Adding T3 to Metavive

[Rachel357]

Hi,

I take 75mg of porcine Metavive (one capsule of Metavive I and two capsules of Metavive II a day). I am very undermedicated at present, but I become overmedicated if I try to increase my dose, as I don't tolerate T4 very well. I would like to add a small amount of T3 and reduce the Metavive a bit, but I'm not sure how much to reduce it by or how much T3 I should start on. Please can anyone advise. I have Tiromel 25mcg tablets.

Thanks

Rachel

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Rachel357

Without seeing your results it's impossible to make a suggestion. Can you please add your current results, with reference ranges, on your current dose of Metavive.

Also, because Metavive has no declared hormone content, it's not going to be easy to say "reduce by XX amount which should lower the amountof T4 you are taking".

[Rachel357 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I can't access my results at the moment as I've moved house and they are in a box somewhere. But from memory TSH was 0.003 mIU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2), T3 4.79 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8), Free Thyroxine 10 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22).

My results weren't very accurate as I took my second dose of Metavive at around 2pm in the afternoon the previous day, as I can't leave it 8-12 hours before blood tests, as that makes me feel very ill. I also didn't know that they would be testing T3, as I had it done at my GP.

I mostly go by symptoms and checking my pulse.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Rachel357]

Rachel357

as I can't leave it 8-12 hours before blood tests, as that makes me feel very ill.

This is one good reason to do blood tests early morning, you take your last dose around midnight (or whatever time you go to bed) then a blood test no later than 9am before breakfast would be perfect timing.

It's impossible to say how you should alter your dose but when adding T3 you should do it by 1/4 of a tablet at a time, i.e. 6.25mcg and if those results are accurate I wouldn't consider reducing Metavive as your FT4 is below range and your FT3 is low in range. I think it's really a case of trial and error and make changes very gradually.

[Rachel357 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you.