LIothyronine

[Hello0]

I am new at this and only have T3 a little on the low side. My dr gave me liothyronine at 25 mg, it made heart palpitations, and I noticed my bones and joint seemed to be cracking all over, only after 3 days. Waited 2 months and started again at only 2.5 mg and in 2 days my leg was in major pain, apparently sciatica, it took two weeks to get past it...I only took the medicine 2 days. Is there any reason these things would be connected and what would I do.. The brand is Sigma

[silverfox7]

I’ve not had this issue but I have read that some can’t take T3 if their vits etc are t optimal. So ask your doctor to test Vit D, B12, folate and Ferritin. You may well need to supplement as they need to be optimal, not just in range so if you post your results and the ranges we can help you with that. Have you got the original readings the doctor did as usually our T4 should produce the T3 so we may suspect something wrong there and optimal vits etc can also reverse that so you need to be aware of that as well. It may be being on optimal vits etc you may not need as much T3 if at all so be aware that could happen.

[Hello0 in reply to silverfox7]

Yes I have all these and we are working on them.. I have not been able to get them all up where t hey need to be because I can only take lower doses of everything and go slow, because I can get anxiety or irritability from higher doses of all of them. So slow it goes..but I sure did like how I felt otherwise on the low T3 for those couple days just did not like the bone and joint issue.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you have any recent blood test results to add?

BEFORE starting on any T3 we need GOOD vitamin levels

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

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Do you have Hashimoto’s?

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

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

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

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

Is this how you do your tests?

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

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

For thyroid including antibodies and vitamins

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

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 £29 (via NHS private service )

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

Add results...or come back with new post once you get results

[HashiFedUp]

Unusual side effect but maybe it’s not the one for you. Can you try a different brand of t3 perhaps? There’s always NDT as well.

[Hello0 in reply to HashiFedUp]

Thank you, I can't seem to get my Dr to give me NDT, she thinks it could make me hyperthyroid..I only have slighly low T3, and T4 is fine.