Too much T3

[Tldg45]

After posting on here and seeing a private endocrinologist who upped my thyroxine to 150mcg daily, sourced some T3 (Thylexan) which I've since taken. I havent been feeling great so was offered a blood test where they've checked my tsh, t4 and t3. These are the results

Serum tsh 0.01 (0.55-4.8)

Serum free t3 12.9 (3.5-6.5)

Serum free t4 17 (9.23)

My endo told me not to take the t3 as I couldn't provide a name if the drug at the time and he wanted to check again in 3-4 months. I don't want the doctor thinking my t3 levels are natural when I've been supplementing it.

[radd]

Tidg

Your T3 result is way over range.

How much T3 are you medicating and when did you take your meds in relation to having the blood drawn ? ? ..

[Tldg45 in reply to radd]

I've been taking t3 every day, the dosage is 50, unsure of the measurement symbol

[Tldg45 in reply to radd]

Took meds around 8 in the morning, blood test was at 10.15

[radd in reply to Tldg45]

Tidg

Your T3 levels were elevated because a single dose of T3 (taken on an empty stomach) is rapidly absorbed and reaches peak circulating concentration in about two to three hours after ingestion.

After this time, blood serum concentrations start to decline, unless another dose of T3 is taken. Hence many members including myself, multi dose.

Because of the rapidity of T3 onset that achieves peak serum concentration, this causes wide fluctuations in the usual TFT's that doctors won't understand and falsely govern med doses on. Doctors don't like a low TSH but because of T3's effect on the pituitary gland, it usually reduces TSH levels.

T3 is generally regarded to be about 3x as powerful as T4 (levothyroxine). Did you reduce your Levothyroxine when you introduced the T3 ? ? ..

[Tldg45]

My endo increased my thyroxine to 150, and told me to stop taking t3 as I didn't know the name of the drug and it's ingredients. (I carried on taking it) Will speak to my docs tomorrow and explain what I have been doing. Didn't want to stop taking t3 as suggested by endo as I had to wait another 4 months to have bloods done to see if the increase in thyroxine raised my t3 levels. I carried on taking the t3 as I'm tired of feeling crap. Hope this makes sense

[greygoose in reply to Tldg45]

Next time you go for a blood test, leave a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the blood draw. And, a 12 hour gap between the last dose of T3 and the blood draw. What you've got there is a false high.

If you're taking 150 mcg levo, and 50 mcg T3, that's a pretty hefty dose. Especially as you don't know how well you convert. I really don't think you need all that levo. One usually reduces the dose of levo when one starts T3, not increase it.

[puncturedbicycle]

Being on too much medication can make you feel just as awful as being on too little. Are you taking 50mcg t3 as well as the full 150mcg levo? The usual way of adding t3 involves reducing levo by 50mcg and adding 10mcg t3. If you have just added 50 t3 with no levo reduction that is roughly the equivalent of 300 - 400mcg levo total.

What are you pulse, gut and temp like?

I know it is frustrating to feel unwell and tempting to add more meds but you really need to know where you're starting from and where you're going to. You can't really do that by adding random amounts of medicine.

[Tldg45]

Thanks guys, the endo increased my Levo and told me to stop taking the t3 and then to repeat bloods in 4 months. I was desperate to feel better so I carried on with the t3 (not supplied by dr). Will stop taking t3 and wait for next blood test.

[Clutter in reply to Tldg45]

Tldg45,

Your FT3 is probably so high because you took T3 before the blood test. You could order a private FT3 test to check FT3. Leave 8-12 hours between last dose and blood draw. thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Thylexan is a brand of Liothyronine (T3).