What can I do to lower t3 and raise t4 ?
Tsh under one but T4 in the low end of range an... - Thyroid UK
Tsh under one but T4 in the low end of range and t3 over the range
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Joanneconnor
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Are you hypothyroid? Are you on medication? Not enough info to give any advice.
Yes I have been hypo Hashimotos (never tested for hashi's ) for 14 years, I was on Levo increasing doses over the years till 18 months ago now on thyroid s 120mg and 50mg of Levo per day but never had antibodies done until recently and they were negative I have been on auto immune Palio diet for a year, my gp said my thyroid was dead that's why had no antibodies showing ???
So if T3 too high reduce thyroid-s by 1/4 grain and see how you feel. Free T4 doesn't need to be high is you taking something containing T3. Around mid range or even lower when on NDT is fine.
If I reduce it I'm cold to the bone, I can't function like that
So what are your actual results?
I haven't had bloods done for over 4 months, endo told me to come back in 6 months, can't remember what they were as endo won't do me a print out, have to speak to his secretary which is like trying to contact God!!! Really annoying
Was in 250mg Levo before I changed
Million dollar question, how do you feel? Do you feel ok?
When you take NDT, it’s common for T4 to be low in range or under range. The body just gets shot of any excess T4 because it’s got T3 to use - so it does!
If you’re feeling a bit overmedicated, then a very small dose adjustment downwards might be indicated - maybe lose some of the levothyroxine, or keep that the same and drop by a quarter of NDT.
But if you’re feeling ok and FT3 is only just over the top of its range, personally I’d leave well alone.
If anything I feel under medicated, I still feel the cold a lot, I do remember feeling a bit better with higher t4 my muscles ache and hurt when I use them even walking
Blood tests were only introduced along with levothyroxine.
If we take NDT our blood tests cannot correlate and we only go upon how we 'feel as Jazzw has commented.
If we have symptoms we increase by 1/4 tablet every two weeks until symptom free. Take pulse/temp and if either goes too high you go back to the previous dose.
Levo is T4 only and is inactive. It has to convert to T3. T3 is the only hormone required in our millions of T3 receptor cells
NDT contains T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin.
Aha, well, 250mcg is actually a larger dose of thyroid hormone than 2 grains of NDT (in terms of a rough equivalent, I’d say 2.5 grains would be closer to the mark).
Oh, and just a thought - you aren’t taking your NDT on the day of the test are you? Best to leave 12hrs between taking it and having a test, otherwise your FT3 might look higher than it actually is.
My thyroid s doesn't come in grains it comes in 60g tablets I was taking 3 but was hyper so dropped to 2 not high enough so now I take 2 and a 50 Levo, need to get more recent bloods done yes I usually don't take them the day before and go early next morning
Ah, ok - makes sense. Could you cut the tablets in half maybe? A whole tablet probably would be too much of an upwards hike, but a half tablet rise (dropping the levo altogether) might make all the difference.
Not sure I started taking the Levo in the hope it would higher my t4?
No point in raising T4, it doesn't do anything unless converted to T3, and if you have to much it is just converted to rT3 instead.
Ohh ok
You might even benefit from reducing NDT and adding a little T3 if you are already at the point where you get hypo symptoms if you reduce NDT.
Right ok I though adding more t3 would make my free t3 even higher?
True, that's why you might consider reducing something else. I just reread this whole thread. I would ditch the levo. Don't worry about the free t4 level, just focus on the free T3 level. Adding levo probably just increases RT3 and pushes you toward hypo symptoms.
One of your tablets is one grain. You might do better on no levo and slightly more NDT.
I was on 3 but I was always clammy and endo said I was over medicated and they told me to take levo
And what were your results when they said you were overmedicated? And endos are trained to understand levo blood results and nothing else so they tell you to take levo for their benefit, not yours. If you felt better on 250 mcg levo, then I'd go back to it, but not otherwise.
No I hated Levo, I was TSH 0.01 but low end t4 and over t3
On thyroid s about 7 months ago
in reply to Joanneconnor
One tablet is called ( one grain) OK
Ok might try the pulse thing and temps again, I was doing temps for my high cortisol originally but it's not high any more, I feel much better on NDT than levo
What meds are you taking?
At the moment thyroid s, vit c, biotin, and roaccutain for skin issues
Biotin messes up your blood results, so remember to stop it for a week or so before going for tests. Any you had done while taking it are not guaranteed to be correct, so you might not have over range free T3.
Ohhhh I didn't know that, I will go next week for bloods and stop taking today thanks
It depends on what test mechanism exactly the lab uses but see article from last year: endocrinenews.endocrine.org...
I wasn't quite right on 3 grains of NDT or 2 or 2.5 I still felt tired. I now take NDT and T3 together and feel well. I was on thyroid s and still felt tired but that's all. My FT3 was 1/3rd over the top range when on 3 grains. What is your FT3 and range?
Ive not had it done for a while think it was about 14 about 5 months ago I'm hoping it's gone a bit lower, I don't feel tired just cold all the time and muscles ache really quickly
I'm a lot over my top of range which should be 6.5
Oh ok so if I take 3 I have clammy symptoms but feel ok, if I take 2 or 2.5 I am freezing and achey muscles but only a bit tired
How long are you trying out these doses for? Because NDT contains T4 it takes 5 or 6 weeks for a different dosage to settle out. If you've thoroughly tried 2 and 2.5, you could always try 2.75 or add a little T3 to your 2 grain dose.
Yes been on this one for atleast 3 months just haven't had time to chase my doc for more bloods they don't keep track very well and endo fobbing me off too only see him every 6 months because all they want to see is blood results not listen to any of my problems, will get bloods done next week then go for a change,
What should I ask to be checked in addition to the normal thyroid bloods
Get your own bloods done and don't rely on endo, who seems not to care.
Also need B12 (if not supplementing), folate, ferritin and D3.
I changed over to Thyroid S over two years ago now. Before that I was in 125/100 Levo. I got up to 3 grains but couldn't get any high even though I had spent 5 months correcting my conversion problem before I changed over. Endo saw me and told me to drop down to 1.75 grains and he was right! I found out the hard way that being slightly over medicated is very similar to being under medicated. I was also told I mustn't go above my FT3 range.
Ohhh why do I feel so cold when I drop?
It. An take a bit of time juggling dosestill you know what suits you best plus we sometimes need a higher dose in the winter months so think about that as well.
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