T3 advice : I have finally picked up my... - Thyroid UK

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T3 advice

Pinkpeony profile image
34 Replies

I have finally picked up my prescription of T3 .

Endo says 10mcg am with Levo and 10mcg in the evening .

The problem is that the 20 mcg are minute and although they are scored , it is impossible to divide them evenly with a pill cutter . My OH has tried to cut 3 and all have ended up with a small and a large half .

I know some will say take 20mcg at once but they are new to me and I need to be careful to take Endo's ( and Clutters ) advice .

First dose in the morning , any advice appreciated ?

Thanks in advance

Pp

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Pinkpeony
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34 Replies
Willowluv profile image
Willowluv

When I started I used 5mcg then worked up to 25mcg. I don't think when you cut/break them you will get a clean break and if someone has any ideas I'd be glad to hear them. Now I take 15mcg am and 10mcg mid pm. I just break them in half and then again never accurate on the second break but I do find breaking in half with a my thumb nail quite sufficient. Sorry if im not much help. x

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toWillowluv

It is helpful polly3 thanks .

It's just that I am aware of how expensive they are .

Did you have variation in the different sizes and how you felt , or was it not noticeable?

Pp

Willowluv profile image
Willowluv in reply toPinkpeony

There is a difference in size when I break them but I don't feel the difference.

Clutter profile image
Clutter

PP, line up the tablet score line with the line on the pillcutter and close the pillcutter slowly. It isn't really a problem if the halves are slightly uneven, you'll still be getting a daily dose of 20mcg. I've never been able to split a tablet with my thumbnail and if I use a fine knife or craft blade one of the pieces tends to fly away and I worry my dogs will find and eat it.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toClutter

Thanks Clutter.

Watch this space 😱

Pp

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply toPinkpeony

PP, if you can't manage your pharmacist might be able to cut the pills for you.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toClutter

Bit pofaced at our pharmacy but can but ask lol

Thanks Clutter

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toClutter

My last dog did that - a whole 25 mcg tablet that I dropped. He got to it before I did! I gave him a litre of milk to drink - he loved milk - and he was fine. I imagine the hormone got bound up to the calcium and was excreted.

Not that I'm recommending you allow your dogs to eat your T3! But should it happen, that could help. :)

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply togreygoose

GG, apparently dogs need around 400mcg T4 so 10mcg T3 probably won't cause any bother but that's a great tip about the milk to bind T3 if they do. :)

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toClutter

Or perhaps even a great lump of cheese! I'm sure they wouldn't object. lol But it wasn't a thought-out solution, it was a knee-jerk reaction. Complete and utter panic! :)

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply togreygoose

GG, my mutts will eat anything except peas. They're usually good at taking tablets but when they won't tablets are hidden in a cube of cheese or pate. :-D

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toClutter

Yes, I did the same, although he would eat most things. But I thought that if he was so ill he needed a pill, then he deserved a treat. :)

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply togreygoose

GG, mine have mostly needed an antibiotic jab and tablets after their squabbles have gotten out of hand. Definitely a bribe and not a treat then :-D

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toClutter

lol My dog had problems with his spine which meant he often needed pain killers. It killed him in the end.

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply togreygoose

GG, sorry to hear that. Dread the day either of mine die.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toClutter

It's hard. :(

Polina44 profile image
Polina44

Hi... The pill cutter is rubbish!! I've been using one for 4 weeks. Not noticed any difference taking the different sizes however. I'm going for one dose in the morning from next week as I'm feeling ok with it 🍀

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony

I agree Polina the pill cutter is rubbish . The pills are just too small.

Good luck with your single dose!

Pp

Ansteynomad profile image
Ansteynomad

I was always carp at this. I used to take the bigger half, as it were, early in the day and the other one later.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toAnsteynomad

Good idea Ansteynomad I will give it a go.

Pp

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply toAnsteynomad

I do the same - big half earlier in the day, smaller half later on.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply tohumanbean

Thanks h b

Some good advice

Pp

perks profile image
perks

I take my last 10mcg of T3 at 4:30 pm otherwise too awake for bed. Also use a razor blade with masking tape on other side of blade so

i dont cut myself as pill cutter useless. Dr can prescribe 5mcgs but more expensive.. Good luck

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply toperks

Hubby talking about trying with a Stanley knife. Why do they make it so difficult?

Thanks perks. 😊

Pp

perks profile image
perks

Everything about thyroid is hard work ,!! You just get one bit sorted out and another bit falls off but your too tired to pick it up 😴!!! Good luck with the T3 its a big improvement on T4 only best wishes Perks

sandywandy1 profile image
sandywandy1

I cut mine up once a week usually Sunday afternoon when I am not rushing and find they get more even the more I do. If I do get the odd sizes (usually the first couple) I take the bigger one in the morning and the smaller one at night. I take 3 x half a tablet a day. My pill cutter is a PillMate pill cutter which I got from Amazon. Sandy

Angel_of_the_North profile image
Angel_of_the_North

I just alternate small and large "halves". I take the large bit in the am and the small bit in the afternoon. You can only do what you can do.

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony

Thank you everybody for your replies . I started this morning with a large half ( lol ) and will do this for a week as Clutter advised , as I am slightly over the hill 😕 and worried about possible side effects .

Will start 2doses in a week and hope for some improvement.

Thanks again and hope you stay well!

Pp

dylandolly profile image
dylandolly

Hi my pharmacist cut my tablets for me,and did a good job

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply todylandolly

Hi dd

Hubby has cut them with the blade of a Stanley knife ( with a rocking motion ) rather than a quick chop lol . Nice and even so far and better than Pill Mate which I find is hopeless for tiny tablets.

Thanks for you reply

Pp

dylandolly profile image
dylandolly in reply toPinkpeony

Hi pp,I got my pharmacist to cut them for me and there was no waste at all, they didn't crumble,dont know what he used but he has done them 3 times for me with the same results,hope this helps

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply todylandolly

I go to a small pharmacist next to the doctor.

It's usually packed so I don't know how popular I would be if I asked for 28tabs to be cut. 😕

I suppose I could ask in advance .

Thanks dylandolly.

Pp

dylandolly profile image
dylandolly in reply toPinkpeony

I hand them into the pharmacist and go back later in the day or sometimes the next day,maybe you could do that,I think it all depends on the pharmacist as I asked at Boots one time and they wouldn't do it,good luck

Pinkpeony profile image
Pinkpeony in reply todylandolly

Thanks dd

I am managing ok at the moment.

Hope you are well on T3 , I am hoping they will do the trick for me.

Cheers Pp

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