Starting dose of T3

[lynnie0123]

I have managed to source a supply of T3 tablets and wonder what people's opinions are of what dose to start on? They are 25 mcg tablet which I have split into quarters.

Thanks

Lynne

[Silver_Fairy]

Members will need your last results and any thyroid medication type and dose to be able to comment.

[lynnie0123 in reply to Silver_Fairy]

Hello

It's on my last couple of posts that I put on this site.

Thank you

[Marz in reply to lynnie0123]

Yes your thyroid results are there in a previous post. No results for B12 - Ferritin - Folate - VitD. Nothing will work well if those are low in range. Did you have them tested as suggested ? Conversion from T4 to T3 is often hampered when those levels are LOW - B12 and VitD need to be at the top of the range and Folate and Ferritin mid-range. It would be a shame to start T3 without the building blocks in place ....

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

lynnie0123 From your last thread healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

TSH 4.25 ( 0.55-4.78)

T4 18 (10-25)

T3 4.9 (4-7)

where both Clutter and myself gave you the same advice that your results show undermedication not poor conversion, therefore an increase in Levo would help.

Quote from my reply -

"Those results don't show poor conversion, they show undermedication. Good conversion takes place when FT4: FT3 ratio is 4:1 or less. Yours is 3.67 : 1

You are more likely to need an increase in Levo to reduce your TSH and increase your free Ts. An increase in Levo will give you more T4 which will give you a higher FT4 and some of that T4 will convert and give you a higher FT3.

The best thing you can do is what was suggested in your previous thread, get your vitamins and minerals tested. If they are not optimal then no thyroid hormone can work properly. Post the results, members will comment and if they are less than optimal suggestions can be made for supplements to improve your nutrient levels."

I'm surprised you've gone ahead and ordered T3 without first testing and optimising your vitamins and minerals and discussing an increase in Levo with your GP.

[lynnie0123]

Hello

I will go and get vitamins checked officially. I am taking 2 x vitamin d tablets and iron daily.

I think was just convinced myself after having watched the channel four programme that adding in t3 would solve my extreme hair loss, foggy memory and weight gain. Obviously there is more to it. Someone at the bottom of my last post stated if a added t3 I wouldn't change t4 but obviously I should try and get t4 increased first. Would up to 150 from 125 mcg help do you think?

I did discuss options with my gp the last time and they didn't really want to increase t4..

I will need to try and emphasis that I would like to try it to see if symptoms get better.Thank you!

Lynne

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to lynnie0123]

lynnie0123

"Would up to 150 from 125 mcg help do you think?"

Certainly it would, which is what we were saying in your last thread

Quote...

You are more likely to need an increase in Levo to reduce your TSH and increase your free Ts. An increase in Levo will give you more T4 which will give you a higher FT4 and some of that T4 will convert and give you a higher FT3.

...Unquote

"I did discuss options with my gp the last time and they didn't really want to increase t4.."

Clutter replied in your last thread:

"The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP."

The important bit is:

"Dr Toft states in Pulse Magazine, "The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

Did you send for the article? Print it out, highlight that part (question 6) and show it to your GP.

[Rondosa]

Well, one thing for sure one really knows! If you trawl the internet reading advice given by many experts you'll end up back wher you started " suck it and see". I was with the late Dr Skinner for some years, his attitude was just take some more and see how you feel. Did that then was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis local endo saying " too much T3 may have contributed to it" see what I mean? I did however feel better over that period.

Worth bearing in mind as many get hung up on " bloods" those tests only tell you what the serum levels are not what's happening at a cellular level how you feel is more indicative of that so beware.

So much of the problems that can be attributed to a thyroid issue because let's face the list of symptoms for say Hypo is so vast that almost every one can pick a few out it may however be from a down stream source i.e. gut or other hormonal imbalance. My basal temp was low! So I must be Hypo! Sorted! Oh no it wasn't. My husband decided to check his as a test, his was lower than mine! And he is super fit! So much for the Broda Barnes gold standard test!

For example amongst other things I had gut bloating and constipation classic Hypo. I was sure it was down to Thyroid. Other issues improved not gut and bowel. Took out gluten , slight improvement. The answer was to go Paleo! No grains, transformed overnight . So you see if you go on a Paleo site everything wrong in the world is because we eat grains like wise with most dedicated sites. So keep an open mind, no one really knows. On taking T4, not every one can, I can't Dr Skinner accepted that just didn't consider it could have been " fillers". NHS don't accept that local endo ( Russian) NHS tells me it's my imagination.

After that rant may I ask where you obtain your T3 I assume without script? MMDS appears to be having issues. Any suggestions any one. Thanks