Be very careful with T3 only treatment! My stor... - Thyroid UK

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Be very careful with T3 only treatment! My story from taking T3 and feeling great to crashing to the ground.

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I know T3 only is what some people need to feel better. I know it is the only thing that makes some people feel better. But for some it can be horrific. I'm writing this from personal experience, and just as a warning to others so they may take better precaution should they wish to use T3 only.

Here is my story:

I had sub-clinical borderline hypothyroidism, with free T3 at the bottom of the range. I had pretty much every hypothyroid symptom under the sun.

I decided to try T3. I got T3 prescribed, and started taking it. For the first month, I felt AMAZING to say the least, I thought I was cured. I made my way up to massive amounts in one day (which was a lot for me) up to 100mcg per day. I was feeling great.

As I was going on each day I was noticing that caffeine would trigger mini panic or shake attacks in me. I did not think much of it. One month in, I had my first full blow panic attack, heart racing, thoughts racing. I still did not think it was the T3. I didn't want to believe that something that made me feel so well could give me those feelings. So I reduced the dose a little. 80mcg per day, then 60mcg per day. All was well for a couple more weeks until those attacks started happening again, but more intense than last time with larger heart palpitations.

At this point I decided to get some blood tests. My free T3 results were not way over the range, but my sex hormones had went crazy (I am a male). My SHBG had DOUBLED, my testosterone levels SHOT RIGHT UP, and so did my estrogen. Doctors were perplexed, they thought I was SHOOTING UP STEROIDS!

I further reduce the dose to 40mcg, then 30mcg and finally 20mcg... where I had the largest anxiety panic attack of my life with full blown palpitations. I was unlike anything I had experienced before and I knew it was induced by the T3. The way I felt was indescribable.

I have now stopped T3 cold turkey, as per advice from endo. I will never touch this stuff again. This is for those who are thinking of self treating, or those who are wanting to increase your dose. It doesn't work for everyone. It doesn't make everyone feel great. Just please be careful!

- T3 can mess up your sex hormones and throw them out of whack

- It can cause severe heart palpitations

- It can induce panic attack episodes

- It can increase the rate of bone turnover (confirmed on blood test)

- You can lose muscle, bone and fat.

Please be careful people!

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83 Replies

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Marz7 years ago

I see this is your first post - so it is possible you have not read previous posts that inform us of the importance of GOOD levels of B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD - so thyroid hormones work well in the body.

Before building the house of your dreams ensure the foundations are SOUND 😊😊

• in reply toMarz7 years ago

Cheers! I knew that one, and all those were fine before taking the T3. I just really don't want anyone else to go through what I went through!

I am not saying don't take T3, I am just saying be careful - especially if you, like me, are not totally hypothyroid and maybe do not 100% need it.

Marz• in reply to7 years ago

OK - we always ask members to post their results before suggesting the addition of T3. So if you were borderline Hypo WHY did you add in so much T3 ??

• in reply toMarz7 years ago

It was suggested (by my doctor) I may have had thyroid hormone resistance, so we increased as I was not feeling any effects (signs and symptoms for example temp was low and heart rate still slow). And for the start of the therapy I very well may have been resistant, however I believe these cells and receptors totally "woke up" as you can see toward the end of the therapy I was having huge effects from small amounts (20mcg).

Also the fact is that T3 only therapy can mess with your sex hormones, because you are introducing one hormone into the body and increasing it, therefore your body is always trying to balance itself out, and it can have a domino effect on other hormones.

T3 increasing SHBG is even described in the literature:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/934...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/334...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/936...

What happened in me is addition of T3 increased Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) and this would have bound to my free sex hormones, therefore my body recognised this and started to pump out more testosterone to compensate for that rise in SHBG, and of course, increase estrogen followed the increased testosterone. There is the domino effect!

Marz• in reply to7 years ago

Do you have any thyroid results with ranges you can post ? Also results for B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD ??

I have been T4 only - T4/T3 - & T3 only so have a littke knowledge of how things work 😊

• in reply toMarz7 years ago

Before taking T3:

TSH - 3.3

(0.5-5.0)

Free T4 - 14.7

( 11-21) pmol/L

Free T3 - 3.9 (3.2-6.4) pmol/L

B12 - 638 (>260)

Folate - 49.7 (6.5 - 45)

Ferritin - 58 (30-500)

Vitamin D - 98 (60-160)

Marz• in reply to7 years ago

OK so if you were on T4 you were not taking enough as the TSH needs to be 1 or under. Also Ferritin should be mid-range in order the T4 can convert into T3 ....

• in reply toMarz7 years ago

Was not on T4. We never tried T4. Went straight to T3.

On another note, does anyone know how I am going to feel as the T3 leaves my body and I have none and I wait for my thyroid to start back up?

Marz• in reply to7 years ago

Pretty awful I would think 😊

• in reply toMarz7 years ago

Can't wait. Thanks for the chat Marz

Marz• in reply to7 years ago

Why not try T4 or a small dose of T3 ?

• in reply toMarz7 years ago

I'm done with this for now, too exhausted from all the issues it caused me. I firmly believe my thyroid can work to it's full potential, just need to work out other factors that can be changed.

It might pay to note that my ferritin was 58 because I was taking iron. I have had chronically low ferritin for many years now. Before the iron ferritin was 18. So now I am thinking this iron/ferritin issue may be a factor in my thyroid hormones not being at their full potential, rather than the thyroid gland itself.

greygoose• in reply to7 years ago

If your thyroid can 'work to its full potential', why was your TSH 3.3 when you started supplementing, and your FT3 right down the bottom of the range - which really isn't 'full potential'?

Low iron will affect conversion. But I don't think that's the full story. Do you know that you're hypo when your TSH is consistantly over 3? Your FT4 was also low, so it wasn't just about conversion.

• in reply togreygoose7 years ago

Here were my numbers a year earlier:

TSH - 2 (0.5-5.5)

fT4 - 16 (11-21)

fT3 - 5 (3.2-6.4)

Since then I started a ketogenic diet, with almost no carbohydrate. Carbohydrate is needed to produce thyroid hormone. I think, in my case, it is simply wrong to pinpoint the thyroid, and it was required to look at what else was going on in my body. I am now discovering I have gut issues, which may affect iron absorbtion, along with H pylori found in the gut.

Like my endo said "the thyroid is a very sensitive gland" and it responds to stress, sickness and other environmental factors. I believe in my case I unfortunately got caught up in a treatment I did not perhaps need right away. The level of inflammation in my body signified by an insane IgE level sort of shows how much stress is going on.

It just wasn't meant to be. My thyroid has only been low this year, a couple months ago. And until I improve my diet, nutrients, gut and other things and if I do that and continue to see it decline, I won't be touching thyroid hormones until I am absolutely sure I need it!

Thanks mate.

greygoose• in reply to7 years ago

Well, whilst your TSH shows signs of a struggling thyroid, your Frees were pretty good. And, no sign of a conversion problem.

Carbs are needed for conversion, not so much to produce thyroid hormones in the thyroid, I think.

But, if you had H pylori, your stomach acid was probably low at that point, and that might have been a better way of approaching your problems.

I know it's easy to be wise after the event, but you posted this as a warning to others. In which case it's good for others to have an idea of why things went pear-shaped.

Good luck for the future! From a matess! (Or should I say a Sheila?)

• in reply togreygoose7 years ago

Cheers bud. Haha I am a dude. See above where my SHBG and testosterone got driven to levels like I was pinning testosterone via syringe into the fleshy part of my thigh. No joke, doctors thought I was on testosterone.

Thanks again!

greygoose• in reply to7 years ago

Yes, I know you're a dude, dude, But I'm not!

Jose651• in reply togreygoose7 years ago

But he seems like a good dude GG , or maybe even a cool dude, 😂

• in reply togreygoose7 years ago

Oh I read what you wrote totally wrong (maybe due to the T3 leaving my body? LOL). I thought you asked me if I was a matess or sheila.

But yeah, here in AUS we use SHEILA

greygoose• in reply to7 years ago

lol

Lavellekelly• in reply togreygoose7 years ago

Sorry to but in but that's interesting about the carbs.im diabetic type 2 controlled on diet alone but need to lose about 1 stone but every time I cut out carbs I end up with palpitations.I wonder if I was hypothyroid or just menopausal and under a lot of stress.I was diagnosed 6 years ago started on 25 mcg levothyroxine then 50 mcgs which I am still on.my original symptoms were feeling tired and achy finger joints.I felt no better on treatment,felt worse put on more weight still had aches and pains and started feeling anxious and a sense of doom.later developed waking with numbness and pins in needle in arms (Physio said this could be spine trouble) in the last year have been woken by palpitations and they also occur in the day at random .I had a three day heart trace but this showed nothing.Got these results with medicheck tsh 4.12 (0.27 4.3) free thyroxine 14.9 (12.00_2200) total thyroxine96 (59_154)free t3 3.75 (3.10_6.80)thyroglobulin anti 14.200 (0.0_115.00) thyroid perox 28(0.o_34.00)

greygoose• in reply toLavellekelly7 years ago

Well, you're obviously under-medicated, and probably have Hashi's and nutritional deficiencies. But you'd get more in-depth answers if you posted this on your own question in a new thread.

Lavellekelly• in reply togreygoose7 years ago

Sorry im not sure how to post I'll look into it.why do we want to stop our own body producing tsh ? Also they said my antibody range was ok is that not so ?Also if you increase levo dose how do you know if it's converting

Clutter• in reply toLavellekelly7 years ago

Lavellekelly,

Click on Write a post in healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk

Lavellekelly• in reply toClutter7 years ago

Hi thanks is there anyway you can repost as it took me about half an hour to write it all

Clutter• in reply toLavellekelly7 years ago

Lavellekelly,

No, I don't have the facility to do that. You could copy and paste what you have written into a new post.

Lolojeebs• in reply to7 years ago

Have you ever done a 24 hr saliva test to check your Cortisol levels?Serum/blood is not accurate - has to be Saliva and you can find a lab to order from online. Both low and high Cortisol affects thyroid levels. If low, you will experience the palpitations, fast heart rate and panic attacks with addition of T3 as that can increase the adrenaline response due to low cortisol. Also important to check your Sodium, Potassium and Aldosterone levels.

greygoose• in reply to7 years ago

Right, well, there we have your first mistake. Why did you not try T4 first? Very often, that is enough for people to slowly raise there levels.

You'll probably feel pretty good, to begin with. That's what usually happens. And you go into denial, believing that you never should have taken it in the first place. Then symptoms will slowly start to creep in... That's the 'normal' pattern - if there's any such thing as 'normal'.

• in reply togreygoose7 years ago

Circumvented T4 due to having long standing ferritin issues. Not sure how the addition of T4 would go in the presence of rocky ferritin levels. We were thinking it could increase T4 > rT3 conversion.

Plan was to use T3 > which should increase hydrochloric acid in the stomach > which should increase iron absorption which should have been win/win. Was not the case.

greygoose• in reply to7 years ago

It would only increase T4 > rT3 conversion if you allowed the T4 to get too high. But, before that happened, if you'd had regular testing, you would have noticed that there was a conversion problem, and then you could have introduced T3 low and slow.

Might just have been easier to increase stomach acid by taking ACV, or something.

ITYFIALMCTT7 years ago

ETA: x-posted with above discussion so OP has provided additional interesting information.

---------

Are you in the UK? I'm just a little surprised that you were prescribed T3 by an NHS endocrinologist for "sub-clinical borderline hypothyroidism, with free T3 at the bottom of the range" given the difficulties that members encounter in obtaining a prescription when they have a documented need for it with a very clear diagnosis.

Just how rapidly did your endocrinologist titrate you up to 100mcg a day? I'm shocked by this because of the greater chance of catabolism tho' it obviously influenced various other of your hormones.

As Marz indicates, there's sometimes a lot of frustration from first-time posters who are looking for T3 because they tend to be asked to post the results of their blood work - and members make suggestions about their current levo. dosage and whether it might benefit from a tweak, or the vitamins and minerals need to be brought into a more optimal range so that the thyroid hormones (the body's own, or prescribed ones) can work more effectively.

Best wishes that you recover from this experience without sustained loss of muscle nor any legacy palpitations/panic attacks.

• in reply toITYFIALMCTT7 years ago

I am in Australia, not in the UK. It was easy for it to be prescribed. We started off at 12.5mcg and quickly worked up to 40mcg, where we stayed for a bit (5 days or so) and went up to 50 and 60. From there I pushed to increase more because 1) I was feeling excellent and 2) my body temps still had not come up and heart rate was still sluggish. My endo was very apprehensive and did not like this idea, but I said I wanted to try to increase. I take full responsibility.

I should state that I was not at high levels (100 or 80mcg) for more than a couple days at a time, I never stayed on those levels for longer than 1-2 days before I dropped back down realising it was silly to go that high.

Thank you for your kind wishes!

ITYFIALMCTT• in reply to7 years ago

It's such an interesting experience (to an onlooker) - it sounds horrendous for you and probably people around you if your hormones were all over the place!

Your account very much backs up Paul Robinson's piece on why T3 is a hormone of last resort when other avenues have failed: recoveringwitht3.com/blog/w...

• in reply toITYFIALMCTT7 years ago

Indeed it was. It was horrible, and I hope to never go through that again, and this is why I posted here. I want people to be aware as much as possible, and not jump the gun too quickly with this drug. The power of T3 should not be underestimated.

100% agree with Paul. I bought his book and have spoken to him, although all that wealth of information came towards the end of my trial with T3, which I won't be trying again.

It is very interesting that you can introduce something and feel better for a little bit but you won't know the effects on other systems of your body until you know!

Marz• in reply to7 years ago

Don't you think you increased FAR TOO QUICKLY ? It is so often suggested we increase slowly and in small amounts. I think you overshot your sweetspot 😊😊

• in reply toMarz7 years ago

Perhaps, but I also think I don't need T3 either. A year before all this my free T3 levels were so much better (5.0 on a range of 3.2-6.4). So perhaps would have been wiser to look at other avenues first (like the gut) which we will be looking into now.

Marz• in reply to7 years ago

Do you have Hashimotos ??

greygoose• in reply toMarz7 years ago

I agree with Marz. Much too quickly. And, apparently, without adequate testing. To be perfectly honest, it was just asking for trouble.

BootsOn• in reply togreygoose7 years ago

I agree with Marz and Greygoose. Increasing that quickly was setting yourself up for a fail. If you had gone low and slow, you may well have had a better outcome. Now you will never know.

• in reply toBootsOn7 years ago

Oh well, it is for the best. Maybe if I can work out my other issues, I won't need to be on thyroid hormone. Like I said, if I exhaust all avenues (and I do have some leads to investigate) then I can return to the thyroid and adding hormones, with experience. I look at this as a learning experience, and a blessing in disguise.

BootsOn• in reply to7 years ago

I wouldn't call it a blessing in disguise. I'd call it a missed opportunity.

Next time, choose a better doctor and try T4 first!

I just hope your 'learning experience' doesn't put off anyone else who genuinely needs T3.

bluebug• in reply to7 years ago

Explains why you managed to get so much T3.

In the UK it is extremely rare for doctors including endos to test for free T3 then even understand the test results. Most endos here are diabetes specialists probably because more men suffer from diabetes than thyroid disorders.

• in reply tobluebug7 years ago

That sounds really painful, and frustrating since so many thyroid sufferers NEED those tests done.

On another note, does anyone know how I am going to feel as the T3 leaves my body and I have none and I wait for my thyroid to start back up?

ITYFIALMCTT• in reply to7 years ago

You had such an odd set of reactions that it might be difficult to call, particularly as the sex hormones need to readjust.

However, there have been various research papers that indicate people's thyroids are rarely suppressed wholly, even after years of medication so as you were taking this for a comparatively brief period - I'd hope that you achieve relative stability within the next few weeks.

Are you going to monitor your thyroid hormones with blood tests for a few weeks so that you can see them returning to 'normal' for you? You might find it reassuring to see that you are producing your own T3?

• in reply toITYFIALMCTT7 years ago

Well seemingly not odd, as an increase in sex hormones is well documented while taking T3 only.

I have also seen those research papers, so that gives me hope. Moreover my endocrinologist said I should be back in 2-4 weeks. He however has not experienced this, thus won't know what it will feel like not to have any thyroid hormone circulating in you and acting on cells for a brief period of time.

Yes, we are retesting in 3 weeks time. I hope it all comes back good.

bluebug• in reply to7 years ago

Can you add to this thread please on how you feel?

Simply as personal experiences are good for everyone to learn from.

• in reply tobluebug7 years ago

Absolutely. I will try to keep it updated as much as possible, but will definitely post my post T3 bloods.

Betty-Lou• in reply to7 years ago

I take 100 mcg of T3 per day but it took me a long time to get there - over a year. I believe I started with 12.5. I would be on a dose for 6-8 weeks and would get tested again. Then my dosage would be raised. I think you have to take a particular dose for several weeks to know if it’s making a difference or not. Even at 100 mcg my free T3 is only 3.5 (3.1-6.8). I get more blood work tomorrow. I started with synthroid and not but quickly discovered that I can’t handle t4 at all as it turns into reverse T3. When dealing with thyroid issues, take it nice and slow.

• in reply toBetty-Lou7 years ago

T3 works almost instantly. It doesn’t take weeks to build up inside of the body and is completely cleared out in 1-3 days of cessation.

Also with that T3 level, I’d be very concerned that what you are taking is even T3. That’s almost impossible, unless you waiting something like 48-72 hours between your last dose of T3 and the blood test.

When I was around 60-80mcg of T3 my free T3 levels came back at 7.78.

Unless you can tell me how it’s possible to have free T3 levels near the bottom of the range while on a monster daily dose of 100mcg you either are strangely not absorbing your T3 or you don’t have real T3 at all.

7 years ago

I think the main problem was that you increased T3 FAR too quickly! Were you monitoring your pulse rate/BP/temperature daily?

Also you really did need to try T4 first. That may well have been enough for you. Leaping to T3 or NDT without trying T4 first isn't the wisest move as you have found out. T3 is very powerful, far more so than T4.

I myself am trialling it and started with a mere 6.25 mcg and didn't move on that for 10 days, then cautiously increased to 12.5 mcg. All this monitoring my body for any signs of problems. Currently I'm on 25 mcg after 5 weeks and plan to stay at that for awhile longer before trying another tiny increase. You've got to be incredibly patient, thyroid conditions are never a quick fix.

• in reply to7 years ago

I monitored my HR and temps DAILY and charted them too.

I will tell you why taking 6.5mcg is pointless. You can either agree with me or not. But T3 works differently to T4. When you take T4 your TSH adjusts based on your dosage. When you take T3 it suppresses your TSH right away. It is the active hormone, it gets to work instantly. T4 is not a hormone, it is a pro-hormone.

The average human body creates or uses approximately 25-30mcg T3 per day. Starting off with any less than this is quite pointless, other than to assess a type of allergy to the binders in the medicine, it isn't worth it. Taking a low amount for that long will have your thyroid shutdown, while being severly under replaced.

Having said that, I totally agree with you with small increments once you are moving up past the levels your body would naturally make (say 25mcg+). There is some literature on not having to ramp up so slowly on T3, I will need to see if I can find it.

• in reply to7 years ago

I do disagree, actually (but am no medical expert on the subject either, I'm just going off how I have felt). The initial 6.25 dose did in fact alleviate some of my fatigue right away. Now, perhaps just a placebo effect, but I did start to feel the benefit immediately. Of course it's pointless long term, but I'm not talking about long term, just as a starting point. And yes, fillers factor into it as I've reacted to both Mercury Pharma brand Levo and Teva, plus I have other allergies so have to be careful. I do now take 25 mcg daily of T3 and I no longer need afternoon naps, which is really saying something!

I do know T3 is an active (and powerful) hormone as opposed to T4 which is just the precursor, and our body must convert it. Trouble is, I don't convert well at all, and was stuck with a high free T4 but a low free T3. Plus an 'in range' TSH that was in reality still too high (around 3), so I am stuck in a situation where my GP wouldn't raise my Levo dose any higher (stuck at 50 mcg daily which is very low). She didn't want my T4 to go over-range. Meanwhile I still felt hypo.

I am going to be adding T4 back in as well (but not 50 mcg, probably 25 mcg) of Wockhardt tablets, which I tolerate OK), so I will be getting both T4 and T3, and will then see how it goes from there.

That would be most interesting if you can find the research literature.

• in reply to7 years ago

As did my initial 12.5mcg dose. I felt calmer instantly. What I guess I was trying to say was staying on a low dose too long would be extremely counterproductive. Most say its safe to start on 25mcg and go from there.

It does sound like you are getting along quite well, I am happy for you

Can I ask how you dose your T3? Initially I was doing 3 x per day but later I was thinking the 9pm dose was doing me more damage than good due to cortisol interactions.

Also how long have you been on for?

• in reply to7 years ago

I now take 25 mcg all at once, first thing when I wake up (around 6 a.m.). I did do the whole dose-splitting thing at the outset, larger dose at 6 a.m, second slightly smaller dose mid-afternoon, but having tried it all at once I can feel no difference. I wouldn't take it before bed, it could stimulate too much!

I started T3 on 15th September this year, so not very long! I still have hypo symptoms though, so not 'there yet'. How long did you leave off T3 before doing a blood test? Have you ever done a 24 hr urine test for T3? I believe that's a more useful way of assessing how much your body is using. (I've not done one so far, maybe later on once I get more established with dosage).

• in reply to7 years ago

Interesting. I wish I tried smaller doses once per day. I read multidosing was better, and Paul was advocating it too in his book etc. Oh well.

I started T3 about 2 weeks earlier than you. Thankfully you are taking it much slower than myself. I have only been off T3 for one day so I have not done that blood test.

I am guessing you are a woman? Read my post below, and maybe it would be worth getting your sex hormones checked while on T3 as mine went out of whack. I thought it was just men, but it seems womens hormones can do the same on T3 only. Better safe than sorry.

• in reply to7 years ago

Yes I read a fair bit of Paul Robinson's book - I am impressed with his dedication to experimentation and record-keeping!

I just saw that post lower down, I am 10 yrs past menopause, I think had I been in reproductive years then that would be a whole nother ballgame and I may not have embarked on T3 at this point. Hard to say. Would make a huge difference.

So many tests to do, so little time! Did liver and kidney function tests today!

• in reply to7 years ago

How were the liver values?

Another thing I had indicating overmedication was high liver values. They came down as I reduced the dose.

• in reply to7 years ago

I won't know for a day or two, just sent the blood off this morning.

• in reply to7 years ago

Well good luck and all the best. Remember, please be careful!

• in reply to7 years ago

Thank you, all the best to you too! I will, promise!

cleo26• in reply to7 years ago

Totally agree with this. And can attest to it.

• in reply tocleo267 years ago

Elaborate if you feel like it

cleo26• in reply to7 years ago

Doctor diagnosed me with having low T3 combined with my symptoms and prescribed me 10 mcg of T3. I insisted on some T4. (I believe the body, at least my body needs both, but don’t have the experience to prove it.) Since her protocol was that I use T3 only, I followed her protocol of SR T3 only for one month. My T4, T3 and TSH dropped to levels worse than when I had not been on the medication.

My vitamin and mineral levels were optimal, with the exception of iodine, at the time.

When I took T3, it suppressed my thyroid production, just as you describe Hidden . T3 did not work to “supplement” my levels as it seemed the doctor wanted to happen. I wish it had.

I then tried a T4 and T3 combination for six weeks, 13 mcg of Tirosint and 10 mcg of SR T3. My levels remained low, with T3 slight higher than T4, of course TSH suppressed.

I suspect I would have to do a full replacement (T4 / T3) as a low dose of T3 doesn’t yield optimal serum value for me. It’s part of the feedback loop.

• in reply tocleo267 years ago

Can I ask why you believe the body needs both if T4 is not active and is only a pro hormone and not an actual hormone and T3 is the hormone that gets the job done? It’s unnatural to be on T3 only, yes, but your body can function perfectly fine.

When you add T4 only your thyroid steps off the gas a little depending on dose. When you add T3 it shuts down.

A couple things to consider:

- many say SR T3 is no good as calcium and other nutrients can bind with it in the gut while it sits there. So you never fully absorb.

- when on T3 only it is recommended to go by signs (hr, temp) and symptoms rather than trying to adjust dosages with bloods.

- maybe it’s time to consider natural desiccated thyroid?

cleo26• in reply to7 years ago

T4 for cellular conversion.

Bit confused about your statement “It’s unnatural to be on T3 only” and then questioning why T4.

Have heard the arguments pro and con regarding SR, and I might be better served with immediate. Just decided on SR because I know I won’t easily manage taking thyroid meds multiple times a day.

Yep, know about symptoms and signs, heart rate, etc. That’s why I’m trying to figure out what would work for me. (If anything.)

Can’t do NDT. Bothers my stomach.

ITYFIALMCTT• in reply to7 years ago

On the question of why T4? This was posted a while ago by diogenes (who has published research on thyroid topics). Altho' this paper (linked in the following link) addresses the rat brain and T4, it's not implausible that this might prove out to be true for some humans: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

7 years ago

Might be worth reading this one too, especially if you are a male!

T3’s negative effect on other hormones

tiredthyroid.com/rt3-2.html

In men, high T3 levels will cause sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) to rise, the production rate of estradiol to rise, and the metabolic clearance rate of estradiol to fall. [1, 52] The net effect is higher estradiol levels, which can have a disastrous effect on men’s hormone levels. In men, a hyperthyroid state can elevate estradiol and result in gynecomastia (male breasts). [2] Premature ejaculation seems to be a problem for hyperthyroid men, and delayed ejaculation a problem for hypothyroid men. [53] High SHBG in men also correlates with osteoporosis and a higher fracture risk. [55]

^ That sounds like what I was heading into. Scary.

And now for women...

SHBG also rises in women taking additional T3. The metabolic clearance rate of estradiol decreases [52] and anecdotally, women have reported painful breasts on the T3-only protocol. Women’s testosterone levels also decrease on this protocol. This may be desirable if a woman exhibits high androgen symptoms like facial hair, infertility, etc., but undesirable if levels become too low. [54]

In women, estrogen and progesterone can also raise SHBG if taken orally [3], so if a woman is on these other hormones and following the T-3 only protocol, her system can become quite imbalanced. Hormonal imbalance is often the cause of both physical and emotional symptoms.

Would be curious to know if anyone else who is on T3 only can get their sex hormones pulled, would be good to see if nothing got thrown out of whack.

Coppernob• in reply to7 years ago

Me. Currently on 70mcg T3 only (which freaks endo out as way too high), all sex hormones in range for my age (65).

• in reply toCoppernob7 years ago

That’s is interesting, but good to hear. Maybe it’s in men more, or maybe just me? Or maybe because I’m still in my prime (you are more than twice my age and would have gone through menopause)

7 years ago

Sorry to hear your story bro!

But 100mcg is a crazy dosage!! :/

The natural production of t3 is 30mcg, how on earth did you thought 100mcg could be better?

Plus, when you "play" with hormones you need to gently reduce the dose week after week

With that dose nobody can feel good in the long term, soner or later something bad would be happened

• in reply to7 years ago

Yep a lesson learned. Like I said somewhere in the posts I only took 100mcg for maybe 1-2 days, and 80 for about the same. Most of the time for the lifecycle of my T3 stint I was on 60mcg in 3 divided doses. What got me there was all that "thyroid hormone resistance" my doctor told me I was probably dealing with.

Like I said, lesson learnt. Going to try recover without needing hormones from now on!

Marz• in reply to7 years ago

I think you would be better listening to the experienced posters here rather than your Endo who obviously loves to experiment. I have been on this Forum for six years and have not read a case history even similar to yours. I think your Endo is a sadist I would check out his credentials and possible interests !!

You can click onto my name in blue above to read my edited health story as you can others here on the Forum. Lots of interesting folk who will NOT do you harm ....

• in reply toMarz7 years ago

I don't blame my endo, I fully blame myself and take full responsibility. It is within my nature and personality to jump the gun, be impulsive and be reactive.

Like I said, lesson learnt.

Marz• in reply to7 years ago

Still waiting for an answer - Do you have Hashimotos ? - in my post above

• in reply toMarz7 years ago

Nope, no Hashis

Gr8Nica• in reply to7 years ago

Don't underestimate the nature of hormone replacement therapy.

Although I was always on levo and initially went hyper due to my stupid endo and probably Hashi flare, when my levo was stopped at the beginning I did feel fine and thought I was getting better with the help of acupuncture and Chinese herbs but after 2 years I almost ended in myxedema coma. I did not know how important it was to take thyroxine. Nobody really explain it to me how serious it can get if I'm not getting the treatment as my thyroid slowly dies.

I don't know in what state your thyroid is now, it might still function on some level and produce hormones but eventually it will start to malfunction and you'll only feel worst.

• in reply toGr8Nica7 years ago

Well I don’t have Hashimoto’s and My thyroid was functioning quite well at some point earlier this year and last year. So knowing what I know now about nutrients and carbohydrates for conversion I think I’ll see the actual data on my blood testable in a few weeks, rather than automatically guess it will deteriorate and I will feel worse

Gr8Nica• in reply to7 years ago

Let's hope so. Just make sure to monitor your levels.

Rapunzel7 years ago

I'm sure the dudes will find your post helpful regarding male sex hormones but I have to agree with Marz that your endo has made himself appear, on the basis of your posts, an utterly incompetent buffoon if he/she has been behind your dosing strategy.

Increases in thyroid hormones of whatever type need to be introduced slowly and the body 'needing' 25-30mcgs a day does not mean that 25mcg is a good starting dose. A normal thyroid gland produces an average of 100 mcg T4 and 6 mcg T3 daily, although it secretes closer to 10 mcg T3 daily, because some T4 to T3 conversion occurs in the thyroid gland before release. Total daily T3 produced by the body averages 30 mcg, but 80% (24 mcg) of this is from conversion in other tissues. Robertas Bunevičius, Gintautas Kažanavičius, Rimas Žalinkevičius, and Arthur J. Prange, Jr.. Effects of Thyroxine as Compared with Thyroxine plus Triiodothyronine in Patients with Hypothyroidism. N Engl J Med 1999; 340:424-429. nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/N...

Did Dr Stupid tell you about the 30mcg?

thyrophoenix.com/adjusting_... explains why slow is best

• in reply toRapunzel7 years ago

I don't really want to repeat myself but I said above I took full responsibility for my dosing. It didn't help the doctor I was with didn't know how to administer T3, but I was the reason it went too far. I asked for it. Because of being told I had thyroid hormone resistance, and my impulsive nature, it went too high too fast.

No, I found out about the 30mcg myself.

Nee227 years ago

I have been reading your posts about T3 with interest.

My husband was diabetic, with severe hypothyroidism symptoms, he also had cancer. He was already on 20mg a day hydrocortisone and 125 mg levothyroxine.

Everyone said his hypothyroid symptoms were due to the cancer. I begged them to test his TSH levels and look beyond the cancer. His T3 came back very very low. The endo prescribed him over the phone 20mg liothyronine once a day with an increase of 25mg of levothyroxine

He took them on the Tuesday and Wednesday and died on the Thursday morning. He died from low blood pressure and Hypoglycemia.

I understand now that as a diabetic his meds should have been adjusted. Also I think the dose was to high for his body to take in one go. I am upset that he was not assessed first before prescribing liothyronine and it was just prescribed over the phone with no other details than take 20mg once a day. Surely someone should have monitored or at least advised us on these meds???

Any comments welcome please

Thanks

njmatsche7 years ago

What I find interesting is the fact that you were feeling great but decided to up your dosage. Why wouldn't you just stay where you were? I myself started on a combination of T4 & T3 after not seeing enough results with only T4 for a year. I started with 100mcg of Levo (T4) and 10mcg of Litho (t3) for over a month and a half, and then increased to 20 mcg where I still am 4 months later because it makes feel great, have all of my symptoms alleviated. I plan on staying at this dosage for as long as I need.

• in reply tonjmatsche7 years ago

Good for you... read my posts and find out why we upped the dose. I’m not here to listen to unqualified opinions such as your own. I’m here to share my story and experience in order to add to the wealth of information on T3 usage, and hopefully help in some way. All these “you should have / would have / could have” posts are meaningless to me now and are a waste of my time. Cheers.