RE: Can anyone recommend a reliable international pharmacy HC?

[Guest guest]

hi Rebeccca

www.inhousepharmacy.vu are fine, they do a 5mg hc that won't get stopped by

customs as it's under the limit; free postage, too. tho it takes about a month

last time i ordered. they do a bigger tablet that probably will get stopped in

customs.

i am very sensitive to meds and i found i was sensitive to the one sold by

inhouse.

international pharmacies 20mg ones are good, these are the ones i use, they

probably will get stopped in customs unfortunately. but they are a good brand -

i can tolerate these well, no allergies. the HC tablets have different fillers

in....

cortef - i was sensitive to these, like the ones from inhouse. i think cortef

is supposed to be the best brand, the strongest. it is the most expensive

though, too.

the 20mg ones are scored so you can halve them easily, you can half them again

and it won't be 100% accurate but it's ok....

> Do all drugs from abroad get stopped by customs? Do you eventually get them?

i've never had problems with the inhouse or international pharmacy.

Erfa make a hydrocortisone, too. it's ok, but i still prefer the 20mg one -

think it's made by west-ward. The NHS one is good too, but it's very expensive

(to the NHS as an aside, they put the price up 10x...profiteering)...

chris

>

>

> Do all drugs from abroad get stopped by customs? Do you eventually get them?

>

> It would seem that looking at international pharmacy it is far cheaper to buy

20mg tabs. Is it possible to split them?

>

> Many thanks for any help

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

ps - are you sure you need it? HC in low doses should be safe...just wanted to

check with you that's all....

>

> Hi, does anyone here use one of the international pharmacies for HC/cortisol?

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Thank you for the replies. When I tried t go to www.inhousepharmacy.vu

there seems to be a problem with their site. I found this

www.inhousepharmacy-europe.com and I wondered if it might be the same place?

They also have 5mg HC for £11.52 and offer free delivery and seem to have pretty

decent prices. I had read that keeping the doses under 20mg daily should be ok-

i thought 5mg x3 daily, how does that sound?

I'm fairly convinced that I would benefit quiet a lot from a low dose. I'll try

and keep it brief, here are the things that have brought me to think HC is the

way to go:

I suffer from fairly heavy fatigue and was diagnosed with chronic fatigue last

year. I also have hasimotos and was put on T3 in addition to my T4 at the end of

last year.

This just about wiped me out so I stopped the T3 and returned to my normal level

of fatigue. On a hunch I also stopped the T4.... a few weeks later the fatigue

had 60-70% gone!!!! I still had hypo symptoms but my worst symptom by far was

the fatigue. Relatively speaking I felt so much better.

Just to complicate it all I am pretty mercury toxic and have been trying to

chelate but have been unable to due to tiny doses of chelators causing more

fatigue. candida is also an issue here.

So, I figured if the thyroid meds that are needed, cause that much fatigue then

the adrenal must be under performing...right? Candida, chelating and mercury

itself are also hard on the adrenals from what i have read.

After the usual NHS tests that all say my adrenals are fine, so no chance of HC

from them! I figured if the thyroid meds that I need are making that fatigued

then the adrenal must be under performing...right?

I also don't want to have tell my endo about the T3 making me so much worse as

he will just say to stop and stay on T4.

Do you think that trying HC might be a good idea? I have been undecided for

months on what to do, except now I have finally given up on the NHS!

Thanks

>

> ps - are you sure you need it? HC in low doses should be safe...just wanted

to check with you that's all....

[Guest guest]

Hi

There is some info in this folder that may help you with the adrenals:

thyroid treatment/files/ADRENALS/

As an alternative to HC there are also adrenal glandulars , too:

http://www.mandimart.co.uk/adrenal-cortex-50mg-by-thorne-research-60-capsules-71\

9-p.asp

Others take the nutri adrenal glandular and do well on them.

The Inhouse site is working fine for me:

http://www.inhousepharmacy.vu/p-212-hydrocortisone-5mg.aspx

i think the site you mention is the same as the .vu one but just for europe

(which should be ok)

It would be good to get an adrenal saliva test if you can- i really wouldn't

start HC without this, it may not be HC that is the problem -your symptoms may

be caused by other problems? you need to know whether it is HC that you need. I

also wouldn't take HC without taking DHEA to offset the catabolic effects of it.

I don't know the correct dose of DHEA in a woman though, i'm sorry.

Is it possible for you to see someone like Dr Peatfield who could help you with

your problems? I really would get an adrenal saliva test if you haven't already

..

I'm sorry my reply hasn't answered all of your questions - someone else may be

able to help more.

chris

[Guest guest]

Go to our FILES SECTION accessible from the Home Page of this

Forum in the Menu. Scroll down the list that opens to 'INTERNET PHARMACIES'.

All of these pharmacies you can buy thyroid and thyroid related drugs without

the need for a prescription.

Why do you need HC. Have you been tested to check your cortisol

and DHEA levels, and if so, what were your results.

Do not take HC if you have not been tested.

Luv - Sheila

Hi, does anyone here use one of the

international pharmacies for HC/cortisol?

I'm looking to buy small does of HC 2.5 - 5mg

Have been reading about some of the issues with not being able to make

payments/get deliveries/customs etc. and am worried I'll order from the wrong

one. I have never used one of these pharmacies before so I'm a bit of a novice.

Can anyone suggest a good reliable one that doesn't have too many issues?

Do all drugs from abroad get stopped by customs? Do you eventually get them?

It would seem that looking at international pharmacy it is far cheaper to buy

20mg tabs. Is it possible to split them?

Many thanks for any help

No

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[Guest guest]

Hi

Before considering treating with hydrocortisone, are you

absolutely certain that you are suffering with severe adrenal fatigue. I would

highly recommend that before starting, you get the 24 hour salivary adrenal

profile done through Genova Diagnostics. This tests your level of cortisol and

DHEA secretion at four specific times during the day. Go to our FILES SECTION

and scroll down the list there to 'Discounts on Tests and Supplements' and open

the Genova document and order from there, telling them that 'Thyroid Patient

Advocacy' is your Practitioner. The results will be sent to you and you can

then post them to the forum so we can help with their interpretation.

Check out the attached document and go through all of these by

way of a process of elimination.

Ask y our GP to check y our levels of iron, transferrin

saturation%, ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, magnesium, folate, copper and

zinc and when you have the results, again, post them on the forum so we can

help with any interpretation. If any of these are showing low levels, no amount

of thyroid hormone fan be fully utilised at the cellular level until whatever

is low has been properly supplemented. Any of these being low could also cause

your symptoms of severe fatigue.

Luv - Sheila

So, I figured if the thyroid meds that are needed, cause that much fatigue then

the adrenal must be under performing...right? Candida, chelating and mercury

itself are also hard on the adrenals from what i have read.

After the usual NHS tests that all say my adrenals are fine, so no chance of HC

from them! I figured if the thyroid meds that I need are making that fatigued

then the adrenal must be under performing...right?

I also don't want to have tell my endo about the T3 making me so much worse as

he will just say to stop and stay on T4.

1 of 1 File(s)

WHY THYROID HORMONE REPLACEMENT MAY NOT BE WORKING FOR YOU.doc

[Guest guest]

I suffer from fairly heavy fatigue and was diagnosed with chronic fatigue last year. I also have hasimotos and was put on T3 in addition to my T4 at the end of last year. This just about wiped me out so I stopped the T3 and returned to my normal level of fatigue. On a hunch I also stopped the T4.... a few weeks later the fatigue had 60-70% gone!!!! I still had hypo symptoms but my worst symptom by far was the fatigue. Relatively speaking I felt so much better.Just to complicate it all I am pretty mercury toxic and have been trying to chelate but have been unable to due to tiny doses of chelators causing more fatigue. candida is also an issue here. :(So, I figured if the thyroid meds that are needed, cause that much fatigue then the adrenal must be under performing...right? Candida, chelating and mercury itself are also hard on the adrenals from what i have read.Hello ,

I would second what Sheila has said – never, never, take HC "on a hunch"... make absolutely sure that the reason for your fatigue really is down to very low adrenal function... and from what you are saying, I am less than convinced about it.

HC should be the very last resort when everything else has been ruled out and the usual adrenal support has been tried and failed . Some people do need steroids, but it should never be taken lightly or on suspicion that it might be needed. Taking HC – even in physiological doses - can create so many problems when taken unnecessarily and in the end you might wish you had never started.

You mention mercury poisoning and Candida....both can cause terrible symptoms and fatigue is one of them and they can hamper thyroid uptake and utilization. Do you still have amalgam fillings? – I hope not – but if yes, then you should never have attempted chelating – that would drive the toxins even deeper into the tissues and make your symptoms worse; you only chelate when all the amalgam fillings have been removed (even those that might lurk underneath crowns) and even then I would be very reluctant to do it without the supervision of a clued up doctor or dentist. It can go horribly wrong.

You mention Candida.... have you had your Candida antibodies tested? how bad is it? What are you doing about it? – Are you on a sugar-free diet? Have you tried to get the Candida under control with Fluconazole or other anti-fungals?

Another consideration – if you suffer from Candida, any steroids will make your Candida symptoms a whole lot worse. Just like antibiotics, steroids will kill off all the good bacteria in the intestines.... giving the bad bacteria a chance to mushroom (in the true sense of the word). So people with Candida have to think long and hard which one would be the lesser evil.

After the usual NHS tests that all say my adrenals are fine, so no chance of HC from them! I figured if the thyroid meds that I need are making that fatigued then the adrenal must be under performing...right?I also don't want to have tell my endo about the T3 making me so much worse as he will just say to stop and stay on T4.I don't think that you have necessarily drawn the right conclusions.... low adrenal function is just one of a number of possibilities, and you already know about two other reasons why your thyroid meds might not be working.... and there could be a whole lot of others.... namely (advice from Dr. Peatfield) -

There are MANY reasons and many medical conditions associated with thyroid disease that stop thyroid hormone from getting into the cells, where it does its work. I mention these over and over and over again - ad nauseum - people must be bored with the same old, same old but as each new member joins us, they need to know. The main condition responsible for stopping thyroid hormone from working, is, quite simply, a patients thyroxine dose is too low because the doctor or consultant refuses to increase it, because the serum thyroid function test results appear OK. Sometimes, the thyroxine dose is too high, yet patients still don't feel well. They continue to suffer. Some reasons for this:

They may be suffering with low adrenal reserve. The production of T4, its conversion to T3, and the receptor uptake requires a normal amount of adrenal hormones, notably, of course, cortisone. (Excess cortisone can shut production down, however.) This is what happens if the adrenals are not responding properly, and provision of cortisone usually switches it on again. But sometimes it doesn't. If the illness has been going on for a long time, the enzyme seems to fail. This conversion failure (inexplicably denied by many endocrinologists) means the thyroxine builds up, unconverted. So it doesn't work, and T4 toxicosis results. This makes the patient feel quite unwell, toxic, often with palpitations and chest pain. If provision of adrenal support doesn't remedy the situation, the final solution is the use of the active thyroid hormone, already converted, T3 - either synthetic or natural

Then, we have systemic candidiasis. This is where candida albicans, a yeast, which causes skin infections almost anywhere in the body, invades the lining of the lower part of the small intestine and the large intestine. Here, the candida sets up residence in the warmth and the dark, and demands to be fed. Loving sugars and starches, candida can make you suffer terrible sweet cravings. Candida can produce toxins which can cause very many symptoms of exhaustion, headache, general illness, and which interfere with the uptake of thyroid and adrenal treatment. Sometimes the levels - which we usually test for - can be very high, and make successful treatment difficult to achieve until adequately treated.

Then there is receptor resistance which could be a culprit. Being hypothyroid for some considerable time may mean the biochemical mechanisms which permit the binding of T3 to the receptors, is downgraded - so the T3 won't go in. With slow build up of T3, with full adrenal support and adequate vitamins and minerals, the receptors do come on line again. But this can be quite a slow process, and care has to be taken to build the dose up gradually.

And then there are Food allergies. The most common food allergy is allergy to gluten, the protein fraction of wheat. The antibody generated by the body, by a process of molecular mimicry, cross reacts with the thyroperoxidase enzyme, (which makes thyroxine) and shuts it down. So allergy to bread can make you hypothyroid. There may be other food allergies with this kind of effect, but information on these is scanty. Certainly allergic response to certain foods can affect adrenal function and imperil thyroid production and uptake.

Then we have hormone imbalances. The whole of the endocrine system is linked; each part of it needs the other parts to be operating normally to work properly. An example of this we have seen already, with cortisone. But another example is the operation of sex hormones. The imbalance that occurs at the menopause with progesterone running down, and a relative dominance of oestrogen is a further case in point – oestrogen dominance downgrades production, transportation and uptake of thyroid hormones. This is why hypothyroidism may first appear at the menopause; the symptoms ascribed to this alone, which is then treated – often with extra oestrogen, making the whole thing worse. Deficiency in progesterone most especially needs to be dealt with, since it reverses oestrogen dominance, improves many menopausal symptoms like sweats and mood swings, and reverses osteoporosis. Happily natural progesterone cream is easily obtained: when used it has the added benefit of helping to stabilise adrenal function.

Then, we must never forget the possibility of mercury poisoning (through amalgam fillings) - low levels of ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, magnesium, folate, copper and zinc - all of which, if low, stop the thyroid hormone from being utilised by the cells - these have to be treated. Should your GP or endocrinologist try to tell you that there is no association between low levels of these specific minerals and vitamins and low thyroid status, print off the information at the bottom of this message to show him just some of the references to research/studies to show that there is.***

As Dr Peatfield says "When you have been quite unwell for a long time, all these problems have to be dealt with; and since each may affect the other, it all has to be done rather carefully.

Contrary to cherished beliefs by much of the medical establishment, the correction of a thyroid deficiency state has a number of complexities and variables, which make the treatment usually quite specific for each person. The balancing of these variables is as much up to you as to me – which is why a check of morning, day and evening temperatures and pulse rates, together with symptoms, good and bad, can be so helpful.

Many of you have been ill for a long time, either because you have not been diagnosed, or the treatment leaves you still quite unwell. Those of you who have relatively mild hypothyroidism, and have been diagnosed relatively quickly, may well respond to synthetic thyroxine, the standard treatment. I am therefore unlikely to see you; since if the thyroxine proves satisfactory in use, it is merely a question of dosage.

For many of you, the outstanding problem is not that the diagnosis has not been made – although, extraordinarily, this is disgracefully common – but that is has, and the thyroxine treatment doesn't work. The dose has been altered up and down, and clinical improvement is variable and doesn't last, in spite of blood tests, which say you are perfectly all right (and therefore you are actually depressed and need this fine antidepressant).

The above problems must be eliminated if thyroid hormone isn't working for you.

Should your GP or endocrinologist tell you that there is no connection between these minerals or vitamin levels and hypothyroidism, then copy the following links out to show him/her

Good luck!

***Low iron/ferritin: Iron deficiency is shown to significantly reduce T4 to T3 conversion, increase reverse T3 levels, and block the thermogenic (metabolism boosting) properties of thyroid hormone (1-4). Thus, iron deficiency, as indicated by an iron saturation below 25 or a ferritin below 70, will result in diminished intracellular T3 levels. Additionally, T4 should not be considered adequate thyroid replacement if iron deficiency is present (1-4)).

1. Dillman E, Gale C, Green W, et al. Hypothermia in iron deficiency due to altered triiodithyroidine metabolism. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 1980;239(5):377-R381.

2. SM, PE, Lukaski HC. In vitro hepatic thyroid hormone deiodination in iron-deficient rats: effect of dietary fat. Life Sci 1993;53(8):603-9.

3. Zimmermann MB, Köhrle J. The Impact of Iron and Selenium Deficiencies on Iodine and Thyroid Metabolism: Biochemistry and Relevance to Public Health. Thyroid 2002;12(10): 867-78.

4. Beard J, tobin B, Green W. Evidence for Thyroid Hormone Deficiency in Iron-Deficient Anemic Rats. J. Nutr. 1989;119:772-778.

Low vitamin B12: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18655403

Low vitamin D3: http://www.eje-online.org/cgi/content/abstract/113/3/329 and http://www.goodhormonehealth.com/VitaminD.pdf

Low magnesium: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC292768/pdf/jcinvest00264-0105.pdf

Low folate: http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/47/9/1738 and http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.1999.9.1163

Low copper http://www.ithyroid.com/copper.htm

http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/copper_toxicity_syndrome.htm

http://www.ithyroid.com/copper.htm

http://www.rjpbcs.com/pdf/2011_2(2)/68.pdf

http://ajplegacy.physiology.org/content/171/3/652.extract

Low zinc:http://www.istanbul.edu.tr/ffdbiyo/current4/07%20Iham%20AM%C4%B0R.pdf and http://articles.webraydian.com/article1648-Role_of_Zinc_and_Copper_in_Effective_Thyroid_Function.html

Ferritin levels for women need to be between 100 and 130 for women (for men around between 150 and 170)

Vitamin B12 needs to be at the top of the range.

D3 levels need to be top of the range.

Magnesium levels need to be at the top of the range, it's one thing that often gets missed.

Please go through each and every point above and make sure that it does not apply to you... if it does, you need to rectify it. Support your adrenals first of all with something like NAX, Vit C, B-Complex etc. and only when you are sure that everything else has been done and you still feel hypothyroid, would I start thinking about using HC.

With best wishes,

[Guest guest]

Hello

I just read your post and find the Ferritin level you mention below to be

different to one Sheila responded to me yesterday (min 70)and different again

from Thyroid UK 90 - 130. Just wondering why so many differing minimum figures?

My test from last week gave serum ferritin @ 35 ug/L. I realise is low based on

a min level of 70, but even worse/lower on a min level of 100.

Ferritin levels for women need to be between 100 and 130 for women (> feel

hypothyroid, would I start thinking about using HC.

[Guest guest]

> Hello > I just read your post and find the Ferritin level you mention below to be different to one Sheila responded to me yesterday (min 70)and different again from Thyroid UK 90 - 130. Just wondering why so many differing minimum figures? My test from last week gave serum ferritin @ 35 ug/L. I realise is low based on a min level of 70, but even worse/lower on a min level of 100.> > Ferritin levels for women need to be between 100 and 130 for women (> feel hypothyroid, would I start thinking about using HC.

Hi ,

This wasn't *my* recommendation but that of all the doctor's who were referenced below the quotation...

But to answer your query - there is a difference between minimum and optimal. 70 is minimum, between 90 and 130 would be optimal for women ... I think for men optimal is a little higher. All labs have slightly different ref ranges, so you can't nail it down to a particular figure....

I don't understand your last sentence above about using HC... HC would not bring up the iron....(???)

Best wishes,

[Guest guest]

Your ferritin level has to be at least 70 or over, this is the

general rule for you to feel OK. However, some doctors state that ferritin

should be between 90 and 130 (Mark Starr and ***Drat - I've forgotten). Aim for

70 and you should be doing fine. Remember also that we are all individuals and

one size shoe does not fit everybody. You supplement until you feel well again.

Why are you thinking about HC - this is not a thyroid hormone,

it is an adrenal hormone and nobody should even think of taking HC unless tests

show they are suffering with very low adrenal reserve.

Sheila

Hello

I just read your post and find the Ferritin level you mention below to be

different to one Sheila responded to me yesterday (min 70)and different again

from Thyroid UK 90 - 130. Just wondering why so many differing minimum figures?

My test from last week gave serum ferritin @ 35 ug/L. I realise is low based on

a min level of 70, but even worse/lower on a min level of 100.

Ferritin levels for women need to be between 100 and 130 for women (> feel

hypothyroid, would I start thinking about using HC.

No

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