Advice how to feel better with hypothyroidism

[Grechka]

Hello!

I have Hashimoto's disease and hypothyroidism from 7 years old and taking Levothyroxine all this time. Now I'm 28 years old. I was taking Levothyroxine 100 mcg till 26 years old and after that started to take 125, because my TSH has grown to 7. Last autumn I started to take Tiromel in 25 mcg and Levothyroxine 100 mcg. TSH was 0.072, T4-13.5, T3-4.73. Cholesterol finally decreased to 4.5, that's great, because it was 5.8-6.5 always. In February I started to take Thyroid-S and was taking 4 grains per day and felt better than it was during previous years.

Nevertheless, the issue with Thyroid-S happened and now I'm taking only Levothyroxine during 4 months and feel very bad, worse than it was even before combination with T3. Feel very depressive, have tachycardia and nausea, wake up early in the morning because of heart beating. I was taking 125 mcg and had TSH 0.3, after that endocrinologyst advised me to take only 100. TSH was 5.5. Now I have Liothyronin and would like to start to take it.

Could you please advise what strategy to use and what to add to feel better with such conditions? My T3f was 4.5 and after 100 mcg of thyroxine it's 3.8. Cholesterol is 6.5 again, ferritin-52. Can share other results if it's needed.

I'm taking D3 in 5000, iron in 50 mg, selenium 200 mg.

[Lalatoot]

You start by taking a quarter of a tablet once a day.

Wait a week. If you are OK then you take another quarter of a tablet per day.

Wait 2 weeks.

If you want you can increase by quarter tablet every 2 weeks till you are taking 1 tablet divided through the day. Or you can stop when you are taking 2 or 3 quarters.

When you think you want to stop increasing you wait 8 weeks and do blood tests. The test must include Ft3.

[Grechka in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you for your reply!

I've started to take a quarter 3 days ago and feel headache and faster heart beating. Hope later everything will be better.

I also ordered Tru Thyroid and 200 grains of Thyroid-S, so will need to manage with all these tablets. But afraid to jump from one to another.

[shaws Administrator]

First of all, I am very sorry that you've had hypothyroidism since you were 7 years old. So you've never really known what it's like to have a healthy, normal body with no clinical symptoms.

I had constant palpitations on levothyroxine - even the cardiologist was puzzled. Mine resolved with T3 added to T4 but I eventually went onto T3 only and have no symptoms. Occasionally we can have a 'blip' for one reason or another but thankfully mine has been relatively easy, as long as I can source T3.

25mcg of T3 is approx equal to 100mcg of levothyroxine.

It seems as if quite a number of medical personnel really don't understand that TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) rises when our body is struggling due to having insufficient thyroid hormones (T3 in particular which is the Active hormone).

The professionals seem to take more notice of a TSH which is from the pituitary gland and it rises to try to stimulate our thyroid gland to produce more hormones. Most of hypo patients feel better when TSH is around 1 or lower. We need Free T4 and Free T3 to be in the upper part of the ranges if taking a T4/T3 combination or if our symptoms are resolved on T3, that would be the daily dose.

25mcg of T3 is equal - in its affect - to 100 mcg of levothyroxine.

I also state that I'm not medically qualified but I believe that many on this forum know more than most endocrinologists.

Also make sure your vitamins/minerals are optimum too.

[Grechka in reply to shaws]

Thank you!

Yes, I agree that we are more experienced and know more than endocrinologists.

Recently I visited an endocrinologist with TSH 5.5 and FT4 15.5 and she said that everything is ok and I need to continue taking 100 mcg. And no supplements are needed. Such a shame. How can we believe this system that ruin us.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Grechka]

Once diagnosed and given levo, the aim is a TSH of 1 or lower - not as the doctors believe if TSH is 'somewhere' in the range we're on a sufficient dose. She should have increased your dose, otherwise you will not get to the lower TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) which is from the pituitary gland and rises to try to persuade the thyroid gland to produce more hormones but cannot as patient is hypo.

[Ruthi]

If you are taking D3 in high doses then you must take especially magnesium to prevent calcium build up. K2 and boron are also useful.

The best information on Vitamin D is from the Vitamin D and co factors UK group.