T3 dosage

[acunatang]

Hi again, I finally have my T3, not knowing how to do the dosage, I have read a few threads on here and decided to take half T3 on the first day alongside my normal dose 1 grain Armour, the following two days I just took a T3 which is 25mcg each. I intend to keep taking an Armour tablet every couple of days, is this the right thing to do?? I know it will take a while to get results but are there any early signs I need to look out for? How long before it gets into my cells as I have a problem converting? Should I take a higher dose until the cells are saturated then reduce dosage? If anyone has experience of this your help would be appreciated! Many THanks

[shaws Administrator]

Hi acunatang

You haven't given any background hypo history in your Profile, so am not sure what dose of thyroid hormones you were taking previously. I have looked at a previous post in which you were taking Armour. I don't know the dose.

First I don't think it advisable to take T3 for a few days then take some Armour. I think it will be quite confusing and you'll find it difficult to get to a dose which makes you feel well again.

I don't know what dose of levothyroxine (I assume you were on this first) before you took before Armour.

Some people take Armour plus some T3 or vice-versa.

25mcg of T3 equals approx 100 levo and 1 gr. Armour is approx 100 levo.

So, depending on your original dose of levothyroxine you can take either sufficient T3 to equal the levo dose. Or you can take an amount each of Armour/T3 to equal the dose.

[acunatang in reply to shaws]

I have been experimenting with dosage over the years but my main dosage was 1 grain of Armour thyroid every day

[Clutter in reply to acunatang]

Acunatang, you'd be better off taking Armour daily with a smaller dose of T3, 6.25mcg (quarter tablet) if your FT3 is low.

[acunatang in reply to Clutter]

I take Armour daily anyway, but my problem is I am not converting, so I need more T3 than Armour provides. I might go back to taking the Armour and T3 half tablet but don't want to reduce the T3 further as I feel ok (no palps, no increase in temp, no difference to pain or lethargy ) since taking the 25mcg T3

[Clutter in reply to acunatang]

Acunatang, just wondering why you didn't increase Armour dose before adding T3?

[acunatang in reply to Clutter]

I did increase Armour dose to 1.5 grains but I had palpitations with this dosage which I believed was from too much T4 as the same thing happened with Levo

[shaws Administrator in reply to acunatang]

O.K. So I would take one 25mcg T3 at present and keep to this dose for at least two weeks. Assess then how you are feeling and increase by 1/4 (if you don't feel an improvement) and also take a record of your pulse and temperature several times a day. I would then increase every 2 weeks by 1/4 and by keeping a record of your temp/pulse you can reduce if either rise too high.

If you feel that your health has improved you just stay on the dose that makes you feel stable and quite well.

I am on T3 alone and feel well but, of course, we are all different. Take your hormones first thing with a glass of water and wait about an hour before eating. Also any other medications/supplements should be taken 4 hours apart.

When you get a blood test, don't take T3 before it take it afterwards and always get a print-out with the ranges so that you can post if you have a query. If you've not had your B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate checked ask for these to be done too. Also get blood test as early as possible.

[acunatang in reply to shaws]

Thanks, I will try that I think, I have asked the endo to do the blood tests you mentioned but he has not responded to my email. I can't afford for them to be done privately, I have been taking Multi B vits, Vit D and Magnesium for a long time, my iron has been low in the past but I eat plenty of iron rich foods to try and sort it.

[acunatang in reply to shaws]

To Shaws and Clutter, following is an extract taken from much research I have done into my condition, this information was found on the NA hypothyroid site: - There is a direct inverse correlation between CRP and reduced tissue T3 (112,270), so individuals with elevated CRP (greater than 3 mg/l) or other inflammatory cytokines will have a significant reduction in cellular T3 levels. The suppression of intracellular T3 levels correlates with the degree of elevation of CRP, despite serum thyroid tests being “normal” (112,270). Thus, if any inflammation is present, which is found in numerous clinical and subclinical conditions (as above), the body will have lower cellular T3 levels that are often inadequate for optimal functioning; but the pituitary will have increased levels of T3, resulting in a lowering of the TSH that would potentially be inappropriately interpreted as an indication of “normal” thyroid levels.

[Marz in reply to acunatang]

Also when there is inflammation in the body - there can be excess cortisol - which blocks the T3 receptors in the cells....

[Clutter in reply to acunatang]

Acunatang, 25mcg T3 is pretty much equivalent 1 grain Armour.

[shaws Administrator]

I am now confused.

I have just read your response to Clutter. If you were taking 1 gr Armour plus 25mcg T3 you were taking approx 200mcg of levo. Therefore your Armour dose would appear not to have been sufficient and an increase might have made a big difference.

I don't understand about you not converting with Armour as you don't really need to convert anything as, I am sure you will know, that it contains sufficient T3.

[acunatang in reply to shaws]

I increased my dose of Armour to 1.5 grains which didn't help at all, in fact I thought it might have made me worse so I decreased the dose, when I first received the T3 which was only 4 days ago I took my 1 grain Armour but added half the T3 tablet which was 12.5mcg. I wondered if it might be a better idea to try T3 on it's own as I am convinced the T4 does nothing for me.

[shaws Administrator in reply to acunatang]

Give T3 alone a try - at least you will then know if it suits you best. To be well is the main thing so give it a go. T3 alone suits me as I mentioned. As you've been unwell for a long time it is worth a trial of T3 but do give it a chance to work before you introduce anything else.

[acunatang in reply to shaws]

Thanks I think you are right, but when you say give it a chance, how long do you think before I should start to see anything at all?

[shaws Administrator in reply to acunatang]

It worked for me pretty quickly but for some it takes time. As you say if you have a problem with thyroid hormone resistance you need a larger dose than for a normal person. The link I gave might be helpful.

Sometimes if we chop and change too quickly, are impatient. we don't get to a dose which makes us feel well and we may never get a solution.

[acunatang in reply to shaws]

Yes I know what you mean, I have been very patient with every change I have made in the past and always gave changes a couple of months to take effect but I suppose the reason I feel so impatient this time is because of the terrible pain. I am a naturopath and acupuncturist and am against conventional medicine but have had to resort to high dose Ibuprofen just so I can go to work every day. I know it is damaging the stomach lining but I have no choice than to take it! Even then it only takes the edge off it doesn't solve the problem. I am sitting here typing fully clothed with dressing gown on top of clothes and full length coat on top of that with heating on, the cold is becoming so unbearable! I will do as you say and continue with T3 alone for the next couple of weeks then increase the dose quarter tablet at a time until I feel better, well until I hope I will feel better! Thanks again

[shaws Administrator in reply to acunatang]

I now feel warm - it is a change from not being able to warm up and am particularly cosy in bed. I hope it's successful for you.

[Marz in reply to acunatang]

You could try pain patches to by-pass the stomach.....I find them very good.

[acunatang in reply to Marz]

Never heard of them, tell me more???

[Marz in reply to acunatang]

The makers of Voltarol Gel also make patches - a Thermal Patch - effectively and naturally provides pain relief and deep muscles relaxation - it says on the wrapping

The other one I have used is by Salonpas. Have had them both for ages as I bought them in the UK - but I was in need this week and cannot believe I have not used them before. The latter worked very well on a trigger point pain in the shoulder blade.... and the relief has lasted.

The first last up to 10 hours and the second up to 12....

[acunatang in reply to Marz]

Thank you, I will give them a try

[Clutter in reply to acunatang]

Acunatang, it's certainly worth trying T3 only for a while as some people do better on it than NDT, especially if you've had problems raising because of thyroxine.

You may see improvement in some symptoms quite quickly but others can take longer. I had improvement in brain fog and cognition within days of adding T3 to T4 but no improvement in physical symptoms until I cleared T4 from my system which took 10/12 weeks. Symptoms dragged on for 7/8 weeks after my bloods were good.

[acunatang in reply to Clutter]

Oh dear, I wish it didn't take that long but if it does so be it! I will stick with the T3 only for the next few weeks and keep hoping, if the puffiness went down it would help, puffy hands and feet and fingers, just can't do anything. Thanks again for all your help, it is good to know it could take a while at least then that makes me feel better and helps me to not give up too soon!! Thanks

[Clutter in reply to acunatang]

Acunatang, that's how long it took me, hopefully it won't take that long for you, but T3, like all thyroid replacement takes time to metabolise and work.

[acunatang in reply to shaws]

Yes I know it contains T3, I had this same argument with my endo, it only contains about 4mcg of T3 so if there is a problem at cellular level, 4cg is not enough to sort out the problem

[shaws Administrator in reply to acunatang]

I don't know if you've seen this link but it might be helpful.

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

[acunatang in reply to shaws]

Yes I have seen this link thanks and I very much believe the information I have read from Dr Lowe, it was his research which originally made me think my problems might be related to my thyroid! Thanks for all your help, the advice I have had from this site has been invaluable, thanks again!

[WeezerSue]

I live in Alaska, USA. What is T3 ? I take 4-300mg of gabapentin an a 12.5 ambient at night. I also have a sleep disorder. In the cerebellum I have a glitch, which should be just a continuation pattern. But, the fibromyalgia is very painful. On and off since 1998.

I