I think my t4 is now too low for me! Latest test result advice please and thanks

[Bubbap]

Hi all,

I hope you are well and if anyone has read my posts with results before then I would really appreciate some more advice. Thanks you

Now on t4 87.5mcg taken with 5mcg t3 in the morning well away from breakfast at around 5.30 am and another 2.5mcg of t3 after lunch at approx 1pm. My t3 level has been slowly improving as before any t3 was level of 3.6 bottom of range and after starting on t3 up to 5mcg was a level of 4.3 pcol tested 6 weeks ago I then went up to 7mcg but the nhs didn't get my t3 this time (previously I've tested privately) but I have got back today my tsh and free t4 result. My tsh is 0.94 range is 0.35 to 5 and t4 is 12.8 range is 9 to 24.

A few symptoms have crept back over the last few weeks which I believe is down to my gradually decreasing t4 level which I know is due to taking t3!! I just think I work better at a mid range level! Weight creeping up! Constipation back and insomnia recently horrendous again when at the start of t3 it started to get better and I thought I had cured the constipation.

Last night i decided to just take my 87.5mcg t4 at night away from t3 after dinner and I slept well but I also took some melatonin. I thought maybe I should increase my t4 to 100 after dinner and keep my t3 as it is in the morning and day but try and bring my t4 levels up a bit more. I know this might decrease my tsh even further but I'm hoping the after dinner routine will help slew and increasing the dose might improve my symptoms!

Any advice please and thank you!! Without the guidance I have received here I would

Never have tried t3 and I do believe it's helped I just think I'm still balancing things and it takes time.

Xx

[Clutter]

Bubbap,

Was your Levothyroxine dose reduced when T3 was added?

[Bubbap in reply to Clutter]

Hi everyone

Thanks clutter you are always so great at getting back to me. Before t3 I was on t4 only at 100mcg and my results were tsh 3.5 and t4 at 22 somethings and t3 was 4.6 it looked like I wasn't converting and the lap test said over replaced had symptoms constipation mainly and insomnia so just reduced to 75mcg of t4 only and my tsh actually went down to 1.6 but t3 level dipped to 3.6 so that's when I added in the t3 after being only on 75 mcg only for six weeks and at the same time I increased my t4 to 87.5 mcg but over time my t4 levels are just getting lower and lower as I've added in more t3. I think maybe adding more t4 might help now be helpful? What do u think ? X

[greygoose in reply to Bubbap]

You're right, you weren't converting. So, adding in more T4 isn't going to do much for you.

T4 is the storage hormone, basically, T3 is the active one. And it sounds to me more like you need an increase in T3. You really don't want a lot of unconverted T4 slopping around causing problems.

[Clutter in reply to Bubbap]

Bubbap,

FT4 often drops when T3 is added to Levothyroxine because higher levels of T4 aren't required when taking T3 directly and because taking T3 directly often improves conversion and uses up T4.

I agree with Greygoose, increase your T3 dose and get FT3 higher.