Trying T3 only ,

[Panda_26]

Hello again,

So I've had to stop the liquid thyroxine as it didn't seem any improvement over the tablet levo.

As a last resort I'm trying t3 only. ( tried t3 we with the levo last year but the combo didn't work for me ) I've started very gradually after taking 5 days break.

So I started on 2 x 5 MCG for first 5 days then 2x10 MCG since Saturday.

I'm happy I haven't had any hyper symptoms like last time but still feeling dreadful.( overwhelming fatigue, aches, breathlessness, anxiety etc etc)

I'm supporting adrenals and taking iron ,b12 & D and at least I haven't had horrible hyper symptoms like last time but aware I've got to take it slow and wonder how to increase from here?

Maybe I'm way too low a dose still to see any benefits yet ( I was on 75 levo and previously 100 )

I'm also taking nutrithyroid 4 tabs a day but not really sure if they do anything as I've had TT and only have tiny piece of thyroid tissue left.

Here are my most recent blood test results taken a few weeks ago when I was still on 75 MCG levo:

Free t3. 5.5

Free t4. . 19.4

TSH. 0.58

Any guidance , advice much appreciated !

Thank you,

Amanda x

[gabkad]

Two times 10 mcg of T3 = 20 mcg T3 = approx. 60 to 80 mcg T4 depending who you listen to. But since T3 is immediately accessible to the body, I think comparisons are not always valid.

Your previous blood tests looked very good so it's weird that you didn't feel any improvement.

You need to leave the current dose of T3 for time to really find out how it affects you.

If you are taking B12, you should also take a good B complex that contains vitamin C, zinc and copper as well. And check your diet for Vitamin A sources. Not beta carotene. Retinol. If you are not consuming enough, then get it in a supplement as well. We need 5,000 IU retinol per day. Liver is the best source of all but if you don't eat it, then you need to get it from someplace. Cod liver oil is an excellent source of retinol.

[Panda_26 in reply to gabkad]

Hi gabkad,

Thanks for your reply.

You're not the first to say that my blood tests look good .no one for years has been able to figure out why I still have so many symptoms.

I do take a b complex but need to check if it has zinc and copper, thanks.

I'm a bit wary of taking retinol only as I see it can affect D levels.

I need D to be right up there in conjunction with calcium as I have damaged parathyroid glands from thyroidectomy.

Maybe you're right about t3 & I just need to keep it at that dose for a bit longer , I'm so desperate to feel even a little better its hard not to rush things!

A x

[greygoose in reply to Panda_26]

If you're taking vit D and calcium, you should be taking vit K2, which gets the calcium into the bones, rather than the tissues. If you're low in vit D, iron and B12, you could be low in magnesium and zinc, too.

[Panda_26 in reply to greygoose]

Thanks grey goose . I will add K 2 to my extensive supplement list ! Is there any particular type \ brand you'd recommend?

A x

[greygoose in reply to Panda_26]

No, afraid not. I'm only just starting to take it myself, so still Learning.

[shaws Administrator]

I do hope T3 works well for you. I take T3 only and I am fine now.

You were on 100mcg of T4, and are now taking 20mcg of T3 (equal in effect to around 80mcg levo), so maybe you do need a small increase.

I take my T3 once per day, as I follow Dr Lowe's advice as all his patients took one dose per day, whether NDT or T3. He said that the purpose of T3 was to saturate our receptor cells and the effect of that one dose lasts for between 1 and 3 days. He stated:-

Third, the leaflet on Cytomel pharmacies give patients when they fill their prescriptions states, "POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: NO COMMON SIDE EFFECTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED with proper use of this medication." This information is accurate—when plain, full-strength, one-time-per-day doses of T3 are used properly, there are no adverse effects. The only adverse effects occur when a patient takes a dosage that for her is excessive. With Cytomel, if overstimulation occurs, it can be stopped with one or two small doses of propranolol. Or the patient can simply reduce her dosage of Cytomel the next time she takes it. I want to emphasize, however, that when our protocol is used properly, there is no overstimulation to be avoided by using timed-release T3. The protocol has safeguards against adverse effects.

And finally, why do I specify that the typical patient use one full dose of non-timed-release Cytomel for life? Because extensive testing has shown that this is safe, effective, and most economical—when used within the context of our entire protocol.

***

He had hundreds of patients and they followed his protocol.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

Best wishes for success for you.

[Panda_26 in reply to shaws]

Interesting, thanks Shaws,

I did wonder whether I need the whole dose in the morning as I've read somewhere that it takes a dose of at least 20 mcgs to saturate the cells.

Maybe I'll give that a try. What dose have you settled on and can you remember how long it took you to get there?

Thanks!

A x

[mandy-white in reply to shaws]

Hi Shaws, Does that mean that 60mcg of T3 is equivalent to 240mcg of T4 ? or have I read this wrong. Sorry its one of those days.

[shaws Administrator in reply to mandy-white]

The 'effect' of 25mcg T3 is equavalent (approx) to 100mcg levo.

[mandy-white in reply to shaws]

thankyou.

[shaws Administrator]

Like most people here I've tried this and that. At least my NHS endo added some T3 to my T4 and I immediately felt an improvement. I decided that as they were very keen on the whereabouts of the TSH I would go it alone. I tried T3, then NDT, NDT + T3 but finally decided on T3 alone. As I was on levo/T3 it was more or less the equivalent of that, i.e. 100mcg levo = 25mcg T3 but I take 30mcg. Dr Lowe took T3 himself also as he was resistant to thyroid hormones and took 150mcg once a day from about the age of 20 till he died around 66 (he was in perfect health and it was an accidental death) and one of his patients (resistant) 500mcg daily. I think it was through his own research he discovered he was resistant to thyroid hormones. I also saw Dr P and Dr S (who prescribed Erfa).

I think all in all, trying this and that it was about 3 years before I found a thyroid hormone that stabilised but I also know that one NDT does too.

I hope you find success.