Adjusting to T3

[Coachgeorge]

I've been taking 5mcg of T3 for two weeks. Some days I am able to function, other days I'm in bed. The internal shaking and feeling like my insides are on fire is unbearable. I also have days when I'm okay for a few hours and then the symptoms rise up. Is this going to go away once my body adjusts? Am I on the wrong meds? I need help. Thank you

[humanbean]

Do you take any other thyroid meds? What were you on before you started the 5mcg T3?

Edit : And what dose were you taking of whatever you were taking?

[Coachgeorge in reply to humanbean]

I also take Levothyroxine 50mcg. Dr. thinks I wasn't converting so she added the T3. My last blood test showed I was out of range for FT4 (high) and low for FT3 but not below range. I'm really struggling. Sometimes, my neck and throat feel like they are on fire and then I get the chills.

[Greekchick]

Hi Coach,

You might try lowering the T3 to 2.5 mcg to see how you feel. I had to add my T3 in increments of 1.5 mcg because I am so sensitive to all hormones and meds. It took me about a month to work up to 5 mcg without any ill effects and now I am up to 10 mcg plus my levo. I should point out I have no thyroid , so I am not suggesting you take my dose - just that a gradual introduction might help you.

Wishing you all the best.

[Coachgeorge in reply to Greekchick]

Thank you. That is a good suggestion. I'm having blood work done again at the end of this week. Dr. initially had me take 5mcg for a few days and then try 10. That didn't work so we lowered to 5mcg for a day and 7.5 on alternating days. Well, that didn't work either. I'm on just the 5mcg now. I'm trying to be patient as I know getting dosages right takes time. I'm not able to work or do much of anything. Appreciate your response.

[greygoose]

I would say it's probably because you aren't on a high enough dose, yet. But, you should have waited at least two weeks before trying to increase to ten. Even 10 is a very small dose.

[Coachgeorge in reply to greygoose]

It’s very frustrating. Yesterday was a decent day and I was encouraged. I thought I was moving in the right direction and today would be more improvement. Unfortunately, it’s been awful. Dr. Says symptoms shouldn’t come and go. That concerns me and makes me wonder if there’s something else wrong. Is it unusual for symptoms to come and go?

[greygoose in reply to Coachgeorge]

Doctor is wrong - they often are. Symptoms do come and go. We have good days and bad days. Even after 20 years of fine-tuning my dose I still have good days and bad days. They actual want us to thing there's something else wrong. But, the truth is, they just know nothing about thyroid.

[Coachgeorge in reply to greygoose]

You just made my day. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been ill since January. Everyday is a struggle and it’s even more frustrating that no dr. knows what to do. I’m hoping this week’s draw will give me a better direction. Appreciate the support.

[greygoose in reply to Coachgeorge]

You're welcome.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Just looking through your previous posts couldn't see any vitamin results

Extremely important to regularly retest vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Add results and ranges if you have them

What vitamin supplements do you currently take?

Do you have high Thyroid antibodies?

Ever had TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested?

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease). In USA its usually called Hashimoto's

About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk and USA is due to Hashimoto's.

Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Vitamins need to be optimal for Levothyroxine or T3 to work well

[Coachgeorge in reply to SlowDragon]

Here are my most recent results:

B12- 755 (200-1100)

Vit D- 34 (20-100)

Folate- >20 (>5.4 Normal)

TPO- 103 (<250 negative)

Free T4 2.39 (.8-1.8)

TSH 2.070 (.4-4.5)

Free T3-2.8 (2.3-4.2)

Ferritin will be tested with this week's draw. Haven't been able to reach agreement on TG antibodies.

Current meds- .50mcg levo, 5mcg T3

[NWA6 in reply to Coachgeorge]

So you know your Vit D is far to low? And is that the range for TPO? That seems high to me and your TPO seems high. Have you thought about not using Levo? Just increasing the T3?

[Coachgeorge in reply to NWA6]

I think my TPO is negative, at least that’s what it said on the report. I was wondering about Vit D. I’ll talk to my doctor about supplements. I was on B vitamins and folate and she stopped them because I was way high on both. I’m new to all of this So I’m never sure what to ask. I’ll see what she says about just T3. Will that lower my high ft4?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Coachgeorge]

The lowering of Levothyroxine from 75mcg to 50mcg will lower high FT4

Suggest you hold at that and retest in 6 weeks

You may need 2nd dose of 5mcg T3 added mid to late afternoon

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

[Coachgeorge in reply to SlowDragon]

What do you think is causing all these symptoms? When I take more than 5mcg of t3, I get worse.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Coachgeorge]

Many people can only tolerate small doses of T3

Adrenal glands can be exhausted when hypothyroid. It can be necessary to increase Levothyroxine and especially any T3 dose extremely slowly

T3 is extremely strong medication. It's roughly 3-5 times stronger than Levothyroxine

I still have to take my T3 as 3 small split doses at equal 8 hour gaps.

[Coachgeorge in reply to SlowDragon]

Someone mentioned I might need to back down to 2.5 mcg. Based on what you’re saying that even makes more sense. I’ll see how the blood draw goes this week. It’s all very confusing. I felt hyper this morning after dosing and I am lethargic now. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate the information. I’m trying to do everything I can to get some kind of life.

[Tillpickle in reply to SlowDragon]

hope im not hijacking the thread SlowDragon by asking your T3 dose/timings please?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to NWA6]

The vitamin D test is ng/ml not UK units of nmol

Based in USA

So 34ng/ml is fine

Though a little higher about 40ng/ml might be better

[NWA6 in reply to SlowDragon]

I thought that range was strange 😬

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Coachgeorge]

So are these tests from after 6-8 weeks on 50mcg Levothyroxine and 5mcg T3 ?

[Coachgeorge in reply to SlowDragon]

No, all before T3

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Coachgeorge]

UK vitamin D units are nmol

Conversion of units to ng/ml here

endmemo.com/medical/unitcon...

[Coachgeorge]

Any thoughts?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Coachgeorge]

How much Levothyroxine were you on before T3 was added?

[Coachgeorge in reply to SlowDragon]

75mcg

[Aurealis]

You know I’m t3’s biggest fan, I believe it saved my life, but a higher dose of T4 might have made you feel better and I think you should have tried that first as T3 is so difficult to manage in comparison to T4. Not sure your dr knows what they’re doing. Trust your instinct at all times, it’s the only certain thing there is when drs give conflicting or poor advice and you may get different ideas on this forum too. Listen to everyone, but do your own thing. All the best to you x

[Coachgeorge in reply to Aurealis]

I’m not sure she knows what she’s doing, either. However, my T4 was too high to add more. My TSH suggested I needed more T4, too. My results were unusual so I think she tried the t3 because of conversion. I just know that I’m not getting any better.

[Aurealis in reply to Coachgeorge]

May be helpful to post your results. Did you take T4 on the day of you test, before test? Ah I’ve just seen results. I see.

[Coachgeorge in reply to Aurealis]

I did take the T4 that day. Until I joined this group, I’d always taken them. It’s been steadily increasing since November. 1.98 in November, 2.03 in January, 2.26 another time and 2.39 this last time. Anything over 1.8 is over range.

[Coachgeorge in reply to Aurealis]

Do you have any thoughts after seeing my results? I’m open to anything. A few folks suggested lowering my t3. I’d appreciate any help. Thank you.

[Aurealis]

Have another test but don’t take T4 before test?