beginning T3 while using T4

am deciding to do a trial on myself with T3... am currently on T4 and its doing absolutely nothing... i am on 175mcg of levothyroxine... what would people suggest for dosage when i start T3? and do i need to reduce my T4? my bloods say i am sufficiently medicated and 'normal' now , but no way! worse than ever .... thanx

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You posted the other day - did you get your test results for vitamin D, b12, folate and ferritin from GP.

These all need to be at very good levels for thyroid hormones to work.

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

i am going docs tomorrow, it was friday when i posted so too late to see a doc. i shall post as soon as i can ... x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Also going gluten free may really help reduce symptoms.

[Aurealis]

You may just need more T4. I'd try this first before taking T3 as T3 can be tricky to get right.

[Hidden in reply to Aurealis]

according to my levels i am already over replaced on T4.. i did consider upping the dose, as in the past, i have had slight relief from upping the dose...

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Hidden]

If you post your blood results (ideally t3, t4, tsh, though not everyone gets all the tests done) it will be easier to know how to go forward. The usual way is to reduce your levo by 50mcg, wait a couple of weeks for your levels to adjust and then add in 10 t3.

When you say you're overreplaced, is it possible your dose is a little too high and this is causing your symptoms?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Hidden I am self treating with the addition of some T3 to my prescribed Levo and I was on the same dose as you (175mcg Levo).

Before you know how much T3 to add and if any adjustment is necessary to your Levo you need both FT4 and FT3 results from them being tested preferably at the same time. If you can do that and post your results I can make suggestions. If you can't get them done through your GP, there is a intermediate thyroid test available with Blue Horizon for £49 which includes TSH, FT4 and FT3 which is a fingerprick test. Or if you want antibodies as well it's Thyroid Plus Six, and for vitamins and minerals as well the Plus Ten or Plus Eleven cover these.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

If you were going to have another blood test via Blue Horizon, it may be better to have the Thyroid 'plus 12'. It is more expensive but it also includes Reverse T3 which is another important level to check. I had the 'plus 11' done a few weeks ago, then asked if they could still do the Reverse T3 within 7 days as they said the sample would still be viable during that period. They said unfortunately Reverse T3 has to be the first test done so couldn't do it and also its best to get Free T3 and Reverse T3 done at the same time so that you can work out the ratio between them. This is all described somewhere on the STTM website. You can also find on there symptoms of too much Reverse T3. I think I have this issue as T4 (Levo) isn't doing a great deal for me and on a recent dose increase, I found I couldn't tolerate the increase at all.

I have recently ordered T3 and its just arrived last Friday, but I'm going to read up a lot more before I start it to be sure I'm dosing correctly.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

i have ordered the sttm book and am gonna educate my self as much as possible, and i too am gonna order the t3 but not use it until i have more knowledge...if the bloody doctors looked a little deeper than the basic testing ,we wouldnt need to do this, it makes me deeply sad... how much people are suffering needlessly if the docs took time to really listen and test us properly

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

thankyou, i have an appointment friday to see my doc and to get a print out of my latest bloods from my first endo visit.. he said he was testing my t3 then didnt! rather angry at this, so if i cant get tested for free i shall do the private test...£49 isnt too bad a price... thankyou for your reply, x