Taking t3 medication

[sonyap83]

I have just started taking T3 medication on Saturday alongside my Levo. My endo advised me to take 10 mg of t3 at 730am along with my levo and take 10 mg t3 at 4.30pm. He said once its in my system I need to take 10mg at lunch time too. My levo has been reduced from 125mg to 100mg.

My questions:

1. How long does it take to get into my system and start working?

2. How long would you leave it before introducing a 3rd dose at lunch?

Any other advice greatly received

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

sonyap83

I really don't think your endo has much of a clue how to treat people with T3.

He is asking you to start on 20mcg and has reduced your Levo by 25mcg.

First of all, 20mcg T3 is roughly the equivalent of 60-80mcg Levo, so that is quite a big increase in the amount of T4.

What were your results for TSH, FT4 and FT3 (all tested from the same blood draw). That would tell you if you actually needed to reduce your Levo.

Secondly, T3 is pretty potent and should be started low and increased gradually. Therefore it's usual to start someone on 5mcg T3, wait a couple of weeks to ensure there's no adverse reaction, then add a second dose of 5mcg. Then it can be increased by 5mcg in another 2 weeks.

It's sensible to retest 6 weeks after reaching 20mcg T3 (maybe when on only 15mcg, some of us only need a small amount of T3).

In answer to your questions:

1. How long does it take to get into my system and start working?

Some of us notice a difference much quicker than others, some on the first day, some weeks later. Personally, I didn't feel anything for a long time then it dawned on me I was feeling better than before, so I made sure I kept an eye on levels by testing.

2. How long would you leave it before introducing a 3rd dose at lunch?

I wouldn't consider it at this stage, I would slow everything down as I mentioned above then retest 6 weeks after increasing to 20mcg, see what your levels are like and how you feel to see if you need to increase further.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 all need to be optimal for thyroid hormones to work well

Did you get these tested?

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after adding T3

20mcg is high dose to start on. Many people seem to start on 2 x 5mcg

Personally I would get bloods tested on 20mcg before adding third dose

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

If/when also on T3, make sure to take last dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

[Heloise]

Hi sonya, there are different schools of thought when making a switch. Some people stop all T4 before adding T3. I think I would unless you want to ADD a dose of something to whatever dose you are on. T4 lasts for about two weeks only reducing by half so in a way you have about 75 mcgs still in your system after two weeks even if you take no more during that time. Were you wanting to raise your dose? If not I think it would be better to take your reduced T4 for about two weeks before adding any T3.

Of course not knowing what your results have been on 150 T4 and what you are trying to achieve makes it difficult to know exactly what you should do. If you have never taken T3 it may give you a bit of a jolt.