Obtaining t3

[Grace9876]

I have a private prescription for t3 and need advice on how to get it supplied as this is my first one and don't know where to start. Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Grace9876

Information on ThroidUK's main website here:

thyroiduk.org/treatment-opt...

Before Brexit some German pharmacies may still be willing to fill the prescription but only if it is written:

Liothyronine 20mcg

(and multiples of 50 or 100 tablets)

They wont fill the prescription if it says Liothyronine Sodium

Some of the German pharmacies are already refusing UK prescriptions.

[RedApple Administrator]

Grace9876, welcome to the forum. It would be good if you would share your thyroid story with members here. It's only by sharing of information that we all learn about thyroid problems and how we might be able to help eachother along the road to feeling better.

Presumably you are in the UK? Have you asked for T3 to be prescribed through the NHS? Out of interest, what does your prescription actually say and did your private doctor give you help on how much T3 to take?

[Grace9876 in reply to RedApple]

I asked my nhs endo several times for a trial of t3 as my free t3 is always below range despite just above range free t4. She has always refused and states that there isn't any evidence that it works. I requested a second opinion but my request was refused. So ended up paying to see a private endocrinologist. Advised to start with 10mcg, split into 2 doses

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Grace9876]

Welcome to the forum

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Do you have Hashimoto’s?

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Ideally all four vitamins need to be optimal BEFORE starting on T3

Has GP/endo tested vitamin levels ?

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

(If/when also on T3, make sure to take last third or quarter of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test )

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus vitamins including folate (private blood draw required)

medichecks.com/products/thy...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

What were most recent TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 results ?

Please add vitamin results too if you have them

[Grace9876 in reply to SlowDragon]

I have had a antibody, free t3, free t4 and tsh tested all via my NHS endo, my tpo results were 1300>. I have also had all the other tests you mentioned and my vit d came back as a little low but all others were more than fine. I take vit d and eat Brazil nuts for selenium and I am also gluten free. I take 150mg of levo and have had the same brand for over a year now after having a bad reaction to teva. I always take my levo first thing in the morning, 1 hour before eating or drinking ans never take on the morning of a blood test. My issue is that I still have very little energy, constipation, brain fog to name but a few symptoms. No matter how much levo I take my free t3 levels bearly change and are either just below or just in the range (between 3.2 and 3.4) despite just above the range free t4 levels at 22 and a TSH of 1.4. My point to my endo is that levothyroxine doesn't appear to have an impact on my free t3 and I believe that this is why I am still symptomatic. I know lots of people want to try t3 but I really think I have a genuine case for a trial given my results. I have ended up going to see a private endo as I need to get my life back. I am bearly managing to hold down my job and be a mum

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Grace9876]

So you have very high thyroid antibodies

Exactly what are your most recent B12, folate and ferritin results.

Within range is often not good enough

How low was vitamin D.

How much vitamin D are you currently taking

Have you retested?

Brazil Niue’s only have selenium in if grown in selenium rich soil. Some packs do state if they do

Yes many Hashimoto’s patients need addition of T3 alongside levothyroxine

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Grace9876]

Did you notice improvements in symptoms when went gluten free?

Gluten intolerance is common reason for needing addition of T3

Impending Brexit debacle making it even more difficult to get T3

[fuchsia-pink]

It's bonkers that so many endos just refuse to prescribe lio to people like you who are obviously bad converters. They refuse to do trials to show that lio works and then say that the lack of trials prove that it doesn't. All of us who have found it transformative are dismissed as deluded or proving that it's only a placebo (to which I say, who cares if it's a placebo that works!)

Getting German lio will be much harder after the Brexit transition ends. Have you tried changing NHS endo? You can get a list of T3-friendly endos from Dionne at Thyroid UK - [e-mail] - and it's also worth a new post asking if people can recommend someone near-ish to you. The fact that a private endo has suggested it will benefit you should encourage your GP to allow you to see a new NHS endo ... Good luck x