My story: 38yo male, diagnosed ~4 months ago with Hashimoto. Started taking 50mcg. Practily on the next day felt completely drained and stiffed. Made consultations with 3 doctors ... "We don't know what is the issue, maybe another disease." My dosage was lifted to 75mcg. Again after a day or two, I felt even worse. After reading here (thank you guys!!!) I found out about rT3. Made a test, my results are: 365pg/ml (lab ref: 90-215)
Having those tests I contacted again my doctor. I think she felt a bit stupid and responded like "rT3 problems are not proved". I decided to take T3 directly, but don't know how.
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What is the dosage for me (73kg, with TSH in the beginning 6.2 - mild hypothyroidism?)? She said (doctor) 25mcg is the "supporting dosage". But it looks a bit low?
I've read that I need to take it several times a day with small dosages?
Before/During/After food?
Thanks again for your time!
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T3 is a hormone. And there are rules for taking hormones - any hormones - you start low and increase slowly. With T3, that means starting on 5 mcg or 6.25 mcg, depending on the size of your T3 tablet, and increase by the same ever two weeks. It has nothing to do with your weight, age or gender.
Having said that, you should not start on T3 without having your FT3 tested first. Has that been tested? Do you have your latest test results? If so, post them on here, with the ranges.
Your doctor is right about rT3, there is no proof that it causes any harm. It used to be thought that rT3 blocked T3 receptors, but recent research has show this to be untrue. rT3 has its own receptors.
It is a natural occurrence, a built in safety valve to stop you producing too much FT3, and to save energy in times of stress. Stuffing yourself full of T3 is not the answer. T3 does not 'cure' high rT3. In fact, too much T3 will cause it to go higher. You have to find the cause of your high rT3 and fix it. And, as you've only just started thyroid hormone replacement, I doubt it's due to high levels of FT4. That's the only time taking T3 would lower rT3, if you reduce your levo at the same time.
But, it could be due to high cortisol or low ferritin - have you had either of those tested? Are you on a low calorie diet? Do you have any sort of infection? There are many other possible causes, which I'm sure you've read about if you've been reading up on the subject. Just testing rT3 does not tell you why it is high. And, just taking T3 does not bring it down.
Thank you for your answer. I need to ask. Are you a doctor or on T3 for a long time? I'm asking this because of your answers are very different from what I've read.
I've been on T3 only for many years. I am not a doctor.
Which particular bit are you talking about that is different from what you've read? rT3? The research I refer to is recent, and hasn't filtered down to common knowledge, yet.
You say increase the dosage every two weeks, I've read 5 days on multiple places. I have chronic prostatitis for 3 years that I tried to fix on multiple occasions (months on antibiotics) - no luck. I think this is what causes the rT3 issue. I'm on "house arrest" for 4 mounths just because my doctors don't understand that i can't take levo. They tried differend does and all sorts of tests. The rT3 issue fits perfectly for my problem. It's so confusing Half of the people don't beleive in rT3 other do ...
It's not that I don't believe in rT3. Of course I do, it's there, and it serves a purpose - several purposes, in fact - conservation of energy, avoidance of excessively high FT3, avoidance of wasting T4 - the rT3 only stays in the body for about two hours, before it is converted to T2, then T2 to T1 and then the iodine is recycled. What I don't believe is that rT3 in and of itself is a problem - the missing link, as some proclaim it to be.
I know that article, and I don't think he explains things very well. If you have high rT3 then there is obviously a problem somewhere which needs to be found. But, it is not the rT3 that makes you sick, it is the low FT3 - plus the problem that is causing the high rT3 in the first place.
And, the 'cure' is not taking T3 - although that will help you feel better, it won't get rid of rT3 by itself. If you have high rT3 due to excessive FT4, it's reducing the levo that lowers the rT3. If you just add T3 and stay on the same amount of T4, then not only will your rT3 not reduce, it will probably get higher. The body does not want high levels of FT3, so will cut down even further on converting the T4 to T3, and convert more to rT3.
If you take no levo, or any other kind of T4 at all, then of course, you won't have any rT3 at all. That's how rT3 is made, it's converted from T4. But, if your high rT3 is caused by low ferritin, or any of the other many possibilities, stopping levo and just taking T3 will not solve the problem. You will have zero rT3, but you will still have the high cortisol or whatever else it was that caused the high rT3 in the first place. In other words, if your high rT3 is caused by diabetes, obesity, CFS, or any of the other causes he sites, just taking T3 will not lower it. You have to treat the diabetes or obesity or whatever.
Holtorf makes it sound as if it is the high rT3 that causes the problems. It isn't. High rT3 is the result of these problems, and we should be grateful for it.
I don't know where you've read to increase your T3 every 5 days, but that sounds like a bad idea, to me. As I said before, with all hormones - T4, T3, HGH, cortisol, whatever - you need to increase slowly to give the body time to adapt. Too much too quickly will stress the body and delay your recovery. Plus, it is all to easy to over-shoot your sweet-spot if you increase to quickly - and you won't know you've done it! You will still feel bad, because you'll be over-medicated, and think it's because your not taking enough, and increase even further. And, don't rely on symptoms, because over-medicated symptoms can easily be confused with over-medicated symptoms.
Nothing in the world of hormones acts quickly. People go on about the short half-life of T3, but it's not as short as they think. The half-life of T3 is 24 hours - admittedly it's shorter than the half-life of T4, but it's not that short. And, what gets into the cells stays there for about three days. So, the supposedly short half-life of T3 is not a reason to increase too quickly. And, it takes time to feel the full effects. Short half-life does not always equate with fast-acting. It may not build up in the same way as T4, but it does to a certain extent.
I understand perfectly that you cannot tolerate levo. I am the same. Even though I converted very well, and my nutrients were optimal, and my cortisol good, I could not tolerate T4. But, that is still not a good reason for increasing T3 too quickly. And, if you do, you will regret it in the end, because you will rapidly find yourself back at square one. And, I understand your need for T3 only treatment, but that has nothing to do with rT3.
There is a process which should be followed to get the best possible blood test results and ranges.
All blood tests have to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of thyroid hormones (12 hours if taking T3 only) and the test and take it afterwards. This helps keeps the TSH at its highest as it drops throughout the day and most doctors only take notice of it but rarely test FT3 and FT4. Ranges are important as labs differ in their machines and it enables members to respond.
Thank you for your answer. I follow this process. And testing all for 4 months due to all 3 doctors trying to find the mysterious disease that is making me tired from T4
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