Looking for guidance with t3 please.

[moomoo17]

Hi there,

Just want to wish you all a merry Christmas and happy new year, I know it's very hard over the holidays if you are feeling unwell but hopefully you all can have as good a Christmas as possible.

I've had a great amount of advice about various things, but this is where I'm at now. I recently saw an endo on the NHS he was very understanding and advocates t3 use but says in our area it's not available on the NHS. So he said I could arrange to see him privately and he would give me a prescription that way and I could source it from wherever was cheapest for me. I haven't been able to afford the private consultation fee, so I've managed to source some from somewhere anyway. I should get it soon, I've spoken to my gp and he is happy to support me taking it and try to sneak in a t3 test on my thyroid monitoring. I've just had a medichecks thyroid ultravit rt3 and am awaiting the results, so won't start t3 until I have these. All nutrients are fine and i take a combination that works for me. I've spent quite a few years sorting d, b12, zinc, magnesium, iron, folate, probiotics, fish oil, vit c etc. Also gluten free and I've cut dairy. I've been working my way through the list of things to sort before starting t3 and I still feel bad, I know it's the thyroxine, I have felt progressively unwell and disabled since being on it. In comparison I was fine before thyroxine!

My questions are

1. really where do I start with dosing as although the gp wants to help he is really guided by tsh heavily and I know that's not the full story. I have 25mcg tabs coming that can be broken into 4, I've been told they have scores on them to break into 4.

2. Where would you start with dosing t3? And should I expect any nasty side effects?

I'd rather be expecting it than it sneak up on me and I panic. I know it's best to dose more than once in a day as half life is 4 hours roughly, the endo told me this as well. I am discharged from endos NHS list, waiting to hear if I could rejoin. Im nervous about t3 as I have POTS and I have heard t3 can cause horrible palpitations, I get plenty of those already and take beta blockers.

3. I take dihydracodeine and bisoprolol, I read recently they are contraindicated with thyroxine, does anyone know why this is? No dr has ever told me it's an issue.

4. The other issue that showed up on the tests endo did was a low serum cortisol. It was pretty low so I had an urgent Synacten test and that was fine, endo was happy that synacten was "Normal" no further action.. but I wonder can I still have issues with cortisol if a synacten is ok?

I'm on alternate day differing doses of thyroxine, 1 day I have 150mcg and next have 125mcg, and I keep rotating like that. This dose has helped a few symptoms but I find after an increase I get hyper symptoms, that's a change from hypo, but slowly they return, so I've been on this a round 2-3 months now and most hypo symptoms are back. I'm freezing, gaining weight, puffy and swollen, ache all over and exhausted.

I cannot wait for this to change I am sick to my stomach of thyroxine!!!!

Thanks so much in advance for any advice x

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

moomoo17

For anyone to be able to suggest how you should dose when your T3 comes, we'd need to see your latest results, so do post them when you receive them for members to be best able to help.

As for your questions:

1) You can cut your T3 tablets with a craft knife or a pill cutter. Mine have no score lines and I successfully cut mine into halves and quarters with my pill cutter.

2) You start with 6.25mcg and increase by 6.25mcg increments. Whether you alter the dose of Levo depends on your results when you get them. Whether you have any side effects is down to the individual. I had none whatsoever. Take things slowly and gradually, you can always back track if you have side effects.

3) Dihydracodeine - Thyroid UK's list of "Drugs and Chemicals

That Can Cause Problems" does mention that this is contraindicated. I would research this, maybe discuss with your pharmacist or doctor to try and find the answer.

Bisoprolol - ThyroidUK's list mentions betablockers can interfere with the smooth working of the gland, or at least upset the tests and can interfere with the uptake of hhyroid hormones. Taking your thyroid hormone as far away from your Bisoprolol would hopefully minimise this. Again, worth checking with your pharmacist or doctor.

4) If you have an adrenal problem, this should be sorted or your thyroid hormone isn't going to work well. Personally I'd do a 4 point saliva adrenal test which includes cortisol and DHEA. Look at Regenerus or Genova Diagnostics

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin... - You need to click on the link to the pdf document which lists all their tests, it's Adrenal Stress Profile (ASI): Order Code: END01

For both of them you need to name ThyroidUK as your "practioner" as they don't deal direct with the general public. Regenerus send results direct to you, Genova send them to ThyroidUK who then send them on to you. Details on the web page.

[moomoo17 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Dear susie. Thank you so much for replying. I now have my ultra it rt3 results back and I'm not happy with how they look. Should I start a new post? The info and advice you gave is brill, I've been working my way through my to do list. Xx

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to moomoo17]

More people will see it and have the chance to respond if you start a new post

[moomoo17 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you. I definitely think I need cortisol tests. I heard some people say the saliva tests are pointless as adrenal fatigue can't be treated. Is that true? I have my t3 now. Can low cortisol affect me taking t3? I'm scared to make my problem worse. X