I thought id post and say gp agreed to prescribe t3 after being on t4 for 20 years. I was on 175mgs of thyroxine which i took at night. My gp said to stop that and begin with liothyronine 40mgs. She said to take in the morning but i may need to split 20 am and 20pm
This morning at 8 i took 20mgs and then another 20mgs at 2pm. Today i felt a bit strange for want of a better word. Very tired and a bit flu like. I presum its going to take a good few weeks to start feeling good.
I think you could even split it a bit more so long as you remember to take it. I only take 25mcg but I split that in two parts now. To start with I split it in 4. See what a difference it makes to do it that way. You will almost be able to sense when you should take the next part.
Well done by the way in getting your doctor to change over totally. I would be interested to know why they took that decision after so long?
I used to be on 200mcg of Eltroxin but felt iller and iller. I had to go private to change over completely.
I am thinking maybe i should take 20 at 8 and then 10 at 1 and 10 at maybe 5. I really dont know.
I did a hell of a lot of research and took private results with me. I was thinking she woukd do t3 and t4 combi but said no just t3.
Btw. How long have you been kn t3 only and how do you feel?
I have been on t3 nearly 2 weeks and have noticed I tend to flag by about 2ish. I have also noticed I can't stay in sun too long as I get a raging headache after half hour 
What dose are you on and whag time do you take it.
I'm on 20mcgs 3 times a day normally when I get up bout 9, about 2 and 10pm
>I presume it's going to take a good few weeks to start feeling good...
It probably will, yes. A certain amount of dose titration will also be needed to find the optimum level.
Hi Why were you not put on the normal T4 ( levo) and some T3? That is the norm unless good reasons not to. 20mcg does need splitting, it will take a week to feel any better, about a month to be at optimum then a retest. However, side effects can start almost immediately. I would ask for a slightly lower dose of T4 and the T3 with it, First you should have had TSH, T4 and Free T3 tested, then again in 6 weeks
Best wishes,
Jackie,
Hi They are very low. GP`s tend to panic when TSH on the low side. All I can say is from my own experience and my good Endo, I would be looking to increase the T4 and the T3, until T4 in top third of range, FT3 near the top. T3 always lowes the TSH and that often makes a GP ( as not an experienced Endo) panic. My TSH has always been very low, immeasurable, it can sometimes be the Pituitary gland, but unusual, mine is not, as I had tests, We go by my T4 and Free T3 results, I cannot take T4 ( best choice) but take Armour, been Hypo for years, When T3 came out, she started me on less armour and 20mcg T3, as always very low FT3. I quickly became stable in spite of lots of complicated unrelated medical diseases. It would also be worth asking for the original blood tsts you had, these would ( in those days) have been TSH, T4 and Free T3. be sure to have the ranges. We did not have access to out own results then.
I hope that helps.Have you ever seen an Endo, of your own choice, ie someone really good?
Best wishes,
Jackie
Thanks jackie. Im at a loss as to what to do and feel very tearful today. I saw a gp. Not my own and she basically gave me what i asked for. I asked for t3. I have been looking for an nhs endo in my area. West berkshire. But havent sde anythjng about one.
Hi If you want an NHS Endo, other than a private one. The only difference is privately they have more time. With private Endo or any private consultant , they work in the NHS or are retired from. They can if self funding on request write to the GP to request any test done under NHS, they write any way. They also expect normal drugs to be prescribed NHS by GP for safety. This is normal ( I see 12+), so you can if wish just pay for consultations, the only thing they make money on any way. This is not the case for a private doctor. totally different and tend to be just a thyroid doctor not an Endo, which covers so much.
If NHS, Louise has a list of a few, e mail louise.warvill@thyroiduk.org if she has not one in your area, look on hospital WEB sites, then with names look on private hospitals in the vicinity ,often more Info there, then look up CV`s on the WEB, most there. Phone the sec and ask what treatment they prefer, you can get a feel for them. Also you can put names or areas on this site BUT ask for messages by PM ( click on name) as not allowed on the open site.
I personally find all my own consultants, I start with a top teaching hospital. GP has referred me to some terrible ones with lethal mistakes in the past.
I hope that helps. It is upsetting but try and convert that into action! In the meantime, I would see a different GP in the practice and discuss, without critising, say you do not understand etc! An Endo will also do all the other tests needed ( via GP if self funding)
Best wishes
Jackie.
I think that your body is enjoying this straight up t3, and you are just due an increase, I think your t4 reserves are now probably quite depleted. Don't leave it too long to up your dose and make sure you are booked for a 3/4 wk blood draw t3 and t4's - the tsh will mean nothing, but your gp might not know this fact.
Telecon will do - as you are responding to your situation - you are not ill, and everyone is busy. Just say you have started t3: 2 x 20, 1 x 10 daily. (just bite them to size - don't waste).
Check your batch numbers and manufacturer as there has been a major recall on some of the batches from Mercury. The pharmacies are not paying attention and not informing the patients of the recall. If you have one of the batches yellow card it.
You have to be the expert now.
Thanks Lynx. I really didn't think I'd need to increase as GP had coverted my T4 to the T2 dose. I also really didn't realise I would need to increase so quickly as my last dose of t4 was friday night. Wow so much to learn. Today I took 20 at 7.15 and then I was going to take 10 at 12.30 and another 10 at 4.30 as I think I left it too long from morning to afternoon yesterday. Thankyou so much
I would suggest you take your first dose earlier if you can. I take my first dose at 6am. I have the tablet and a drink with which to down it by my bedside so I don't have to get up and just stay in bed and mong for an hour or so (most of the time I snooze... lovely!). By the time I get up the T3 is already taking effect and I feel fine! Then I take a second dose at 11.30am and a final dose at 4.30pm. However I also take a dose of T4 last thing at night which I feel helps to regulate the peaks and troughs (especially the troughs!) and perhaps it might be useful to ask for this kind of combination... I used to be on 100mcg T4/day which my endo converted to 30mcg T3 (split into the 3 doses/day) and 37.5mcg T4 (the dosage of which I played around with until I felt well).
Thanks. My partner gets up at 5am and i am usually disturbed so can take around then. Ill take 20mgs. Then i suppose 11 10mgs and 4 10mgs. What do you think to that?
It's a place to start. Only you can find out what works best for you, literally by trial and error... I think that's how most of us on here have managed to optimise our medication. Just be mindful to keep the medication separate from food for at least an hour.
break it up into tiny tiny lumps and have one every 2 hours or so... don't overdose but don't take it in big bits.. I found that 40 minutes after taking half a 20mcg tablet I itched all over.. so I now take quarters spaced out and feel much better on it. T3 particularly helps me with my mental acuity.. I feel much more like Me
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Liothyronine no longer available from GP
