T3 , real or a placebo ??

[Sweetpea1157]

Hi everyone , looking for some advice please .

Have been taking T3 for around a month now , started 5mcg on 14/5 then increased to 10mcg on 31/5 and am not really feeling any better, I am starting to wonder if I have been given a placebo. I have checked to see if there is any way I can tell and I have read that the only way is via a blood test , if TSH levels and T4 levels have bottomed out then the T3 tabs are real . Can anyone advise me if this is the case .

While here I would also like to mention neck lumps .

I am still having problems with lumps and swelling in left side of neck which are painful , the lumps seem to change , one day they can pertrude quite a bit and be as hard as rock, another day they can be small pliable nodules , but always painful no matter what form they take.

I have seen 2 ENT specialist , one said he couldn't see anything , the second just said there's nothing sinnister going on, but didn't get any definitive answers as to what IS going on , when I went for an ultrasoundo of the neck, at this time the lumps and swelling was clearly visible to the naked eye, but the person who performed the the ultrasound, he also said he7 couldn't see anything ( think he must of been an NRIB member ) , if it wasn't for for my family and friends all seeing and commenting on them , i think i would start to think it's all in my head .

The hoarsenses and raspyness is constantly , and has been for moths now , being commented on by everyone, even by people I converse with now and again. At times it takes a great deal of effort to even get any words out and hold a simple short conversation which is really frustrating . Any advice would be appreciated thanks ☺

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Sweetpea1157

Is your T3 prescribed or self sourced?

Did you lower your Levo at the same time?

[Sweetpea1157 in reply to SeasideSusie]

The T3 is prescribed . The T4, i was on 100mcg /75mcg alternative days , am now just taking 75mcg daily which I decided to do myself as felt a little better ☺

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Sweetpea1157]

What were your results for TSH, FT4 and FT3 before you started to add the T3?

[Sweetpea1157 in reply to SeasideSusie]

My last results from medichecks on 12 March 2019 say ÷

TSH = 0.034 RANGE = 0.27 - 4.2

FT3 = 3.82pmol/l range 3.1 - 6.8

FT4 = 26pmol/l range 12 - 22

Hope this helps ☺

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Sweetpea1157]

Did you not have new tests immediately before starting T3? If you've been on T3 for a moth, those results from March were 2 months old when you started T3. Your levels could have been different when you added T3 and if FT4 wasn't near the top of the range you may not have needed to reduce the dose of Levo, which is something I mentioned in reply in this thread but you didn't answer when I asked about your current levels

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Also, as you say you have Hashimoto's, then levels tend to fluctuate anyway, as can symptoms.

I doubt very much if you have been given a placebo. It could be that you are not yet on the right balance of Levo and T3. When I started adding T3 I didn't feel much at all to start with - some people find a difference very quickly, others don't. It took many months of tweaking Levo and T3 to start getting anywhere for me.

[Sweetpea1157 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi SeasideSusie, unfortunately I did not take a further blood test before starting T3. I am going to take another test in around 2 weeks time , that works out to be 6 weeks since starting T3 , will that be OK? ? Or should I wait a little longer ??

Thanks once again for your help ☺

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Sweetpea1157]

Yes do it at 6 weeks, that will be fine. Don't change any doses before hand, wait and see what your results are after 6 weeks on your current dose.

[Sweetpea1157 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi SeasideSusie, sorry taken a while to get back to you , i will do the test in around 2 weeks then post results

Thanks once again for your help and advice ☺

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Did you order DIO2 gene test yet?

Come back with new post once you get Medichecks results, that should show if your T3 is real or placebo

[Sweetpea1157 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon ,sorry taken so long to get back to you , i havent done the D102 test yet , where would you suggest I get the test kits from please ?

As you can see by my post, I am still having severe problems with my neck and voice , i was hoping someone here could help and advise me on this matter as it's now beyond frustrating and is making me feel with everything else going on depressed, especially after having mini stroke and horner's syndrome, i am finding it very hard to cope with it all . I would appreciate it if yourself or some of the other good people here could help me with some advice , I think i have tried all the avenues via the NHS , but am constantly hitting a brick wall .

Thanks again for your time ☺

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Sweetpea1157]

Here's the link for ordering

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

[Sweetpea1157 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you Slowdragon ☺