new results help please

[jrbarnes]

Hello, I have some new results from the lab. I had to reduce my Levo from 88mcg to 75mcg and have been taking T3. At the time of this test I was on 75mcg of Levo and 12.5mcg of T3. I took 2.5mcg about 10 - 12 hour prior to the test at 830am fasting and stopped any supplements with Biotin 7 days prior. The Levo was taken 24 hour prior. I find that adding T3 onto 88mcg of Levo was making me feel poorly so I reduced to 75mcg, however I'm feeling that drop. With lower T4 levels my mood is better and I have more of an appetite but I have a lower body temp and my fingers and wrists hurt, body and arm weakness and I'm not quite functional. I also wake up feeling terrible and taking T3 before bed doesn't help. Should I alternate Levo days like 75mcg four days/88mcg three days with 12.5 mcg of T3 or should I increase the T3? Thank you.

75mcgT4/12.5mcgT3

FT4 1.2 (0.82 - 1.8) ng/dl

FT3 3.5 (2.3 - 4.2) pg/ml

[JAmanda]

You look about half way through the range on both T3 and t4. my thinking is you don't really know what's causing your changing symptoms - whether it's the T3 or t4 or the timing etc. So, just looking at the results you have I'd increase one or other med. I'd do t4 but wouldn't faff with a little increase. I'd go up to 100 and see what that does. In my case a higher t4 does seem to bring up my T3 some, even where conversion isn't great.

Getting your levels higher in range ought to reduce your symptoms.

I take 100 t4 and 20 T3 all together first thing and like it like that.

[jrbarnes in reply to JAmanda]

Thanks JAmanda for your thoughts 🌷

[jrbarnes in reply to JAmanda]

I took the jump today and listened to your advice(finally.) I upped the T3 to 15 for three days and I was still feeling low so today I had an all in moment and took 17.5 in the morning and was surprised that I didn't have any negative side effects. I felt better. I reported this to my healthcare practitioner today and she prescribed me up to 20mcg daily. You're right about not fiddling around with the smaller amounts. I hope I have the same results tomorrow!

[JAmanda in reply to jrbarnes]

Good luck! I started taking it all in one go as others suggested it here and it worked fine from the start. Taking small amounts across the day just made me feel "up and down" across the day and it was a pain to find a time to eat. There's loads who insist you need to split the doses but for me I felt the small doses just left my body calling for more.

I just find the all in one dose more comfortable and convenient but still got loads of symptoms so who knows what's my next step?! Taking blood test next Monday so will prob post then for advice.

[Lovecake]

If you feel better with less T4, then why not try a little more T3?Maybe up your T3 to 15mcg and see how you feel.

I split my T3 5mcg with T4 and 5mcg before bed.

You could try 10mcg with T4 and 5mcg before bed.

It depends on what each tablet is, mine are 20mcg, so I break into 1/4s.

If yours are 25mcg, maybe try 12.5mcg morning and 6.25 at bedtime.

We are all different, unfortunately it is trial and error to get everything balanced (and may not ever fully happen).

[jrbarnes in reply to Lovecake]

I read a few years ago you were on 75/10. Did that work out for you or did you increase either? 75mcg seems to be the absolute minimum I can go without getting severe hypo symptoms. Today, I'm trying a gel form of Levo in 75 mcg, as I know it's absorbed better and may increase my T4 a little(hopefully) but It's more of a pain to get. I have the 5mcg Lio pills but I'm contemplating the 25mcg if I stick with 12.5mcg of Lio. I take 5 at 7am, 5 around 11am, and 2.5 around 4pm. Thanks for your thoughts. 🌻

[Lovecake in reply to jrbarnes]

I’ve been on the 75/10 since early 2018But last year I felt really rough. I put it down to moving house Nov 2019 and also my first grandson being born (🥰).

My FT4 level was recorded at only just 10.4

It didn’t click with me for ages. I was having lots of really bad migraines and the fatigue was dreadful all through the first lockdown etc. My endo only commented that the FT4 was a tad low when I requested a prescription for my T3. Obviously I wasn’t paying for a consultation, so nothing else was said.

I eventually added some T4. Now on 100 x 2 days, 75 x 5

My FT4 level went up a bit to 12.5

I get home tests done, last nhs check was beginning Dec 2019.

I’ll probably get another home test done in Feb. If my levels don’t look too high I think I’ll make the 100 x 3 days a week.

I felt best when my levels were FT4 15.3 (range is 10-22)

My endo is happy for me to up the T3 to 15mcg per day if I wish.

I do keep a strict eye on it now that I realise all my suffering last year was due to levels dropping.

If I left it to my GP then I’d probably be in bed with another sicky migraine.

Love this forum, it’s helped me get my life back (and I’m still learning and tweaking levels).

[jrbarnes in reply to Lovecake]

I agree. If I left my GP in charge I'd be in a wheelchair. I had a good look over four years worth of lab tests and noted the T4 levels declining and along with it my T3 but over the years I wan't always quite right even with high T4. Today I took the jump and upped the T3 and took it early in the day. I was surprised that I felt better! I'm also still learning but hope I'm getting closer. 🌻

[Lovecake in reply to jrbarnes]

That’s positive for you. I hope you continue to feel an improvement.I sent my GP an update on what has been going on in the last year. I received a text this morning to book a thyroid blood test (nothing else, just as well I monitor it all myself), and a medication review. I’m surprised that she ask for this, of course I’ll book it, but I’m nervous of going into the surgery due to the new variant. Perhaps I’ll post on here once I’ve been.

Take care 🙂

[Hidden]

How are you feeling on the new regime? I'm just about t3 to a lowered NDT soon. My ft4 is low, 20-30%% of range, ft3 is around 70-75%. Yet anytime I try to add some levo I get an awful swelling and fuzziness. Need to try adding t3 or t4 to lower NDT.