T3

[Moon-2]

I've been on thyroxine for 25 years at present am on 150mcg a day.my throat constantly aches(not sore) always tired and drained heavy headed sometimes blurred vision even after 10 hours sleep would taking T3 as well help or be dangerous ?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Moon-2 To know whether adding T3 to your Levo would help, you would need to test FT4 and FT3 at the same time to see whether you are converting T4 to T3 well enough.

It would be an idea to test for thyroid antibodies too, unless you already know you have autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's.

Also, we Hypos need optimal levels of vitamins and minerals for thyroid hormone to work properly, and these are often low or deficient. It would be a good idea to get the following tested, if not already done

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

If you can't get all these tests done with your GP, then a private fingerprick test can be done at home

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/T...

[Moon-2 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I can't get my head around how they work would too much T3 cause heart problems. How long would you need to take to see if it is working?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Moon-2]

Moon-2 Taking T3 when you don't need it can cause health problems. Long term, over range FT3 (caused by taking too much T3 or taking it when not needed) could cause atrial fibrillation and osteoporosis.

The only way to know if you need to add T3 is to get FT4 and FT3 tested at the same time. If FT3 is low in it's range compared to FT4, or if your conversion rate of FT4:FT3 is above 4:1 then you could benefit from adding T3.

My advice is to do the fingerprick test I linked to above. This does all the thyroid tests necessary, plus the important vitamins and minerals. You will then have a complete picture. Post the results on here, with the reference ranges, and members will interpret them for you and offer suggestions, which may be that you need more Levo, or whether adding T3 is indicated, and whether you have any nutritional deficiencies and what to do about supplementing to raise your levels.

[Anthea165 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Would you be able to send me the link too please as I'm on 125 T4 and want to try adding t3

[Moon-2 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Just found some results from September

Folate 3.7

Ferritin 133

tSH 5.06

T4 15. 1

Are these all ok?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Moon-2]

Moon-2 Without the reference ranges it's difficult to give an accurate response. If you have them, please edit your post to include them. Ranges vary from lab to lab so we can't normally generalise.

However, from what we frequently see:

Ferritin is good. It needs to be at least 70 for thyroid hormone to work properly, and recommended is half way through it's range, I've seen it said that females need it at 100-130. If you're supplementing, ease back a bit as you don't want it to go any higher.

Folate - not sure at all without the range.

TSH is obviously too high for a treated hypo patient. A lot of ranges only go as high as 4ish to 5ish. Yours could be over range but even if it's not it's far too high. The aim of a treated hypo patient is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it is needed for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges if that is where you feel well.

Your FT4, it's not possible to say at all without the range as they vary so much. It could be in the bottom 25%, it could be mid-range, it should be in the top third for most people.

You really need FT3, which will tell you if you need T3 added to your Levo, and B12 plus Vit D. You would benefit from doing that test I linked to.

You might find this article from ThyroidUK's main website helpful, it mentions treatment options further down the page. Also, have a look round the site, some very useful information there.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Glynisrose]

How could it be dangerous? Your thyroid will revert to its levels the next day so you can try anything.

[jamesal0]

I use the ache in my throat as a guide to how much thyroid I need. My Temp is the other guide. Take a little more thyroid for a few days and see if you feel better. My guess is you are under done.

[Moon-2 in reply to jamesal0]

Thank you for replying after hearing of T3 on a programme just wondered if perhaps I'm not converting T4 to T3 in the last year I have alopecia universalis and don't remember when I didn't last have the throats ache and extreme internal tiredness for at least the past 10 years despite regular level checks

[jamesal0 in reply to Moon-2]

May try some T3 or bite the bullet and go NDT. I changed to NDT 14 months ago and love the stuff now.

[Moon-2 in reply to jamesal0]

Do the NHS prescribe NDT and is this a mixture of T4 and T3?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Moon-2]

Moon-2 NHS rarely prescribes NDT although some members have been lucky enough to find an enlightened endocrinologist who will, they are few and far between. NDT is unlicensed in the UK so hardly any doctors are willing to prescribe it.

Yes NDT is a mixture of T4 and T3 at a fixed rate. Adding synthetic T3 to Levo is more flexible for those of us who need a different ratio of T4 to T3 than is in NDT.

PS - James lives in Australia so won't be able to answer questions about our NHS.

[Moon-2 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you .you are very knowledgeable😀

[Hidden]

Hi, I think it's wise to get new blood tests done, don't you. You can then make a proper choice as to upping your dose or adding t3 or going on Ndt.

You sound very undermedicated to me.

Good luck