Finally had a good day - I think T3 is starting... - Thyroid UK

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Finally had a good day - I think T3 is starting to work!

suztango profile image
21 Replies

Hi all, thought I'd give you all a bit of an update. No bloods yet - waiting till December.

Thank you all for your help. I never felt good on levo. And the more I took, the worse I felt.

I got a private prescription from my Endo. And got the T3 from Germany.

I was on 100mg levo. I tried to do what my endo said (25mg levo in the morning + 10mg T3 twice day) but it was too much change. Felt awful and my vertigo really kicked in. So now I'm taking 75mg levo in the morning and 5mg T3 twice daily.

Yesterday I went swimming. Only managed half an hour and I took it easy. And today I actually felt good. (Before I was punished the day after I did any exercise.)

My head fog is clearing and I can actually think!!!

I always thought it was normal to have a post lunch slump - to the point where it was utter torture to stay awake. Over the last few years it's got worse and worse. But today I could concentrate. A little sleepy but totally copeable (totally made that word up).

It's early days still of course and I still do have other symptoms. But yey!

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suztango
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21 Replies
Buddy195 profile image
Buddy195Administrator

So glad you’ve found medication that’s easing your symptoms suztango. Great news!

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to Buddy195

Thank you :)

adin profile image
adin

Why don't you take all T3 in the morning.

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to adin

It's an idea that I want to try at some point. Just want to get used to this first. Then I'll start tweaking with things like dose and timings.

It would be great to be able to take T3 once a day. Is there a reason you have suggested it to me?

Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot in reply to suztango

Some folk take their t3 in one dose as they find that they respond better to it that way. It is to do with t3 flooding the cell receptors which suits some better. I personally need my hormones in smaller doses.

Glad you are on the up!

adin profile image
adin in reply to suztango

I found that it does not help me to take it twice a day, it only helps me if the morning dose is greater or equal than 10mcg, I have lot of energy all day long and lift my brain fog. If I split the 10 mcg in two I feel as tired as if I had taken only 5mcg (in the morning). On the other hand, if I take only the morning dose, my pulse increases in the evening(around 8pm) and I don't know why.

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to adin

That's really interesting. Ive only just started my journey with T3 so I'm yet to find these things out. Thanks for sharing

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to suztango

Many members split their dose of T3. One of Thyroiduk's Advisers (now deceased) was an expect in the use of T3 and stated that a once daily dose is best as it floods the T3 Receptor Cells and then it sends out 'waves' which last between one to three days.

I take mine once daily and it suits me.

I have actually trialled what he suggested (out of curiosity) and found that 'yes' the effect of one daily dose, could last three days.

suztango

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to shaws

Wow thanks for sharing

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to adin

Or are you asking my why I take T3 twice a day out of interest?

This is because T3 is much more potent and the reserves in the blood deplete much very quickly. The half life of T3 is around a day.

McPammy profile image
McPammy

Well done you!!

Great to hear you are having positive results.

Some people take T3 once a day.

Others have to spread it throughout the day.

I’m on 75mcg Levothyroxine and 5mcg T3 twice a day also. This was prescribed by my private Endocrinologist, who is very senior in the Endocrine world. This really works for me. I find that if I take T3 in one go or even have an increase it has a negative response with my adrenals. Then my adrenals can’t keep up and I go backwards very soon.

We are all different and you just need to listen to your body. You know when you’ve got the balance right.

Well done keep it up but don’t overdo it or start altering your medication unless you need to as it’s all a fine line.

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to McPammy

Thank you for sharing and your advice

Maramonro profile image
Maramonro in reply to McPammy

Hello there, I am curious if you talk about t3 effect on adrenal glands? How do you know it affects you and did you have a blood test done to confirm?

McPammy profile image
McPammy in reply to Maramonro

Hi

I had a Levothyroxine increase last year. I became very unwell after 4 weeks. I collapsed and was taken to hospital. They checked my cortisol which was very low at 68 (155-607) at 11am. My thyroid bloods were over medicated. And I was hardly converting T4 to active T3 either. I had a synacthen test for Addison’s but I haven’t got that thankfully. As soon as my Levothyroxine dose was decreased I felt better but still very weak. I was put on T3 some months later. It was like a miracle. Recently my T3 was increased and the same thing happened to me. I know it’s my adrenals as I have had pains in my lower back when the increases started. I don’t know what the problem is exactly with my adrenals but they certainly do not like thyroid medication increases. I will be speaking with my private Endocrinologist this week about it.

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to McPammy

Thanks for sharing. That's really interesting. I have low cortisol too. (But my Synacthen test came out fine too.) But I still have low cortisol. I'm doing my regenerus cortisol test today, in fact. Then I'm going to try adrenal cortex. I heard it can help.

McPammy profile image
McPammy in reply to suztango

That’s interesting I was only looking at getting my full day cortisol checked with Regenerus yesterday!

I find that if my thyroid medication goes too high for me that my cortisol sinks quite rapidly. Do you know if you have a conversion issue T4 to T3. I’m positive gene DIO2. Maybe this has done baring on it. Maybe not? I get my cortisol checked monthly and I noticed a brilliant rise when I started T3. But it’s keeping it from not getting to high. My recent increase has definitely caused the pain in my back right where my adrenals sit. I’m getting my bloods done this coming week. But as I’ve stopped my increased T3 this week I’m starting to feel better. Today at last I’m having a better day. Just takes a while for thyroid medication levels to go down again and adrenals to catch up.

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to McPammy

So interesting. I don't know what my adrenals are doing at the moment. I got it tested a while ago. I just know something is not right as I find it almost impossible to get up and also I wake often in the night.

I have s DI01 gene variant (not DI02). Which means I do have a T4 to T3 conversion issue to some extent, and I clear rT3 less quickly than others.

I know we need both cortisol and T3 for each cell to make energy. But I don't understand why, if you increase T3, the adrenals have to catch up. Oh, I think I've just answered my own question!

Thyroid17 profile image
Thyroid17 in reply to suztango

Hi Suztango, can you recommend where to get D101 testing? Thanks

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to Thyroid17

Yes. Here is an article I found Just now. It has 3 links - 2 for testing both DI01 and DI02, and 1 for testing just DI02.

recoveringwitht3.com/blog/d...

I used the Blue Horizons Thyroid DNA test. I was going to put a link here for you but their website is totally rubbish. It doesn’t tell you exactly what they test for! I guess you could email them and ask.

Thyroid17 profile image
Thyroid17 in reply to suztango

Thankyou Suztango

suztango profile image
suztango in reply to Thyroid17

No problem :)

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