38mcg = 57mcg of T4
1.5 x 9mcg = 13.5mcg of T3
So if you wanted to transition to compounded T4 and T3 thyroid medication you would need a prescription for 57/13.5 of T4/T3.
And while I believe that MOST thyroid patients do far better on thyroid medications that contain both T4 and T3, there are some people who do well on T4-only medications so keep that in mind.
Lastly, always remember that it’s still possible to get good results with other types and brands of thyroid medications.
At the end of the day, whatever works for you is what you should use.
Final Thoughts
I will keep you updated as I get more information.
For now, though, I want to hear from you:
Is your lot of Nature-throid or WP Thyroid affected?
Have you noticed a change in how effective your medication is?
Do you think this issue has contributed to your symptoms or do you think it’s the cause of something else?
Are you able to still get Nature-throid and/or WP thyroid where you live?
Share your questions or comments below!
Well it comes as a surprise to get this new today. I couldn’t really pinpoint my extreme afternoon fatigue. I will reach for the compounded version going forward.
Like you, I have been experiencing lately, as well as difficulty concentrating and major hair loss.
I’ve been extremely tired for the last 2 months, my hair has been falling out in abnormally large amounts, I’ve been grumpy, depressed, and I’ve attributed it all to the China Virus. I am hopeful that many of these symptoms may soon change as my doctor has changed me to NP and I should have it by tomorrow. I feel that the company that produces Nature Throid should have to reimburse everyone for their unused medications. My insurance does not cover Nature Throid and I pay a hefty sum to take it. Thank you for your informative article.
I have had these same issues. I have been on Armour for about 2 months now and doing much better. My hair quit falling out and heart flutters and headaches are going away. I feel they should reimburse us as well. I have insurance but still have to pay a hefty amount as they are not considered generic. They have really done a number on my health. This seems to not be the first time.
hey, sandra…
just thought i’d mention you could try goodRx. i have insurance, but it’s usually cheaper going the discount drug card route. check it out.
even though RLC Labs has screwed me up multiple times with back orders and recalls and such over the years and left me high and dry and in quite the panic, i really love Nature-throid and am crazy anxious for its return.
good luck. cheers
I have as well and got really sick and couldn’t figure out why was going on. It makes sense now.
I hope to get the compounded version.
That is what I did. I was on nature thyroid had problems with stomache cramps and hair loss along with fatigue same thing with WP! WP used to work wonderfully for me until they added lactose!! Why after all these years would they do that to a medication that was working perfectly fine for many years, it makes no sense other that they are intentionally destroying our health I really do believe that there is NO other reason as far as I am concerened. Get some thyroid meds. behind you (stock up) if you can we never know whats going to happen going forward.
Darn it – I take 1 grain of Nature Throid and have been doing fine after taking a synthetic for years that made me feel sick – I am looking at your recommendations – any input on using a compound pharmacy ? – I can not have filler or dyes at all – I was allergic to synthroid ( acacia filler ) I am at a loss and have 20 more pills – you seem to really like tyrosint and I am open
Definitely noticed extreme afternoon tiredness!! A lot 3 lbs weight gain ! Happy to know why!
Spent a month or so going downhill with lots of symptoms, struggling to figure out why. Very irritated but somewhat relieved to know now. Taking Nature-throid, and was alerted by my great nurse practitioner who saw a trend going on and researched it. Thank you for the important information
Thank you for getting this information out to us. I haven’t been feeling myself and was dreading the thought of telling my Dr. That I wanted to change medicines…again.
Love your videos on YouTube. Unfortunately in South Africa Amour or Naturethroid is not available though there are many people who suffers from thyroid problems. If medications is ordered from your webside how do you convert the SA rand to the American dollar.?
I think this has been going on for at least a year or more. My dr prescribed me generic cytomel to take with my morning dose of Nature-Throid and again in the afternoon. It has helped a lot. But, why would I continue to pay for a subpar medication? I don’t know what I am going to do.
Been on Naturetroid for 3 weeks now and no changes. All I get is nauseous 10 minutes after taking it and it lasts most of the day. I just found out about them adding the lactose to it and I am guessing thats why. I am allergic to all milk protiens. I am wondering though if Dr. Childs Hashimotos protocol eliminates the need for thyroid meds?
Hi Pamela,
It’s possible but not guaranteed because it depends on many factors including how long you’ve had your disease and so on.
I have been having some pretty significant issues for the last two months, with my numbers swinging all over the place. I don’t think this is the #1 cause, but I definitely think it’s a contributor! Going to switch to Armour for now and eventually synthetic as I’ve tried all the NDTs and I’m starting to wonder if they just don’t work for me …
I forgot to ask – does your formulation above work if we were to switch from NDT to synthetic? The one where you multiply by 1.5 to get the correct amount of micrograms? One reason I’ve been hesitating to make the switch to synthetic is how confusing the dose conversion is, and I don’t think I could handle it being totally off at this point!
I have been on WP Thyroid and since January 2020 my TSH levels where all over the place. The biggest thing i noticed was hair loss and fatigue. i kept saying what is wrong with me?, now it all makes sense. i had to cut pills to make the correct dosage and who knows how much thyroid i was getting? I could never get may levels right. I also did not like the fact that RLC labs would not disclose where the medication was made. China perhaps?
The Nature thyroid and WP thyroid are made in the US supposedly with GMO free pigs. I am concerened that they did not disclose that, what would their reasoning be?
I’ve been on Nature Throid since 2013, after Armour quit working for me after being on Armour since 1998. I tried compounded for a few months before Nature Throid and it made me worse. I’ve not felt my best since 2018 on Nature Throid, even though I also have been on synthetic generic T3 added in there too. I’ve felt like death, unable to focus, get motivated, including weight up and down 3-4 pounds which is annoying as a small person, and my hair won’t grow at all! I am working with my integrative physician to find some workarounds. I’m feeling pretty done with desiccated thyroid meds! They seem to sure have quality control issues, as well as availability ones, and inconsistency issues. I’m looking into some kind of Tirosint to take with my T3. Trying to see what it costs and if it’s covered by my insurance and available.
I’m actually having the opposite problem. I’ve been having a bad headache for the last week with racing heart the last few weeks. My blood pressure and pulse are elevated. But that might just be from too high a dose. I increased a couple of months ago from 3 grains to 4 grains NT daily.
Not surprised!! It took only one to two weeks to see how WP Thyroid did NOT work for me. Felt terrible on it!
I’ve been seeing a Holistic Nurse Practitioner every 6 months for the last four years for Hashimotos.
I take compounded porcine meds (70MG), T3, LDN, Vit D, and now iodine (all from a compunded pharmacy except for the D) but my numbers have never stabilized and the answer has always been “lets up your meds” every six months.
When you worked with Hashimoto’s patients, what average timeframe did it take to stabilize their numbers?
Is 4 years a long time without seeing any stabilization?
My TSH, T4, T3 have remained low the past four years. I still manage to lift weights and dance zumba but my doctor is surprised I have energy based on my numbers.
Currently I am sleeping 10-12 hours.
Should I expect better results?
I bought your Biotin supplement as my hair has been falling out for about 6 mos.
Thanks!
Just called CVS (I’m in southern ca) they were not aware of the recall and said they would have to investigate and get back to me.//
Hi Isabela,
I called a few pharmacies locally and only some were aware and others were not. They also do not have an official FDA page for the recall so I’m not sure what the issue is. You can check out the official statements here, though:
https://www.rlclabs.com/voluntary-recall-information.html
https://getrealthyroid.com/voluntary-recall-information.html
I’ll keep an eye on it and post updates here.
THis is such bullshit! These Naturethroid and WP and others stopped working for most people over 2 years ago…and their customers have been complaining to them about it since then….they only just noticed because most thyroid patients have already switched to either synthetics or Armour and so RLC noticed their profits dropping off. That’s when they decided to look into it. They apparently aren’t doing any testing to make sure the thyroid extract they are using to produce the pills which they are most likely sourcing from China or India is potent enough or not and they aren’t testing their product batches…if they really cared about us they would be attempting to perform some quality control and this sort of recall would have happened years ago.
They should be ashamed and I don’t trust them or belive them. RLC labs is one of the least dependable sources for NDT…meanwhile millions suffer.
Please note they are not going to reimburse you for your old pills, they are only reimbursing for pills that have current effective dates…So that means I’m out of the money as I switched almost 2 years ago to Armour. Armour is the only reliable prescription NDT and it’s the most expensive.
I just heard today that Cynomel, a presciption form of T3 is no longer available and no one knows when it will be..
WAKE UP people we need a Go Fund Me site so we can either contract with a reliable lab somewhere or manufacture our own NDT in a patient cooperative for a cheap price. Hello, how many million hogs are butchered every day in this world…there should never be a shortage of this medication, but because believe me big pharma doesn’t want you to take any type of medication that they cannot patent and charge big bucks for…
Anybody else sick of being treated like you are stupid and ignorant?
You hit it on the nose!!!!! Evil Pharma cares for NO ONE, it is ALL about profits!!!
I feel the same way! Stupid big Pharma. What are they doing with all the billions they take from us to oversee crap like this?!
Ann
Yes, ma’am. Sick of being treated like I don’t know my body best.
I’ve been trying to get optimal on Nature Throid and NP Thyroid since Feb this year and between the recalls on both products it’s no wonder why I haven’t. I noticed when I tried Nature Throid I didn’t seem to experience relief from certain hypo symptoms like I did upon taking Np Thyroid. However, what I’ve noticed with NP Thyroid is that the 15 mg sample bottles I was given from my Dr’s office seem to be more effective, lack the pungent smell and are white, as opposed to the pungent speckled ones I get at the pharmacy. At 46.5 KG of weight X 1.6 mcg of T4 my dose should be 75 mcg of T4 however I’ve always had to take 88mcg of T4. I suspect I’m not actually absorbing all of the medication so I’m on a larger dose. Do you suggest that Dr’s and patients start at a lower dose of Tirosint due to better absorption? I”m going to perhaps talk to my Dr about trying Tirosint plus T3. One thing I don’t get about the natural desiccated stuff is that if it contains 75mcg of T4 shouldn’t it only contain 15 mcg of T3?
I am taking Thyrovanz from New Zealand which is bovine NDT. Why isn’t this option mentioned? Seriously need to know.
I have been taking Nature-throid for many years. Synthroid did not work for me at all. I haven’t noticed a difference in how I feel.
I buy my prescription at Walmart pharmacy. Isn’t there a generic natural thyroid medicine? Armour thyroid has always been more expensive than the other natural thyroid meds.
I also buy my scripts at walmart. I’m not aware of any generics available in natural desiccated.
Levothyroxine was not working, switched to Synthroid…still no good results. Endocrinologist read that Synthroid “can” have gluten as a binder. I am VERY gluten intolerant…switched to Tirosint and antibodies have finally started to drop.
Dr., can you look into Nutri-Meds? I have been taking this for about 3 years or more and it has worked well. It’s NDT from grass fed cows in New Zealand. I take the 65mg capsules. They are very clean. Lately, I’m having trouble losing weight but I don’t want to go any higher than my dose of the max, 5 capsules per day. I just want someone like you to check them out, since I never hear anyone talk about them. They may be a Godsend for someone or is it just smoke? Thanks.
Grateful to you, Dr. Child’s. You are a true healer and truly care about people.
Is NP Thyroid still in production? I thought the recall in May/June was only on certain lots due to super potency. That means there are still many that are fine? Why would NP Thyroid be hard to find?
Hi Delphine,
You are correct that only certain lots were recalled but when this happens it usually causes issues with stocking because people then swap to the remaining doses to fill their old dose and this creates a shortage.
Hello,
I’ve been on 97.5 naturethroid for many years. Never really feel much energy. Never have. I take bupropion and celexa and I do ok, just not great.
I am gluten sensitive and lactose intolerant.
My small pharmacy called me over a week ago about the recall. I called my Doc’s office and he sent a script for
50 mcg levothyroxine.
Do need to ask him to add
Cytomel or
Liothyronine or
SR T3 ?
I was confused by that in your “chart” of suggestions.
Amour didn’t work last time NT messed up (nauseous and very irritable,) so I hope this does.
Thank you,
Patrice
God! The thyroid med struggle is truly never ending! 🙁
All by design.
I have noticed a decline since June in how I’m feeling. Weight gain, muscle fatigue and heart palpitations! When I was first diagnosed with Hashimotos I started on ERFA from Canada but switched to Nature Throid for convenience. I guess I’ll try to get on ERFA again. Thanks for letting us know about the recall as my doctor would never notify me and fights me every step of the way when prescribing naturally desiccated thyroid medication because it isn’t “standard of care” It’s so discouraging!
Well that explains EVERYTHING!! I have been on WP for over a year with great results!! I am 64 years old , work full time as a nurse, and suddenly when COVID hit mu exercise routine changed (as did everyone’s life) but my eating did not, I improvised on my exercise and made up my own HIIT classes and ran 2 miles 4 days a week and all of a sudden my weight started going up and up and it will NOT come off. On paper I look fine . I feel awful. My hair is thinning. I started getting tired. I called my NP. She instructed me to take one WP in the morning and one in the afternoon, That was a month ago. I wrote her a couple of weeks ago and asked her if this did not work if she would have a problem changing me to Synthroid and Cytomel and she said no. I just rewrote her today and have not heard back. I do get my WP from CVS in Alabama. Now maybe I will start growing some hair again and can quit ordering a size larger uniform. That was really ticking me off. Could you possibly help me calculate out my dosage for the switch from WP 1.5 tab in am and 1 tab pm to equal a good starting dose for tyrosint and Cytomel? I am going to call CVS in the morning to see if they are aware of this and my Physician
I don’t see anything on the RLC website about a recall. I had my script refilled 7 weeks ago for a 90 day supply so hopefully my batch was fine. I’ve actually lost 5 pounds in last 7 weeks effortlessly.
Hi Stephanie,
This is the recall info on their site: https://www.rlclabs.com/voluntary-recall-information.html
You used to be able to access it from the home page but it looks like they removed that link but this link remains active.
Also in my area you cannot get Nature Throid at any mainstream pharmacy (Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, etc.) last several years. I had to go to a ma-n-pop pharmacy that also does compounding. I live in a metropolitan area. I was on Synthroid 4 years before switching to NDT. Synthroid made me so sick & I constantly had issues & felt so unwell with horrible symptoms. Nature Throid is the only thing I’ve done well on. Tried NP thyroid one time & that was not good for me. Also long term use of Cytomel will cause weak bones (osteoporosis). Natural desiccated is always a better option long term.
Dr Childs
Any feedback on Tiromel brand of T3?
Hello Dr. Childs
I having problems with the medication that I am taking which is synthroid 50 mgs blood pressure is low sometimes high . Feels cold and tired a lot . What should I do . Also due for blood work now .
So tired tired of fighting with doctor to get NDT. Tired of fighting pharmacies to get meds. Tired of feeling tired. Can’t anyone get this right?
I have Hashimoto’s and did very well on Naturethroid for over 10 years until the reformulation in 2018. Then I switched to NP during the period that NP was “superpotent.” Never felt well on NP so my doc switched me to Levoxyl, which me feel sick and weird–not like myself, and compounded T3. Not sure the scripts were high enough dosages. Never felt well: heart palpitations, fatigue in the afternoon, and daily bouts of shortness of breath, and of course hair loss…my doc has recently prescribed (June 2020) WP. Still not feeling well, same symptoms as above. I have an appointment with a functional medicine doc next week; hopefully together we can figure out what to do next…
For those of you interested in compounding pharmacies I’ve had great experiences with Belmar Pharmacy in Boulder, CO, and Hopkinton Pharmacy in MA.
I will add that I take low dose Naltrexone (.75 mg) daily; this helps with all my symptoms; however they are not eliminated…
Thank you Dr. Childs for this information. Please keep doing this work. We need your information and support.
Good luck to my fellow travelers on this journey–what a tough ride this is.
Just called my Rite Aid pharmacy – she stated that they were not aware of any recall and would have to look into it and get back to me. I switched to Nature throid in Feb due to new insurance not covering Armour (it’s so expensive!) My labs in May showed a Significant increase in TSH and I have steadily felt worse. I’m guessing this is the reason. Will call my Dr as well to see what options I have. Thanks for the insight!
I have had multiple symptoms as of recent with NDT. Fatigue, hair loss, headaches and weight gain.
Thank you for the update Dr. Childs. Oh how I wish I could see you as my treating physician. I need a smart doctor..
I spent 3 decades on thyroid medication (synthetic/bioidentical T3T4, then 2 decades with no medication. My thyroid evidently started working again (Wilson’s Protocol effect?). About 16 months ago my labs (and symptoms) suggested mild hypothyroidism again so my Dr. started me on 1/2 grain of Armour, and then had to ratchet it up to 1 grain, then 2 grains to get my fT3 and fT4 into the desired range. Symptoms improved for awhile, and then started to worsen about 6 months ago. Dr. wouldn’t do anything so I added another 1/2 grain myself and got to feeling pretty good except for late afternoon brain fog. About 2 weeks ago my new thyroid specialist cut back my Armour by 40% and added 50 ug levothyroxin – and wow. I have my old drive and focus back, afternoon brain fog has gone away. Don’t know how long this will last, or if it works for others.
I was on Synthroid for 15 years. Switched to NatureThroid in Oct 2019. As we titrated my dose up, my labwork was looking good. Then in June 2020, I had chest palpitations and ended up in the ER. My TSH went from 2.3 to 9.8. My naturopath thought I got a bad batch of NatureThroid, but assured me everything was fine and just increased my dose. My labwork went back to normal. To this day they have assured me there are no concerns with continuing with NatureThroid. However I went to pick up a refill today at RiteAid and that’s when I was told about the recall. This concerns me. It was a lot of work/monitoring to switch over to NatureThroid, now I wish I never switched over in the first place if this is something I may be dealing with. I just wanted to try NDT.
Thank you Dr. Childs for notifying me of the WP thyroid changes.
I’m trying to get regulated but these little bumps don’t help.
I love this research you provide it fulfills alot of questions I have had.
Look forward to your information.
Thanks, Lynn
I have been on Tirosint (capsules) for over 5 years. It’s the first thyroid medication that actually worked for me. They also have a liquid version now called Tirosint-SOL. If your insurance doesn’t cover it. Email Tirosint they sent a list of 3 pharmacies that sell a 90 day prescription for $120. Instead of $155 a month. I was thrilled since my insurance stopped covering the Tirosint.
Hi Rebecca,
Yep! You can learn about both products here:
https://www.restartmed.com/tirosint/
https://www.restartmed.com/tirosint-sol/
I’ve been taking Armour since December and did fine the first four months. Then started having symptoms of fatigue, foggy brain, insomnia. Went in for lab work and it showed my TSH at 9.7. Increased dosage last week and will be rechecked in six weeks. Before you jump to high priced Armour, I wanted to warn you it has not been working for me!
armour reformulated or something maybe 10yrs or so ago. i had been taking it and was fine, and then there was a bit of trouble, and then i couldnt get it thru escripts so they changed me to naturethroid, which has been soso overall. it is my contention that these natural thyroid meds have been reworked to provide less t3 than they used to. all to benefit the companies that make synthetic thyroid meds at what appears to be a substantial price increase for the end user.
Yes, my last refill of 65 MG tablets Nature-Throid is included in the lots recalled, per the pharmacist I spoke to on the phone. I get mine on Walmart’s “By Mail” system.
However, I’ve been taking 1/2 tablet as an experiment, since phone appointment discussion July 14th with Endocronologist my GP referred me to. He has now written a change to Levothyroxine 75 in view of this recall and 8/31/20 tests being: TSH= 4.93, and Free T4=.8 . . . the only two tests ordered. Levo75 free of fillers also?
Hi Sharon,
No, all combinations except the 50mcg tablet have extra dyes in them.
I have been taking Nature Throid for three years. My doctor initially prescribed 90mg. Then he moved and another doctor in the practice took
My case and reduced the dose to 65 mg. I am getting by on that. I just had my prescription refilled a week ago and this information may explain why I need a morning nap and sometimes an afternoon nap. If I sit down and get still, I will be asleep.
I took T3 Conversion Booster, which seemed to help improve my TSH. I completed the first bottle and want to continue using it. However, it is out of stock.
Dr. Childs, please notify me when you have it in stock.
Meanwhile, I started taking NatureThroid, 1/2 grain, on 8/6/20. I experienced a chest pressure pain about three hours after I took it. The pain went away in a few hours. So I continued taking it until 8/25/20, when I experienced another chest pressure pain. My endocrinologist told me to stop using it.
Then, I got the recall notification from the naturopathic doctor’s office, where I got the original prescription.
I had my thyroid labs done yesterday and will soon find out the effect of my taking NatureThroid for 20 days. I still have cold feet and feel tired.
Hi Sarah,
I will send out an email once T3 conversion booster comes back in stock.
Please notify me when it is available again. Thyroid booster. Kate.kindmueller@aol.com. Thanks
Hi Kate,
I will send out a mass email to my entire mailing list. If you aren’t already on it you can sign up for free here: https://www.restartmed.com/start-here/
I take NatureThroid and just had my labs done. My TSH was 90!! No wonder I’ve been experiencing awful symptoms. My doctor and pharmacy say they didn’t know there was a voluntary recall. Thank you Dr. Childs for sharing this information!
Well now wonder 25% of my hair just fell out over the ladt couple months and put on 15 lbs just had my thyroid levels checked just before finding this out and it showed low free t4 with high tsh. This explains a lot now gotta come up with a new game plan.
Graves Disease, diagnosed 5 years late (no TSH for 5 years, lab tried to tell doc, doc didn’t “believe in” thyroid problems until my eyes “got diseased” and I couldn’t see) so I wear dark glasses forever with bifocals, but a bit of Tapazole and good diet got my panels good. MISTAKE RAI after a significant death in my family: I had told endo I needed more Tapazole (and I’m not one to want to rely on meds), but my “labs are fine!” —then I had thyroid storm. Ice blankets in hospital, awful. I hate labs. NEVER RADIATE! If I had had cancer, I would have just signed the Hospice papers. NEVER RADIATE. But I did the evil RAI which is evil, and has since caused problems (pill touched a tooth, a year or so later it BROKE OUT of my mouth; they should stop playing with radiation!!!!!!!!!) but now I’m stuck on replacement. Long story shorter (I have to tell people: NEVER RAI! Death is better!!!), stupid evil endocrinologist who will be in the 9th pit of Hell soon enough (:D) underdosed me to where I QUALIFIED FOR DISABILITY! Another doc who is >>>>> than evil endocriniologist gave me NT Thyroid 8 months ago, and my life is CHANGED! Much better! But I was in the hospital yesterday, lots of (expensive) tests, and it’s a thyroid issue. 🙁 so this is sort of really good news for me because while my numbers have been “normal” and I’ve felt good, the last few days I nose-dived and nobody could figure out why.
Today, I go to Mass (covid-friendly non-facemask Thursday Mass) and then I drove to pick up my NT thyroid Rx, as I’m out. RUG PULLED OUT FROM UNDER ME! No “NT thyroid!” I was BALLING. I had been told the compounding pharmacy would mix some up for me if NDT even got these problems I’d read about on this site. No: they CAN compound NDT but ONLY IF there’s no other alternative brand available, so they give me “NP Thyroid”. I said I was TERRIFIED to switch, and please go DIG OUT OF THE TRASH any NT Thyroid they had. The reviews I looked at for NP Thyroid were TRASH: people said it tasted like ammonia or urine!! And that it caused GI problems, etc. I BEGGED: let me go find a pig somewhere and you guy fix it up (in a holy way, like with anesthesia, put it down) and compound a safe NDT! I’m not GOING back to Synthriod. In ANY dose. Why? No matter what dose they gave me, the lab (people, not lab results) said I had some problem “making” T3 from just Synthroid, and I don’t think any doc around here would give this 100lb not-short girl Cytomel! (That stuff has a worse “abuse” reputation than XANAX or opiates! Something about bodybuilding I think.)
They AGREED that since I was just in the ER (for thousands of dollars, during covid furlough and little cash) I was terrified to switch, but pharmacist sold me on “NP Thyroid”. Said it was about the same (more expensive on my insurance though). Then I read all these bad reviews about NP Thyroid! Go read that at drugs.com! People reported stomach problems mostly, and the ONLY good review was someone getting off levothyroxine for the first time ever and getting the good stuff (any NDT >>> levo I think, though I never had colorful levos, just white Synthroid).
I called back: pharmacist is willing to give me Armour “cash only” but strongly recommended NP. He said he’d give it to his wife. I said are you a serial killer or do you love your wife? (I mean, really… he was BAE but cute guys can be serial killers.) He said he knew I was terrified to try new pills, and a “herbal remedy” type, and sort of pleaded for me to trust him. I felt bad.
But I tell you: I still want to take a pig in and have them do whatever to make up a batch of NDT for me. I want my NT THYROID not this knock-off brand! I’m scared my hair will fall out like one of those drugs.com reviews about NP vs Armour. HELP!
Okay, I didn’t have any bad side effects on NP Thyroid. It helped with my stomach bloating and I had no pain or GI problems on it. The only reason I got off of it is because the T4/T3 ratio didn’t work out for me. I had to overdose on 120mg just to get enough T4 to be stable and I figured at that point I’d just switch to a reliable synthetic T4/T3 combo. I agree, I had a partial thyroidectomy and was told the other half should function normally….wrong wrong wrong. My TSH crept up to 5 over the next two years and then they put me on meds. Now they made me hypo for life and the last three years and currently have been a nightmare. I haven’t been able to work for several months.
Thanks for the great info. FYI- regarding checking lot numbers to see if my prescription is one of affected products. My Walgreen pharmacist told me they don’t keep records of lot numbers for any particular prescription – said he believes no pharmacy does. They can only tell what lot #s for products currently on their shelf. So, if you have a prescription for more than a few days most likely you won’t know what the lot # is.
I know this topic is regarding NDT: Nature Throid and WP Thyroid being recalled because of suboptimal performance. However, I am on Armour Thyroid and have been experiencing hyperthyroid symptoms severely on and off with using Armour Thyroid since April 2020. I have made (3) “Lack of Effect” complaints to the manufacturers of Armour thyroid Allergan and Bayer pharmaceuticals (Forest Pharmaceuticals was acquired by Allergan back in 2017). So I am putting this out there to those who may be switching to Armour Thyroid to not be surprised if it doesn’t work. I am extremely frustrated and sick of being sick. Anyone who has thyroid disease knows how awful we can feel when our thyroid medication is not effective. I have been switched to WP thyroid, Nature Throid and Armour over the years due to lack of effectiveness with all these products. Right now I am feeling terrible, weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, lack of focus…. Unsure where to go from here. Any suggestions or anyone feeling lack of effect from using Armour thyroid, please let me know or comment below.
On Nature-Throid and with hypo symptoms, just so frustrating to be in this position. I am taking compounded so re-looked at my script information to find there is not a DAW and the pharmacist substituted for the RLC recalled ones. When will the Dr and pharmacy get up to date on this info. I will be contacting them tomorrow.
No one does well on T4 only. That is a myth. Our livers are so overloaded with pollution & chemical exposure, SAD (standard American diet), and chronic dehyration these days that we should not rely on conversion of T4 to T3 in the liver for optimal health.
Hi Sadie,
I have plenty of people who take T4 and do well. Many people do need T3 in addition to T3 and some need only T3 but plenty do fine on just T4.
Do you know anything about the product Eco Thyro which is a “lypolized, certified freeze dried New Zealand glands and tissues” supplement, manufactured for Nutritional Specialties by Professional Health Products? This was suggested by a nutritionist after the Nature-throid was taken off the market. I would love your opinion.
Hi Ann,
Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about that supplement/medication so I can’t offer an opinion on it.