Two years since my TT. Changed from T3 to T4 yesterday. My voice feels gravelly today. Is this related?

[TobyS]

[marram]

Did you just stop T3 and take T4 instead? The T4 will take a few days to take effect so maybe you ought to take a small amount of T3 for a few days, it's not good to have almost NO T3 in your system. Also, why have you been changed? I assume you were OK on T3?

I have never been given T3 in the 32 years since my TT and only now that I am taking it can I honestly say I am feeling well. Maybe you might be able to get the endo/GP to let you carry on with a small amount of T3 to replace what the thyroid would be producing naturally in addition to T4.

If you have been feeling OK there is not reasonable excuse to change your medication.

[TobyS in reply to marram]

Thank you Marram. I had swollen joints and other side effects. I had read a lot of material and decided T4 might be better for me. I spoke to the doctor treating me with RAI and she agreed with me and said most people find T4 easier to metabolise. I will try a T3 supplement to see if that smooths the transition.

[marram in reply to TobyS]

She is talking complete eyewash saying 'most people' find T4 easier to metabolise! While it is actually true that SOME people find T4 acceptable, how can T4 be easier to 'metabolise' when it has to be converted into T3 before it can be used? it is T3 which is the active form of thyroid hormone and the one which is needed by every single cell in your body to function.

Many people who have had a TT actually need T3 because they gradually get adrenal exhaustion due to every single bit of T3 having to be converted. I suspect that your reaction was not to the T3 but to one of the fillers. You may find that T4 works for you, I do hope so, but please be very much aware that T4-only therapy for a TT patient can lead to long-tern deficiencies. I managed on T4 for years, never completely what I was before, but managing, except I could not exercise much because of muscle pain.

After 23 years it was decided I was overdosed on the basis of the TSH (!) and that started the downhill slide which was probably already on its way.

I am now on T3 and starting to recover - in fact, when I was 65 I felt about 85, now I am 69 and feel younger than I did when I was working full time before I was 60!

I do hope you get on well on the T4, because to be quite honest it IS easier, and the doctors love it when you are on T4.

Marie XX