How to avoid T3 slump

[Daffers123]

Hello everyone (and hopefully Shaws)

am starting adding T3 to Levo -5 mcg to 75 mcg- in the mornings. I am experiencing the awful mid afternoon fatigue slump. I will increase t3 slowly but would like to ask if taking a larger amount in one dose will alleviate the slump ?

thankvyou

[Clutter]

Daffers, once the T3 builds up in your system the slumps often resolve. If you've been tolerating 5mcg T3 for a few days without feeling overstimulated try adding a second dose of 5mcg an hour and a half to two hours before your afternoon slump.

[Daffers123 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks Clutter. Hope you are still doing well with yours

[PinkNinja]

I was going to suggest the same as Clutter with one caveat. If the additional dose makes your slump worse, you probably have adrenal and/or iron issues that need sorting out. If the additional dose reduces the slump then you just needed more t3.

Once you get to your optimal dose of thyroid medication, you may be able to take all your t3 in one dose. Many people find this to be the best way. I find I need to split my t3 into three doses. We're all different

Carolyn x

[Daffers123 in reply to PinkNinja]

Hi CArolyn

Thanks for advice. I have wondered about my iron as someone said last year, my iron was 'going into store' and I didn't understand that (and still don't). Perhaps I should treat myself to a full iron panel. Oh joy!!

It was strange you say that because, last year when I was trying to raise my T3(mono) dose, the higher the dose got the worse my slump (and health) got. Hmmm

[Aurealis]

I feel that slumps are due either to incorrect dose (usually but not always too low a dose) or to incorrect distribution of the T3 dose throughout the day. Personally I am unable to take it in one dose, I need T3 distributed throughout the day.

[Daffers123 in reply to Aurealis]

Thanks Aurelius. I am going to have to think it all through as It seems pretty daunting I must admit

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Daffers 123,

It would be so easy if we were all the same but, unfortunately, it does take time to find out what suits.

5mcg is an extremely small amount but your levothyroxine isn't all that large either. Altogether your combined dose is approx 95 mcg levo.

I was put on 10mcg of T3 initially to my reduced levo, 75 mcg and Endo got concerned about the TSH but I refused to reduce the T3, so we compromised and T4 reduced to 50mcg.

But I did feel life coming back into my body and that's what led me to try anything other than levo. I decided to 'go it alone'.

I now know what NDT suits me best (I tried about 4). At present I take T3 only and have normal health/energy. I take around just over 37mcg of T3. I go by how I feel and am glad to say 'normal'.

Sometimes it is the fillers/binders in hormones which affect us as I've found out and not the actual thyroid hormone, i.e. levo or lio. so have changed the make which worked.

I take my dose once daily when I awake and am fortunate not to have any problems. I don't feel I have hypo at all neither do I have palpitations etc which I had on levo.

Of both, liothyronine (T3) or levothyroxine (T4) lio calmed my whole system down and my heart as I was forever in and out of A&E getting checkups.

I hope you are successful. Make a record of your pulse/temp several times a day. Usually you can feel hot but your temp might probably be low and your pulse calm.

Liothyronine is what drives our body and it's only if levo converts to sufficient that one feels well. If not I think everyone should have T3 added to their T4 as it goes directly into your receptor cells within a short period of time but the effect continues thereafter for between 1 and 3 days. I follow Dr Lowe's advice about one daily dose. He took 150mcg of T3 himself in the middle of the night. I assume so that nothing would interfere with the uptake.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

Shaws, I know you are the Dr Lowe expert (and I haven't even read his book ) but .........have you considered Dr Lowe took the T3 in the middle of the night to synergise with his natural circadian rhythm, therefore supporting his adrenals?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hidden]

I don't know and I am no expert of anything but have just read and because he was an Adviser to Thyroiduk and did consultations/advice online his work made sense against the 'modern' method. Unfortunately for us he died prematurely. Sometimes, too, some patients might still have remained unwell as what works for some doesn't always work for another. I haven't read his book either but believe it was produced for educating professionals. I see on Amazon it is about £900.

As far as I am aware Dr Lowe didn't have hypothyroidism but what he called 'resistance' and that's why he had to take a large dose of T3.

I assume he avoided any interference in the uptake of T3 by middle of the night dosing. All I know is that he advocated a single daily dose for his patients plus vitamins/minerals and exercise to tolerance.

[marmaris in reply to Hidden]

Yes this is what Paul Robinson promotes, it is to do with the circadian rhythm.

[marmaris in reply to shaws]

Wow that is such a high dose, yet he felt well on it.

[Daffers123 in reply to shaws]

Hello Shaws

Thank you for your detailed reply. It is really helpful and I'm only sorry I don't know enough to be able to help others.

I shall have to experiment, and would just like to ask, how long did you give each trial of dose and different make ? Should I give it a few days, or a few weeks ? I made myself so ill last year that I am lacking in confidence.

Many thanks again for information and so glad you are feeling well

Andrea