T3 - I am just wondering as I so often do!

[Jefner]

Before you say it, I know I know, I am overthinking!!!!! But arn't we all looking for answers?

When I saw my private Endo some time ago and we were discussing t3, initially he said I wasn't converting from looking at my test results, also having a high rt3. He was going to prescribe me some t3 BUT after lots of other tests and some sort of microbiological test 3 times on my t3, he said my body wasn't actually that low in it and everything I was experiencing was just stress related. Apparently patients who have had operations whereby their body is under stress show low t3 and after he told me that I found evidence of that on the net. As stress and anxiety have been a big part of my life and which have now affected my adrenals, I am wondering whether he might be right.

Before my crash in the autumn I had been feeling low and a little low in mood from from the beginning of last year because of what I had been dealing with (trying to keep my ebay business afloat, looking after my elderly parents and then coming home and looking after two elderly pets. On top of that I was helping my friend out with his poorly mum and brother who had cancer. I wonder if all that stress caused a Hashi flare in the autumn and off things went!

I am into my 10th month now with the severe anxiety and I wonder if indeed what I am experiencing is more mental which has had a knock on effect with my autoimmune condition and adrenals.

I am having psychology once a week but as yet it doesn't seem to be helping me as I need some tools and support to be able to cope, so I have decided to find a local therapist privately who can give me some CBT and also delve into the unknown so to speak because I am desperate for help with the anxiety and the irrational thoughts and crap which just make my symptoms worse and leaves me in that vicious circle of not being able to get well and my suicide thoughts are coming back

If I can find a way to alleviate the anxiety symptoms then I know I will be well on my way because I will be able to cope better with all the other symptoms.

I know it's early but I sent my bloods off today after adding t3 25 days ago. I just need to see what is going on with my current levels on everything because I am barely hanging on by a thread again at the moment and I don't want to up my t3 again yet until I see the results.

I don't follow the STTM protocol as regards the way they do their t3 but they are of the belief (apparently from thousands of their patients) that with a high rt3, I should be lowering my t4 quite substantially because even though I have added some t3, the T4 will just go into storage and carry on bumping up my rt3 levels (which I believe can give nasty symptoms as well). Am on 100 Levo and 10mcg t3 currently.

Very tired and fatigued today because I didn't have enough sleep last night due to having to be up early when the therapist came round and my piggin bladder woke me up before my alarm

[greygoose]

Your endo was partly right. After an op, or when you're ill, yes, T3 is low, rT3 higher and TSH higher, because the body is healing, rT3 is produced to stop you rushing around like a maniac, and get some rest while your body is healing. It's a safety mechanism. But I'm not so sure about the stress...

Stress is involved, yes, but it's not the whole story. We tread a narrow line when we start talking about 'mental which has had a knock on effect with my autoimmune condition and adrenals', and risk falling on the side of 'it's all in your head, you're imagining it'! You aren't imagining your antibodies.

Yes, it would help if you could alleviate the stress, but depression, anxiety and irrational thoughts are all symptoms of low T3, not the other way round. Your T3 will not magically rise because you get rid of the stress.

As I said before, I do not believe rT3 in and of itself causes symptoms. The symptoms you are experiencing are either low T3, or T3 not getting into the cells.

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

thank you honey. I am so eager to get my results through to see what is happening. Apparently even though it's been a short while you can still get an accurate t3 reading Am having blood drawn tomorrow to check on my rt3 again as I haven't had it done in around 4 months

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

You're welcome. But don't get too hung up on the rT3. It's too difficult to interpret.

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

I get the results with the ranges but have no idea how high it could get compared to other people, have never asked anyone for comparable purposes BUT the question still remains, why arn't I dropping my Levo more with the t3 because arn't I just building up more rt3?

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

Perhaps you are, and perhaps you aren't. I don't know.

I can't remember your old results, were you converting well, or not, before you added in the T3? Maybe you need to be on T3 only.

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

not converting well. All my results are up to date on my profile honey bunny

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

OK, well, drop the levo a bit next time you increase, and gradually phase it out. See how you feel on T3 only. It suits a lot of us.

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

I remember Clutter telling me she was bedridden for a month washing her t4 out and starting on t3. I wouldn't be brave enough to do that

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

You'd be surprised what you can do when you have to!

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

absolutely nope to that one hon, I know I couldn't do it because I am barely functioning now

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

[108Optimist in reply to Jefner]

Maybe your doctor doesnt know to do that. Have you had that conversation?

[Jefner in reply to 108Optimist]

My dr knows nothing about thyroid or hashis. I have been teaching him!

[108Optimist in reply to Jefner]

Well I guess that's why the doc isn't getting you to drop your levothyroxine more? ? Doc doesn't realise it's an option ??

[Jefner in reply to 108Optimist]

Nope ;(

[108Optimist in reply to Jefner]

Keep educating the doc! !@

[Jazzw]

You're right - T3 does drop under stress, and when you're starving (in the most literal way) on a reduced calorie diet. But your T3 is under the reference range even though your FT4 isn't too bad. That's not a stress induced drop - it wouldn't drop that low, because under stress your body knows it needs to keep functioning! That's a proper "not converting" issue that definitely should be resolved by taking T3.

You might find you do need to take T3 only. Will be interesting to see your next lot of results.

[Jefner in reply to Jazzw]

how will I know if I will end up as a t3 only person?

[Jazzw in reply to Jefner]

I think most end up there after trying everything else!

We have a few T3 only people - think GG is one of them(?)

[Jefner in reply to Jazzw]

Yup she is

[LAHs in reply to Jazzw]

On the subject of T3 and stress I remember reading a paper whose conclusion was that patients undergoing operations had bad outcomes if their T3 was low. If you are going to have an operation, whether or not you have thyroid issues, make sure your T3 is high. Your body is under severe stress during an operation and it will use up whatever T3 is available, so make sure you have plenty of it.

[108Optimist]

Well my op was March 2008 and only now low t3 identified. So I don't care what the cause is, I want it up! !! Perhaps more t3 will help dealing with current life which has zero stress apart from having no life due to low t3! !

So when you know your free t3 and latest revt3 you'll be able to make some decisions.

I'm a different scenario so I'm not sure about the sttm protocol you mention. However I would say that there's a heap of experience in that book and it could be worth a go if appropriate.

I thought if you have become resistant to t3 then you keep adding t3 only to clear the reverse t3 ? And I've heard dr Lowe say he took so much t3 that his levels were scary high, yet he was healthy without symptoms and feeling good. Labs + symptoms = information!

I'm no expert. I hope you heal soonxx

[Jefner in reply to 108Optimist]

Thank u hun

[Jefner in reply to 108Optimist]

I read the reviews on that book and it was too americanised

[108Optimist in reply to Jefner]

I wouldnt let americanisation stop you from accessing important information. But thats just me. There are heaps of other resources though. This forum is kind of like the best of all the resources!!! Take care

[Justiina]

You take ad's or do I remember it wrong? What if that affects your adrenal glands as it can seriously mess the cortisol output. Like they were suitable at some point but something has gone wrong.

Some ad's are 90% fluoride even though they claim it is in a form that doesn't affect your thyroid but I doubt that.

There are drug gene tests which could tell are you metabolising them well. Finding a doctor running them might be difficult. Done in US and in Germany at least. Might be able to get them done without doctor as well.