Why has my T3 doubled in 3 weeks?? Update

[Janeh1960]

Thank you to everyone who answered my questions last week & helped so much. Quick update 😊

Palpitations/irregular hear beat got even worse Sunday, I felt dreadful, exhausted, lightheaded etc & it scared me so much after visit to A&E Saturday that I took no T4 or T3 on the Sunday.

My Endo rang me Monday, she shared my concern about such a big drop but understood why the hospital were concerned about my very irregular & fast heart beat, BP etc.

She said to take 10mcg T3, split am & pm & 125mcg T4 at bedtime for this week/until palpitations settled then increase T3 according to how I’m feeling.

She agreed with me that the high T4 is probably the problem as something similar happened years & years ago long before I was taking T3.

Heart has calmed down but still occasionally starts missing beats etc, usually triggered by stress now.

Back to hospital yesterday, BP down to normal (was very high when there last week but then I did think I was having a heart attack)

Resting heart rate down from 80 to 64 (Fitbit)

No one asked when I last took the meds, T4 & T3 were both taken 8 hours before test.

Blood test results from yesterday (last week in brackets)

TSH <0.01 (<0.01) (0.35-3.5)

T4 14.0 (21.7) (7.5-21.1)

T3 4.2 (11.8) ( 3.8-6)

I am a bit surprised the T4 dropped so fast.

Hospital drs very thorough again, there for 4 hours, but they’re now happy to leave my Endo to sort.

She’ll see me in 3 months to check levels unless I need to see her before. I can ring her anytime, so lucky to have her.

The dr at hospital was telling me that TSH is the only test that matters & they were hoping to see that rise.

I explained it wasn’t going to cos of taking T3.

He went off did a bit of Googling & came back to say “you’re right, I’ve learned something today”

I feel surprisingly well so far on such a reduced dose, plenty of energy, no weight gain etc but I presume this early on that at ‘tissue’ level my T4 is still quite high?

Will see what happens I guess, but I trust my Endo so hopefully it’ll all be o.k 🤞

[greygoose]

The T4 dropped so fast because it was never really that high. All that was explained to you in your last post:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Janeh1960 in reply to greygoose]

Goodness, sorry if I offended you, not my intention. I’m well aware the very high result last week was in no way accurate.

A ‘correctly timed’ test taken 2 weeks before I reduced the dose, with the last thyroxine & T3 taken 24hrs before, had a reading of T4 20.02

To me that suggests it dropped from there or thereabouts to 14 after one weeks reduction, which seems quick to me.

Just my observation 😊

[greygoose in reply to Janeh1960]

No, you didn't offend me. But don't forget you also have Hashi's, so that could have something to do with it. But, put like that, I find a reading of 14 rather suspicious, too. How much T4 are you taking? 125 mcg? I don't see that's possible. Did you reduce the T3 at all?

Sorry if I was a bit abrupt but I was dashing to answer the telephone.

[Janeh1960 in reply to greygoose]

I’m taking 125mcg T4 & 10mcg (split doses) a day. I’ve had Hashi’s for 30 years, was on the same dose of T4 & T3 for 14years, no probs.

I’ve had no adverse effects from reducing, early days for the T4 I know, but I actually feel really well.

It’s just not what I would’ve expected going on my past experiences.

Just remembered the hospital tests were done in a different lab, wouldn’t of thought would be that bigger difference though.

I also have Antiphosphilipid syndrome, take Warfarin, & Sjogrens too,

Any ‘change’ like this could put me at risk of a clot or bleeding, I think that’s why I feel the need to know what’s going on & get back in control of it.

[greygoose in reply to Janeh1960]

OK, but I think the question is not so much why did my T4 drop so quickly, but why did it go so high two weeks before you reduced the dose? Because there wasn't much difference between the last results and the one before.

[Janeh1960 in reply to greygoose]

Exactly, why now after 14years.

[Kalicocat]

I'm taking 75mcg T4 and 5.5mcg slow release T3. I find my T4 goes down to 14 when taking my T3. When I stop my T3 my T4 goes up to 22 and my T3 drops to below the normal range. Your body will adjust and convert some of the T4 to reverse T3 if it is not needed and you are not overmedicated. My balance of T4 and T3 are perfect with these small doses.

My TSH is not suppressed because I am not taking too much hormone, just the correct amount with the correct balance. My TSH is between 1 and 1.5. I remember when my Endocrinologist said TSH will stay in the normal range if I am not taking too much T3 and I thought 'yeah right', but she was correct. I've been taking this combination for 3 years now.

I believe most people on this forum who have a suppressed TSH are likely taking too much T3 for their needs.