What now? Lowered T3 and got symptoms back...

[jezebel69]

I guess its a rhetorical question as I'm pretty sure 'what now' is another blood test but I am puzzled. Three months ago I was feeling fine after a bad spell of hair loss which I found pretty scary. The results showed a high level of T3 (but the hair loss had stopped by then) so I reduced my 50 T4/ 40 T3 to a daily 50/30 dose to reduce the T3. Now 3 months on I have massive weight gain, painful joints and depression which is becoming a real problem. Heres a reminder of the last test and the reason for reducing T3

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE *<0.005 mIU/L 0.27 -4.20

FREE THYROXINE *8.96 pmol/L 12.00 -22.00

TOTAL THYROXINE(T4) *55.5 nmol/L 59.00 -154.00

FREE T3 *8.96 pmol/L 3.10 -6.80

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY *130.000 IU/mL 0.00 -115.00

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES*73 IU/mL 0.00 -34.00

My worry now is that the T3 level might be better but the symptoms unacceptable.

Is anyone else out there sticking with a high T3 reading for the sake of feeling well?

[jezebel69]

As a postscript my T3 has been changed to TEVA during this time so could it be less effective?

[Clutter]

Jezebel69,

Did the weight gain, joint pain and depression start before or after you switched to Teva T3?

[jezebel69 in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter - the weight gain I initially put down to Christmas but its not stopping. Actually the depression began around the same time. The joints are just joining in now. Yes this is my third month of Teva now....

[Clutter in reply to jezebel69]

Jezebel69,

Well it could be the Teva T3 don't you think? Why don't you tell your pharmacist it doesn't suit and request they dispense whichever make of T3 you were taking previously.

If symptoms improve when you switch back please report the Teva adverse effects via yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

[jezebel69 in reply to Clutter]

I will but first I think I should get a blood test done so I can see the effects while I use up the latest prescription. Thanks Clutter!

[jezebel69 in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter - quick update - have told the pharmacist about Teva and have been offered Mercury Pharma which had been marvellous. Fingers crossed I will feel well again

[jezebel69 in reply to Clutter]

Clutter its beginning to look like I didn't need to reduce my dose because Teva seems to have done that for me

[shaws Administrator]

The blood tests we use were introduced along with levothyroxine alone.

Therefore, if we taken NDT or add T3 the results cannot be the same, so I'd ignore them and concentrate on your symptoms. If you feel very hyper then you can reduce slightly.

This is from an archived site which may be of interest. Read the answer to the first question.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[jezebel69]

Hi shaws....I never actually felt hyper when the test showed an over-range T3 but I reduced by 10 because of it. Are you saying I can ignore that level if I’m symptom free? I read the question in your link and it would seem that the consultant I had was doing it right by simply treating my symptoms...he didn’t do blood tests. But he retired and when my hair was shedding badly I didn’t know if it was due to hyper or hypo.