I Feel Better with T3 over range

[June25]

Hi All,

My last test, done 18 hours after the last NDT dose, showed:

T3 = 7.59 (3.1 - 6.8) *high

T4 = 17.64 (12 - 22)

That was on NDT daily dose of 2 and 3/4 grains split morning and afternoon.

I have since dropped back to 2 grains in the morning because of the high T3 and I still feel OK but not as good as before. Haven't been tested yet for this dosage. While I feel improved, many symptoms remain, eg. constipation, napping at around 5pm, body temp 36C - 36.5C, can't lose the extra 30 pounds I have put on.

So my question is - what to do? I'd like to return to the 2 and 3/4 grain dose, even try going to 3 grains (slowly) but is there a downside to high T3 that I need to worry about? I already have spinal osteoporosis. I've been supplementing all vits and minerals and my levels are now not bad.

Thanks

June

[shaws Administrator]

Don't worry as the ranges for tests are for levo only. If you feel well I think you're on the right dose. You are only slightly above range and this is a link which may be helpful:-

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

Dr Lowe took 150mcg of T3 in the middle of the night so he would have had a high T3.

(I am not medically qualified and take T3 only and I couldn't care less what my tests show as I feel well after the misery of levo. I have a yearly test with GP)

[Clutter]

June25,

There is increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation and osteoporosis when FT3 is over range. Whether you stick with your current dose or cut back depends on how risk averse you are.

[June25 in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter, many thanks for your response.

The osteoporosis risk does bother me. I'll have to look into it more,

June

[Clutter in reply to June25]

June25,

I sympathise. As you already have spinal osteoporosis the best you can do is to compromise by taking the lowest dose you can feel reasonably well on.

[June25]

I know that my cortisol is too high at all 4 points of the day. Apart from that there's nothing that's really off. Could the high cortisol make me need high dose of T3?

June

[humanbean]

Just a suggestion...

Perhaps you would feel better with T3 only rather than NDT.

[June25 in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanbean,

You may be right. I'd like to give NDT a good chance first though. If it turns out that I am thyroid hormone resistant then it will have to be T3 I suppose.

Oh dear, I was so hoping that I would be straightforward case.

June

[humanbean in reply to June25]

I'm not thyroid hormone resistant but I am currently doing well on T3 only.

[June25 in reply to humanbean]

I appreciate hearing from you humanbean. Interesting that T3 only works for you. Gives me another option if NDT doesn't do the trick for me.

june

[Hidden]

Are you monitoring blood pressure, heart rate, were they ok on the high t3?

[June25 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, BP was 110 - 118, resting pulse 70, no palpitations or hyper feelings. Temperature still on the low side at 36C - 36.6C.

[Hidden in reply to June25]

Your B12 was ok but you had poor absorption on some nutrients when last tested. I think you could try some iron, ferrous bisglycinate maybe to raise your ferritin, and see if it makes a difference. Also zinc, if you are not already supplementing this. Take them at different times. And maybe a good b complex ... see if u can get everything optimal, see if that helps before you begin to think about resistance.

[June25 in reply to Hidden]

That's good advice thanks. I do already take:

iron, Bluebonnet ferrous bisglycinate chelate

zinc, solgar zinc picolinate22mg

and Jarrow B-Right,

plus a load of other nutrients. Most tests are near optimal except for ferritin at last test was 55.82 (13-150). Do you think that could be what's wrong?

June

[June25 in reply to Hidden]

My blood iron is 24.76 (6.6 - 26.0) so high in range,

TIBC 65.86 (41 - 77)

Transferrin saturation 37.59 (20 - 55)

[June25 in reply to Hidden]

I'm wondering if I have thyroid hormone resistance.

[June25]

Hi Sandy12,

I think I will go with what you are saying and let my free T3 go high until I feel well. If that can happen on NDT then fine, if not then I'll see about using T3.

Thanks, June

[Dee8686 in reply to June25]

I know this is an old post but how are you now? I’m in a similar predicament

[June25 in reply to Dee8686]

Hello Dee8686,

Sorry to hear that you are having a similar problem. I wish I had an easy answer for you but I don't. I am now tolerating 3 grains NDT a day, split into a morning and an afternoon dose. I feel that it is still not enough but if I take more my heart rate goes up more than I want. I have chronic high cortisol and that may be my limiting factor, I'm not sure.

I did learn a lot about T3 from the book 'Recovering with T3' by Paul Robinson and I recommend it to you.

I dearly wish that there were more doctors available who have specialist knowledge in dealing with this kind of thing. In the UK we all know that most of the NHS doctors have no remit and maybe also no desire to delve into it. Maybe one of these days I should take myself to a specialist doc in Europe. I find this a ridiculous situation and meanwhile I do the best I can with the excellent advice from this forum and others.

June

[Dee8686 in reply to June25]

Thank you. One obvious issue that might not be helping you is your high cortisol. Are you taking adaptegens to help bring it down? I know iron and cortisol are key here (for me,

My iron is slightly too low). Seriphos and holy basil are good for lowering high cortisol and they worked for me previously x

[June25 in reply to Dee8686]

Thanks Dee. I tried seriphos and holy basil but they didn't work for me. Interesting to know what worked for you.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you had vitamin D checked? Are you supplementing, if so how much