I have just completed my first week of T3 only -

[Steni]

I have dropped my dose of Levo 175mg and begun taking T3 10mg per day split in two. I feel as though a cloud has lifted and my thinking feels much clearer, my constipation has gone and my skin lesions are healing- however my acid reflux has returned ( presumably the Levo was doing something for that). Does anyone know if I might need to return to Levo to help with this and also will my high cholesterol return with out the Levo?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

12 days ago your post showed you were on 150mcg and it was suggested you increase Levothyroxine as FT4 was too low.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Before starting on any T3 it's always best to fully explore if Levothyroxine dose is adequate. Your Levo dose was not high enough

Also vitamin levels always need testing and often supplementing to improve first

When did you last test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12?

Add results and ranges if you have them

Normally we introduce T3 ALONGSIDE Levothyroxine, and do so extremely SLOWLY

Typically adding just 5mcg T3 waking and 5mcg in afternoon. Still taking Levothyroxine as well. Hold at that dose for 6 weeks and then retest

Starting on 20mcg T3 and dropping Levothyroxine completely may be far too extreme

[Steni in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes I know , but I was pretty sure that I would just go on forever constantly upping the Levo dose and feeling horrible with it, so instead I read a lot about T3 only treatment from various proponents on this site and others and decided to give it a go. From what I have read many people just do feel better on T3 only. I can’t say if I’m one of them yet but I’d certainly like to find out.

[greygoose in reply to Steni]

Yes, but you've given yourself one hell of a reduction in dose. So, not surprising if some symptoms return. When are you planning to increase your dose? And by how much?

[Steni in reply to greygoose]

Ok - that’s interesting to know about the big decrease- to be honest I don’t know what to do next I just know I feel somehow better in many ways. If possible I would like to increase the T 3 to the point where the remaking / recurring symptoms disappear. But maybe I should reinstate the T4 and take in tandem with T3 ?

[greygoose in reply to Steni]

There's nothing wrong with T3 only, but it's best to reduce the levo slowly, as you increase the T3 - 25 mcg levo to 6.25 T3.

But if you feel ok, that's fine. If you start to feel bad it's because you're under-medicated. Increase the T3 by 6.25 mcg every two weeks until you get to 25 mcg, then hold for six weeks and retest your FT3.

[Steni in reply to greygoose]

I’m so grateful as ever for your help - I’m grasping at straws really - I don’t know how to add a photo - but would love to show you the protocol I was using as the basis of my dosage which I have a screen shot of.

Maybe I will share a new post - I think there is an option to add a photo there .

[greygoose in reply to Steni]

Yes, you can add a photo to a new post. Where did you get this protocol?