T3 your experiences : I'm thinking of buying t... - Thyroid UK

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T3 your experiences

33 Replies

I'm thinking of buying t3, I have under active thyroid, my dose of thyroxine has been increased to 175mg for the last 4 weeks, not feeling a great inprovement, still struggling with weight, dry skin, hair falling out tired and other symptoms.

Have you taken t3? Has it helped with weight loss?

Many thanks

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33 Replies

i forgot to add...i suffer with palpitations, i had a ablation last sept, but the palpitations have not greatly improved, is it a good idea for me to take t3 ?

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to

There are lots more things to consider before taking T3. It is not a quick fix :-) Have you had the following tested ? - Ferritin - Iron - B12 - Folate - VitD. B12 needs to be around 800/900 - Ferritin 80/90 - VitD at the top of the range. Without these vitamins and minerals being optimal you will not be able to process the thyroid hormones efficiently. Low Iron etc. can cause palpitations too - as the heart tries to be more efficient in pumping more oxygen around the body. Oxygen binds to iron in the red blood cells....

Four weeks is hardly enough time for your body to improve. Do you have your latest blood test results - with ranges ? Then people can help you....

T3 does not help with weight loss - especially if the adrenals are under stress. If you carry weight around your middle then if could be the adrenals. What supplements are you taking ?

in reply to Marz

i take Sublingual Methylcobalamin (Vitamin B12), 1000 mcg, Vit d d3 1000iu, the last blood test said, my irons levels was normal, they wont do another test for my tsh for another 4 weeks, i just feel exhausted all the time! i eat around 1500 cals, i've put on 7lbs, i feel lost!!

I think my tsh was 1.17 when i was taking 150mg thyroxine.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to

What is normal for your Doc may be NOT normal for you. They often mean in range when they say normal but your Ferritin needs to be around 80/90....

We really need your last results to be constructive - otherwise we are simply speculating....

cc120 profile image
cc120 in reply to Marz

Hi Marz, I carry weight round my middle and suspect adrenal problems, what supplements do you recommend? I've increased the levels of the vits, etc you have listed.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to cc120

...I think that is a difficult question to answer. There is a book called - Fat around the Middle - which discusses this problem. I am far from an expert - having just learnt that my cortisol levels are raised. Possibly due to having inflammatory conditions - like Crohns/Hashi's/Spinal issues - this is according to my Greek Physio. I usually consult him before I see the Doc :-) There are lots of suggestions on various websites - so have a read and see what you think. VitC in big doses is good - also Ashwaghanda - Holy Basil - Rodolia ....have seen a capsule that contains the last three - but not sure where ??

Let me know if anything works for you :-)

cc120 profile image
cc120 in reply to Marz

Thank you Marz, cushings also can be caused by high cortisol. Didn't realise that inflammation and spinal issues could increase cortisol too. I was taking Seriphos, but ran out and will have to wait till next month to re-order : (.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to cc120

...cortisol responds to inflammation in the body I believe. The spinal issue is inflammatory due to sciatic nerve problems post surgery and so is the Crohns and the Hashi's :-( How was the Seriphos for you ?

cc120 profile image
cc120 in reply to Marz

Thank you Marz. First of all Seriphos didn't have effect on the day I took my first three capsules, but the next day felt awful, in that I was more relaxed but in a completely exhausted, worn out, weak kind of way. So cut out for a few days, and started at half a capsule for a couple of weeks, then 1 capsule thereafter, 2 when particularly stressed, which I do believe helped regulate my cortisol. Also recommended on moodcure.com/correcting_cor... is Womens Anti Stress Formula" by Swansons, which I might try next.

Unfortunately I am still on fluxertone, which I wanted to wean myself off, but can't as I've run out of Seriphos.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to cc120

...sounds as you have found something that suits you - so important. How are your B12 levels - are they optimal ?

Thanks for the link - only read this a few days ago. I do not have any of the symptoms of stress so have settled on the internal bodily stuff :-)

in reply to Marz

hi Marz... i don't carry weight round my middle, i'm big bossoom lol, not sure if that counts, i've looked up symptoms for adrenal stress and i can only relate to tiredness as one of the symptoms, last year i was tested for cortisol, unsure if that is related but that was negative.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to

...well that's good. So just concentrate on the other things discussed earlier.... :-)

Aurealis profile image
Aurealis

In my experience you can lose weight on T3 if you also diet but equally without dieting it's really easy to gain weight due to increased appetite It really is no quick fix. Increasing dose of levo is much easier

Clutter profile image
Clutter

Nikki, I found adding T3 to Levothyroxine (T4) helped calm down the adverse symptoms I had from T4. I was titrated from 200mcg to 100mcg T4 but palpitations didn't improve until I was either off T4 altogether or on T4+T3. T3 also improved my low FT3 which helped with fatigue and energy. I lost a lot of weight (unwelcome) in between hemilobectomy and completion thyroidectomy and gained a few pounds on T3 only for 2 months but then lost a lot more weight when I was switched to T4 which I haven't recovered.

If your FT3 is low, adding T3 probably won't make you lose weight but should give you more energy to exercise to help with weight loss.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Well, I disagree with everybody! lol If your T3 is low, you won't lose weight. So, adding some can help. Since I've been on T3 only, I've lost over 50 kilos, without dieting or exercising. Although, by 'exercising' here, I mean going to the gym or running or whatever, because in actual fact everything you do is exercising in the strict definition of the word. And, although I Don't 'diet', I Don't eat that much, anyway. Never have, but still put on a lot of weight!

Of course, everyone is different, but on NDT, I packed on over 30 kilos, even though I got up to 6 grains. I only started losing when I went onto T3 only. I'm not saying that T3 is a 'magic bullet' or a slimming pill, but it reverses the process that made you put on weight, if that weight is not fat. I'm not sure that's very clear, but I hope you understand what I mean. In any case, you have to try it, or you'll never know. :)

cc120 profile image
cc120 in reply to greygoose

Did you loose weight on T3 alone? Had you previously been on NDT or T4, without losing weight?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to cc120

I started out, 15 years ago, on T4 only. Put weight on. Then added T3 to my T4, started losing a tiny bit of weight. Saw a doctor that wanted me to take Armour. I did terrible on Armour, really started going down hill fast. Tried all the different NDTs one after the other. Put on over 30 kilos - Don't know exactly how much because I stopped weighing myself when the scales hit 120 kilos! Went onto T3 only and the weight started to fall off. I wouldn't touch T4 again for all the seas in China... or something like that. lol

in reply to greygoose

i do feel a little worried about self medicating.. but i have just checked my 175mg levothyroxine and i have been taking them for 6 weeks not 4 weeks like i previously said, but in that time i have gained 7lbs with dieting... i just don't know what is going on!!!

can you help me? what do i do? should i see if a gp will support me with t3 ?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to

Well, stop dieting!!! lol What do you mean by dieting? How many calories do you think you're ingesting? If you're cutting your calories too far, it will affect your conversion of T4 (Levo) to T3. Less T3 means that you are more hypo, and being more hypo means that you put on weight.

Of course, there are other reasons for not converting. As Marz has said, your ferritin is low, so that will affect conversion. All your vits and mins must be optimal. Your palipitations could be due to low magnesium, too.

If you are nervous about self-medicating with T3, I would suggest you get your nutritional deficiencies sorted out first, and start eating at least 2000 calories a day - with plenty of fat! - and see how you go with that. If none of that works, then we can talk about self-treating and T3 another time.

in reply to greygoose

My calorie intake is around 1500-1600 a day, my recent Iron levels was normal according to the doctors, the doctors won't test my b12 but I do take 1000mg daily, and vit d, d3, magnesium 300mg... I also ride my bike when the weather is kind and walk daily, regardless of how tired I feel. My hands are so dry they bleed, hair falls out and feeling the cold is intense!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to

Well, you could increase your calorie intake a bit - especially if you're cycling. I'm not sure it's a good idea to force yourself to take exercise if you Don't feel like it. Any form of exercise uses up your T3, so if you haven't got enough to begin with... not surprising it makes you tired.

Are you taking a B complex with that B12? All the Bs work together so they need to all be taken together to keep them balanced. Have you tried taking a little zinc with that magnesium and D3? They work together, too.

Never, ever take your doctor's word for things being 'normal'. For a start, that is meaningless. And secondly, what he means by 'normal', is 'in range'. But just being 'in range' isn't good enough. It's where it falls in the range that counts. He will think it's 'normal' if it's right down the bottom, but iron must be at least mid-range. Always, always ask for a print-out of any blood test you have. It's your legal right to have it. No arguments!

cc120 profile image
cc120 in reply to greygoose

I wonder if you have a RT3 problem which was solved by taking T3 alone?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to cc120

Was that remark address to me, cc? Yes, I think I possibly did have an rT3 problem. I thought that whilst I was taking NDT, so stopped the NDT and went onto a 100 or so mcg T3 for 12 weeks to see if it would clear. I think it did. But I then went on to make the mistake of going back onto NDT! I shouldn't have done that. lol Things got a lot worse.

Now you might Wonder, given all these clues, why I didn't just give up on NDT and go back to T3 only sooner. Well, put it down to brain fog cause by the NDT - or the T4 in it. Besides, everyone was telling me that NDT was THE best, and if I kept on trying, everything would come up roses. But it didn't.

However, fortunately, I had a problem with my supply. The on-line company I got it from disappeared! (And my €100 with it!) I waited and waited and my NDT didn't arrive. I ran out. But had some T3 left from my de-rT3ing escapade. So, I took that. And, suddenly, the penny dropped! I was better off on T3 only! So, there you go. You learn by experience. lol

cc120 profile image
cc120 in reply to greygoose

Yes, remark was for you greygoose. It's amazing how brain fog can confuse any issue, despite seeming so obvious in hindsight. Apparently it takes awhile for FT4 to clear the system. I might try the T3 only route. Currently I'm on 3 grains NDT taken at night and 25mg T3 taken in morning with food, so that not all is absorbed!!

stuartwwhouse profile image
stuartwwhouse

My experience being on T3 only is that I did lose a lot of the added bloat from t4 therapy , whether or not it was actually weight or not I don't know but people mentioned to me that I looked like I had lost a bit of weight

I would definitely check the status of your adrenals once your iron , d3, b12 etc is in shape as T3 can put quite a demand on the cortisol out put , which I found out through my latest Genova saliva test

T3 only should be carefully considered as the dosing (often 3 times a day ) can be quite a rocky process and will require the monitoring of bp, Hr and temps to get it right

Having said that , the dosing routine doesn't take long to master and the effects can be very good for some

Patience with increasing doses is essential to prevent over stressing adrenals

cc120 profile image
cc120 in reply to stuartwwhouse

Does T3 increase cortisol output?

stuartwwhouse profile image
stuartwwhouse in reply to cc120

T3 doesn't increase it per se , my understanding is that if using the CT3M method (taking it somewhere within the 4 hours prior to get up when the adrenals start to work for the day) then it can provide the adrenals with the T3 they need to work efficiently ,

It depends on how well they are working to begin with , if they are already fatigued the t3 can place extra demand on them , but if they are healthy T3 can support them to work

cc120 profile image
cc120 in reply to stuartwwhouse

Thank you stuart, I tried the CT3M, but with NDT (didn't have T3) then, but found the waking up 1 hour before getting up to take, was untenable. I doubt my adrenals are working well as cortisol result was: 979. Though went down to 183 but was taking Seriphos then.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to stuartwwhouse

I take all mine in one go at night. Sleep like a baby and feel much better than when I was splitting doses.

stuartwwhouse profile image
stuartwwhouse in reply to greygoose

Do you have resistance Grey ?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to stuartwwhouse

How would I know?

i do feel a little worried about self medicating.. but i have just checked my 175mg levothyroxine and i have been taking them for 6 weeks not 4 weeks like i previously said, but in that time i have gained 7lbs with dieting... i just don't know what is going on!!!

can you help me? what do i do? should i see if a gp will support me with t3 ?

stuartwwhouse profile image
stuartwwhouse in reply to

Yes , I would , I got it from my endo though , but it took a very constructive argument and blood evidence to support it - you will need to read a lot and get an understanding to present your argument well (as these guys think they are God sometimes)

RWT3 website and FB forum has a tonne of info that I used that cannot be misinterpreted (they like to dismiss what they don't understand)

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