Up and down meds. Dosage increase of T3 after a reduction.

[real_mission]

Another of my 'do you find...' posts

Anyway, do you find that your meds are less effective each time theyre increased after a high TSH reading? Ive had this several times since being discharged after my cancer op. Firstly, it was because I felt 'blugh' on 60mcg of T3 (Im 6ft1 and a thick set 17 st). So it was increased to 80mcg. Then its dropped (probably due to me taking my dose pre bloods) and a 'high' reading coming into the Endo. This was over a period of 12-18 months, so I could measure the difference markedly.

Ive just had 3 months of being low (over Christmas for gods sake! ) and they are now increasing my dose. I felt it almost straight away last time and more immediate before that. This time it seems to have taken about 3 weeks to 'feel' a bit like myself.

Do we get 'tolerant' to hormones in the same way we do to drugs? I cant understand it, I was really sensitive to T3 before and could feel it working each time I took a tablet (honestly,I'd get a little 'peak' 30 minutes post dose), I barely notice a dose nowadays. Can you get a 'hashis' type resistance even without a thyroid? Im confused as to how this is working.

Thanks all.

RM

[Hidden]

Read this if you are receiving T3 on the NHS

I re call comments and posts from patients asking the same not so long ago.

(The mind boggles)

nhs.uk/news/2013/03March/Pa...

[real_mission in reply to Hidden]

Its a bit naughty if they are giving out placebo in my case as there's a real risk of cancer re-occurrence.

[Clutter in reply to real_mission]

I doubt that placebo levo or T3 is dished out to hypothyroid patients. Too risky. If we fell off the perch questions would be asked and much pointing of fingers would occur.

[Clutter]

I suspect that you were previously T3 depleted and immediately felt the effects of the increase in dose.

Now, T3 is probably metabolised ok but the flipping endos have to dicker with the dose to fit the TSH serum range which can take days to be reflected in your cells and organs.

[real_mission in reply to Clutter]

Now this makes sense! Can I swap you for my Endo/idiot?

[Clutter in reply to real_mission]

Lol, I would struggle to be that dismissive and uncaring

[mickstability]

I know I'm a bit late, but I wanted to agree that I used to feel the rush of T3 soon after taking it, and I agree with Clutter that this was probably due to being depleted. Now I've been taking 'T3 only' for some months, I find I can take 40mcg on waking and 20mcg at bedtime, with no significant peaks or troughs during the day ( by & large, I sometimes top up mid afternoon, suggesting I would be best on 70mcg per day). Paul Robinson has suggested that if you dose little and often there's not enough in the dose to achieve the conversion one needs, and my aim is to be able to take the full amount in one go, so the condition can go 'on the back burner' as it were, rather than having to be conscious of it most of the time!