LIOTHYRONINE TRIAL AT LAST. HELP WITH DOSAGE PLEASE....

[evieb]

Hi help please, I have been on Thyroxin for the past 5 years it has been a real struggle. I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis, am on 125 thyroxin doctors want me to lower dosage to 100 but when I do that I get worse, hairloss weight gain aches and pains, I have seen an Endo at Guys who is willing to trial me on Liothyronine but wants my Doctor to prescribe it, could he refuse, on my letter from Endo she states, If GP unable to prescribe it can be done at next visit (which is in 6 months time) also she has stated "THE STUDIES AND EXISTING EVIDENCE ON THE USE OF LIOTHYRONINE OR T3 FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM SHOW NO ADDED EFFECT OR EXTRA BENEFIT" I'm wondering if my GP reads that he could refuse and leave it to Endo to prescribe. The dosage she suggests is "liothyronine 5 mcg twice daily + levothyroxine 50 mcg once a day. This seems very low to me: last blood result was

TSH 0.02 iu/L (0.27 - 4.20)

Free T4 23.2 pmol/L (10.0 - 23.0)

Free T3 4.5 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8)

Would appreciate any advice please, Thanks

[Clutter]

Evieb,

It looks to me like your endo is sabotaging any chance of your GP prescribing T3 by what she has written which can't in any way be seen as a recommendation to your GP to prescribe. She's also sabotaged any likelihood of T3 working for you by reducing your Levothyroxine dose too much in an attempt to raise your TSH. T3 is 3 x stronger than Levothyroxine so 10mcg T3 is equivalent to 30mcg Levothyroxine. It would be reasonable to reduce Levothyroxine dose by 25mcg to 100mcg when introducing 10mcg T3 because your FT4 is slightly over range.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[evieb in reply to Clutter]

Clutter,

Thats what I thought, she didnt seem to know too much about T3 thats why she told me she would ask her Consultant, letter also states the danger of high levels of circulating free hormones in the blood can result in cardiac dysrthymias and osteoporosis so I have a feeling GP will say no, I have been fighting so long now to sort thyroid out unable to lose weight I have put on 3 stone nothing seems to shift it, I am under sleep clinic at Guys and keep telling them it is to do with my thyroid. I need to know what dosage I should start on if GP decides to let me have Liothronine because I dont think he will know what to do. She also advises that I drop to 100 levo and I know that makes me feel worse. Didnt expect to get this letter and I was looking into getting T3 from abroad, amy advice please.

[Clutter in reply to evieb]

Evieb,

I wouldn't be happy to reduce Levothyroxine to 50mcg and add in 10mcg T3 but dropping to 100mcg should be fine.

If you buy your own T3 it will be 25mcg. It is easily quartered with a pillcutter and you can add 2 x 6.25mcg to a reduced Levothyroxine dose of 100mcg.