Getting T3 in the UK

[blackcornish1964]

Hi everyone I am hoping someone can PM me with details of websites where I can obtain T3 in the UK. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's in November last year. I am currently taking Levo 150mg and whilst my TSH has come down to 3.25 (at my last bloody test) and I am feeling okay, my weight is still not coming down. Since January I have been exercising every day, and my calorie intake averages at 1500 per day, but I have not lost a single pound. Having done some research on T3 I feel it may be the answer for me. Has anyone else tried this? Have they had any success?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Your TSH is still too high. We need it nearer 1.0. Why not ask GP for dose increase. As you seem to tolerate Levo pretty well

Have you had vitamin D, folate, B12 & ferritin tested? Very common for these to be low with Hashimoto's. We seem to need them at higher end of range. Always make sure you get the actual figures for results, including ranges.

And are you gluten free? I see on previous posts you were considering it.

All thyroid blood tests should be done as early as possible & fasting (drink plenty water) & don't take Levo in the 24 hours beforehand, take it immediately after.

[Marz]

Absorption is key - so the gut must be tip-top. I have been T3 only for several years and have gained weight I also have Crohns which seems to be fine - but having had it for over 43 years I obviously have absorption issues too .... I am Gluten Free and eat only foods that grow !!

When I was diagnosed with Hashimotos late in life at 59 back in 2005 - my levels of nutrients were far from optimal - especially VitD and B12. So do have these tested along with Folate and Ferritin - all four are the building blocks for good health and help the thyroid hormones to work efficiently in the body - your own and the T4 you are taking ....

Even T3 will not work without good building blocks

[leoopard]

Two seperate trains of thought spring to kind:

Firstly you may not be converting T4 to T3 well enough. Having adequate levels of iron, B9, B12, copper and Selenium is vital for adequate conversion.

Secondly if that does not resolve things, other hormones may be out of whack. Low Thyroid tends to distribute the weight more evenly than other hormone issues. youtube.com/watch?v=xvOwfkg...(Not working as expected?)

The best answer though may be to get a thorough Thyroid Profile done so you know what's actually going on.

[Tiggey22]

I was have trouble with weight gain doing loads of classes etc with no luck.

I stopped all classes, look up light jogging, couldn't even get to end of my road at first without feeling like I would have a heart attack! But it's quick and free so I persisted and I know do 2.5 miles 5 days a week, joined Slimming world ( bit different way of eating in that you can have carbs and big portions ) and I am almost where I want to be , only 3lb to go. Sometimes you need to try something different give your body a shake up.

[blackcornish1964 in reply to Tiggey22]

Hi Tiggey22

I currently do pilates three times a week, walk 6 miles a day, and run with my club on Monday nights. I follow an organic Paleo diet after joining a Paleo boot camp for a week. I am so pleased your weight loss is going the right way for you though.

[Marz in reply to blackcornish1964]

Ah ! greygoose will be along soon to tell you you are using up your T3 with all that exercise - so your result will be low in range. You need to give your body a chance to heal for a little time. Adding T3 maybe the answer but you haven't answered whether or not you have had the important things tested like VitD - B12 - Folate - Ferritin - and where your levels are ? If they are bumping along the bottom then you will not be able to convert the T4 you are taking ....

[greygoose in reply to Marz]

Greygoose has already said it.

[blackcornish1964 in reply to Marz]

Lol, yes she has

[scorp1o]

It is not possible, as far as I know, to obtain T3 without prescription. Many CCGs now do not prescribe T3 following the NICE review which claims (falsely) that it offers no benefit - and it is vastly more expensive.

If you see a consultant who is T3 aware, they may recommend T3 but there is no guarantee that it will be prescribed to new patients. There are private consultants (list available from the admin of this site) who are more enlightened but this would entail a private prescription and paying for the drug - could be over £200 for 28 tablets.

Your first move would be to look on your CCG website or speak to their pharmaceutical adviser to determine their attitude, then see your GP and possibly be referred to a consultant.

[greygoose]

The reason you can't lose weight is because you are over-exercising and under-eating.

With a TSH of 3.25, your FT3 is going to be low. Exercising uses up T3 and makes the FT3 even lower. And, if you aren't eating enough calories, you aren't going to be able to convert more T4 to T3.

I don't know where you've been researching, but T3 is not a weight-loss drug. True, it needs to be optimal for you to stand a chance of losing weight. But, how can you possibly say that T3 is the answer for you, if you don't even know what your T3 level is? If - and I know this isn't true - but if your FT3 were at the top of the range, and you started taking T3, you would make yourself ill. Plus, it could even make you put on more weight, because you need to be on the right level - not too low and not too high. So, just blindly taking T3 is not a good idea.

Before you even think of T3, get your ducks in a row. Get an increase in T4 and bring your TSH down to below one. Optimise all your nutrients. Then get the Frees tested to see just how well you're converting. If you're converting badly and your FT3 is low, then taking T3 will be a good idea.

[blackcornish1964 in reply to greygoose]

Greygoose

I said "may be the answer". I also can't see that I referred to it as a "weight loss drug". My concern is that my lack of weight loss may be down to my inability to convert T4 into T3 correctly. As you say I won't know this until I have my T3 checked. I have ordered a test from Blue Horizon, so hopefully I will have a better idea in the next few days. I had my bloods done from my GP last week and will be seeing him on Thursday (but as you know all they check is TSH). It will be interesting to see the private results and also to see if my anti bodies have gone down at all since I was first diagnosed. I have been taking the Selenium that was advised on this site. Fingers crossed

[greygoose in reply to blackcornish1964]

Even just testing your TSH, you are obviously under-medicated. And, until you get the TSH down a bit - which means the Frees up a bit, you won't be able to tell if you're converting well. One step at a time. If you try to rush it all at once, then you'll get so confused, you won't know where you are.

[Mozzymoo22]

T3 doesn't help with weight loss. It's for people who struggle to convert t4 to t3. I've found the best way to loose weight is to follow a paleo diet.

With hashimotos you also need to be gluten free as this helps lower antibodies

[Heloise]

Hi blackcornish, I'm a bit of a rebel and I agree with your idea. The Stop the thyroid Madness Now website (STTM) says it is extremely difficult to lose weight on T4 only. Most say they lose weight once they start on T3 (either adding it or switching to it). Your TSH is high which means it is not detecting enough of any thyroid hormone so as useless as that test is, when it's high it does tell you something. I suppose it is good to know whether you are converting your Levo into FT3 right now but, then what? Those tests are probably all low. I'm sure others will disagree but adding T3 will help everything in my opinion. You could just increase T4 if from last November it reduced your TSH a great deal first if you wish. Many of us old timers used Armour natural thyroid hormone which already contains T3 so we never had to plead for it. The drug companies decided it was better to sell their own synthetic product (levo or Synthroid) and created this dilemma. That is my personal thought.

You can't go wrong by trying what others have stated.

[blackcornish1964 in reply to Heloise]

Thanks Heloise, I will take a look at the website now. I have ordered a private test so will be interesting to see what the results are. As you say my TSH is still too high (even though it has come down drastically from what it was) so I will concentrate on getting all my levels to optimum and then see where I am.

[Heloise in reply to blackcornish1964]

Very good. Many people have added T3 and I have some from Greece and cost is about the same as Levo. Some here are taking T3 ONLY which I think will become even more common. In all my research I've yet to find a downside to that. I did it for two years.

[Heloise]

stopthethyroidmadness.com/t...