Lowering T3 : I am currently on 40 mcg of... - Thyroid UK

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Lowering T3

Redporti profile image
15 Replies

I am currently on 40 mcg of Liothyronine split into 3 doses. 15mcg, 15mcg & 10mcg. Also 50mcg of levo.

All my vitals are good & my vitamins too.

I’ve been on this dose for 5 weeks & in the last 3 weeks I’ve been experiencing diarrhoea most days but only in the morning.

My latest blood results last week were:

TSH <0.01 (0.30-4.20)

FT4 12.8 (12-22)

FT3 7.5 (3.10-6.80)

I was thinking that I might need to lower my T3 but by how much is it safe to lower it?

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Redporti profile image
Redporti
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15 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Redporti

What was your previous dose 5 weeks ago?

Redporti profile image
Redporti

I was two weeks into 40mcg & previous to that I was on 15,10,10.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toRedporti

How did you feel on the 35mcg daily, what were your results and why was your dose increased?

Redporti profile image
Redporti in reply toSeasideSusie

I felt good on 35 mcg but my temperature was 36.8 whereas when I first went up to 35mcg it was 37.1. So I decided to go to 40 mcg to see if I could get it back up to 37.1.

My results when I was on 30mcg we’re:

TSH 0.008 (0.27-4.2)

FT3 4.73 (3.1-6.8)

FT4 13.20 (12-22)

I didn’t get tested at 35mcg.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toRedporti

Well, if you felt good on 35mcg I wouldn't have worried about temperature. A normal temperature is said to be about 36.5C to 37.5C. I've never bothered with my temperature, I know as a Hypo patient it tends to be a bit lower than a normal healthy person anyway.

Redporti profile image
Redporti in reply toSeasideSusie

I’m going to drop the lunch time dose down to 10 from 15 tomorrow and see if it solves the problem.

I’m currently under investigation for Leukaemia so the specialist can’t understand the diarrhoea bit. He thinks it has another cause & I’m now wondering if it’s too much T3 as I know that can be a side effect. Thank you.

jimh111 profile image
jimh111 in reply toRedporti

Temperature is no use for monitoring thyroid therapy, it varies considerably between patients. I would stay on the lowest dose that you feel well on in the hope your TSH may eventually pick up.

in reply tojimh111

"in the hope your TSH may eventually pick up".

What does "pick up" mean = end up in range?

Why would that be desirable?

It´s usually said that the TSH will be suppressed in patients taking T3, which is why you need to go by free T3 and symptoms to decide if you are on an optimal dose. Many patients on optimal doses of T3 are unable to maintain an in-range TSH.

Redporti profile image
Redporti in reply to

That’s what I read too. Especially if you’ve had thyroid cancer like I have. I’m not worried about the TSH as I expected it to be suppressed.

in reply toRedporti

It´s usually recommended to have a suppressed TSH in thyroid cancer patients.

jimh111 profile image
jimh111 in reply to

As well as stimulating thyroid secretion TSH stimulates T4 to T3 conversion. So, a higher TSH (for the same fT3, fT4) would be better. If you take more hormone than you need you keep TSH down and so reduce T4 to T3 conversion. So stay on the lowest dose that resolves symptoms.

Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot

T3 is lowered in 5mcg at a time.

Redporti profile image
Redporti in reply toLalatoot

So would that be 5mcg a week or ?

Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot in reply toRedporti

Increases are built up in 5mcg every 2 weeks so decreasing I imagine would be the same or slower. It depends on you and how much you feel you need to decrease t3. 5mcg will probably do it for you. It takes 3 or 4 days for me to notice a decrease.

Gingernut44 profile image
Gingernut44 in reply toRedporti

No, per day 😊

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