I am taking T3 and have found the right level to resolve all of my symptoms is 3 x 5mcg per day. The problem is that my TSH is suppressed at 0.1 which is putting pressure on my Endo and GP to reduce the dose.
We have tried this and reduced by 1 x 5mcg so I am now taking 2 x 5mcg per day instead of three. My symptoms have returned, my T3 blood levels have dropped and my TSH is still suppressed at 0.1.
Is anybody else in the same position or has experience of this who can share how they have resolved this with their Endo/GP?
Any comments much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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hackman
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This is just what taking T3 does - lower, even suppress TSH. If doctors don't know this then they know very little about how T3 works and in that case why are they prescribing it? Makes you wonder. I'm afraid I don't know of any official information/links that backs this up but it's very obvious you need to go back to your original amount so I'd emphasise the difference it makes to your symptoms on the lower dose so you need the higher dose.
Did they test the FT3 ? You are only over medicated when your,FT3 is over range. Even then some people here are only well when over range ... Best to go by how you feel 🥰
My T3 dropped from 6.1 on 3 x 5mcg per day to 4.7 on 2 x 5mcg per day. Am going back to 3 per day and collecting evidence to provide to my GP to enable her to keep prescribing 3 per day. Thanks for your reply!
Almost everyone on any dose of T3 has suppressed TSH ...it’s inevitable and not a problem (apart from dealing with ill informed medics)
Most important results are Ft3, followed by Ft4
If Ft3 is not over range, you are not over treated
Essential to regularly retest vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 too, especially if you have Hashimoto’s
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 5mcg 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?
If you add your most recent results and ranges members can comment
My results having been reduced from 15mcg daily to 10mcg daily were
TSH 0.01, T4 18.4, T3 4.7 ranges as above.
I also have the gene mutation and as a result of lack of T3 to the brain I suffered terrible vertiginous migraines. These stopped when I reached my ideal dose of T3. Interestingly, the day I received my blood test results on the reduced T3 dose I had the biggest migraine I have ever had with severe vertigo and vomitting. It lasted 12 hours but the effects lasted three days. I have therefore increased back to my ideal dose and will have to have this fight with my gp next week when we have a phone consultation.
15 mcg is not a lot so should be OK. It's difficult to interpret fT3 when you are taking T3, ideally you would have the blood taken about half-way between doses. Are you taking levothyroxine also?
It would seem that you TSH is so low because of insufficient stimulation from the pituitary rather than too much hormone. I call this 'subnormal TSH secretion' simply because there is no other name for it. It's not true central hypothyroidism which is usually more severe and usually involves other pituitary hormones.
L-T3 is about 3x as potent as L-T4 so your dose equates to 100 + 15x3 = 145 mcg L-T4 which is not a high dose. Your endocrinologist is interpreting the TSH wrongly, it is insufficient, it is not suppressed. Push hard to keep your 15 mcg dose, it's a modest dose and any (very) minor risks and more than compensated by the harm done by a 10 mcg dose.
So next test make sure to take last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
8-12 hours gap between last dose T3 and test
Most recent test, as you took levothyroxine before test, the Ft4 is a false high
Yes I have heterozygous Dio2 gene variation. I find it essential to take T3 as 3 doses per days at equal 8 hour gaps. 20mcg per day - 10mcg at 7am, 5mcg at 3pm and 5mcg at 11pm
I also split my levothyroxine 125mcg per day. 100mcg at 11pm and 25mcg at 7am.
If taking any supplements that contain biotin make sure to stop a week before any blood tests (eg vitamin B complex) Biotin can falsely affect test results
I take mine at 7 hour intervals and have been fine with that - but will pay attention to how I am doing and change to 8 if necessary. Interestingly I woke up with the migraine so the long gap between 7pm the night before to 6am was obviously too long although this was on the reduced dose. Now I am back up to full dose I will keep an eye on it.
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 have Hashimoto’s, are you on strictly gluten free diet?
Yes, thank you for this. My endo (private) has passed my care to my GP (fab) and she asked that I go to the same place as previously for my most recent blood test so that we had a direct comparison. From now on I will got to medichecks as I have a local surgery who will draw blood for them. This will give me all of the vitamins etc checks that I need too.
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