T3 query

[Pixipot]

I have just been prescribed T3 to take on top of my levothyroxine, has anyone got experience of T3 what can I expect?

[Buddy195 Administrator]

I followed forum advice and reduced my Levo slightly for a week prior to adding T3, than added a very small amount of T3 for a couple of days before adding a little more. It’s useful to know how much Levo you are currently taking and how much Lio has been prescribed. I certainly did not need all the Lio my endo prescribed. I’m definitely a fan of slow, cautious addition of new medication! Best wishes to you.

[fuchsia-pink]

How much are you prescribed? If it's a standard 20 or 25 mcg tablet AND your levo has been reduced, I'd say the best thing to do is:

* reduce the levo first and hold for a week (if you do two things at once and it doesn't suit, you do'n' know which thing was "wrong")

* add 1/4 tablet of lio to your levo and hold for a week or two

* add another 1/4 of lio well apart from the first dose and hold for another week or two

* build up like this to a whole tablet, and hold for 6 - 8 weeks. Work out whether it suits you best in 1, 2 or 3 doses (I can't cope with multiple doses and forget - but for others it's really important to split it up). Re-test bloods

If you find you feel great on less than a whole tablet, that's not a problem - stick on that dose and re-test. Cutting a small tablet into quarters may be a bigger problem (!) but people here experiment with pill cutters, scalpels, craft knifes etc until they find what suits them best Lick up the crumbs on a damp finger and best to finish one tablet before cutting another as far as possible. Lio is stronger than levo so lots of people find too much at once doesn't suit - but, particularly once you are on multiple fractions of a tablet a day, it isn't essential that each bit is exactly the same size.

Good luck x

[Summer64]

When I was changed to combination my T4 was reduced from 100 mcg to 75mcg and 10 mcg T3 added in. I felt better almost straight away.

[Marz]

Are your vitamins and minerals optimal and not just bumping along the bottom of the range ? It is often posted here that when members have a problem with T3 - further digging reveals low nutrients ....