Can you help

[Gcart]

Two years since TT. was suggest d I needed to add some T3 because of low in range .

Also to improve vitamin levels , I have now been GF and dairy free for about or 5 months. (Don’t know if I ever had high antibodies prior to TT.) and feeling a lot better , bit to go, thanks to all of you guys.🙂

Obtaining T3 can be a problem as you know so here is my question having improved vitamins etc will it follow that I will be able to utilise levo now?

Thank you

[shaws Administrator]

I have a thyroid gland and believe that those who have had a TT should, at the very least, be given a combination of T4/T3. New research has also shown that this is the case.

I am surprised you haven't been prescribed T4/T3 after the TT. Those who have info of where to source T3 will respond to you by a Private Message. No info is permitted on the open forum of where to source prescription meds.

[Nanaedake]

That's an interesting question about utilising thyroid hormone. I feel a lot better since optimising my vitamins and changing diet too but would still be interested to try T3 if it wasn't so difficult to get hold of a steady supply.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you retested vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 recently?

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.

Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor

please email Dionne:
[e-mail]

Professor Toft recent article saying, T3 may be necessary for many. Note his comments about current inadequate treatment after RAI and TT for patients

rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/fi...

[Clutter]

GCart,

If you have no thyroid you are already utilising Levothyroxine or you'd be dead!

Good vitD level certainly aids conversion of T4 to T3 but I'm not aware other low vitamin and mineral levels have any effect on conversion. I've certainly not heard that GF or dairy free diet plays any part in conversion.

The only way to know whether conversion is improved is to have TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested. If TSH is low, FT4 high in range and FT3 low in range then conversion is poor.

[Gcart]

Hi thanks for your responses. I didn’t make it clear. I added T3 about 1.6 years ago .Experimented twice each for about 5weeks)and not feeling well . I was glad to get back on it. Having improved vits etc and gf more recently was my question about not needing to use it .

Luckily my doctor is supportive and has said he would prescribe ? Not sure if he could change his mind as that was about 6 months ago. In the meantime I am happy to buy my own as it’s been reasonable from Greece.

He always checks T3 so he is a star, trouble is he isn’t getting any younger☹️ I’ve asked other docs in the practice in the past and certainly NO GO . One said no one needs T3!!😫

But , I think from what has been posted to me I will continue to add the T3 as I’ve been doing . Thank you so much for your kind and quick responses x

[Gcart]

Apart from the gp testing I do have Blue Horizon test done now and again. Just sent off one for plus 15 , I see it takes 15 days turn around. This will give me a lot more info about the vitamins.

Have been feeling better than for a very long time so I will be interested in what the test tells me re T4 and T3 in particular .

Thanks again

[silverfox7]

You certainly need to know that your vits etc are now optimal and hopefully if that's the case your FT3 reading should be higher. However after a TT you may need a small dose of T3 to complete the situation though still important to keep up with your supplements

[Gcart]

Thanks silverfox wish we had always known about vitamins etc thinking s good diet was enough

See so many people walking about who look as if they could do with the knowledge spread on this forum x

[Hidden]

Hi I also had a TT two years ago prior to that I had no thyroid issues. I recently had my bloods tested and my vitamins and minerals were fine. I still take fish oil and vitamins C have done so for 10 or more years. I am not overweight and have always eaten a healthy diet. Mostly organic for 6/8 years now. I have no allergy's of any foods either. I didn't do well on Levo I tried it for 8 months after my TT and it made me ill for the first time in my life.

Both my sisters have done badly on Levo. No Hashimotos either for us.

I now medicate myself with NDT and T3. and feel much better.