Being prescribed T3

[LFE12]

Wondering if I could have some advice/help please.

Had my thyroid removed 17 years ago and been on Levo ever since. Needless to say there have been lots of ups and downs, especially the anxiety and depression.

Went to see a new Endo today, as have been feeling awful. (Doctor referred me when I asked for NDT.)

The Endo understands how I feel as she has been there. She has a lot to learn but is willing to work with me. She has prescribed T3 (Liothyronine) tablets, 10 micro gram sto be taken twice daily. I will also continue with the Levo. She will contact me when my blood tests return and she has calculated how much to reduce Levo by.

I recall that the T3 should be introduced at a low dose and then increased after a week or two. By what, up to what, does anyone know? She says that other patients she has prescribed it to have felt awful and gone back to Levo only, but she does not know how to prescribe and dose, although willing to listen to my research, in fact very open to it.

At the moment she is only willing to run blood tests for tsh and T4, so will either try to persuade her to run more using the chart or pay and get it done myself.

She also says that unless anxiety and depression are diagnosed before thyroid is diagnosed thyroid is not the cause........

Well, it's a start. Fingers crossed I can get this right, to stop feeling awful would be wonderful.

[radd]

LFE,

Welcome to our forum.

Great you have managed to secure T3 and I hope it helps you.T3 is approx 3 times a powerful as T4 so needs to be introduced slowly.

If you advise what dose Levothyroxine you are medicating, members will comment on what dose reduction should be considered..

[LFE12 in reply to radd]

Hi, many thanks for your reply. I'm on 142.5. Very specific I know, I'm on Levo suspension as the fillers in the tablets made me I'll, allergic to lactose, maize etc!

[Clutter in reply to LFE12]

LFE12,

You may have a problem with the fillers in Liothyronine Sodium 20micrograms Tablets

Ingredients:

Liothyronine Sodium

Lactose, Maize Starch, Powdered Acacia, Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Stearate, Industrial Methylated Spirit, Purified Water

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

[shaws]

I hope you will find a great benefit as I have on T3.

It is not always necessary to reduce levo if you are on a relatively low dose, i.e. 50 or 100mcg. I have always taken T3 in one dose along with levo. I am now on T3 only.

You can add (if you wish to gradually increase T3) 10mcg to T4 or take it apart. The only problem splitting doses is that our stomach has to be completely empty as food can interfere with the uptake and wait for about an hour after taking meds.

Take your pulse/temp before you begin and after about a week and pulse/temp has remained stable (if we take too much hormones we'd feel uncomfortable/hot and pulse would rise) increase by another 5mcg T3. If unpleasant symptoms drop to the previous dose. You can then add the next 5mcg a week later.

It is trial and error but if we do split and we're feeling well, we still have the problem of timings/foods etc. and remembering to take the next dose.

By taking one daily dose I am unaware I am hypo, have no clinical symptoms and have a normal life.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

LFE12 I do find it strange, if not neglectful, that your endo is not testing your FT3. She's willing to give you this quite potent thyroid hormone but not willing to keep an eye on your FT3 level by testing. You are right to push for it or do your own test. If you do pay for your own test then share the result with her and try to educate her.

[LFE12 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I have to say she did not deem it necessary, quite worrying to say the least. I am in the process of finding somewhere to get the blood taken - we're a little re one in SW Scotland. And thank you, I will publish when I get the results.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to LFE12]

Hi LFE12 I live in a quite rural part of north Wales and there is nowhere to get blood drawn, GP surgery a definitely no and the NHS hospital 60 miles away said no unless GP requests it even though I said I expected to pay. The only option I have is a home fingerprick test from Blue Horizon, would you be able to do that?

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk

They have thyroid bundles or just FT3 on it's own for £29.

[LFE12 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Right, thank you for that. I would be happy to do that. Many thanks for the link. They certainly make life complicated for us!

[LFE12 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much for this. I've identified the test I need, chatted with them online and made my order. Can't believe how simple it was and how efficient they are. X

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to LFE12]

LFE12 Blue Horizon are very good, it does make life easy for us.

Some tips for when you do your fingerprick test - warm your hand in hot water for a few minutes beforehand, maybe shake your hand as well, and when collecting the blood make sure that you stand so that your hand is low, all to help the blood flow.

The microtainer is very small, nothing like the tubes the nurses use when drawing blood. My blood clotted in the little funnel before it dripped into the tube which made it difficult, but lots of people find their blood flows very well.

The results will be emailed within a couple of days, and if you post your results in a new thread members can make suggestions if you want.

[LFE12 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for the tips, will remember that.

[LFE12]

Can anyone suggest where I could have blood drawn? I live in SW Scotland and haven't lived here very long. I want to get my own tests, in fact determined to get them and make this work! Thanks.