Throat is tight after Med decrease - normal?

[Fmljkl]

Hi, I made a very slight decrease in my tirosint. I was taking 88mcg every night and. Is I’m alternating 88 and 75. This is day 4 and my throat feels tight. Is this normal? How long will it last?

[greygoose]

Well, I have to ask the obvious question: why did you reduce your dose? Sounds as if you are now under-medicated, so it is unlikely that your new symptom will go away.

[Fmljkl in reply to greygoose]

I dropped t4 because I'm hungry all the time. If I drop t3, I get really bad body pain.

[greygoose in reply to Fmljkl]

If you're hungry all the time, eat. You get hungry because you need nutrients, not because you're taking T4. Have you had your nutrients tested: vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin? They're probably low. So, it would be a better idea to optimise them, rather than reducing your levo and making yourself hypo.

[Fmljkl in reply to greygoose]

Oh I have been tracking heart rate during workouts and it was 180 on super slow jogs so my Endo said to decrease.

[Fmljkl in reply to greygoose]

All my vitamin levels are great. Not deficient in anything.

[greygoose in reply to Fmljkl]

And how is your FT3 level?

[Fmljkl in reply to greygoose]

It’s 3.4 on a scale of 2.0-4.4

I got my blood drawn at noon. I take an afternoon dose of t3 at 1:30pm.

[Fmljkl in reply to Fmljkl]

I also take am dose at 6:30am of t3

[greygoose in reply to Fmljkl]

So, you took your T3 at 6.30, then had the blood draw at 12? That's only a gap of 5 1/2 hours, should be a minimum of 8 hours. So you have a false high, there. And that's only just over mid-range. So, my thinking is that your real FT3 level is too low, and will be even lower now you've decreased your levo. Which probably accounts for your tight throat.

[Fmljkl in reply to greygoose]

I dunno what to do! I am just very concerned with my HR being so high during what should be a very easy jog.

[greygoose in reply to Fmljkl]

Well, maybe you shouldn't be jogging with a low FT3. Just gentle walking. But, if it were me, I would put my dose back up to what it was. See if that helps your tight throat.

[thyr01d in reply to greygoose]

Ah Greygoose, and please excuse me Fmljkl for interrupting your thread, I see you say 8 hours after taking T3 before bloods being drawn, could I ask you more? My last two bloods have shown T3 too high, GP worried, endo said he will review this at my next appointment which is not until next summer. Endo advised first result showed T3 too high because drawn too soon after taking T3 and that bloods should be drawn 4 hours after taking T3.

I'm nervous about taking too much, already have osteopoenia and an enlarged heart and heart murmur and there are conflicting views about these and T3/T4, suppressed TSH. So, I don't want to continue for months on a dose that is too high, but feel worse if I reduce.

You usually have good sources so I'm wondering where you got your 8 hours from and if I should leave 8 hours next time.

[greygoose in reply to thyr01d]

I don't have a source, no, except for this forum, where it is always said to leave 8 to 12 hours between the last dose of T3 and the blood draw. If you only leave four hours, all you are testing is the last dose you took. So, your result will be a false high. I do have to wonder, when endos say things like that, if they're setting their patients up to fail. Are they really that ignorant, or do they have their own agenda?

[thyr01d in reply to greygoose]

Hi Greygoose and thanks. Although my endo has done a lot for me and I'm sure he doesn't have an agenda even so, as you say, you do wonder if they are mis-remembering or not thinking it through when advising sometimes.

[greygoose in reply to thyr01d]

Ah, you're a lot more kind-spirited than me! lol

[Duckydoodle in reply to thyr01d]

Google Dr. Isabella Wentz, the thyroid pharmacist. She suggests a timing protocol for labs for those taking T4 only and those on combo meds. Her recommendations are based on actual studies. If memory serves she says blood levels of T3 peak at 5 hours after dose and then begin to fall - pretty sure she suggests testing 12 hours after last dose of T3.

[thyr01d in reply to Duckydoodle]

Hi Duckydoodle, I've just spent ages scrolling through Isabella Wentz's site but haven't found this information. Could you tell me where within the site you found the timing protocol please?

[Duckydoodle in reply to thyr01d]

I don’t recall where exactly I found it but I’ve come across it several times, sorry. Maybe try googling the topic and her name? If I can find it I’ll come back and share.

[thyr01d in reply to Duckydoodle]

Hello again Duckydoodle, tried that but no success. You may have seen from my post above that I already have osteopoenia and an enlarged heart and a heart murmur. There are conflicting views about the effects on the bones and heart of taking T3/T4, especially if so much that TSH is suppressed. Therefore, I don't want to do anything, like leave 8 hours if that's too long, and be left on a dose that is in reality too high with the risks to heart and bones. The labs are informed of the meds we are on and make allowance for that in their reports back to the GPs so leaving 8 hours after being advised by the endo to leave 4 hours could be giving him a false reading. If I could find somewhere that said 8 hours, I could email it to my endo and ask him.

Anyway, thank-you for your advice and if you can find the article I would be very grateful for it.

[Myro in reply to Fmljkl]

Your hunger has not been connected with your level of T3. Only weith gaining or loosing has.

It has conection with blood sugar and insulin.

For thyroid troubles it is recommended to go on low carb diet. Just 50 to 150 g of carbohydrates daily. Nothing sweet even sweeteners. Low GI, gluten free. Ever with other food and some fat. Meat, vegetable ( no goitrogen only), non rafinerated oils for calories. It will reduce hungr.

If you have pisiho effects, eat every two hours just a bite to maintain blood sugar under minimum. Caunt calories.

One sweet cooffy cause hanger to empty fridge and destroy cookies stock. It takes 3 day of trouble to come back on line.

Wish happy, Healthy New Year. !

[Lovecake]

Don’t know if this is the same for you, but when my thyroid levels are low, if I do anything involving movement, my heart rate is higher than it usually would be.

[Hidden in reply to Lovecake]

interesting! Thank you for mentioning that. I think I'm still undermedicated and that might be a reason