I had radoactive iodine therapy in Jan 2019 and have felt really bad since...levo not agreeing with me.tried different brands.different dosages...nothing works .bloods .vitamins perfect etc!!finally been given T3 as well as taking 75mic levothyroxine...do I just take T3 and levo together in morning or leave a gap between one and the other..I want it to be as trouble free of syptoms as I can get...any idea's out there!!
Thankyou in anticipation!@@
BEFORE starting on any T3 your vitamin levels need to be optimal
Several previous posts you were asked to get these tested
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Can you add actual results and ranges and say what vitamin supplements you are taking
Vitamin D, Folate, Ferritin , B12 - All need to be tested regularly and frequently need supplementing to improve
Nether Levothyroxine or T3 can work without optimal vitamin levels
As you have Graves’ disease Are you on now on strictly gluten free diet?
Previous post shows Ft4 just above the top of range
How much levothyroxine were you on for that result?
How much T3 has endo prescribed ?
Has levothyroxine been reduced?
Adding T3 needs to be done EXTREMELY Slowly
1/4 of 20mcg tablet in morning .....or even an 1/8th for first few days
See what reaction is....
Adding 2nd 1/4 tablet mid afternoon...after a few days if going ok
Hold at that for 6-8 weeks and get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing
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).
If/when also on T3, make sure to take last 1/2 or 1/3rd of daily 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
Hey there Hurtlucker
When I trailed T3 for myself I took it with my T4 at around 3 in the morning to dovetail in with all that I had read about the circadian rhythm of the body.
I woke about 4 hours later feeling relaxed - my dose was then on 100 T4 + 6.25 T3 :
T3 has a short half life and most people, if they stay on a T4/T3 combo probably dose the T3 twice, if not three times in a 24 hour cycle, and little and often seems to suit the majority.
Do you have a current T3 and T4 blood test result so you have a bench mark to work from ?
Liothyronine is about 4 times more powerful than T4 so I must repeat your core strength needs to be strong and solid to support this active hormone and ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D need to be at optimal levels :
What dose has your endocrinologist suggested ?
Hi and thanks for replying..I have been prescribed 10mic to start but I am going to take 5mic split between am and pm to start and build up over 6 weeks then have bloods taken..sensible or not!!! Levo not reduced from 75mic a day all taken in morning on empty stomach with water...dear god what you have to do to yourself to get well!!! Thanks again for your help on this great forum. My doc.looks forward to me giving him your mags and information..
I think that sounds sensible -
Are you in the uk and getting the T3 on the NHS ?
Funnily enough I purchased second copies of both those books I recommended to you aged ago, and offered them to my doctor :
She declined, although knew I was dyslexic - and just referred to me as a conundrum :
Hey ho, hence my move to self medicate and stay away as fortunately ???? all my issues are thyroid ( or more precisely RAI ablation and no thyroid ) related !!!!!
Thyroid uk is all inclusive, the magazine is not mine, but a life line for me as well as you : I was very unwell and found with no support through the presumed medical specialists and it's thanks in the most part to this amazing website that I'm able try and help others who maybe in a similar predicament.
Hi again...I am in UK and my doctor gave me a private prescription as my Endo doesnt believe that it does any good!!! My doc gave it to another if his patients with similar issues three months ago and she is a different woman..so bought privately from Germany..no problem as my son in law is German!!!but in u.k pharmacies quoting 3.4 and 500 pounds fOr 56 tabs...when this is over I am going to register my dissatisfaction with my MP...NHS being ripped off as well..disgraceful.
Thanks for your help.
Yes, it's a common thread running through this website :
There was a T3 petition launched through here, questions have been raised Parliament and I think it's now been kicked up into the House of Lords, no answers then, and certainly no answers now.
Lucky to have a doctor who cares more for his/her patient than the NHS dogma currently being banned about.
But it’s also ESSENTIAL to check vitamin levels...as underlined by pennyannie too
Strongly recommend you test vitamin D ASAP
GP will only prescribe to bring levels to 50nmol.
ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...
But improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol may be better
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/218...
vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...
Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.
Test twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk
Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease we frequently need higher dose than average
Starting on one vitamin at a time recommended anyway
So vitamin D first
Also suggest reading up on importance of magnesium and vitamin K2 Mk7 supplements when taking vitamins
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
livescience.com/61866-magne...
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
Bone pain
easy-immune-health.com/pain...
naturalnews.com/038286_magn...
Vitamin K2 mk7
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
healthline.com/nutrition/vi...
Then at 6-8 weeks getting FULL thyroid and vitamin testing
medichecks.com/products/thy...
Come back with new post once you get results
If vitamin D is low, B vitamins may be too. As explained by Dr Gominack
drgominak.com/sleep/vitamin...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Hi ..thank you for your help...had full panel of vits done and doctor says all vits very good...taking vit D3 1000 iu per day and B12 1000 ug per day.also calcium.magnesium.zinc and vit D and been taking these for 7 months...eat lots of pate.fish and diet v.good on whole so cant be lacking can I!!! Cant take iron supps as they upset stomach..tried several brands all same result..think I have to say goodby to coffee!!! Sorry I dont have actual vit levels but I trust doc to tell me if anythkng amiss. You have to trust sometimes!!
Well we see thousands of members whose vitamin levels are anything but ok
A GP will only test for deficiencies
So will say vitamin D is fine if over 50nmol
But optimal is a minimum of 75nmol
And around 100nmol is possibly better
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/218...
vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...
B12 has extremely wide range. Usually 180-680. GP will say anything within range is OK. On levothyroxine we frequently need B12 as minimum of 500
Folate typically minimum levels is 3.5
But again over ten is likely necessary
Ferritin as minimum of half way through range
Being hypothyroid results in low stomach acid and poor nutrient absorption.
It has little to do with how good your diet is
articles.mercola.com/sites/...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...
healthygut.com/articles/3-t...
You are legally entitled to copies of your actual results and ranges on all tests
The fact GP has prescribed any vitamin supplements suggests deficiencies
It's not necessarily true. as irrespective of a good, wholesome diet, if your metabolism isn't working well, irrespective of what you eat, you may not be able to metabolise and breakdown your food into the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are essential for wellbeing and, in fact, for any thyroid hormone to work effectively.
It took me over a year to build up my ferritin, and I too couldn't handle the one tablet prescribed. I did ask for an alternative medication but nothing was forth coming.
Anyway, I used Solgar Gentle Iron, and also purchased Asda frozen chicken livers, which, once thawed, I whizzed down with a dollop of mayo after flash frying, and then kept the mixture in the fridge - treating myself to a dessert spoonful each day for breakfast.
The NHS guidelines are wide and I'm sorry but you can't go by them for yourself.
My ferritin came in at 22 - in a range of 15 - 180 ( I think ) anyway I was ' in range ' and considered good to go : though offered a prescription when I queried my low level :
Ferritin needs to be at around 100 for any thyroid hormone to work : please do your research as it will enable you to better understand the whole issue.
The reason why T3 was abruptly withdrawn from patients - without notice - who had been taking it for a long time - was due to the pharmaceutical companies charging astronomical sums for one pack. I think about £300 per pack (someone will correct if my amount is wrong). Considering you can get it in other countries at enormously reduced costs.
Even though a number of researchers have proven that a T4/T3 dose can alleviate many peoples awful clinical symptoms, the Associations do NOT care.
These 'supposed to be' experts have no idea howT3 can assist those who are more unwell when taking levothyroxine. The high cost of T3, I believe, was a perfect excuse to remove it from being prescribed. It didn't matter one iota if the patient was catupulted into ill-health.
I believe these doctors should be in another profession as 'healing' isn't one of their 'gifts' through the right dose of thyroid hormones which restore patients'health.
You are SPOT ON with your observations I tried to get my private prescription filled at every one of the "big"pharmacies and they all quoted fairy tale!figures for56 tabs
i.e 399.00 450.00 and 499..00
I am keeping a diary of my health abdvthe current situation and intend to cause a big stink via the newspapers if indeed this works for me...watch this space...it suits big pharma to keep us ill!!!!
Be aware that if Brexit ratification happens in Dec then access to EU medication using UK doctors prescriptions may cease
Obviously reluctance to prescribe T3 is largely cost based
But on almost any dose of T3 your TSH becomes suppressed and then medics frequently want to reduce dose. Essential to always test Ft4 and Ft3 at each test .
You need to be prepared to fight dose reductions
20% Patients with no thyroid can not regain full health on just Levothyroxine
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Indepth research into T3/NDT - very positive
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Media coverage
dailymail.co.uk/news/articl...
thyroidtrust.org/media-cove...
When to take my T3
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starting T3 - advice welcome 
Starting t3
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