T3 +levo, all in one or split?

[adin]

Hi there, my question is how it is better to take the t3 dose, all in the morning along with the levo or splited (in 2 or 3)? I noticed that when I was on ndt if I splited in 3 doses I didn't have the same energy as if I would take it all ndt in the morning. I don't know if sintetic T3 works in the same way as natural t3 or it's more powerful.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Adin

See what works for you, we're all different.

I used to take my T3 in one dose with my Levo early morning. Then I started to split into 2 doses and it didn't feel any different for me.

However, I had a surprise blood test sprung on me at my surgery and I'd taken my Levo plus dose of T3 before, my FT3 came back quite a lot over range. That's when I decided to split it, didn't want such a big spike.

[adin in reply to SeasideSusie]

I need to feel the same steady energy all day long. If I split t3 it's like I'm in role coaster. If I take the hole dose my pulse it's going faster I feel like pressure on the chest. Very annoying.

[Veggiequeen in reply to adin]

It can do that if you take all in one go. My personal preference is to take three doses. I am on 20mg three times a day as I cannot tolerate levo. It is supposed to be better for your heart if you space it out.

[Lalatoot]

I take mine in 3 doses. Can't cope with the spikes if I take it in one or two doses.

[adin in reply to Lalatoot]

And when do you take it?

[Lalatoot in reply to adin]

6-7am 4-5pm 10-11pm

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I also take T3 in 3 doses. Can’t tolerate any other way.

20mcg in total - 3 doses split at 8 hour gaps

10mcg at 7am, 5mcg at 3pm and 5mcg at 11pm plus Levothyroxine at 11pm

Many people find Taking small dose T3 at bedtime can improve sleep

[Lalatoot in reply to SlowDragon]

Very similar dosing to me but I also split my levo and take it in 3 doses along with the lio.

[adin in reply to SlowDragon]

Interesting, 10 mcg T3 in the morning, 🤔 hm. I never tried 10 or 15 mcg t3 in the morning, I'm not sure if my heart will like it.

[HMBradley53 in reply to adin]

Cut it in half and take it 12 hours apart and see how you feel

[Meanbeannyc in reply to SlowDragon]

I tried this. Taking small dose of T3 at bedtime... since I’ve been having some serious insomnia. DEFINITELY did not work for me lol. And I mean I took a very small dose. 2.25 lolol

[shaws Administrator]

I'd take one daily dose. It makes life easier and I am doubtful that we'd take the same dose at the same time daily. It also interferes somewhat with our lives, i.e. one daily dose and we can carry on with life. Bearing in mind that our stomach should be empty before and after swallowing the hormones.

This is a link to a post that Dr John Lowe wrote and he was an expert in the use of T3 for those who were 'resistant' to thyroid hormones. He himself was 'thyroid hormone resistant' and took 150mcg daily.

tpauk.com/main/article/the-...

[adin in reply to shaws]

😳 Waw, you don't have any heart ♥ problems?

[shaws Administrator in reply to adin]

Before I took T3 I was given levothyroxine which is the standard prescription. p.s. I should say I was diagnosed, finally, (by myself) when TSH was 100 and I was feeling extremely unwell.

Once on levothyroxine I was getting even more unwell and I had so many heart tests, overnight ones etc etc. on levo and the Cardiologist was puzzled and was contemplating putting an implant in my heart 'to see what was going on'. Fortunately I had T3 added to T4, and that resolved the palpitations and I didn't see the Cardiologist again. Some months later I took T3 only and that's when I recovered fully.

[jgelliss in reply to shaws]

Shaws that is amazing . I had a similar story . After my TT I was on high dose T4 . Had awful palpitations It was very debilitating . It came to a point that I could not move out of the house because of fear of the palpitations coming on. It would happen unexpectedly . I saw a cardiologist for extensive work up . The cardiologist was perplexed as to why it was happening. Had an opportunity to speak to another cardiologist who suggested ablation . But was not certain it would help.

Years later I switched to another T4 brand . It was very helpful. But not completely. Later lowering my T4 and adding some T3 was a total game changer for me.

I am not a good converter T4 to T3 . The heart has a large receptor sights for T3 . What I find very puzzling and very tragic that Dr's are either not taught this in medical school or just don't know/understand how to apply it .

Patients are paying a high price of this tragic negligence and lack of knowledge.

[Veggiequeen in reply to jgelliss]

Sorry to say that T3 is very expensive and hence the reluctance to prescribe. I had to jump through hoops to get mine

[jgelliss in reply to Veggiequeen]

It's such a tragedy . Something that is so very helpful/beneficial and saves lives And helps our well being. They would rather keep patients sick and dispense BP pills , cholesterol pills, tranquillisers, sleeping pills. Pills for everything but thyroid T3/NDT that are so very crucial for our lives .

[shaws Administrator in reply to Veggiequeen]

You are very right about the cost of T3.

In the UK there was a shortage of T3 and patients looking forward to continuing T3 that removed their disabling clinical symptoms.

That cost is now so prohibitive and was a perfect excuse for its withdrawal and permitting thousands of people to have enormous worries/stress/anxiety and the fact that it was withdrawn - without notice.

How is it that in other European countries patients can source T3 without prescriptions and at an affordable cost.

The Medical Organisations gave no thought at all and didn't seem to care of the enormous stress/worry for these patients who - through no fault of their own - cannot improve on levothyroxine and have more appointments with the NHS than they would have done if still prescribed T3.

Some may have lost their livelihoods but who gave any thought to this especially the Organisations who're supposed to be knowledgeable and helpful and caring - like our now deceased or retired doctors who diagnosed us without any blood tests but on clinical symptoms alone - plus the NHS must pay millions of £s per year for blood tests.

There should also have been an Independent Review as to how these Pharma Companies' inflated costs came about. The NHS shouldn't be fleeced by them so that profits can be distributed to pharma shareholders.

In some countries in Europe T3 (liothyronine) is a very affordable hormone replacement and in some of them you don't even need a prescription.

Even though there was a protest by several support groups for dysfunctional thyroid glands, they were ignored completely.

The House of Lords were also advised and seemed shocked but there's still no solution to T3. It is stated that an Endo can prescribe but I doubt they will be able to do so if they feel their jobs are at risk. Also they may be having far more appointments by patients who would like or are hopeful - either to get their T3 restored or to have a trial, either T4/T3 or T3 alone.

Also, some T3s may not suit everyone, so options are required.

The fact that the oldest thyroid hormone replacement i.e. NDT was also withdrawn through False Statements by those you'd imagine knew better- yet again denying many patients good health and energy.

[joboise in reply to shaws]

I take 75 mcg every morning and I 'm fine. Have been doing this since 2013. I did try splitting it at one point, used to forget, and didn't feel so good.

I haven't taken Levothyrox since 2013 apart from a few weeks when an endocrinologist of the patronising and non listening variety decided that I must have some.

[Dunkenb]

T3 only lasts for 5-6 hrs, if you take it all in one go it’s not going to last all day. Three times a day will keep your levels....level.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Dunkenb]

According to an 'expert' a Scientist and Researcher on the use of T3 (also Adviser to Thyroiduk before his accidental death) especially for those who have thyroid hormone resistance (these need higher doses than would be usual). Dr Lowe, scientist and researcher, stated that one daily dose could last between one to three days and it saturates the T3 recepor cells.

I trialled this and took my one dose (not high) and did not take any for the next two days, so that one dose lasted three days.

One dose, with one glass of water, enters all of the T3 receptor cells and then its work begins and it sends out 'waves'. It should be taken on a fasting stomach and wait an hour before eating.

The following link is re NDT:

drlowe.com/thyroidscience/C...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

ndnr.com/anxietydepressionm...

He would never, ever, prescribe levothyroxine.

[adin in reply to shaws]

Yes but we feel the peaks after 2-4 hours, like a role coaster.

[shaws Administrator in reply to adin]

I've never 'felt' a peak. My body and brain are calm and my health is normal.

Some people are sensitive to the fillers/binders in the tablet.

[HMBradley53]

I take Nature-Thyroid and I take 1 grain twice a day I feel so much better doing it this way

[Batty1]

I split my T3/T4 in two batches I less issues.

[Lalatoot]

Equal doses of lio but not levo. Take 50 levo and 5 lio at 6 - 7am. 25 levo and 5 lio 4-5pm. 25 levo and 5 lio at 10pm ash.

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Lalatoot]

Why do you split your levo Lala?

[Lalatoot in reply to Meanbeannyc]

Because I could never take more than 50mcg without feeling awful. The endo suggested I increased my dose by taking a second dose. So I always have done. Also if one day a dose is not absorbed fully because I have eaten too close to it or something I haven't compromised my full daily intake.

I used to take levo in two doses but since adding lio in 3 doses I just started dosing levo at the same times.

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Lalatoot]

Makes sense! Interesting.

[LECJ]

My endo has said to take the t3 spilt into 2 as t3 has a 12 hr half life and take the t4 in the morning as usual xx

[adin in reply to LECJ]

Thank you, I need the larger amount of t3 in the morning and less in the rest of the day, problem is, I have to reduce the levo dose or no?

[LECJ in reply to adin]

Yes I would reduce it, my endocrinologist has recommended i reduce my t4 from 100mg to 50mg for whilst I’m trialling the t3 xx

[adin in reply to LECJ]

Waw 100 to 50 it's a big jump I think.

[LECJ in reply to adin]

Thank u, I’ll bear that in mind x

[barb62 in reply to LECJ]

I became very poorly when I did this. Took 20mcg T3 and reduced levo from 100 to 50, not recommended.

[LECJ in reply to barb62]

Oh wow I’m sorry to hear that, I’m only going from the endocrinologists advice Ill ask him - he’s an amazing open minded helpful endo so I’m sure he will be kind enough to reply - on the plus side I have surplus t4 which I can use to top up if need be - interestingly although unrelated to the above I used to be on a much higher dose of t4 For over 20 years and all of a sudden I’ve needed much less

[barb62 in reply to LECJ]

Not sure of the reason endos do this. Probably because the T3 is made in 20mcg tablets and are difficult to cut accurately, I don't know.

[SiouxieQ]

Short half life ideally 8 hourly but I take mine twice a day. T4 has a long half life and it therefore daily

[adin in reply to SiouxieQ]

Yes I know that, my problem is if I take a larger dose of t3 in the morning (ex. 10 mcg) along with 125 mcg levo and 5 mcg t3 in the afternoon, I have anxiety (around 11 - 12 am) and fast pulse. If I deagrese the levo to 112 I feel poor.

[shaws Administrator in reply to SiouxieQ]

Levothyroxine is an inactive hormone and it has to convert to T3. (liothyronine).

[shaws Administrator]

I've actually reduced it some months ago and take 25mcg once daily

[SiouxieQ]

Take your Levo when you normally take it and split your dose of T3 5mcg every 8 hours . You shouldn't have that issue.....

[shaws Administrator]

This may be helpful and it is by a doctor who was an Adviser to Thyroiduk - also a researcher/scientist before his death through an accident:

ndnr.com/anxietydepressionm...

[Veggiequeen]

I find that taking T3 in three doses works for me but I do not take anything else as cannot tolerate Levo. I take the first when I get up. Second before lunch and last around 6-7 pm. That evens things out for me but everyone is different. My understanding is that it is better for your heart to take smaller doses spaced out but I am not a Doctor. I am hypothroid and have Hashimotos. 3 x 20mg daily

Hope this helps

Carol

[adin in reply to Veggiequeen]

What is your symptoms on levo?

[Veggiequeen in reply to adin]

I would take Levo and feel better for a short while. Then after a couple of days the symptoms would return. My GP kept upping the dose and I did feel better for a couple of days and then would feel awful again. I started feeling pain in my eyes. Then one day I returned home and there was a rugby match on tv. The colours were extra enhanced and I could not tolerate watching it. I wanted to go and sit in a darkened room. I stopped Levo the next day. I felt so much better. Took the DI03 test to see if I had a faulty gene and it turns out I had. It does not mean that the faulty gene is active but once the Levo was stopped the eye pain stopped. This was back around 2014 ish.

Since I have been on T3 only I have felt so much better, I follow a low fodmap diet which means no gluten and the only dairy I can use is butter or hard cheese with a low carbohydrate sugar content. The diet and allergy testing happened because my older Husband has Cancer and I look after him. I have lost over three stone since I took T3 and the diet. I think a paleo diet may work as well.

I am very determined that I am not going to get ill again and my Doctor knows that and does not mess with me too much. You need to go into any appointments informed. Don't say you have no energy and are putting on weight. They will latch onto that as you sitting on the sofa eating biscuits all day.

By coincidence my Mum who adopted me had a very bad thyroid problem and was not diagnosed and almost died in the late 60's. Luckily a locum diagnosed her and she gradually got better. My Mum had a problem with the execipients in the meds she took. It is also something to take into account.

Hope this helps

Carol

[adin in reply to Veggiequeen]

Yes thank you, my problem with levo is anxiety, if I increase the dose it's a kind of anxiety if the dose it's too low it's another kind of anxiety, but if I add some t3 everything is changing in a good way. I was on ndt but it wasn't good for me. I never tried t3 only.

[ZeilaJee]

I have been experimenting with my NDT doses. Split dose 2x/day: 2/3 am, 1/3 bedtime; and split dose 3x/day: 1/3, 1/3 , 1/3 (8.30am 3pm and 12pm). My sleep has been very disrupted on the 3-dose split and my energy less good in the daytime. The 2/3 am; 1/3 night split seems to work for me. However, research by Paul Robinson.com says he follows the 'circadian' T3 method which works for him - which is why I tried the three-way split - which I have found less satisfactory.