T3 prescribed, hurray!

[Jasper12]

My GP wrote to my endo regarding my lack of response to 75mg Thyroxine. To my surprise, endo was willing to advise 10 mg of T3 per day. I understand that this dose needs to be split into 5mg. How do people take it, morning and evening and do you need to take it on empty stomach like thyroxine? The pharmacy said it takes 5 days to order by special delivery. I knew it was expensive but it sounds that it is not readily available. I am putting high hopes into T3 and learnt a lot from this forum, so thanks everyone. I am hoping to have more energy and lose a few pounds. My T3 is 4.3, range is 3.9 to 6.7. This dose is quite small but a good start. Do people always start with 10mg?

[Aurealis]

I started on 20. If just taking two doses maybe first thing in the morning and before lunch? I've found its a more reliable and even dose if taken before meals, and with water. Good luck

[helvella Administrator]

It sounds as if you have been prescribed 5 microgram tablets. They are NOT a licensed UK medicine and will have to be supplied from the USA as a special. (Or as a capsule prepared in a specialist supplier's labs here in the UK.) And it will be very expensive. If I have interpreted the report correctly, in September last year one pot of 5 mcg Cytomel would have cost over £500. Whichever you get, they are not readily available in the UK. (Standard stock product in the USA.)

Data available from here - please do check and correct me if I am wrong!

nhsbsa.nhs.uk/PrescriptionS...

You might get Cytomel, Paddock or, possibly, Mylan. (There might be others - but not many.)

Most people end up with a pill splitter and 20 microgram tablets. (Or often 25 microgram tablets if obtained from abroad.)

People have been started on all sorts of different amounts. When they actually take it, the original dose often changes very quickly - up or down. There are many views on whether it is better split or in one dose.

(By the way, doses of thyroid hormones are usually in micrograms (mcg) - not milligrams (mg). )

Rod

[Clutter]

I was prescribed 3 x 20mcg daily post çompletion thyroidectomy.

[W3ndy2159]

Hello Jasper12. Lucky you to have been prescribed T3 so easily. Most people are denied this treatment. I am one of the lucky ones and I was prescribed T3 of 5mcg by my endo last July. As Rod has said 5mcg dose tablet are an unlicensed UK medicine and my GP refused to order the 5mcg tablets. He said he could only order the 20mcg tablets (as they are UK licenced) and I was to split into 2x and take 10mcg daily (double endo's recommendation). I was worried that I would have a bad reaction (total unfounded, thankfully) so I split my tiny 20mcg dose into 4 with great difficulty. Even with a pill cutter (readily available and cheap from chemists or supermarkets) they more often than not crumbled to dust. After a month I got fed up with this procedure and as I had no bad reaction and a huge benefit from T3 I decided to go along with GP's dose of 10mcg. The addition on 10mcg T3 along with 125mcg T4 has made a significant improvement to my life. I hope you too feel such great benefit. We are on a small dose compared to some people but to my mind a little is better than none! I saw my lovely endo yesterday and he has agreed to increase to 20mcg T3 daily, which I am going to split and take 2x daily. Are you still taking T4 as well as T3? Good luck. Hope you feel better soon. I felt the benefits of T3 almost instantly, hope you do too wendy

[Jasper12 in reply to W3ndy2159]

Thanks Wendy. I am currently of 75 mcg Thyroxine and was asked to drop to 50. I can always increase T3 if 10 is not sufficent I suppose.

[Marz in reply to Jasper12]

When the pill cutter causes my tablet to crumble I dampen a finger and mop up the crumbs !!

Have you looked at Paul Robinsons site rwt3.org or com ! He is a member of this forum so you can click onto him on the Members Button at the top. His book is good too and will give you lots of information about taking T3 and understanding it all....Good Luck...

[Jasper12 in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz, I will look it up.

[T3sortedme]

It is important to take both doses at exactly the same time each day. Your body will adjust to it and changing times greatly reduces it effect. Pleased to hear you are getting patient centred care from the system!

[Jasper12 in reply to T3sortedme]

Thanks. Yes, I didn't give up and the third GP in a surgery took me seriously, after 2 fobbed me off with 'normal' results and blamed it on my age, I am only 46!

[peanutbutter]

Hi,

Thanks for advice here, but would like to pick your brains:

I have been on 150mcg of levothyroxine for a few years (slowly increased from 75mcg after TT and RAI). I have been given a trial of T3. My levothyroxine was lowered to 125mcg and I was given 10mcg of T3 to add to that. I was falling asleep on the sofa and weary by 6pm and going to bed at 9 and not able to wake up in morning.

I went to doctor and levothyroxine put back up to 150mcg and am not falling asleep any more, but still feel weary.

I noticed that after a few days of taking the T3 that I 'woke' up a bit - like a lightbulb had been switched on and less brain fog.

What ratio's T4/T3 are people on? eg: 50mcg T4 50mcg T3 Can you have all T3?

Yes, I have been licking the crumbs too, have to cut my 20mcg pills, any spillage upsets me!!

thanks