Is T3 three weeks in

[Tiredtash]

Regarding my last post, I am now at the end of my third week re T3 only. At first, when I stopped my thyroxine/T4, I felt an improvement ie my aches and lathergy decreased and my brain fog lifted a little.

However, the last couple days I have had a bit of lethargy but more concerning is my mood. I feel irritated, impatient and dosile.

I am taking 25mg T3 in the morning in a empty tummy and 25mg early afternoon. After the latter dose (2/3/4 hrs later I feel anxious, really exhausted and very foggy.

I stopped my T4 straight away so didn’t phase it out - could this be why? Or is this just the T3 taking effect? I have taken T3 for a while but just 25mg alongside my T4 but as I said I ditched the T4 a few weeks ago as believe it no good for me. I take high strength iron, B12, Vitamin D and C.

Just need some feedback on why this is happening three weeks in. Shall I continue with T3 only? Is it just early days?

[greygoose]

How much T4 were you taking? And, by how much did you increase T3 when you stopped the levo?

[Tiredtash in reply to greygoose]

Hello. I was taking 200mg.. naively increased T4 without GP knowing in order resolve the hypo symptoms. That was before discovering this site and reading about T3 only approach, and about the vitamins required to aid T3 x

[Tiredtash in reply to Tiredtash]

Was taking 25mg T3 alongside the T4, and added another 25mg T3 when I stopped the T4. Currently taking; 1 x 25mg T3 early morning and 1 x 25mg T3 early afternoon x

[greygoose in reply to Tiredtash]

That's a lot of T4 to stop all in one go. Do you have any idea how well you were converting? Because it's possible you're now under-medicated.

[Tiredtash in reply to greygoose]

Hi. I don’t think I was converting. Awful hypo symptoms which seemed to be getting worse (see my first post) over the last few years and so physically and mentally debilitating that I could barely function socially or at work. I started reading up on thyroxine and am 95% sure that this was the cause. Hence why I stopped it. As soon as I did the muscular aches and pains stopped and some energy returned but the last couple of days I have had this strange feeling after taking the pm T3. I hope it isn’t undermedicated as I am not willing to go back on thyroxine. I would rather stick with T3 - just wanted advice on whether the feelings I have had over the last couple of days are due to the T3 ie me getting used to just having this and the dosing also in the afternoon or it is the T4 leaving my system?

[greygoose in reply to Tiredtash]

Not so much the T4 leaving your system as the shock to your body reducing so much T4 so quickly. Reductions should be done in 25 mcg stages unless you replace it with an equivalent dose of T3. Even if we take it that, due to your low rate of conversion - and you must have been converting some, or you would be dead - the T3 is equal to 3 times T4, you didn't do that. Your replaced 200 mcg T4 with 25 mcg T3.

No-one is suggesting you go back to taking T4, but you probably need to gradually increase your T3 - and I mean, gradually! Not in chunks of 25 mcg. 6.25 mcg every… three weeks, perhaps? We're really working in the dark, here, because we don't have any labs to guide us.

[Tiredtash in reply to greygoose]

Hi. Just to clarify again I am taking 2 x 25mg T3 so 50mcg per day in total. Therefore, I am replacing 200mg T4 with 50mg of T3. Before stopping the T4 I was taking 200mg T4 and 25mg of T3. I only added the extra T3 25mg afternoon dose when I stopped the T3.

Yes, I have no labs - am new to this site but do realise it is something I need to get done.

[greygoose in reply to Tiredtash]

No, because you were taking 25 mcg before you stopped the T4. When you stopped the 200 mcg T4 you did not replace it with the equivalent of 200 mcg T4 on top of the 25 mcg T3 you were already taking. Therefore, you replace 200 mcg T4 with 25 mcg T3, which is not the equivalent. You cannot count the 25 mcg you were taking before and say it adds up to the equivalent. It doesn't.

If we assume that T3 is 3 x 'stronger' than T4, you were taking the equivalent of 275 mcg T4. You are now taking the equivalent of 150 mcg T4. If we assume that T3 is 4 x 'stronger' than T4, you were taking 300 mcg T4, you are now taking 200 mcg T4. You see the difference?

Frankly, I think it's insane, anyway, embarking on all this without first having done any labs to at least know your FT3 level, and how well you converted. Because, honestly, you don't seem to understand enough about it, even from a purely mathmatical point of view.

[Tiredtash in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for your positive advice. You are right; I do not know enough about it and am new to this site and that is why I am asking for guidance/feedback on what others have experienced. I do know stopping the T4 was the right thing for me. Thanks anyway x

[greygoose in reply to Tiredtash]

I think you're missing the point. Other people's experiences won't necessarily be yours. And the guidance I give you is to wait until you've been off the levo for 6 weeks, then get tested - full test : TSH, FT4, FT3, antibodies if they haven't been done, vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin. Then we'll be able to give you informed opinions.

[Tiredtash]

Does anyone else have any idea why they am suddenly starting to get these symptoms after the afternoon dose of T3? Is it normal to experience this re transition from T4 to T3 only?

[NickP1 in reply to Tiredtash]

You need bloods done to have an idea of where you’re at. Otherwise it’s all guesswork. You can’t do guesswork with your heath.