Trying T3, do I add or switch?

[Raucous]

Would love some advice from anyone who has made the switch from Levo/ NDT sort knows about taking it.

I am currently on NDT (thiroyd) 3.5 grains, I want to try T3 but am not sure whether to add some to my NDT - if so how? By reducing ndt first or at same time? - or whether to try switching completely?

Or should I get blood test first before making the change? Bearing in mind I can't afford to keep testing every 6months.

My last test was in Feb:

TSH - 0.018 (0.3-4.5)

FT4 - 10.7 (16-22)

FT3 - 4.98 (3.10-6.8)

In my original test 1year ago I had high RT3 (32 - (10-24)) which is why I thought i would give T3 a go but should I get the RT3tested again before trying it?

(I am gluten free, taking vitamins and planning to test stomach acid)

[Clutter]

Raucous,

rT3 may have cleared in a year. I would certainly get it retested if high rT3 a year ago is your only reason for switching from NDT to T3.

Were you taking 3.5 grains in Feb when you had those results?

[Raucous in reply to Clutter]

I think I was on about 3 grains in Feb but didn't write it down so not sure.

The RT3 isn't my only reason for trying T3, I've been better on NDT than Levo but still seem to have big swings in how tired I feel - I do think the downs coincide with my period and PMT but than can mean 2 weeks of the month, I should keep a diary of that. Also when I started NDT I lost some weight finally but after 6 months it started to go back on again and I haven't worked out why.

[Clutter in reply to Raucous]

Raucous,

In that case FT3 should be a little higher than 4.98 on 3 grains.

You could either increase NDT to 4 grains or add a quarter of a T3 tablet (6.25mcg) to 3.5 grains NDT. Whichever you opt to do I do recommend you have a thyroid test 6-8 weeks later to check FT3 remains within range.

[Raucous in reply to Clutter]

Yes, maybe I'll try adding a 1/4 grain first. then have a blood test after 6 weeks. I also have Hashi's and had heard that T3 often seems to be better for those with it. At least I think I have Hashi's, I haven't been diagnosed but I had a blood test that showed very high Tgb antibodies, but my GP just shrugged when I showed her.

[Clutter in reply to Raucous]

Raucous,

High TgAb confirms Hashimoto's. Millions of Hashi patients do just fine on NDT.

I think there's scope to increase by at least 1/2 grain before FT3 goes too high.

[silverfox7]

Just a word of caution. I got up to 3 grains on Thyroid S and thought I was almost there but saw e do and was told slightly over medicated-under and over very similar problems and he took me down to 1.75 and I was good for a long time until cancer meds affected absorption a little. Now when I have any concerns I always drop down first to see what happens before I try increasing.

[Raucous in reply to silverfox7]

Thanks silverfox7, yes I had wondered that...did you keep going up because your symptoms returned? I am going to bring the NDT down while I add the tiromel anyway and see how that goes, the hard thing is to know how long to leave it before changing dose.

[silverfox7]

O I went up I kept going up because I was t quite there. It was only later I thought that I had felt better in the way up but bloods were due so didn't want to add in confusion! I'd kept a stable dose for 6 weeks for meds so thought it better to see what the reading was at that point.