t4 t3 combo or just t4

[abartme]

Anyone do better with t4 and t3 combo instead of the recommended t4 only ?Been doing this for several months now, I don't like the roller coaster effect from the combo even though I break up the dose. T4 is so much easier but I didn't feel right, even with great labs.. anyone think there's NO difference with the same equivalence in dosage ? Easy to over amp with t3, sometimes I have a rapid pulse..other times I feel soooo sluggish..Do not have reverse t3. Thanks !

[shaws Administrator]

The fillers/binders in thyroid hormone repalcements can affect us negatively.

Research has shown that a T4/T3 combination helps many. I am aware that many split their doses but I will give you a link by an expert in thyroid hormones (he died due to an accident). He himself took T3 alone. He didn't believe in splitting doses and only prescribed NDT or T3 for patients who were resistant to thyroid hormones.

Excerpt from following link:-

"Interestingly, Dr. Toft has waffled in his viewpoint. At the 21stJoint Meeting of the British Endocrine Societies, April 2002, he made a concession that many thought they would never hear fromhim.[390] He cited studies showing that restoring normal levels of thyroid hormone in the cells of hypothyroid rats is possible only when they’re treated with a combination of T3 and T4.[30][58] He then noted a study in which the use of both T3 and T4 by human patients was superior to that of T4 alone. The patients’ cognitive function was better when they used both hormones.[392]“It would appear,” he then stated, “that the treatment of hypothyroidism is about to come full circle.” By this, Toft meant that the use of T3 and T4 in combination—as was used throughout most of the 20th century—is the superior therapy.Then, on August 14, 2002, he contradicted his recent public statements. On that date, he wrote a letter replying to thyroid patient advocate Linda Thipthorp in Cornwall, UK. “I would reiterate,” he wrote, “that the overwhelming majority of patients feel perfectly well taking Thyroxine [sic] alone in a dose that restores serum TSH to normal.”[393]

The absurdity of this view is obviousfrom the percentages in Table 1.Rather than being satisfied with T4-replacement, as Toft claims,thousands of hypothyroid patients are highly dissatisfied with theircontinuing hypothyroid symptoms. Many are outraged at endocrinologists’ arrogant dismissal of their continuing symptoms as features of mysterious “new diseases” such as fibromyalgia,chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). And some patients, although relieved when they promptly recover their health with the thyroid hormone therapy we describe in this chapter, are furious that conventional therapy kept them sick for so long." and from the same link a further section:-

"Unfortunately, we can’t determine when we first evaluate a patient whether she has thyroid hormone resistance. We can only suspect that she might. If she has a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, chronicfatigue syndrome, or ME, this means that she has symptoms typicalof hypothyroidism or thyroid hormone resistance.The symptoms, of course, are also typical of other possible conditions. The most common ones are multiple nutritional deficiencies, cortisol deficiency, low physical fitness, or the use of metabolism-slowing drugs. Any of these may cause symptoms remarkably similar to those of thyroid hormone deficiency or resistance.

nebula.wsimg.com/e0c9c9ed95...

Read the whole article and Dr Lowe was an expert in Thyroid Hormone Resistance and he would never prescribe levo - only NDT or T3 alone.

Another excerpt from the above link. It will be helpfu to you to read the whole article, I feel.

"Bear in mind that many patients who have failed to benefit from T4alone or combined T3 and T4, recover from their symptoms on fairly low doses of T3. Patients and the doctors treating them withT3 shouldn’t forget this. High enough doses of T3 can be harmfulto anyone, and it’s crucial that patients not subject themselves to overstimulation from excessive doses."

[SlowDragon Administrator]

There’s nothing on your profile

Do you have Hashimoto’s

Are your vitamins optimal

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine and T3

Are you on strictly gluten free diet

[greygoose]

It rather depends on your levels before starting the combo. If you were a poor converter, then it's more likely to help than if you weren't. If you were converting perfectly normally then swapping out some of your levo for T3 is unlikely to do anything for you. T3 is not some magical potion to make you feel better. It will only help you if you need it.

[fuchsia-pink]

I do much better on combo - I've tried both - but then I'm a poor converter and really need my lio. But I accept it's not for everyone: some people find it too strong; some don't actually need it as they convert well enough, they just need more levo and a doctor who isn't overly TSH-obsessed.

What dose are you on? Do you have recent blood tests to share?

[abartme]

Thanks for everyone's post, was not able to get on here for awhile. Good stuff, we're all so very individual. My TSH is NOW 2.25 free t3 3.3 free t4 .94 two weeks ago tsh 1.01 free t3 3.3 free t4 1.03 which sent me into tachycardia and high blood pressure attacks for some reason. Was taking 50mcg tirosint with 7mcg liothyronine. I'm guessing the liothyronine set me off, docs don't have a clue. ..Others do great with those numbers..was off meds 6 days, only on 25mcg tirosint and still have bouts of tachycardia, feel hyper and off. I'm not a poor converter, no Hashi's either. Just want to get back to normal on Tirosint I think..also working on being gluten free, and taking 200mcg of selenium now. Not sure if selenium actually does anything but I'll try it..hope everyone is healthy and covid free out there !!!