Increased urination on T3

[lizzie1]

Hi everyone

Am taking t3 only at the moment. Had a grotty endo appt yesterday and I forgot to ask if it is normal to pee more whilst on T3. I am on 35 mcg as of yesterday and am peeing every 3 hours in the night. I am sweating more too! Am not hyper as my T3 result was 4.2 (3.5 - 5-3).

Thanks L

[shaws Administrator]

I take T3 too. My personal opinion is that it has raised your metabolism and getting rid of any build-up of fluids you may have been unaware of.

Blood tests are only a guide and it's when you have hyper like symptoms(overstimulated) (i.e. too fast a pulse, hot, feel like you're going a hundred miles an hour) that you reduce your meds as you would be taking too much.

As your TSH is high, it has to come down into a range which makes you feel well, not when the doctor says you are in the 'normal' range whilst dismissing any symptoms you still have and not increasing your dose. The purpose of thyroid hormone medication is for us to feel well and have normal health with no symptoms.

I hope you feel better soon.

[lizzie1 in reply to shaws]

Thanks shaws. Had a bit of a battle with the endo who insisted that my TSH at 2.53 (0.35-5) was perfect and that tsh is the only indicator she goes by. She also said that my T3 level was perfect and she reluctantly agreed to me raising from 30 to 35mcg to see if it helped with my other numerous symptoms. She said that she was not worried about the FT3 result as the tsh is more important.

She also said that if if go up to 40mcg i might run the risk of heart rhythm problems and crumbling bones.!

My heart rate is fine, the issues I discussed with her were sweating and more frequent bowel movements. That is when i forgot to mention the peeing.

[shaws Administrator in reply to lizzie1]

Just because the endocrinologists have been told to go only by the TSH, that's why we have about 20,000 on this forum because they are not getting better.

A computer print-out with a TSH result on it, does not tell them 'the patient has clinical symptoms" she needs more hormones.The purpose of thyroid hormone replacements is to make us well, not to try to persuade our poor bodies to work efficiently without the necessary hormones to do so. They are so ignorant really. Just wait till they are struck down with hypo then they will be playing to a different tune and will be first in line for NDT or T3 alone.

[lizzie1 in reply to shaws]

I totally agree. I came way feeling very deflated. I as so sick of fighting the system that is supposed to help me get well.

[Airmed in reply to shaws]

Hear, hear couldn't agree with you more Shaws. Such hypocrits. I thought the opening line in their oath was "first do no harm". I bet the pharmacies would be awash with NDT and T3 too and T4 would be difficult to get.

[Betty-Lou in reply to lizzie1]

I take 100 mcg per day.

[Stormx in reply to lizzie1]

When I was on t3 I also had frequent bowel movement and the sweating 😓 my metabolism kicked right in I lost weight in the same weird places I put it on, like in my neck, belly armpit area etc o

[Nanny23 in reply to lizzie1]

If she only goes by TSH find another dr.

[greygoose]

How are your adrenals, Lizzie? Constant peeing through the night can be a sign that they are a bit fatigued.

35 mcg T3 is a tiny, weeny dose. And your endo is an idiot if she thinks going up to 40 will give you crumbling bones! lol Not enough T3 is far more dangerous than high doses. They are sooo ignorant! Also, the T3 result is the most important - if any of them can be said to be important - the TSH is rubbish and should be ignored. Shouldn't even be done, really, waste of money...

Hugs, Grey

[lizzie1 in reply to greygoose]

Thanks grey for your reply. Haven't tested my adrenals simply because I could not face the battle I would have with any Dr if the results suggested adrenal fatigue. They seem to be only interested in people with Addison's. I do however supplement with lots of vitamins and minerals to give my self the best chance of recovery.

I said to the endo that there are people who take 60mcg or more of T3 and she looked horrified. I told her I had taken up to 2 grains NDT which is roughly 200 of levo and she said that is a big dose of levo!!

She said that the 35 mcg would be approx 140 of levo depending on what ratio you use and that was plenty for me. I cant believe she is happy for my TSH to stay at that figure but she said it should be halfway in the range??? She seemed obsessed with the tsh.

Its ironic really as the first female endo I saw was happy for me to have a TSH of 5.5 on treatment as she said the T3 was the thing she was interested in and she was not intetrested in the TSH..

Where do they get their training......

[Stourie in reply to lizzie1]

I take 80 mcg of t3 and sometimes 100 if I have been active. My bones are fine and my doctor and endo are fine with what I do.

[lizzie1 in reply to Stourie]

There are plenty of people who take a higher figure of T3 and are well but this endo seems to think that they will explode at a cellular level!

Can I just ask what kind of FT3 level do you have on this dose?

[Stourie in reply to lizzie1]

Well the last time I had my yearly test I took 40 the night before not realising that I should have missed it altogether. My t3 was 15 but dr and endo were quite happy with that as it has such a short half life. My doctor, silly man, was more worried about my ft4 because it was 3. something. But I really can't complain about my doctor because he and my endo both nhs leave me to virtually work out my own dose of t3.

[greygoose in reply to lizzie1]

Problem is, they get their training from Big Pharma, which has a vested interest in keeping us Under-dosed!

I totally and utterly disagree with your endo! a) the TSH should be at the bottom of the range, not halfway - actually, it shouldn't be done at all once you start treatment because it doesn't give you any useful information. But, yes, they are obsessed with it! b) 2 grains of NDT is not a big dose. I took 6 grains when I was on NDT, and I've heard of many people being on higher. c) I totally disapprove of equating NDT - or even T3 - with T4, because if you aren't converting, it's equivelant to nothing at all!

And I do understand your reluctance to bring up the question of adrenal fatigue. My present (ex?) doctor assured me that low thyroid had no effect whatsoever on adrenals or cortisol levels! Such ignorance, I dispair...

Make sure you get enough salt. Adrenals need salt!

Hugs, Grey

[lizzie1 in reply to greygoose]

Thanks again for your reply.

Its interesting you mention salt as I always have a craving for salty things. I do use a good sea salt on food.

I convert quite well according to old blood tests but just cant tolerate levo and the NDT gave me palpitations and awful leg pains. So am left with T3, will battle on though and if they wont increase me again I will source a top up privately.

Such a fight to regain health!!

[greygoose in reply to lizzie1]

Oh, yes it is! And a lot of times I think, if I'd listened to that doctor, I'd be dead by now!!!

I'm the same as you with the T4, can't take it in any form. So, I'm on T3 only, too.

I'm afraid the salt cravings mean your adrenals are having a bad time and need more salt! Give in to it and enjoy. lol