Advice on taking T3

[Magpie100]

I have just added 20mcg of T3 to my 50 mcg of T4.

Do the same rules apply to T3 as T4 regarding taking it on an empty stomach and not taking supplements for a few hours afterwards.

I take T4 on waking then 10mcg of T3 at 10am and 10mcg at 4pm.

Any advice on this please.

[greygoose]

That is a massive amount to add in all at once! That's like giving yourself a raise of 60 + mcg levo. It would be far better to start on a lower dose, at least for the first few weeks. All hormones should be started low, and increased slowly, if you don't want to shock your system.

And, yes, you need to take your T3 the way you take levo : on an empty stomach, at least one hour before, or two hours after, eating or drinking anything but water, etc.

[Magpie100 in reply to greygoose]

This is the dose the Dr said to take. I have been on Thyroxine only for many years, 100 mcg 4 days and 150mcg 3 days per week. He cut the t4 down to 50mcg a day with a 20mcg t3 taken as a half dose twice a day. Do you think it would be better to split the t3 into a smaller dose.

[Clutter in reply to Magpie100]

Magpie100,

If you reduce the T3 dose having reduced T4 dose so much you will become very hypothyroid. I'm not sure why people think 20mcg is such a large dose. My starting dose after thyroidectomy was 3 x 20mcg T3. IF you feel overmedicated on 20mcg reduce dose to 10mcg for a week and then raise to 20mcg.

You should take T3 away from food, drink, medicines and supplements as you would T4. I would take the 2nd dose at bedtime so you keep a fairly even distribution of the T3 throughout the day and night. T3 rises considerably at night so it is more in keeping with natural physiology to take T3 at night.

[greygoose in reply to Clutter]

I said what I said because the OP did not mention having lowered her T4 from 100 to 50. She gave the impression that she had always been on 50 and was just adding in 20 mcg T3 on top. Not my fault if I'm not given all the facts!

[Magpie100 in reply to greygoose]

Sorry for the confusion. I didn't word my question very well. I appreciate your answer.

[greygoose in reply to Magpie100]

No problem.

[Magpie100 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for your answer. I don't feel over medicated . In fact I am sleeping so much better, not laying awake for hours. I have only been taking the added T3 for four days and I'm looking forward to further improvement in symptoms.