Hypothyroid

[Summadhan]

Hi everyone! I hv hypothyroid 125 mg , am taking levothyroxn .what is this t3 ? Is it a supplement ? If Iam taking t3 should I stop taking levo . Will it help my hypo problem , help

[bluebug]

Hello and welcome.

Before you start worrying about should you take T3 it would help you and others to help you if you posted your latest blood test results and ranges.

If you don't have them you need to go to your GPs practice and request them from the receptionist. This is your right under the Data Protection Act 1998. You may have to fill in a form and wait a few days. The cost is nothing or a few pence if your last test was under 40 days ago.

When you have them post them in the form of test test result (range). For example:

TSH 3 (0.35-5.5)

FT4 13 (11-24)

If you have any blood test results for vitamin B12, ferritin, folate and vitamin D post these as well.

Finally T3 isn't a supplement it is a hormone. Most hypo people don't need T3 instead they need either a dose increase in levothyroxine, to supplement a vitamin/mineral to get rid of deficiencies/low levels, a change in diet or a combination of one or more of those things.

[Treepie]

T4 is what you are taking ,it is largely inactive but converts to T3 in the body.Most do fine on T4 ,some need T3 because they do not convert sufficient.A very small number find they are best on T3 alone.In the UK T3 is horrendously expensive as the NHS enjoys being ripped off by the sole supplier to this country.

Why do you not read up about your disease ?

[Heloise]

Hi Summadhan, T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone. Your body would produce T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin if your thyroid was producing enough hormone. Doctors have decided to give only T4 or levothyroxine to patients and it really isn't as close to what your thyroid would normally produce.

Natural thyroid might be your next step if you can get it. It has names like Armour, Naturethroid, and others. They contain more of the type our own bodies produce. If you cannot get that, than adding T3 is better than just T4.

If you decide to add T3 to your levothyroxine, you should start with a low dose like 5 mcgs.

[rosetrees]

A healthy thyroid produces 5 things (that are known about). T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin. The difference between T4, T3, T2, T1 is the number of iodine atoms.

The body mainly uses T3. Thyroxine is T4 and the body converts T4 into T3.

The problem comes for those people who can't convert properly - for a variety of reasons. These people find that adding T3 or taking NDT (natural dessicated thyrdoid) makes them feel better.

To know if you are converting properly you need a full thyroid panel - including FT4 and FT3. If your FT4 is high in range but your FT3 is low in range, that can be an indicator that you are not converting efficiently.

Several things can block conversion, so you need to make sure you have your iron, folate, ferritin, B12 and Vit D levels measured and try to make sure that all are well in range.

[sctjan]

Thank you. It is helpful.

[Eddie83]

Levothyroxine is T4, the thyroid storage hormone. T3 is active thyroid hormone. If your body is unable to efficiently convert T4 to T3, you will have a low FT3 (free T3) and will not feel well. Using either T3+T4, or NDT, is a more effective treatment for many hypo patients.