Advice on adding T3

[Ariemai6]

How much T3 should I add to improve these results or should I stick to T4 only? Does T3 in any way boost T4 levels?

TSH 0.619 ( range 0.27-4.2)

T4 16.3 (12-22)

T3 3.25 (3.10-6.8)

Thyroglobulin 40.7 (0-115)

Thyroid peroxidase 12.1 (0-34)

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Ariemai6

Does T3 in any way boost T4 levels?

Not at all. Taking T3 tends to lower FT4 level, also lowers (maybe even suppresses) TSH.

T4 16.3 (12-22)

T3 3.25 (3.10-6.8)

Your FT4 is 43% through range, your FT3 is 4% through range.

You may need FT4 higher in range when taking a combination of Levo and T3, you may be fine with a lower level, it's trial and error.

If you are going to add T3 you need to start with 1/4 of a tablet, so that will be 5mcg or 6.25mcg depending on whether you have 20 or 25mcg tablets of T3. You can add a second 1/4 of a tablet after 2 weeks if everything is OK. As your FT4 is quite low, personally I would retest 6 weeks after adding the second 1/4 of a tablet and see where your levels lie and how you feel.

HOWEVER, I've just seen this previous post of yours which unfortunately didn't attract any responses

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

As you are pregnant, I honestly don't know if you should be taking T3. I think I've read that endos prefer pregnant hypo patients on T4 only, even to the extent of taking them off T3 during the pregnancy. I'm not 100% certain on that, and I don't know the reason why, so I think it's something you should seriously look into before starting to take T3.

Your ferritin result is dire at 15.8 and it's doubtful that any thyroid hormone can work properly (a minimum of 70 is recommended for thyroid hormone to work), so the T3 may not be a good idea anyway until ferritin is higher.

As you mentioned that your antibodies had reduced, are you gluten free? Are you taking selenium which is said to help reduce antibodies?

[Ariemai6 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi seaside susie, you’re my hero these last few days with your wisdom! Yes I have been cautious about adding T3 as I know how endo’s view T3 in pregnancy, too hard to monitor I think is their thinking. I wouldn’t want to reduce my T4 either to add the T3, as I understand from what I have read that baby converts the mother’s T4 so it’s more crucial. I have started taking extra levo as I’m really not happy with T4 at 16. But before pregnancy no matter how much I raised T4 even to it being out of range, T3 was sitting at 4. Hence my thinking I should add T3 but not at the expense of dropping T4.

I’m really trying to get my iron up now, I was shocked at how much it has plummeted in the last few months.

Strangely I am not gluten free, my prenatal vitamin does have small amounts of selenium however but my antibodies are the lowest I have ever seen them. The only thing I can think of is the immune system suppression of pregnancy. Was surprised when I saw how low they were.