Mixing T4 and T3

[GKeith]

Anybody try Thyrolar? It's supposed to be T4 & T3 mixed in the same pill. I heard, a couple years back it was either out of product or banned? I'm taking T3-only and feel better than with T4 but am having trouble getting NDT & am looking for anything my endo may approve, am still looking for another endo also. The problem is the mix of T4 & T3 and how do you figure out your proper dose, esp. if you're taking only T3? And, if you take two pills T4 and T3 what doses do you take? I see so many different doses and I get it: everybody's different, but I'm still trying to put things together to figure out what I might be able to handle and why? I know a compounding pharmacist who will mix any combo but only with a prescription & the only insurance approved combo here in Florida is Thyrolar.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I have never seen Thyrolar actually available (in well over ten years). I think it is one of those things that is included only for historical reasons and no-one wants to be the one to get rid of it from the lists!

Dithyron is from Uni-Pharma in Greece and has 50 micrograms of T4 and 12.5 micrograms of T3.

There are a few other similar products but they are rare.

I think I'd stick with separate tablets until you are happy on some dose, then consider if there is a single tablet similar enough to be worth a go.

Be very careful about suppliers.

[GKeith in reply to helvella]

You must be in the UK, my insurance company has it listed as the only T4/T3 combo that they approve and will pay for. It's in the 2018 book they send all claimants.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to GKeith]

Yes - I am in the UK where Thyrolar has never been available. I was going by this statement:

As of 2013, Forrest Laboratories has released the following statement regarding the limited availability of liotrix: "U.S. Pharmacopeia, an official public standards-setting authority for prescription and over-the-counter medicines and other health care products manufactured or sold in the United States, has mandated new specifications for a component used in the manufacturing of Thyrolar. As a result, all strengths of Thyrolar are currently on long-term back order while modifications necessary to meet these new specifications are made."

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Just thought, specific information about Thyrolar (despite its non-availability) is here:

dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailym...

[GKeith in reply to helvella]

Yeah, you're right, this link shows they have filed for a "new prescription" for this pill: dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailym...

[vocalEK in reply to GKeith]

For those in the U.S., FDA announcements: accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/...

[MissMoe]

I'm as clueless as you. I'm on my 2nd endorsing, n still clueless n feel like a turd, gaining weight. I take 50mcg Levo t3&t4 + 25mcg liothyronine t3 only. May I ask, want to move back to Florida, is health insurance good there. I'm on medicare n scared I will lose what I have here in Pennsylvania. Sorry, went off topic.

[GKeith in reply to MissMoe]

No problem all of us are scared, including anyone who is perfectly healthy, because as soon as you have something like hypo or hyper, you realize how bad it is and how little you know, as you enter the unknown territoy of the medical "professionals."

By Levo t3&t4 what do you mean? Levo, I'm assuming you're referring to Levothyroid, which is T4 only, as far as I know, and 25 mcg of liothyronine is T3 because Liothyronine is T3 only. My health care is (usually) free and it's called a Medicare Advantage Plan, which costs very little, usually a $20 co-pay to see a specialist. Mine totally covers generic T4 & generic T3. The synthetic brand-names are expensive but I get along as good, actually better, on the generic, maybe it's just psychological but, whatever, I do.

May peace be upon you.

Keith

[GKeith]

I'm currently taking 50 mcg Levo, T4, and 30 mcg Lio, T3 and am having problems getting another 5 or 10 mcg T3 because there is, apparently, a shortage of T3. Why? I wish I knew but getting my endo to give me anymore T3 is like pulling a piece of gold out of a lion's mouth; you lose your whole arm, in an attempt to just feel "normal?"