Advice on medication

[Margaret]

My gp decided that I no longer needed to take thyroxine and said I only needed to take liothyronine so some months back he advised 30 micro in the morning and another 30 after lunch. Then after another blood test I was asked how much thyroxine I was taking obviously my answer was none so then dr decided that I just cut the liothyronine down to 20 in the morning. Therefore I could feel all my old symptoms returning. Spoke to dr and I am now back on 50 micro of thyroxine and the 30 micro liothyronine twice a day. I have been on that does for 10 days now but I not feeling 100%. Will it take a few weeks before I start feeling better? My blood test results are T4 5.15 TSH 0.01 and HbA1c level 40. I hope this all makes sense.

[radd]

Margaret,

Thyroxine is T4 and liothyronine is T3. Can you confirm your doctor cut the thyroxine and switched you to 60mcg liothyronine, before making all these other dose changes that appear very erratic.

Hormones takes many weeks to resettle and balance out. It is usual to test six weeks after any dose change. Did your doctor test FT3 levels as he is prescribing it for you?

You are just borderline for pre-diabetes. I had this (its due to worn out adrenal glands -cortisol, etc help balance blood sugars). Just watch what you eat. I ate protein at every meal, snacked on protein bars, shakes, and never allowed myself to get hungry. Balanced the high sugar content of grapes with a little cheese, pears with natural yogurt, etc. Mine reversed very quickly.

[Chocs09 in reply to radd]

T3 does not stay in your system very long I was always instructed to take it in 3 doses through the day. the first being very early

[Margaret in reply to radd]

I have so many blood test results from the 21st June. Serum TSH level 0.01 mIU/L, Serum free T4 level 5.15 pmoI/L. I was trying to attach a copy of them all but sorry I couldn’t do it. I appreciate all your replies.

[shaws Administrator]

Once we are diagnosed with hypothyroidism, it is a lifetime autoimmune disease.

Levothyroxine is an inactive hormone and the initial dose is usually 50mcg with increments of 25mcg every six weeks until TSH is 1 or lower. It is also called T4.

25mcg of Liothyronine is approx 'in its effect' to 100mcg of levothyroxine. It is the Active thyroid hormone and is needed in all of our T3 receptor cells and the brain and heart contain the most T3 receptor cells. It is rarely prescribed.

Levothyroxine has to convert to T3 which can restore our health - again - if at the correct dose.

When you give your results, you also have to state the ranges. Ranges are in brackets after the results and the reason we need the ranges quoted is that it enables members to respond more accurately as labs differ and it makes it easier to respond..

Also request when having next test Vitamin D, iron, ferritin and folate.

If having a blood test in future this is the method to try to get the best results:-

Always make the earliest possible time even if you make it weeks ahead. It is a fasting test so don't take thyroid hormones before blood test but afterwards. Also don't eat before blood draw but you can drink water.

Allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of thyroid hormones and the test and take it afterwards.

Request B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate too. Everything has to be optimal.

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records.

The aim is to get TSH to around 1 or lower and Free T4 and Free T3 towards the upper part of the ranges.

When you give your results also put the ranges. Ranges are necessary for comments and labs differ.

[Shield-Maiden in reply to shaws]

Brilliant response Shaws...thank you for your informative reply.

[shaws Administrator]

Another doctor who doesn't know very much about how to treat their patients who have hypothyroidism.

The majority of doctors are unaware how best to relieve clinical symptoms.

Change your doctor as your health will not improve and if you follow the advice from many members on this forum you will begin to feel much better and 'most of all' have normal health restored when 'we go it alone'. Of course you want our thyroid hormones to be prescribed but some doctors may only want to prescribe T4 and I just cannot improve at all on T4 alone.

I take T3 alone and have reduced my dose slightly - I always go by 'how I feel' and in general I feel well and that I have normal health and no clinical symptoms. Whereas on levothyroxine I was so very, very unwell with severe heart palpitations and cardiologist couldn't figure out why. He was contemplating putting an implant in my heart but just about then I was prescribed some T3 and it was miraculous and I never consulted with the Cardio again. I then went onto T3 only and that suits me fine.