Should I supplement with T3?

[HypoCrazy]

Hi there,

I'm not a guru on optimising T3 / T4 levels like so many of you are, so would much appreciate your advice. My most recent bloods showed:

August 2018 on Levo 75

T3 4.1

T4 18.9

TSH 2.5

July 2018 on Levo 50

TSH 6.8

T4 14.9

I'm not sure what the T3 levels were in July but I will phone my doctor and confirm

May 2018 no medication

T3 4.3

T4 14.9

TSH 9.2

TPO 209

Does anyone know why my T3 levels are going down on Levo? Would it be safe to source T3 at this stage? I am about to go up to Levo 100 in a weeks' time. If someone could possibly PM me with details of a reputable T3 supplier I would sincerely appreciate it. I have terrible acne and it takes me up to 4 hours to fall asleep and I'm lucky if I get 4 hours sleep after that!

Kind regards

HC x

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

PLEASE, NO MENTION OF SUPPLIERS ON THE OPEN FORUM OR THE INFORMATION WILL BE REMOVED AND THE THREAD CLOSED.

HypoCrazy

We need the reference ranges for your results please to be able to comment.

Before considering taking T3 in addition to your Levo, you need TSH to be down to around 1 then see where your FT4 and FT3 levels lie. You also need optimal levels of Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin - have you had these tested and have current results for them? If not it's essential to do them either with your GP or with one of our recommended private labs - Medichecks or Blue Horizon who both do a Thyroid/Vitamin/Mineral bunde.

As you have raised antibodies which confirm Hashimoto's, have you adopted a strict gluten free diet as suggested by SlowDragon in your previous thread here healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... and asked your GP for a coeliac test, and read through the other links she gave you?

Supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.

Were all those tests that you've given results for above done under the same conditions - ie blood draw done at the same time, early in the morning, after an overnight fast, and leaving Levo off for 24 hours before blood draw? Conditions need to be the same to compare results accurately.

So at the moment, the answer is No, you shouldn't supplement with T3 at this stage. But if anyone does send you a PM with details of a supplier then as a precaution you may wish to contact one of the Admin Team to ensure any information you have been sent is for a genuine supplier as we have recently had some spammers reaching out via PM. But I would not, at this stage, order any.

[HypoCrazy in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you SS.

And yes, my bloods have been taken under the same conditions each time pretty much. I will obtain reference ranges this Thursday when I next speak to my GP and hold back on the T3 for now

I’m just so desperate for my sleep to improve!

[Judithdalston in reply to HypoCrazy]

Try to get your levothyroxin dose raised, 100 next time, and perhaps 25 mcg more in 6-8 weeks later, so as SeasideSusie says you get your TSH to about 1 or below....I even raised my levothyroxin to get the FT4 above range - this demonstrated even then the FT3 could not be raised to halfway thru the range ie I was poorly converting. Make sure your VitD, B12, folate and ferritin are at their optimum, upper to top of their ranges, for good thyroid health, not just the 'normal' regularly approved of by Gps. Selenium, also zinc and magnesium good supplements for Hashis. From personal experience adding T3 is not an easy 'addition', besides finding and paying for a private source, even a tiny amount provided me with quite a 'kick' with palpitations etc, and you have to juggle food, drink, drugs, other supplements timetable with thyroid 'meds'( often two doses with T3, tho some do 1 others 3 plus). My FT3 managed to go down with an added 25 mcg T3 as I reduced the levothyroxin as many on this forum had...and had to go back to the drawing board!

[HypoCrazy in reply to Judithdalston]

This is fantastic advice Judith - thank you - I keep thinking T3 is the holy grail but you're making me wary! I too am a poor (Hashi's) T3 converter... my T3 has gone down since taking Levo for the past 3 months