DIFFERENCE

[Lucieb01]

What is the difference between levothyroxine & t3 thx

[puncturedbicycle]

Levo is a storage hormone which needs to be converted in your body into the active form (t3). If you take liothyronine (t3) you bypass the conversion process.

[Lucieb01 in reply to puncturedbicycle]

Thx and is this bought privately and were can I get it from

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Lucieb01]

Mine is prescribed by my gp. Are you on levo at the moment?

[Lucieb01 in reply to puncturedbicycle]

Yes 150mcg

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Lucieb01]

How do you feel? And what do your test results look like?

[Lucieb01 in reply to puncturedbicycle]

I am achy tired and I get check yearly I think it must be ok but I also have other probs

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Lucieb01]

While test results may be in range, they may not be ideal for you, so best to get a copy of the results and bring it here. The gp will always say the results are fine if they're in range, and it's their job to keep them in range, but you can get tremendous relief from symptoms if you're taking the right dose and type of meds, not just what keeps you within range.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

For thyroid hormones to be able to work, we need very good levels (not just average) of B12, vitamin D, folate and ferritin. Has your GP checked these?

If so, do you have actual results with ranges (the figures in brackets)

Also do you know if you have high antibodies. There are two types, (TPO and TG) they both need testing. If either or both are high then this means you have autoimmune thyroid disease - called Hashimoto's. Most common reason for being hypo.

Very common for Hashimoto's patients to be low in some or all these vitamins/minerals.

Many with Hashimoto's and ongoing unresolved issues, seem to have leaky gut and/or gluten issues. Adopting 100% gluten free diet can help reduce symptoms and lower antibodies. Supplementing selenium can also help reduce antibodies.

If you can not get blood tests via GP then, like many of us, you can get private testing - Blue Horizon - thyroid plus eleven is good option.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

(I am not a medic, just fellow thyroid sufferer.)

[Lucieb01 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi slowdragon thx for the info have ordered test

[LtAngua52]

You can post your results on here for people to advise you Lucieb01. If you still want or need t3 and your doctor refuses, post again and people will be able to tell you where you can buy them.

[LAHs]

Levothyroxine is a synthetic form of T4. T3 is a synthetic form of T3 known as Cytomel. Both are hormones needed for our endocrine system to work. The human form of these two hormones are usually made by our thyroids. If our thyroids stop working we need to get one or two of these hormones externally, i.e. take pills.

If all goes well you take T4 and your liver converts it to T3. However quite often, and for many people on this site (me included) this does not happen so in addition to taking T4 we need to take T3. A very good way of doing this is to take a natural desiccated thyroid(NDT) medication, the one I take is Armour Thyroid, but there are others.