T3 addition to Armour Thyroid? Any experiences to share?

[kikiweight]

Hi, once again I’m coming to ask this community instead of my doctor bc you all seem to know much more.

So here goes. I’ve had classic signs of hypothyroidism for a few years now but always with ‘normal’ TSH levels; self diagnosed about 6 months ago; been on 60mg of Armour Thyroid for a few months now, and have felt greatly improved but still struggling with weight, constipation, and some fatigue and headaches. But overall, much better. I have my life back on AT.

After some back and forth, my Endo- despite saying my recent labs looked ‘beautiful’- has agreed to add some T3 in. So I’m just starting liothyronine 2 times a day. Dosage is 5mcg. So this plus 60 of AT.

And here are my most recent labs. Fwiw, those labs were taken a week after dosing down a bit on T3/T4 (long story) and after only a week with a decrease of meds, I had a flare up of hypo symptoms- headaches that put me in bed after work each day, fatigue, etc.

Any thoughts to share? I’m also not sure exactly how to take the T3.

[Lalatoot]

I'm sorry but if those labs were done 1 week after a dose change they can tell us very little of relevance. You need to be on a steady dose for 6 weeks minimum for labs to be valid.

[kikiweight in reply to Lalatoot]

Hi, that’s not remotely an option- and would be very bad for me- bc as I mentioned the dosing of lowered T3 and T4 was a mistake by my Endo and short lived. My point being that even with just a week on lowered T3 and T4 and my symptoms flared. There is zero reason I’d continue on those meds given it was a mistake and my physical symptoms reacted.

My primary meds are the 60 AT and those I’ve been on for awhile.

Any other response?

[Lalatoot in reply to kikiweight]

Yes I understand that. But we cannot comment based on those labs as they are not valid. T3 has a short half life and the FT3 on those results will be low as a result of the week of reduced meds.

[Hidden in reply to kikiweight]

I agree, you can't stay too long on labs like that and be bedbound. If symptoms are so severe my GP normally tests every 2 weeks until it is bearable.

Are you taking armour once a day? Have you tried taking more Armour as your TSH is not suppressed or low?

If it comes to t3, I take mine with 4 in the morning, once a day. Some people get better effects doing it, splitting can result in a weaker outcome, but it is more gentle for some people.

Is it 5mcg x 2 times a day? If I were you, I would add 5 mcg t3 in the morning and then wait 2 weeks to see how you react, then add another 5 mcg.

Adding 10 mcg in one go might backfire.

[kikiweight in reply to Hidden]

Thanks this is helpful! Yep, the labs are frustrating but I wasn’t willing to go any longer on that lowered dose- I dropped from 60 AT once a day to a much lower dose of a compounded T4 t3- a mistake by my confused Endo- and I could barely function after a week. No way I was going to wait 6 weeks to test! I could tell immediately the dose wasn’t right.

So I went back to 60 AT, and based on my symptoms and those labs, my Endo said I could add T3. It’s 5, twice a day.

Thanks for the advice re dosing. I will try this