Advice on t3 please

[puffyface]

Please can one of you clever people have a look at these blood tests and let me know whether they think that changing my thyroid medicine from 50mcg of T4 and 20mcg of T3 to 20mcg of T3 twice a day (and getting rid of the T4 altogether) looks like a good idea?? This is what my endo has suggested that I do because I had started to feel so awful on this combination (odd as I only started it at the beginning of December and felt great for about 6 weeks).

Apologies if you've seen this message before. I tried posting a couple of days ago, but didn't get any replies and can't find the post. I think I did something wrong.

total thyroxine (T4) *52 (range 59 - 154)

TSH 1.53 (range 0.27 - 4.2)

Free thyroxine *11.1 (range 12.0 - 22.0)

Free T3 4.9 (range 3.1 - 6.8)

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies *285.8 range (0 - 34)

I'd be very grateful.

Thank you.

[Ruthi]

Usually T3 in any form suppresses TSH, so the fact that your TSH is well above optimal would suggest that you need more T3. T4 is fine for those that convert, but a) you haven't got enough in your system and b)its only there to be converted to T3 which is also too low!

I would say give it a go! And take enough T3 to get you up to the top quarter of the range before you write it off. It might be that in time you could increase the T4, but I assume its not done a lot for you in the past?

Or was it that you had lots of T4 in your system when you started the T3, and that has been used up now? When I started T3 (before the side effects kicked in) I felt almost immediately better. Do you have previous results? Have you ever had reverse T3 tested?

This is the point at which I say I'm not a doctor - just been knocking around the thyroid system, such as it is, for a long time.

[puffyface in reply to Ruthi]

Thank you for replying. Can I just ask what you mean by the T3 side effects? I'm going to look back at my blood tests and see if I've ever had reverse T3 tested - not sure that I have.

Endo who told me to do this, changed his mind at the last minute. He looked at these results and said initially that I needed more T4 and should stay with the same T3. Then he changed his mind and said, get rid of the T4! You may not be a doctor....but you sound quite a bit more knowledgeable!

[Ruthi in reply to puffyface]

As far as I know I am unique in having had a side effect that felt like horrific arthritis. Within two weeks I could barely move my arms, so although I felt like I'd awoken from a long sleep, I had to stop. We tried again a while later with the same result. It was years before I could pull a sweater over my head the crossed arms way.

This was 15 years ago, and there was only one brand available, so I don't know if it was some contaminant, or the medicine itself. In any case NDT works for me so no need to try again.

But I can still remember the wonder of getting my me back. Even with the pain I was skipping around the woods with my dog.

[Hidden]

4-1 ratio of T4-T3. WP thyroid is a good thyroid with minimal fillers. I would start at 1/4 grain for 3 months and go from there. You need to change your diet also. Avoid polyunsaturated fats and other foods that inhibit thyroid function. You should avoid blood work for awhile and go off temperature and pulse. Lab work is unreliable. Optimal temps upon wakening are 97.9-98.2. Optimal Temps during the day are 98.2-98.9. Optimal pulse upon wakening is 75-85. Optimal pulse through the day is 82-90. Use cronometer app and start paying attention to your nutrition.

[Daffers123]

I'm no expert but your TPO Antibodies look high - had anyone mentioned Hashimoto's disease ? you really want a response from one of the Admins like Clutter or Shaws or Flower - they are very knowledgable. If they don't pick you up try reposting and ask about Hashi's and antibodies

[puffyface]

Thank you so much Daffers. Yes, I do have Hashimoto's, as well as several other auto-immune diseases. I think (although just guessing) that the other things are being controlled my meds, but I just have a sense that it's my thyroid/thyroid medicine that is causing me the problems just now. The T4/T3 combination worked initially and I felt great for about 6 weeks....then rubbish. Now just on T3 in the morning.....I have some energy...then I crash at 4pm....take more t3 around 7pm...and feel shaky and horrid.

I have posted these results for some help a couple of times, but haven't heard from the Admins. I hope that it will eventually be worked out, but thank you very much for replying. x