I have been on compounded Slow Release T3/T4 for around 6 months, that I sourced in the US. My does was doubled 2 months ago as lab work showed I was still far from optimal. I tested again a month after increasing the dose, and it was only marginally better. And I currently feel pretty exhausted!
I read in a thyroid group that Slow Release was not recommended as it can be hard to absorb, so wondering if this is the issue...
I still have 4 months supply, so wondering if there is anything I can do to increase absorption? Was tempted to open the capsule and try dissolving it under my tongue...but could get a huge dose then and might not be the best idea!
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mjinder
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I take SR T3 and have done for about 20 years and have never heard that it is difficult to absorb. You shouldn’t open the capsule as it may be part of the medication. I would take it with a glass of water and leave about 30 minutes before eating. Have you had your vitamins checked, as good vitamin levels allow your body to use the medication effectively?
I take it an hour away from anything else. And yes I supplement with B vitamins, multiple forms of B12, COQ10, digestive enzymes, NAC, liver support, and binders/detox for mould.
It was in a group that follows the Stop the Thyroid Madness guidelines that I was told about the absorption issues, that SR was now recommended for this reason
I lurk in STTM sometimes but didn’t see that. When I was last waiting for a prescription to arrive from the USA I took 150 T4 and 20 T3 and watched my pulse go down to 49 bpm so I think I absorb the SR meds quite well. I’m sorry but I can’t help. Good luck
There appear to be, broadly, two schools of thought.
First, one dose of normal (quick release) T3, which will raise the blood level significantly but for only a short period. While the blood level is high, every cell can get whatever T3 it needs.
The level then drops but that doesn't really matter because cells have acquired enough. Although T3 has a short half-life in the bloodstream, something like 24 hours but there are many varying claims, its effect within cells appears to be more like two or three days.
Second, that the T3 level should be controlled throughout the day. This should better mimic the levels in someone without a thyroid disorder.
I have issues with both approaches. But the slow release approach can only really make sense if the technique used does achieve that even release. I'd have to say that many slow release medicines for which there is much, much more and better information, show several hours of reasonably flat levels but with a significant drop towards the end of the time and while the next tablet starts to take effect.
Imagine a bath with a leaky plug. Turn on the tap.
With the tap at low flow, the bath would eventually fill, but it could take all day to do so.
With the tap full on, the bath might fill not much less quickly than usual. And it could overflow!
What's the answer? Turn the tap on full for a while then turn it down so it just compensates for the loss. Does quick or slow release do this? Neither quite gets there.
But one could work better in one person, and the other in another person.
And I failed to emphasise that in the slow release approach, too low a dose might never achieve sufficient dosing - not even for one minute a week. Or a just-sufficient dose might do so after a very long time. (I'm thinking of weeks.)
At least the once a day approach makes sure that the level does rise for at least a few minutes a day!
I do not see how you can ensure that a slow-release regime does reach the desired just-sufficient point in a sensibly short time. But I do see how someone on a good dose could then switch to slow-release.
I don't understand, you are on srT3 +T4 or both are slow relese? The subject interests me too, I want to try srT3 but I read somewhere that the doses are not equivalent. For exmpl, 10 mcg T3 immediate release would be equivalent in effect to 7,5 or 5mcg slow release T3. Maybe you should take into account that!
It's compounded, all in one capsule. My dose is now double but the capsules are the same size, no idea how that works , since there aren't supposed to be fillers!I'm on 36/152 mcg
Hm wired, I do not understand why T4 is compounded, no need it to be. I would ask only for t3 the extended release form. I think that's why you don't feel well.
I have just got some SR T3 compounded at huge expense, but am very worried the dose is only 1.25mcg twice a day. Thinking that will leave me severely hypo So am interested in your comments about dose 'equivalents'. Do you have any more info on this or on where I could find out more ?
I took the long acting compounded T3 for about four years. I loved it for about 3.5 years. I took it in the morning. I really liked that I had some energy in the morning when I woke up.
It was long acting because the T3 is mixed with a starch that is difficult to digest. The compounding of the components is apparently like alchemy and requires special talent or magic.
At the 3.5 year mark, my capsules became inconsistent. One day I would feel like I had skipped my T3, another day I would feel fine, and another day I would I would feel slightly over medicated. I went back to dosing T3 four times a day.
My Endo said that I was the last of her patients to be on the long acting T3. I just kept hoping that the “magician” would return to make my T3.
The compounding pharmacy I used was the only one that my Endo trusted. Apparently the starch that should be used is quite expensive. The Endo had thoroughly checked out the pharmacy and others in the area. I really didn’t want to try any other pharmacy and chance feeling bad for any longer than necessary.
Also you must use a compounding pharmacy that compounds a lot of T3. When the bulk T3 is exposed to light and air, it degrades rapidly. 😀
Interesting, I want to try srT3. Here in Europe/Germany, there is such a magician and in the near future I will order it. But neither I nor my endo know much about srT3. Is it taken in a single dose or is need to split? The srT3 doses is are equal to quick release T3 ? Many questions in my head.
You take srT3 in one dose per day. I took mine in the morning. I took the same total daily dose as the quick release. My Endo never checked my T3 on srT3. She said that the test would not be accurate. So you need to find your total daily dose of T3 before you switch to srT3. Good luck. Feel free to ask questions.
Waw, it really helps thank you. So that is cool if I don't have to split. I thought 10T3 fast rel is equal to 7,5/5 T3 slow rls due to weaker absorption. Now I take 125 levo +5T3(in the morning but I have anxiety about 11 am) and 5T3 at 3pm and a litlle 2,5 at bead time.
I tried to divide the 5's (2,5 at 7am and another 2,5 at 11am) but it is worse at the second dose of 2.5(bigger anxiety and fatigue ).
I am a poor converter with no thyroid tissue. When my endo has reduced my T3 in the past, I get terrible anxiety from the adrenaline rushes. My body has to rely on adrenaline rather than exogenous T3.
Do you think that you are on the optimal daily dose of T3? How long have you been on this dose? When I first added T3 to my T4, I had terrible ups and downs. Once my body was used to the T3 and I divided my daily dose into four doses , I no longer felt the ups and downs. It took at least 2 months for my body to get used to different T3 doses. Good luck. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask.
I am a poor converter too and also with no thyroid tissue(had RAI due to Graves in 2012). Short long story, I was on ndt but I felt hyper-hypo and gained weight(I think is't to much T3 in). I swap back on Tirosint +T3 but again the main problem is anxiety. Only on Tirosint no matter how much I increase the dose I feel poor and wired but no anxiety. Wired in the mornig, somehow my vision is distorted/blurred and I have brain-fog and poor in the afternoon. Anyway the best levo that I tried remains tirosint, so here I don't want to change anything. What I want to change is the form of T3. I slep better if I take a small dose of T3 at bedtime(no aniety). I hope sl.rl-t3 will solve my problems.
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