I feel like I recover much better from exercise on 25mcg of liothyronine, but my FT3 is above range even on 17.5mcg...

[Zazbag]

Hello everyone,

I was on 25mcg lio from about November until January and during that time I started exercising again consistently and rarely felt fatigued the next day. But when I had my FT3 tested in January, it was slightly above the range. I slowly tapered the dose down to 15mcg when it was at its lowest, but my FT3 still stayed above range or at the top of the range.

On top of this, I noticed I felt hypo symptoms of fatigue, poor sleep, increased hunger, depression, poor concentration, low motivation, anxiety, the more I reduced my dose. Plus I noticed my recovery from exercise was massively impaired again like it had been before I added the lio – leaving me unable to function over the next day(s) due to brain fog, poor mood and exhaustion.

A few weeks ago I increased the dose back up to 25mcg and now when I exercise I feel great and I am recovering well again. Does this mean I should just stay on 25mcg even if I'm above range?

My NHS endocrinologist told me that if I feel good and don't have heart palpitations then I don't need to worry but that was back when I was only on 17.5mcg, though my FT3 was still above range at this dose level. He doesn't know that I've slowly increased my dose back up to 25mcg (I'm self-medicating). I do get them if I suddenly exert myself e.g. going up lots of stairs etc. but never if I am at rest.

I'm also taking 150 mcg levo. Happy to post my test results if needed but for reference, my FT3 has fluctuated between 6.8 and 8.1 depending on my dose since I added lio – 6.8 is the top of the range.

I've been told that if I have cellular hypothyroidism then the amount of T3 in my blood doesn't matter as it doesn't reflect how much is getting into my cells but since I haven't been formally diagnosed with this issue it worries me a bit that I've had above range FT3 since November last year...

According to this website:

thyroidproblemsdoctor.com/c...

"If you have hypothyroid symptoms and have normal TSH and T4, you likely have cellular hypothyroidism" which was definitely the case for me when I was on levo only.

[BrynGlas]

I am not an expert, but I believe I am right in saying that hypothyroid patients often do enter when they are high in range for T3.

It is more important I have heard and I would say personally, to go by how you feel in yourself instead of worrying what blood test results say.

You dropped your dose and all your symptoms came back, felt terrible. You put it up again and you feel great again? I think personally that you need to work on the way you feel, rather than what the numbers say.

I have no idea what my thyroid levels were when I was well, do you?

I have some experience of T3 now, because last year I sourced and bought my own T3.

I started it at 1/4 of a 25mcg tablet a day.

I have been on 3 x 25mcg tablet a day for a couple of months now and cut Levo to 50mcg.

A few weeks ago I noticed that my hair was growing back.

Now I am losing weight, I am trying to lose weight, I am working at it, it isn't falling off without any effort.

No matter what any blood test tells me, I would not drop my T3 dose.

My GP refused to even talk to me about T3, he said it was an illegal drug!

I am living a life for the first time since 1997! I won't exist again on Levo for anyone, especially my GP!!!! LoL

Go get 'em girl!!! Live your life if you feel good, carry on!!

Best of British to you.

[Zazbag in reply to BrynGlas]

Hahaha, thanks Bryn, that makes me feel loads better. Will continue on 25mcg for now. Glad to hear you're living life to the max now! Long may it continue ☺️

[shaws in reply to BrynGlas]

I think you are like myself - would be horrified if T3 was removed altogether.

[BrynGlas in reply to BrynGlas]

Oh dear!!! They typos I made!!!

[shaws]

25mcg of T3 is approx equal to 100mcg of levothyroxine in its "affect".

Thyroid blood test were introduced for levothyroxine only so if we take other thyroid hormone replacements all the emphasis is upon how 'we feel' not on numbers.

Once-upon-a-time there were no blood tests for thyroid hormones and we were given Natural Dessicated Thyroid Hormones due to our clinical symptoms and it was slowly increased until symptoms resolved.

How much money the NHS would save if they followed the 'old-fashioned method today and rarely take blood tests but concentrate on the patients' clinical symptoms.

[m7-cola in reply to shaws]

Yes!!!

[BrynGlas in reply to shaws]

I have been on as much as 200mcg of levo before Shaws. But I knew nothing about blood tests then, they either changed my dose, or just said 'normal'. It never made a scrap of difference what dose of Levo I had in fact!

Thank you for the tip on 25mcg T3 equals 100mcg Levo. It gives me an idea at least, of what I am doing. I am fine on my current dose, still having to work on a diet to lose weight, but at least it is working these days and my hair is growing like weeds!!! I shall have grown a fringe very soon at this rate. And I didn't want one of those!!!! But I will never again complain about my hair. I had no idea that I had lost so much of it until I could see it growing back!

[shaws in reply to BrynGlas]

I think quite a number of people who start to treat themselves, are unaware that 25mcg T3 doesn't have the same affect as 25mcg T4 so that's what is good about the forum, we also pick up knowledge as well as bits and pieces which can lead us to be symptom free.

[juliej333]

Hi there, I self-medicate with T3, and also rely on the symptoms rather than any blood tests. I have a blood pressure monitor and use it to keep a check on both BP and heart rate.

[Zazbag in reply to juliej333]

What kind of blood pressure monitor do you have?

[juliej333 in reply to Zazbag]

It's got a cuff you put on your wrist. You then hold it to your chest and it monitors & records your BP & HR. I thought the wrist cuff would be more convenient than an upper arm cuff, especially in winter! When I bought it, I looked for one that was medical grade.

[hackman]

How long are you leaving between last dose of T3 and blood draw for the test? It is recommended to leave between 18 and 24 hours, if too close to your last dose your result will reflect the peak level in your blood and will always be over range.

Signs and symptoms are the most important measure of how close you are to being optimal in terms of medication in my view

[Zazbag in reply to hackman]

I follow the protocol the admins teach us here, which is to take the last 5mcg of liothyronine 8 hours before the blood test, and to have the test first thing in the morning and fasted.