Advice on t3 only as not feeling well on it please help

I started t3 only 8 days ago stopping for one day as stomach was so bad and hit with a cfs flair up as well. Feel so low with joint pain, tight chest and feel I’m disappearing. My BP is 109/68 pulse is 56. I’ve started soft gels vit D as advices on here hoping there would be some improvement. I’m taking 8th of 25 t3 tablet I did try a quarter but got palpitations which I’ve still got now even though I’ve reduced my dose. I see my nhs endo in 2 weeks how am I going to explain myself? The worry is just too much I’m just praying for some guidance x

[Baobabs]

Sorry you are feeling unwell. I know more experienced folk than me will advise you to post your most recent result including vits/minerals, before offering comments.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

As you have Hashimoto's are you on strictly gluten free diet?

Have you considered dairy free?

Which brands of Levothyroxine have you tried?

Gluten free and/or dairy free may be necessary BEFORE starting T3

Also best to get a TSH down to around one before starting T3 by getting Levothyroxine dose high enough.

Also it helps enormously if vitamin levels are optimal BEFORE starting any T3

Vitamin D at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better

B12 at least 500

Folate above half way in range

Ferritin above half way in range

Usual protocol is to add T3 incredibly slowly, alongside Levothyroxine. Adding just 5mcg, waiting a week, then adding 2nd small 5mcg dose in afternoon. Then waiting at least 6-8 weeks and retesting before considering adding any more T3

If adrenals are affected, then may need even smaller dose of T3 to start with.

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you slowDraggon nothing was flagged up on my nhs test only vit D which was 48 which I’m taking soft gels now. B12 was perfect I think iron was normal too as dr didn’t say it wasn’t but my diet is pretty bad so should take a supplement. Because the smallest amount of food can trigger 2-3 days of stomach problems I’m afraid of food now, I drink milk also protein powder is milk I take. I don’t get tested for my thyroid till 2 weeks so don’t know what my results are sorry. All this chopping and changing can’t be doing my body any good so do you advice I stop for t3 for a while? I will die rather then take levo again which I know is a possibility as I know I do need meds of some sort. I have to give up milk on top of everything else it seems but to get well I do it. I appreciate your help slowdraggon thank you x

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Post from 12 days ago

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ferritin is low at 48 (11-336)

Vitamin D is low - aiming to be at least 75nmol

No folate test

TSH was 9.72 (0.3-5.6)

Adding small 25mcg dose of Levothyroxine back in may be helpful

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

With Hashimoto's many of us find vitamin D mouth spray works more effectively than anything in the gut, as it avoids the poor gut function of Hashimoto's. Better You mouth spray is widely available

Magnesium- loads of options. Better you make magnesium flakes to add to Bath. Doesn't upset gut

Eating liver or liver pate once a week should help improve ferritin

Daily vitamin c can help support adrenals, or look up adrenal cocktail. Orange juice with a few extras

stopthethyroidmadness.com/a...

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you I will read this now I do appreciate your reply. I’ve tried teva levo and wockhardt both I couldn’t tolerate sadly.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Many many patients react extremely badly to Teva

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Others to try Activis, Mercury Pharma etc

Some people react to acacia powder in some Levo

List of brands and ingredients

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

You may need to start extremely slowly on any thyroid replacement if been hypothyroid a long time

[Kalicocat]

If you are taking 1/8 of a 25mcg tablet once per day then you are only getting 3mcg t3 per day. That isn't enough t3 to maintain a flea. No wonder you feel bad.

[Hidden in reply to Kalicocat]

Sorry, I was upset when posting earlier- I should have explained I take 8th 3 times a day. I did take quarter but decided to split it when had palps. My endo said same about the levo- he said he could give it to a baby and the baby wouldn’t even know. So I do think my body is sensitive and I hate it. Thank you for your reply.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Hidden]

Low t3 causes palpations, too.

[JudithW]

Time traveller, how long after taking the T3 did you get palpitations?..When I started on it, still on 100mcg of Levo I took 25 mcgs in the morning and everything seemed ok so took 25 the next day, and then the day after. 8 hours after the 3rd dose I started to have palpitations. This happened the next 2 -3 days. Luckily I had Thyroid support from Nutri available, so tried one of those and it stopped the palpitations. This is why T3 has to be taken 3 to 4 times a day to maintain the level of T3 circulating. A gap of 4-5 hours between the doses works for me. I take pre and 2 hour post, BP, pulse and temp.

1/8th of a tablet as Kalicocat said is a very small amount. Your continuing palpitations, might be because you are not taking enough?

[Hidden in reply to JudithW]

Thank you for your reply I will consider raising my dose to 4 times a day I think.

[radd]

Timetraveler,

You have switched from Levothyroxine to WP Thyroid to T3 in a short space of time.

In a previous post you advise of crippling IBS and I can’t see any info re iron/nutrient states. Your body requires adequate nutrient levels and thyroid hormones require adequate iron and cortisol levels to work well.

Gut issues and poor absorption will eventually lead to iron/nutrient deficiencies and lower hormone conversion levels. Have you had ferritin, Vit B12, folate and Vit D tested ? ?

.

Iron & Nutrient Importance in Hypothyroidism

hypothyroidmom.com/10-nutri...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to radd]

Hidden has low ferritin and low vitamin D

See my reply up above with her results from 12 days ago

humanbean or SeasideSusie might pop along to comment on low ferritin (range is wider than standard)

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to SlowDragon]

I don't understand why there seems to be 2 ranges for Ferritin for females. There is a wider range for males.

Hidden As mentioned in reply to your previous post, the best way to raise Ferritin is to eat liver, liver pate, black pudding and iron rich foods. I've read that for females 100-130 is recommended, and about 150 for males.

[radd in reply to SeasideSusie]

SSS,

The ferritin test has two different reference ranges because apart from different labs using a different reference range, both blood serum and plasma may be used.

Although different ranges are used depending on age, men usually have higher levels than women. Therefore, the test has a wide reference range because of possible variations in not just person to person but also just one person as it is an inflammation marker.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you seaside susie I have been to the supermarket and bought liquid iron supplement, manuka honey, vit C, COD liver oil. I am also taking magnesium, probiotics, selenium with lodine and Vit D soft gels 1,000. Please can you tell me if you agree with all the above and do you think I should concentrate on my vitamin levels before taken t3 tomorrow? Also I bought some low fat cheese- is that good for me? I forgot the liver but did buy chicken and spinach for dinner. I really appreciate your help and advice x

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hidden]

Goodness, that's quite a list there. Please don't start all supplements at once. Start with one, leave it 1-2 weeks and if no adverse reaction then add the second one. Continue like this. If you have any reaction then you will know what caused it.

I'm not sure all of them are a good idea.

First of all, taking an iron supplement isn't always a good idea. Your ferritin is low in range but not dire. Have you had an iron panel carried out? If not, and your serum iron is already at a decent level, then taking an iron supplement could take your serum iron too high. This is why I only ever suggest eating liver and iron rich foods to raise a lowish ferritin. If ferritin is close to the bottom of the range, I suggest having an iron panel and full blood count carried out to see if there is anaemia. So for now, I'd just stick to liver and iron rich foods, consider retesting in maybe 3 months.

Any particular reason for the cod liver oil? If you're thinking of it for Vit D, then you're taking a Vit D supplement. Be very careful because cod liver oil contains Vit A, this is another fat soluble vitamin that gets stored in our bodies and can become toxic. We already get Vit A in our diet from milk, eggs, liver, cheese, oily fish. The maximum amount of liver - per week - is 200g due to it's high Vit A content.

Selenium with lodine - why iodine? Have you tested and found to be deficient. Iodine deficiency should be treated by a practioner experienced in supplementing with iodine and it's companion supplements.

As for low fat cheese, personally I wouldn't by anything low fat. We need good fats in our diet.

The only other thing I would say is that unless you have bought a good branded make of supplement from the supermarket (which I question whether they sell) then a supermarket own brand is generally cheap, full of fillers, and uses the least absorbable forms of ingredients. Good brands tend to be available from the internet rather than the high street.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

The cod liver oil is for my joints as I have osteoarthritis and the selenium with lodine was recommended on amazon for thyroid, I did not know about the things you pointed out so I am so grateful to you for telling me. I empty all my supplements out of there capsules into a yogurt each day then I Also add spoonful D-Ribose powder for my cfs plus a spoonful of protein powder. I do not have a good relationship with my dr or I would ask for the blood test you said. I will go Medichecks when I get more stable fiancly thank you for helping me.

[jgelliss]

Great suggestions by SlowDragon . Slow and Steady Wins the Race . Nutrients need to be in place too . Gluten and dairy free is very important I found to be Very Helpful . Adrenals and the body need time to acclimate to new small changes at any one time . I found personally that adrenals especially are very sensitive to T3 . Iron and Cortisol need to be up to par . Supporting adrenals is very important . Vitamin "C", Magnesium , B-Complex , B-5 , B-12/folate , Vitamin "D" /K2 , Celtic Sea Salt .

Wishing you Strength and Wellness .