Placebo

[Angelic69]

Hi all. as you know ive been combination therapy for a while now and have had no problems with energy levels and even applied for some jobs. Well i recently started my new batch of T3 and within days my energy levels have crashed right back down and i feel unable to work again.

My levels for both T3 and T4 were high on my last blood test, 16 and 18, so i think they may have given me a placebo instead of the real T3 as i remember only feeling this low and tired before T3.

Can anyone else think of any reasons why my energy levels would drop so dramatically. I could stay awake until 10pm, now im tired when i wake and need to lie down again by 4pm. I feel ive lost my life again and feel like crying. I dont know why they do this to people. I did tell them that i had taken the entire days replacement within half hour of my last blood draw instead of splitting.

[greygoose]

They don't give people placebos for thyroid hormone replacement. I don't think such a thing exists. But, if you took your T3 just before your blood draw, your FT3 would have been high, and they would therefore have reduced your dose and that is why you now have no energy. Can you check the dosage? They just cannot get their heads round the fact that taking thyroid hormone too close to the blood draw affects the results, so doesn't matter how often you tell them, they just won't take any notice, I'm afraid. They are all so very ignorant.

[Angelic69 in reply to greygoose]

Thanks Greygoose.

[greygoose in reply to Angelic69]

You're welcome.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Can you tell us exactly what you have been given? And what you used to have?

While a few medicines have at times been prescribed as if they were placebos, there is no way for a doctor to prescribe a sugar pill (or whatever it is made from) as if it were a real medicine.

There are many reasons for this. Not least, if they could prescribe "real "T3 or "placebo" T3, people would be absolutely certain to make mistakes. It is also regarded as unethical.

greygoose

[Angelic69 in reply to helvella]

My T3 comes in a brown bottle so no makers marks are displayed.

I read that they do double blind tests so thought maybe thats what they had done.

Today my energy levels are okay again but i have taken Complete B for three days which may be the difference.

Thanks helvella.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Angelic69]

Any trials with placebos will be governed by strict protocols.

For example, they must explain that you are being offered the opportunity to be enrolled in a trial. If the trial gives half the people a real medicine and half a placebo, that would have to be explained.

Of course, you might not be told whether you are receiving the placebo or the real medicine, depending on how they have designed the trial. (Some trials are open-label where everyone knows, others are blinded so no-one knows until afterwards.)

Always make it clear that you want a Patient Information Leaflet - every time you get your prescription dispensed. Then you should know exactly what they are giving you.