How long for T3 to work?

[Manjiajk]

Hi, I've just reduced my levothyroxine and have just started taking T3. How long does it take for T3 to work? I've read different things. Thank-you.

[NWA6]

Hi Manjiajk 👋 Youve read different things because it’s different for everyone. I felt instantly better, day 1. Maybe that’s because I didn’t introduce slowly. I added 15mcg split 3 ways and felt all my symptoms fade within that 24hr period. I then added another 5mcg 6wks later and then after a year (just 3wks ago) I added another 5mcg which I inserted into my afternoon. This time it took 5days to notice the difference.

[Manjiajk in reply to NWA6]

Thanks for this. My dose is split into three lots of 5mcg per day. I've reduced my levothyroxine and feel more tired because of this.

[NWA6 in reply to Manjiajk]

Did you reduce Levo before starting T3 or at the same time?

[Manjiajk in reply to NWA6]

At the same time so I reduced the levothyroxine the day I started the T3.

[NWA6 in reply to Manjiajk]

So you wouldn’t yet feel the effects of less Levo. Was your FT4 high or out of range?

[Manjiajk in reply to NWA6]

FT4 was high. I think it was about 27 or 28.

[NWA6 in reply to Manjiajk]

So yes. That was the right thing to do for you as it was too high which may have contributed to conversion issues. Most would say drop Levo for 7-14 days before starting T3 because it can take up to that long for the levels to drop.

[Manjiajk in reply to NWA6]

OK. Thank you.

[Manjiajk in reply to NWA6]

Did you have any weight loss after introducing T3?

[NWA6 in reply to Manjiajk]

Yes. After a week I lost 3kg, so obviously water. So far I’ve lost 6kg and I still have 5kg to go but I’m so happy I keep eating good food and drinking wine 🍷 😂 But if I was bothered I’d know my efforts would work.

When not on T3 I barely ate and put on 12kg but I was quite skinny because I was going through a hyper phase and running a yard (horses) unfortunately this proved to be quite fatal for my thyroid and sent me into the lowest hypo since I was diagnosed. Gotta watch those stressful situations!

[Manjiajk in reply to NWA6]

I've put on 3 stone. I've lost 1.5 stone so still have another 1.5 stone to go. I'm hoping taking T3 will shift it.

[NWA6 in reply to Manjiajk]

Well it won’t shift it and it will be harder to shift and then you get in a loop of wearing yourself out trying to shift it which means stressing your body and stressors lead to more impact on thyroid function which leads to a stalemate. Only advise I can give is good wholesome food made from scratch, nothing restrictive, active lifestyle without going gym mad, slowly loose the weight rather than pushing for it. When you lack T3 and need to supplement then it’ll be a resource to allow changes to happen but it’s a fine balance so be careful 🤗

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

It will take time for high Ft4 to drop

How much have you reduced levothyroxine by?

Ideally you would have reduced levothyroxine for 3-5 days before starting T3

But carry on as you are...as you have started

3 x 5mcg at 8 hour intervals

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested?

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Important for vitamin levels to be good, helps make transition to Levo plus T3 easier

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for this. Levothyroxine has been dropped from 250mcg to 200mcg per day. My B12 and folic acid levels are at the top end of the range but ferritin and D3 are mid-range so I'm working on increasing ferritin and D3. I supplement with B12, folic acid, ferritin and D3. All were tested last in April so I'm hoping this has improved. I'm due to test again at the end of August.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

Folate

Something to perhaps consider changing in a few weeks.....as recommended to only ever make one change at a time

So just adding T3 and reducing levothyroxine enough at moment

Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

Supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in not folic acid may be more beneficial than just taking folic acid

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Igennus Super B is good quality and cheap vitamin B complex. Contains folate. Full dose is two tablets per day. Many/most people may only need one tablet per day. Certainly only start on one per day (or even half tablet per day for first couple of weeks)

Or Thorne Basic B or jarrow B-right are other options that contain folate, but both are large capsules

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Also

As you have Hashimoto’s are you on strictly gluten free diet?

Or tried it?

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. Yes, I'm strictly gluten free. Gluten wipes me out for days so I cant touch it.

[knitwitty]

Hi Manjiajk

As others have mentioned we are all different and what works for one person does not always apply to another person.

I can only tell you what I did and what happened to me.

I was very wary of starting taking T3 because I had to do it on my own, my endo wouldn't prescribe it and told me to get my own off the internet.

I started on a quarter of a tablet ( 6.25 mcg) once a day and then moved on to twice a day, I increased to 3x per day but felt overmedicated quite quickly , which was reflected in blood test results which showed over range T3 . I dropped back to 2x per day and it was after few months of taking this same dose before I felt as though all my symptoms had disappeared.

I suspect that my T3 had been low for years so maybe it took a while for my body to respond to the constant supply of T3.

I hope you are starting to feel better very soon.

[Manjiajk in reply to knitwitty]

I suppose it's all trial and error and just trying to work out what's right for you. I'm hoping T3 will do the trick. Thank- you.

[Manjiajk in reply to knitwitty]

Just out of interest, did you have any weight loss after introducing T3?

[knitwitty in reply to Manjiajk]

Hi ;

I've lost about 5kg since taking T3 but can't seem to lose any more, I am not too concerned as I feel much happier in myself and I do quite a lot of Nordic walking and I feel reasonably fit.

[Manjiajk in reply to knitwitty]

That's good. I put on 3 stone altogether. Since my levothyroxine was increased, I've lost 1.5 stone. I'm hoping taking T3 will shift the rest.

[knitwitty in reply to Manjiajk]

That sounds like you're making great progress, I hope the T3 helps.