Introduced T3 in mid March (10mcg/day and dropped levo from 175mcg to 125/day. (Levo has already been dropped from 200mcg around 3 weeks prior to starting T3).
I’m a little bit concerned/disappointed. I still don’t feel right - in fact the day before I took these bloods I felt horrendous - shaky, weak, extremely tired etc, etc. I did bloods and increased that night to 15mcg T3/day and alternating 150/125mcg levo and I have to say, 3 days later I feel better.
But the bloods look to be good? I was worried my T4 would’ve dropped loads but it hasn’t 🤔 I definitely have more energy but I’m still tiring quickly. Like, walking yesterday I feel more motivated to go but still feel as knackered doing it!! Maybe this is just a symptom of being less fit and still having muscle weakness that I hope will go with prolonged optimum meds. Likewise the brain fog. I still wonder do I push gp to test for anything else? All vits etc are in range but B12 and ferritin remain stubborn to increase to even halfway. Or do I stick this out for 6 months and see if I improve?
I think I’ll stick with the slight increase in my levo but should I drop the T3 again? It’s not great for T3 to be over range is it? (I know you can get away with a little with T4)
Thanks for all your thoughts as always!
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Murphysmum
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The aim of taking thyroid hormones isn't particularly to get the numbers in the right place. It is how 'we feel' that is the priority. Dr Lowe only took one blood test for his patients, and that was for the diagnosis and thereafter it was small gradual increases in doses and symptoms were the No.1 and the relief of them was the priority. He stated that the blood tests were introduced by Big Pharma as money-makers so that's why he only took an initial test. Not for every consultation with the patient. I don't think your FT3 is 'over' because the green balloon is within the range.
Really, you shan't know if the extra T3 and T4 that you've taken since the blood test has pushed your FT3 over range, until you test again. As a side note, it's generally better to make only one change at a time otherwise you don't know to which, any effect is attributable.
I see you dropped your levothyroxin in stages from 200 to 175 before starting the T3 , then dropped again to 125 mcg levo...that is a lot of T4 , 75 mcg, to be ‘ replaced’ by 10 mcg T3. But during that time the ‘lost’ T4 is in-fact still there in part as it’s half life diminishes by half, you are only just getting to the point when you took your bloods, that you really did have the lower 125:10 combo in your blood. Not surprised you had those symptoms and felt the need for an increase, but I would from personal experience have added T3 or T4 rather than both. Keep a diary of your dosing, how you feel, basal temp, bp, pulse as you may need to change your dosing again and it is useful to see where you have already been. Your bloods look good; soon as you add T3 the FT4 and TSH usually go down. Many feel at their best with FT4 about 75% thru range, and FT3 the same. I tried going from levo only to combo, then T3 only and am about to go back to combo trying to do the 75%:75%, as T3 only protocol recommended by Dr. Lowe for fibromyalgia, with hypo/Hashi, has not got rid of pain, but also added old tingling and vertigo symptoms. You do need to raise your b12 and ferritin if they aren’t halfway thru range as optimal helps with good thyroid health and conversion...i’d raise these rather than keep juggling with combo at the moment. But we are all so different, and you have to be patient, what works for one doesn’t work for another...i’m 13 months into the T3 journey!
As others have said, blood tests are important for monitoring phisiological reactions to medications and provide a reference for the right rough level you require.
However, bear in mind that even with T3 it can take several weeks for the body to catch up and start feeling better once you get the doses of both hormones correct.
T4 also has a very long half life, and so could still be falling. Hence the suggestion to wait at least 4-6 weeks between any change in medication and the next blood test.
And no - T3 should be kept below the maximum of the range as creating a state of hyperthyroidism by overmedicating can produce symptoms just as unpleasant.
I’ve been reading on here for over a year before I actually trialled T3 so was aware of how T4 worked (in fact, think I knew before that but I’ve still learned a lot!) so I was a bit concerned that the drop in dose would be too much. However, that was what Dr T recommended so I thought I’d better do it, rather than go off and do my own thing then moan when it didn’t work!
I’d have waited longer than 4/5 weeks before testing as I know on T4 only it takes me as long as 12 weeks until my body settles down. Unfortunately, I was only given a 6 week dose of T3 and needed to make an appointment and have bloods done before they ran out. I will be insisting on longer this time though!
I’m kind of glad my suspicions were right, hence I’ve put my dose back up as soon as I did the bloods. In fact, he advised I drop my levo down to 100mcg after I complained of headaches at the start and I ignored that in favour of restarting the T3 much lower. Glad I did.
I know as others mentioned, that changing two things at once isn’t a very good idea (the scientist in me!) but I just knew the levo was too low and all the symptoms that I had, that had gone, were back.
Thanks everybody for your advice - I think I’ll keep the T3 at 10mcg for now for 6 weeks or so but keep the increase in the levo as I’m fairly certain that will need to be at the top of the range. Then I can see where the T3 is and how my symptoms are.
I really hope I get symptom-free within your 13 month time frame Judith, I’m already more than 18 months into rediscovering “normal” despite c.15 years hypo, and I’m fed up!!
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