Waking with extreme coldness and chest pressure

[Nessynu]

Hi all, I have Hashimotos. I was just wondering if anyone else with Hashimotos gets a heavy feeling in their chest? I,m on T3 only meds and find that every few weeks I feel extreme cold in the morning (usually 10 mins after ive woken up). My legs. face, arms go so cold and i feel so cold inside even with the heating on ( its like hypothermia). and i get a feeling of heaviness in my chest. Its usually a sign for me to increase my T3 but is this normal? Ive had my heart etc all checked and no sign of asthma etc. its very debilitating. All of these symptoms improve a lot when I increase my T3 dose.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much T3 are you currently taking

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 .

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?

What were most recent thyroid results?

[Nessynu in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi Slowdragon. Im currently taking 10 mcg in the morning, 5 in the afternoon and 5 in the evening. A few weeks ago I was on 20mcg morning, 20 in the afternoon and 5 in the evening but felt overmedicated so got tested and my results were TSH 0.27 (0.27-4.2) FT4 1 (12-22) FT3 4.8 (3.1-6.8) T4 9 (59-154) TGAB 132 (0-115) TPEX 137 (0-34). I was feeling unwell so I slowly reduced to my current dosing. Im still feeling unwell. Its so confusing.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Nessynu]

Well most people on just T3 will be taking somewhere between 40-60mcg per day, usually as 3 split doses

How long before this test was last dose of T3

Are you currently taking any vitamin supplements

Are you on strictly gluten free diet

[Nessynu in reply to SlowDragon]

I took my last dose of t3 at 5pm on the day before my test. I currently take a b12 spray 2000 a day but nothing else. I was strictly gluten, dairy, soy free(aip) for 15 months but recently I've had a bit of gluten and dairy as I was so fed up of feeling unwell even though I was very strict with my diet.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Nessynu]

What time in morning was test done, presumably last dose T3 was more like 14-15 hours before test

Do you normally take 3 doses per day, roughly 8 hour intervals

So what are most recent results for vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Essential to test at least annually

Why not taking any levothyroxine?

[Nessynu in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi. The test was done at 9am. I do take 3 doses a day but only 5/6 hour intervals as it fast release and I can feel it wearing off after roughly 3/4 hours. I've just ordered my home test kit for vitamins so I don't have any levels as yet. I took levo for 2 years and was so ill. I had crippling back pain, loss of power in my legs and arms, extremely bad temper all the time. I dont think I was converting it at all or the fillers were making me so unwell. My doc said its not the levo causing my issues but it was the only medication I was taking so I found a doc that gave me t3 and slowly switched to t3 only. It resolved my moods and numbness within 3 weeks but it gives me a heavy feeling in my chest each morning and extreme coldness on waking up until 6pm in the evening and then i feel a little too hot.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Nessynu]

Many of us need some T3 alongside levothyroxine. (Typically 10-20mcg T3 in divided doses alongside 75-125mcg levothyroxine)

A very few people do better on just T3

But you’re on very small dose for someone on just T3. Usually someone on only T3 needs somewhere between 40-60mcg T3 per day

Taking almost any dose T3 will shut your own thyroid output down completely

The fact you need to take next dose earlier that 8 hour intervals suggests under medicated too

Only increase in 5mcg steps

Absolutely essential to maintain OPTIMAL vitamin levels too