Risk of slight overmedication

[Pebbles13]

Hi. I have been advised by my Endo that I am slightly overmedicated ( I've added T3 to my Levothyroxine after sourcing privately. ) I am actually starting to feel better for the first time in a year and am reading about how good Endo's are now treating to relieve symptoms rather than just blindly following TSH levels. I appreciate that being very over is bad for my long term health but is there any obviously reason why I shouldn't continue to run my thyroid 'slightly' over if it makes me feel well? I hope that makes sense. Thanks.

[startagaingirl]

Hi - it depends what you mean by "slightly". Do you have your recent results to post?

[Pebbles13 in reply to startagaingirl]

Here they are:

Plasma free T3 level5.300 pmol/L2.5 - 5.7 pmol/L

FT4

Plasma free T4 level11.400 pmol/L6.3 - 14 pmol/L

TSH.0.010 mu/L0.3 - 5.6 mu/L

[startagaingirl in reply to Pebbles13]

Well in that case, provided your last t3 dose was taken around 12 hrs before test, you are not over-medicated at all as your ft3 is within range. If outside an 8-12 hour window, then ft3 number would have to be adjusted.

In saying you are over-medicated, he was going by tsh level, which is ireelevant when taking t3, but he obviously doesn't know as much about thyroid as he thinks he does! Quelle suprise.

Glad that you have found a way to feel better.

Gillian

[Pebbles13 in reply to startagaingirl]

Thank you for your advice. My last dose of T3 was taken 16 hours before? I have dropped the total dose of T3 by 5mcg ( I take 20 split into 2 doses). Does that sound right to you? This is all new to me. 🙄

[startagaingirl in reply to Pebbles13]

With those levels, you should be ok at your previous higher dose. See how you go on the lowered level, but if you start to feel a bit symptomatic you should be able to put the extra 5mcg back perfectly safely.

Note for future - take last t4 24-36 hrs before test. That means if you normally take at night then skip a dose and take after test. Adjust timings of t3 dose if necessary so that test is around 12 hrs after last dose. All tests of course as early as possible and fasting - water only.

Good luck

Gillian

[Pebbles13 in reply to startagaingirl]

Thank you Gillian. I really appreciate your guidance. This is such a mine field!! 😀

[startagaingirl in reply to Pebbles13]

Don't worry - there is a lot to learn, but there are a lot of experts here, people who, just like you and me, struggled with the medical profession's lack of knowledge and had to learn to get ourselves better. Keep reading and coming back with any questions or worries and lots of people will be more than happy to help.

Gillian

[Pebbles13]

To be honest I feel like I'm having to diagnose and treat myself ( like so many others) and these forums have been my life saver!! Nearly all of my symptoms have now gone. Im just left with fatigue which plagues me daily. I'm now wondering if it is caused by my brand of Levo! The T3 is the only thing that gets me off the sofa! Lol . Thank you again! 😀

[startagaingirl in reply to Pebbles13]

Don't forget it can take a few months for symptoms to be fully relieved following good blood results. Also I haven't seen any test results for nutrients in your earlier posts? Have you results for vit d, vit b12, folate and ferritin? lso have you had anti-body tests for hashimotos? Issues with any of these - almost universal in hypo - can cause ongoing symptoms even if blood results look good.

You'll get there - it can take a while, after all you didn't get hypo over a short timescale - but you might need to dig slightly deeper to address your last symptoms.

Gillian

[Pebbles13 in reply to startagaingirl]

I was diagnosed in December but had to ask my GP to test for Hashimotos and vitamins etc after researching on here. She did (under protest and after much eye rolling) and soon changed her tune as my antibodies were sky high and vitamin D on the floor. I'm taking 10,000 a day Vit D and B compound as B12 was only mid range. Iron levels are high due to self dosing for 2 years because of constant exhaustion. I have a demanding job but have been off sick for 4 months. I'm also gluten free as I've heard that could help with Hashimotos but trying everything possible to feel well enough to work. I've looked back at old test results and my thyroid was broken at least 2 years ago. No one told me as it was still 'in range'! Thank goodness for these forums. My treatment has been a very stressful battle which I know so many people are now going through!! I'm not the most patient person and am used to climbing hills and being very active so it's been a huge shock being so ill. 😬

[shaws Administrator]

You cannot tell by blood tests if the person is feeling good or not. If we were overmedicated we'd have unpleasant symptoms just like undermedicated - we feel awful.

I do wish your quote:-

'and am reading about how good Endo's are now treating to relieve symptoms rather than just blindly following TSH levels'

was true because in the UK, people are having their T3 withdrawn altogether. The second post on the following link is informative.

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

[Pebbles13 in reply to shaws]

Its an interesting link ( albeit an old one unless I'm being ditzy lol ). I agree but believe there are only a handful so far! I have seen 2 Endocrinologists and although both were lovely and understanding, the NHS one could not advocate T3 and quoted Osteoporosis and heart problems if I remain slightly overmedicated long term. The private Dr gave me a prescription for T3 (which cost me an arm and a leg before sourcing privately)! Hopefully it's time for change now that awareness of the problem is being raised!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Pebbles13]

The post is old. Dr Lowe died through an accident and his website was archived, so some links within may not work. Osteo and heart are probably scare tactics as I am on T3 only and on T4 I was forever in and out of ambulances and the A&E. I haven't had any severe palps since being on T3. Dr Lowe was also an Adviser to Thyroiduk.org.

At the top of his link, there are other topics including osteo and heart. He himself took 150mcg of T3 daily. He was also a scientist and logistician.

[Pebbles13 in reply to shaws]

Ah that is such a shame! 😞. It sounds like he knew what he was talking about! Interesting about your history as I ended up in A&E with severe palpitations and dangerously high blood pressure before I started the T3. I was on T4 only. I've been fine since! Has being on T3 only made you feel better? I've not considered that. It could remove the fatigue?

[Rosieh1978]

My friend sees a private specialist and he has said to her that she can run slightly over as he's more interested in her feeling good and having good quality of life than her 'numbers' being spot on

[Pebbles13 in reply to Rosieh1978]

Ah that's brilliant. Thank you 😀