T3 and Blood Pressure

Hi there...my case should be well known by now and is not uncommon.......undiagnosed and then under medicated for many years up until 2 years ago before learning much from this forum.

Since then I have been one of the fortunate ones to be prescribed T3 albeit just 10mcgs.and my Levo T4 lowered to 75 mcgs from 100 to compensate,which my Endo said was sufficient.

I have been on that prescription for a year now( apart from a bit of experimenting with Armour for a month or so.) I should add that I do have my thyroid.

My question is...Is it possible that some of us only need a kick start on T3 for a short while without needing it long term?

For some years now I have monitored my blood pressure with my own monitor and my readings have been good for my age (73) .........March 2014 was127/80 My GP has been happy with that.

However,in recent months my blood pressure has been rising first into the 130s and a few weeks back it was 145 /92 which shook me and I wasn't feeling good,but had also recently recovered from the cough / cold virus that has been attacking us this Winter.

I decided to come off my T3 and revert back to my 100 mcgs LevoT4 to see what happened.

I'm relieved to report that my blood pressure is down to 124/85 only after only 1 week and at the moment I'm feeling fine.

I am increasing my exercise having 5 weeks of group sessions in the hospital gym for my Osteo arthritus in my knee on Tuesdays and my water aerobics on Wednesdays and am coping well.

Am also doing well with watching my diet and managing to lose a few pounds which is a boost too.

Has anyone else had problems with rising blood pressure whilst on T3?

Could it be that my T4 is now converting well on its own?

I'd be very happy if that were so and also very fortunate.

I'd welcome any comments.

[shaws]

T4 made my blood pressure rise. On T3 it doesn't - yesterday mine was 118/69.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

That is an interesting comment as you are midway ideal " normal" if I dare use that word!!

I have found that my weight is an influence too... 5 ft 8ins and 13 st. 10 lbs. so I mustn't forget that too and am happy that I am finally finding a way to help bring that down.

However,it does still seem strange that I've come off T3 and my reading has come down so quickly and I'm feeling OK.

Even Hubby passed a comment over breakfast that he thought I was looking well.

I will stick with it at the moment to see how things progress ......this whole thyroid problem is a continual juggling process so I may as well enjoy a good interlude while it lasts .x

[Clutter in reply to Hidden]

Marfit, I think it's an interesting question "Can taking T3 kickstart T3 conversion?" and I'm wondering if having replenished your low T3 the T3 you convert from Levothyroxine becomes sufficient.

Consider yourself the forum guineapig and let us know how you get on.

I asked aslightly different question of Diogenes, whether it was likely that a low FT3 'setpoint' would recover after being on T4+T3 and he thought it unlikely. It's not something I want to test because one of the reasons I need T3 is to calm adverse reactions to T4 only.

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

Clutter....I hope this will make you smile.....I was relating your message to hubby over his cup of coffee and he reliably informed me that Diogenes was an ancient philosopher......to which I replied :

"Well,I don't think it was him because she got a reply" !

If you start to get answers from someone who died in 323BC I shall start to worry about this Forum!! x

[Clutter in reply to Hidden]

Marfit, Reassure hubby that we don't hold forum seances...yet

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

Wonderful!!!

[nightingale-56 in reply to Clutter]

Might be more use to hold seances with doctors and endos who have passed on than the ones we have on Earth today! Sorry about sarcasm, but having a real problem lately with GPs and am feeling worse and worse by the day. Need some divine intervention.

[Clutter in reply to nightingale-56]

j_bee, can you imagine the havoc that would ensue with dissenting opinions from the 'other side'

[nightingale-56 in reply to Clutter]

It's high time present doctors were taught correctly. Plus, we might be better treated!

[Hidden]

Hi there Clutter, thanks for your interesting reply because I am somewhat puzzled by what is happening to the point where last night I pulled out a couple of my thyroid books looking for some clue ....."Stop the Thyroid Madness "wasn't much help as it mostly concentrates on the use of T3 and NDT which I along with everyone else was very keen about when I wasn't optimally medicated on T4.

When I saw my Endo last March who asked how I was feeling,( on 100mcgs T4)

I remember saying that things were moving in the right direction,I was feeling brighter and that suddenly I was growing these long,strong finger nails which I wasn't used to,but that I was still having muscular problems.

He then asked if I would like to try some T3 ? and prescribed 10mcgs and lowered my T 4 to 75mcgs which as previously said is my official prescription now.

In My July 2014 visit I reported that I felt very well except for a twinge in my knee.I was given an X-Ray form,which was done that afternoon and revealed osteoarthritus in my kneecap so obviously that is something set apart from my thyroid to deal with.I asked about Armour thyroid and he said he couldn't prescribe it but would monitor me on it if I chose that route.However,after trying it for a month or more I didn't feel well enough to be tempted into continually sending abroad for it and reverted back to my T4/T3.

When I saw him in February he had slightly changed his tune anyway about Armour and I think that influenced me to stick with my T4/T3 prescription.

It was only a few weeks ago that I was puzzled by the rise in blood pressure and as you know I'm now reverting to 100mcgs Levo to see what happens.

So far so good.I am taking it last thing at night and am surprisingly sleeping well.

So, now you have the background to where I've arrived at and yes I will willingly keep you updated.Another consideration is that I continually used to think I was affected by fillers in T4 and asked my GP to come off Mercury Pharma only to find later that T3 was also

MP !!

Sorry for the long post .....but I will keep in touch.

[MULLIONAIRE]

Hi,

My blood pressure was difficult to control anyway. On 125mcg of throxine, went into atrial fibrillation. Endocrinologist trialled reduced T4/T3 again went into atrial fibrillation.

Now stick with 100mcg of thyroxine, it was not until my blood pressure problem was resolved when it was discovered the hormone, aldosterone was responsible for my difficult to control blood pressure and the 3 medications I was on were reduced to a low dose of spironolactone + adrenal problems were addressed and hydrocortisone and growth hormone prescribed that there was a vast improvement in my health.

Good to hear you normally have good blood pressure control, but wonder whether you may have adrenal problems?

[Hidden in reply to MULLIONAIRE]

Yes,thank you for that as I have sometimes wondered that myself.However,my Endo has never investigated that and I did read that they reckon that once you are properly medicated that the adrenals will sort themselves out.

I have never felt that badly under the weather that I sort to to ask about it.

At the moment I'm fine,but will bear it in mind.I am on 100 mcgs T4 too.

Sorry to hear that you've had problems and glad you have better health now.

My mother had to take hydrocortisone.She was sadly not diagnosed until she was nearly 60 yrs old and was on steroids until she was 83.