Question on lowering levo while adding t3 - Thyroid UK

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Question on lowering levo while adding t3

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Hey lovely people,

I have seen a phenomenon it seems that I need to lower Levo to add t3, even though my ft4 is just around 65% of the range.

I am unable to go up to 10mcg of t3 with 125mcg of Levo without getting overdose symptoms.

When on slight increase Levo to 137.5 and 5 t3 I don't get stiffness and bloated arms legs, have libido, but I am severely depressed, and I'm heavy weight-wise.

On 137 + 7.5 I'm more hypo, but with a few overdose symptoms.

On 125 mcg Levo and 7.5 t3 my arms are like lead, have lowered libido, stiff, a bit tired etc, but I'm not depressed and seems to be losing some water/weight.

This puzzles me! I don't know if I should go up to 125/137 alternating and 7.5 t3 or lower Levo to 112.5 and go up on my t3 to possibly 12.5 or more...

Thanks in advance x

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12 Replies

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SeasideSusieRemembering6 years ago

It's all trial and error, we can only experiment to find the doses that suit us best. It took me a couple of years of tweaking to find the right dose of Levo and T3 to give me the FT4/FT3 levels that seem to suit me best.

• in reply toSeasideSusie6 years ago

Thank you SeasideSusie! I'm already on this over 2 years! But only started combining some months ago, I was on NDT beforehand. I have a suspicion that I need lower ft4 and higher ft3, just afraid to lower my t4 even more to become more hypo

DippyDame6 years ago

Do you have any recent test results? It would help us if you post those plus ranges.

You need to establish if you are converting adequately, FT4 and FT3 results will do that.

Are your nutrients at optimal level in order to support conversion

Do you have the Dio2 polymorphism which suggests you need to add T3....especially if it is homozygous..

The rest is trial and error and takes time patience and determination....not easy I know when you feel awful but the end result will be worth it.

There is light at the end of the tunnel it took me nearly two years and much reading and help and support from here to reach what appears now to be my optimal level

There is no quick fix and titration must be slow and steady.

Ask if you need help....somebody will have an answer!

Good luck.

• in reply toDippyDame6 years ago

Thanks DippyDame!

I am a bad converter, my high ft4 gives me only a low under mid-range ft3 on Levo only.

I had some inaccurate blood results as my lab took 6 days to process bloods so I could chuck these results in the bin

I go by how I feel mostly now.

All my vits are optimal - high in range..ferritin is improving by a mile. No issues there.

I don't know about polymorphism.

Yeah...it seems like this will take longer than suspected. I would like to get pregnant, but have no chance now and I'm approaching 36...

DippyDame• in reply to6 years ago

A polymorphism is a genetic variant.

You might find this interesting

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin... give up on pregnancy...

You will probably find people here who can advise you on this....just ask

christina616 years ago

Hi cupofcha thank u for your email yesterday i dont know if you received my message to you or not ? Anyhow im going through it a bit i started 150mcg levo last oct but after nearly 9mths the nausea has come back ive had it now about 2mths and this was the reason i came of it and went onto NDT...so at a loss as to whether to open and try this TRMANN ndt that i bought 8mths ago ...i tried to up the dose of levo 175mcgs every other day but the nausea the same on 150 and 175 so at a loss vits are all optimal so dont know what to do...ive been reading ur posts so ur in a bit of a dilema to...im.sending u hugs and kisses xxx

• in reply tochristina616 years ago

Hey Christina, I haven't received your message yesterday.

I'm sorry to hear it Hun x did you feel good on Nature Throid to start with? I think you said you did and only after reformulation you went downhill. If so, you should be good to move to tman I'd say? What's your gut telling you?

Yes, similar here. It's like I'm going back to similar dosage I had on NDT in order to feel well. In fairness I have never felt good on NatureT, only Armour worked for me before x this dilemma is though. I am now at 72 kilos up from 65, this is going to Levo only and tweaking t3 now

christina616 years ago

Yep i know ive put on a weight to since going back to levo xx i think what have i got to loose really i will start on maybe 1 1/2 grains and build up to 2 grains and see how i get on ....cant feel much worse having nausea all the time ...no fun x

6 years ago

Absolutely - let's do this together, I'm upping my t3 and reducing my t4, but it's interesting that as I reduce Levo, I don't feel so drugged up anymore....I believe you. You can always go back worst case scenario, but I'd say there is a chance it will suit you xxxx

dolphin56 years ago

I've been adding T3 to T4 for just over 4 years now. Initially I needed more T3 than I need now, but since the first 3 months when 25mcg every day had no negative impact, I have taken gradually less, but not the same amount every day. I now take 20mcg tablets, and some days I take 5mcg, while on my most active days, I take 10mcg. If I take 10mcg every day, I feel after a few days that it is becoming too much (unless I'm on a walking holiday or similar), and if I take 5mcg every day, after a few days it feels like too little.

One of my guides is my resting heart rate, as measured by a Fitbit. I've learned by trial, error and blood tests what to look for, and what might be too high or too low (combining this with how I feel, and the other factors that might explain my heart rate changes).

I say all of this to indicate just how important the trial and error is. If your life is much the same every day, you might be able to take the same dose every day eventually. But like me, you might first have some catching up to do, and you'll certainly have to learn what suits your body, and what it seems to need.

I have had 4 years of improvements since starting T3 and it is only recently that I have felt "back to normal" (apart from the stress of having to go through all of this!!!)

• in reply todolphin56 years ago

Thank you dolphin5, this is very helpful! Super happy to hear you got there! Fingers crossed I will get there too

christina616 years ago

Hi sweetie i am so sorry to hear ur not well babe...i was in bed yesterday i felt as though i had been run over by a juggernaut!!i felt terrible...i had no sleep the night b4 just could not doze of only got 2 hrs so felt awful xx i havent introduced ndt yet im a liitle scared to be honest cos some days i feel about 60% which when uve been in bed for nearly 3 years is good that i can get up firstly then do stuff even better so im a little doubtful that it will do me any good in the long run. Whats going on with u then? Tell me ....

Im sending you big hugs dont cry you will feel better i promise xxx