Latest bloods please help, advice needed as just switched from thyroid s to levo and t3 combo.

[dizzy1979]

Hello, I know you lovely peeps are always full of the best advice, and I really am in need right now.

So on the 17th feb I switched from thyroid s 2.5 tablets a day to thyroxine and t3 ( tiromel ) using the best conversion I could manage I started in 75mcg of t4 and 25mcg of t3.

The first few days I felt amazing. Honestly surprised because I thought thyroxine was the devils food after 15 years on it feeling rubbish. But by day 4 I wasn’t sleeping more then 5-6 hours a night. I have tried switching up the times of my soli t3 dose, but however I take it makes no difference. So part of me thinks I must be having too much t3, however I have felt cold and run down all weekend, despite the lovely sunshine, I don’t know if it’s the lack of sleep taking its toll, or if it is hypo symptoms returning, I am sceptical to take more, and sleep even less, but don’t want to reduce and crash my system.

I have just returned from my nurse appointment for a b12 injection, and she kindly printed my results, from my test taken the day I switched my meds, so hopefully someone will be able to use that as a guide to tell me if I should increase or decrease either or both meds.

I will be forever grateful if I could manage more the 6 hours sleep.

Sorry for the long boring post. And any replies gratefully received. Even if it is to tell me I am doing it all wrong. X

[hipolion]

why did you change from ndt to levo+t3 ? I think the equivalent would be 100mcg levo +20T3.

[dizzy1979 in reply to hipolion]

I switched because thyroid s is becoming increasing harder to source, and I don’t feel like it was working as well for me in recent months. It’s so hard to fine tune the dose. Thank you for the advice regarding t4.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

dizzy1979

printed my results, from my test taken the day I switched my meds, so hopefully someone will be able to use that as a guide to tell me if I should increase or decrease either or both meds.

So those results are based on you taking Thyroid-S and are not all that helpful in showing whether or not you need to change your Levo + T3 dose. an equivalent dose of Levo + T3 may not give the same results as Thyroid-S.

Thyroid-S has 38mcg T4 and 9mcg T3 per grain so 2.5 grains would be 95mcg T4 and 22.5mcg T3. I agree with Hipolion that 100mcg Levo and 20mcg T3 would be your nearest equivalent.

If it was me I'd increase Levo to 100mcg and I'd reduce T3 to 18.75mcg, retest after 6-8 weeks and reassess.

[dizzy1979 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you seaside Susie, I am aware those results are not particularly helpful for the current meds I am taking, but they were my guide for switching and all I have at the mo, there is no point in me retesting for another few weeks, so I am having to go in symptoms alone, I will increase the levo and decrease the t3, which is going to be a bit hit and miss as they are not the easiest to chop, but hopefully over the course of the week it will even itself out. It has only been 12 days since switching, and so I know it is early days, if I could get some sleep I’d feel great.

On another note, I see that most people split their t3 dose, what would be an optimal way to take 18.75 t3, I used to take thyroid s on waking at at bed time.

Many thanks for your help.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to dizzy1979]

dizzy1979

I manage to split a 25mcg T3 tablet with no problem, I used to take 18.75mcg daily.

I have one of these pill cutters

amazon.co.uk/Safe-Sound-Pil...

and you just need a very light touch to cut in half, then cut one half in half again.

I used to take my T3 all in one dose with my Levo, but a "surprise" test at my surgery (after I'd taken my dose) showed my FT3 quite a bit over range compared with when I leave the usual 8-12 hours. I wasn't happy to have such a big spike so decided to split my dose, I don't feel any different but I prefer to know that the after dose spike wont be so much as before.

For 18.75mcg T3 I was taking 12.5mcg in the morning with my Levo and 6.25mcg for my second dose.

[dizzy1979 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you, I have one of those pill cutters I’ll fish it out! I will give the split dose another try, I had my morning dose at 7, of 12.5 so I’ll try the 6.25 at 3pm. Thank you again x

[hipolion in reply to dizzy1979]

I don't want to be a Grinch but I did in the same way, believing it's better. I went from natural to synthetic and then I realized that it's better ndt with a small addition of levo. That's how I suffered last year, when I reached my full dose of synthetic(Tirosint+T3 for 6 months) I realized it was better on ndt+levo. So, I kept spinning around my tail. Now I have ordered Thyroid-s and am waiting for the package. I hope I'll be fine.

[dizzy1979 in reply to hipolion]

I hope that works for you. I have been in thyroid s for about 18 months and I just don’t feel like it works as well for me any more, if I do not get in well with levo and t3 I will try switching back and adding Levo.

[hipolion in reply to dizzy1979]

At your levo dose, I don't think there will be any problems. The problem for me on the synthetic I think is from too much reverse T3. As the levo dose increases, reverset3 increases too and I do not feel resolved in symptoms.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Your folate is deficient and B12 low

No vitamin D result

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

B12 very low if you get regular injections

[dizzy1979 in reply to SlowDragon]

I just had my first b12 injection today, I was taking ignnus b complex but had to stop for liver blood test to be taken so haven’t had any fur 6 weeks. I don’t know why vit d wasn’t shown it was requested. I take the oral vitamin d spray ( when I remember )

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to dizzy1979]

Looks like vitamin D result might be on next page

Or if was tested recently they won’t retest ...only once every 2 years (if your lucky)

[dizzy1979 in reply to SlowDragon]

It’s not showing but I have had it tested on the last 6 months do that may be why?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to dizzy1979]

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via vitamindtest.org.uk

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Folate deficient

As you have B12 injections it’s recommended also to supplement a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) may be beneficial.This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will maintain B12 levels between injections too

Difference between folate and folic acid

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Igennus Super B is good quality and cheap vitamin B complex. Contains folate. Full dose is two tablets per day. Many/most people may only need one tablet per day. Certainly only start on one per day (or even half tablet per day for first couple of weeks)

Or Thorne Basic B is another option that contain folate, but is large capsule

IMPORTANT If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

[BumbleyM]

Hello Dizzy,

So glad you managed to get the T3 and T4 eventually.... I started on a very low dose of t3 5ug per day, and then had to go up to 10ug, split into two doses - powerful hormones need that sensitive handling to get the best out of them...diet and stress levels affect how effective they are, too. Please persevere, the juggling is worth it once you get it right for yourself.... take care, Michelle

[dizzy1979 in reply to BumbleyM]

Thanks Michelle, that’s really helpful, yesterday was a very bad day for me and I could have quiet easily given up and gone back to thyroid s, but feeling better today. I reduced to 16.75 t3 yesterday and increased t4 to 100 and managed 7 hours sleep last night, I probably need to reduce a bit more, but will persevere for a week abs then decide. I just want to feel well again 🙏🏻

[BumbleyM in reply to dizzy1979]

From what I've read, you are probably right - that does seem a large dose of T3, but I imagine you chop it up - my morning dose, taken 6.30/ 7am ish, lasts until about midday,and then if I've forgotten to take the second dose, by 3pm I'll be mutating into a slug - not exactly sleepy, just slo-mo.... I really do believe we have to work out what works for us as individuals.... I'm sure you will get there, take care, Michelle

[dizzy1979 in reply to BumbleyM]

Do you know, I don’t get that afternoon slump, I was taking 1/2 tablet at 6.30/7am and then the other half before bed around 10pm, I get tired by 6/7pm, but always forget to take a dose before then. Yesterday I changed to 1/2 tablet ( 12.5) at 7am and then 1/4 tablet (6.25) at 3. I still fell asleep in the sofa around 8.30 but as mentioned, yesterday was an awful day for me, I hit a really low point and totally crashed from sleep deprecation the past week and a half. I do feel a bit better today, so hopefully it will all work out. I just assumed ( because I am a twat ) that I would need to take the equivalent of what was in the ndt. But apparently that was not the case. I don’t want to change dose to soon, so will stick as am for the next week abs change down again if still no better x

[BumbleyM]

Fingers crossed you get it tinkered to perfection... do keep at it....