I’ve been lucky enough to get T3 on the NHS and am trialling combination treatment with T4, which is good! I think the dose is wrong (not so good!) but, in the interest of not upsetting the quack, I am Doing As I Am Told, so that I can test in 6 weeks and tell him what dose I want (with evidence!) or perhaps be proved wrong, who knows...
At present, I am feeling a little more tired (I suspected cutting my T4 in half would do that!) but also happier, like I am wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket. I am also adjusting to the dosage, so I seem to feel a little better as the days go by... I was falling asleep standing up in the shower yesterday and wanted to lay down for a quick nap in the bath, so, um, less than ideal so far!!
Anyway, now to the question!
I suspect I would do better if I took my T3 (5 mcg twice daily) at exact intervals and I’ve not got into a rhythm yet. The instructions on the packet say to take it 12 hours apart, but I have read that it isn’t so good to take it late at night if you want to sleep well, so I am not sure. When do you take your T3 doses? What works for you? Why do you think that is?
Thank you!
Lotika.
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Lotika
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I find the bedtime dose makes a big difference to sleep quality and feeling restored the following day. I suspect the brain needs the T3 as it works hard during sleep. You will only find problems getting to sleep if your dose is too much.
I would take your T3 before breakfast and at bedtime. It's rapidly and easily absorbed so I don't think you have to worry too much about leaving a gap between taking the tablet and having breakfast.
Everyone is different, there is no "one size fits all". Some people take their T3 in one dose, some in 2 doses, some in 3 doses. Some take at bedtime and it helps sleep, some find taking at bedtime is no good for them. You just have to experiment and see what's right for you.
I take mine in 2 doses, first around 5am with my Levo (I don't get up that early, I just use the bathroom around that time) and the second at 5pm. I don't stick to a rigid 12 hour gap, if I use the bathroom earlier or later I take it then and don't alter the time of my second dose. It makes no difference to me. I used to take it all in one dose with my Levo and I never felt any different to what I do now, I just prefer 2 doses because I had a surprise GP blood test after taking my dose and the "spike" in FT3 level (quite a bit over range) concerned me so I decided to split the dose and not have such a big spike after taking it.
Yes, I think the sharp drop in fT4 is what is making me sleepy and that the rise in fT3 isn’t enough to counteract it at the moment. I’m curious to see if anything changes as the body acclimatises to the new dose and the good news is that I think I can just about stand feeling like this for another few weeks! I’m looking forward to seeing the numbers when I test, whatever they are, and am trying to keep a symptom diary so that I have significant ammo with the endocrinologist!
It is interesting about your split dose! I figure I’m going to start “doing it by the book” as my sleep worries have been put to bed (boom!) and then see where we go...
Interesting that you take the T3 before eating. Do you find you absorb it better that way? I am currently having my first T3 an hour after levo with my morning coffee, looking for a double kick up the butt in the morning! I don’t particularly notice one, mind!
Coffee is very bad for levothyroxine absorption but don't know about liothyronine. I would take it with the levothyroxine, T3 blood level peaks three hours after taking the tablet.
Yes, good thought. I generally take the levo if I wake up any time between 5-7 am and then nap again... I shall have to start tracking whether I notice any differences on the days I take it a few hours before coffee and the days it is closer! Thank you for the idea!
I wait an hour after taking T3 before eating which I take when I get up in the morning..
Any food or beverages, especially coffee I believe (and am not medically qualified) can interfere with the uptake of T3.
T4 - levothyroxine, is an inactive hormone and has to convert to T3.
I follow Dr John Lowe's Advice who was a scientist/researcher/doctor who was also a expert in the use of T3 and also an Adviser to TUK before his accidental death.
Dr Lowe took his dose of T3 in the middle of the night when he awoke to go to the toilet. Certainly nothing interfered with his uptake.That's why he was an expert in the use of T3 as he did his research himself before he became qualified I believe.
Coffee can interfere with the uptake of thyroid hormones, unless you leave a suitable gap between T3 and food/coffee.
T3 has to saturate all of the many T3 receptor cells and the one dose then sends out 'waves' and the effect lasts between one to three days.
Extract from following link
"When it comes to the thyroid, it seems physicians are not listening to many of their patients. They drive the laboratory results to a desired target as primary treatment criteria and insist that is where it needs to remain for symptom improvement. Yet, this often fails to improve or eliminate the ongoing hypothyroid symptoms. How has your research helped bridge that treatment gap?
I now take 10mcg T3 Levothyroxene around 7am, then 5mcg Liothyronine around 3pm - recently I’ve tried taking my afternoon dose in the evening but I’m waking up in the early hours, so this doesn’t work for me.
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