Upping meds

[Dee8686]

I was on 3x5 mcg t3 and added in 25mcg levo last week. I now need to increase my t4 meds as t3 too expensive. Can I up my t4 quicker or do I have to up the dose every 6 weeks? Or could I take 50 and increase 6 weekly thereafter? Tsh currently 4.7. T3 and t4 not optimal. Thanks

[shaws Administrator]

You can drop 15mcg of T3 and add 50mch of levo to your 25mcg levo i.e. 75mcg. After two weeks if still symptomatic add 25mcg of T4 every 6 weeks till you feel better. If pulse/temp goes to fast/high, drop to previous dose.

[Dee8686 in reply to shaws]

I’m keen to keep

Some t3 there. Is there any other way I can do it?

Thanks for

Reply x

[shaws Administrator in reply to Dee8686]

You don't need to split doses of T3. You can take all at once along with T4. One of our Advisers - an expert in T3 - stated that our cells have to be saturated with T3, and thereafter it sends our 'waves' which last between one to three days for that one dose. We usually take hormones when we get up with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating.

Although 15mcg T3 is a low dose. You can buy levothyroxine and increase by 25mcg every six weeks. Usually we have a blood test every six weeks when building up a dose but if you're self-medicating it might not be necessary and go by 'how you feel' and if you get too hot or pulse goes too high drop to previous dose.

I will say I am not medically qualified and had undiagnosed hypothyroidism which I diagnosed myself when TSH was 100 and now self-medicate.

[Dee8686 in reply to shaws]

Ok I added the 25mcg

Levo about a week ago.. can I move to 50mcg then or is that too fast? I want to

Keep the t3 for now just not add anymore to current dose. (my story is long and I don’t want to change too many things all at once! ) I just know that I can’t afford to keep up with the t3 which I was initially instructed to medicate with (but now solely don’t need on its own!)

Wow tsh of 100.... could you actually function?! I’m so fatigued with my tsh just under 5!