Recently started on T3

[Europe2020]

Morning all, I've recently added T3 into my daily routine under a private endo and wondered how long it may take for me to see any difference with my symptons? Also if anyone can private message me with the best places to buy it from as I'm having to fund this myself. Thanks.

[Lalatoot]

How you feel will depend partly on how you started on liothyronine.What were your blood results prior to starting liothyronine?

Did you reduce levo thyroxine before starting?

What was your starting dose of liothyronine and how long are you leaving between increases?

Are your vitamins levels over halfway through their ranges or are you supplementing?

With this information we can give meaningful help.

Specialist UK pharmacies can supply lio at £1 per tablet.

[shaws Administrator]

T3 isn't an instant fix. Be patient and follow Endos instructions.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

How much levothyroxine were you taking

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

How long at this dose

Please add most recent TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 results

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking, if any

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

Do you have Hashimoto’s, autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

What dose T3 have you been prescribed

Has endocrinologist reduced levothyroxine, if yes, by how much

Are you splitting T3 into 2 or 3 smaller doses through the day

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose change or brand change in levothyroxine or T3

Generally guidelines are to start adding T3 EXTREMELY slowly

Starting with just 5mcg

[shaws Administrator]

I would think you'd find some benefit after about 24 hours

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Is prescription for 5mcg or 20mcg tablets

[Europe2020]

Thanks for all your replies, I had Graves 10 years ago, was treated with Radioiodine and left under active, I take vitamin b12 and vitamin d daily, and have recently increased T4 from 125 to 150 which brought my TSH back down to 0.62 but still left my feeling poorly so endo prescribed T3 @ 10mcg per day, reduced T4 back to 125 and told me to to take it in the morning (I took my T4 at bedtime previously as it helped me feel slightly better).

[Europe2020]

Prescription is for 20mcg but I have to cut them in half and take half per day.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Europe2020]

Many people prefer taking levothyroxine at bedtime, often more convenient and possibly more effective

Only make one change at a time

What is your Ft4 result after being on 150mcg levothyroxine

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

Adding T3

Reducing levothyroxine for 2-3 days before adding T3

Starting on 5mcg T3 recommended (or even 2 x 2.5mcg ….speck of dust) for first 5-7 days

Assuming going ok, about week later add next 5mcg approx 10-12 hours later in day

Probably wait 2-3 weeks minimum before considering increasing T3 further

Perhaps adding 3rd 5mcg dose T3 after further few weeks

So 3 x 5mcg doses at roughly equal 8 hour intervals

Starting too fast can cause adrenals to play up

Retest thyroid levels 6-8 weeks later

Always test thyroid levels as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test

If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal

[Europe2020 in reply to SlowDragon]

These are my last 2 sets of bloods:-

Range: TSH 0.35 - 4.94, FT4 9.0 - 19.0

4th Aug 2021 - 150 lethoTSH - 0.62

FT4 - 15.3

27th May 2021 - 125 letho

TSH - 3.93

FT4 - 15.6

I didn't know to introduce it slowly, the endo just said to start straight away and take it on a morning, could this be why I've not seen any benefit from it?

Also from what you've said I maybe need to cut the tablets into 4 and take two doses per day, 5mcg in the morning and 5mcg 10-12 hours later?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Europe2020]

4th Aug 2021 - 150 levothyroxine

TSH - 0.62 (0.35 - 4.94)

FT4 - 15.3 ( 9.0 - 19.0)

No Ft3 result?

Ft4 only 63% through range

Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

How much do you weigh in kilo Approx?

Vitamin results?

Vitamin D

Folate

Ferritin

B12

Was test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine

Which brand

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Europe2020]

What’s the reason for your hypothyroidism

Do you have autoimmune thyroid disease, also called Hashimoto’s

How long were you on 125mcg dose before increasing to 150mcg

Are you gluten or dairy free

Are you vegetarian or vegan

[Europe2020 in reply to SlowDragon]

No, same old story of lab not providing a T3 result, even though I'm going to push again next time around with taking T3.

I weigh about 73 kg, and have been on 125mcg since July 2019, the doctors didn't want to increase when I got my May results, which is why I went private as I knew TSH was too high and I had room for more T4.

I take Actavis/Accord branded T4 as everything else makes me feel worse.

I can't find my vitamin test results, the last time they were done was 2019, blood test always done 1st thing on a morning, 7.30am, before food or drink, and 24 hours after levo.

I had Graves in 2011 and was treated with Radioiodine, and have been hypo every since, but never felt well.

Not gluten or diary free, but don't eat loads of diary, and not vegan/vegetarian but don't eat a lot of meat.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Europe2020]

Suggest you get FULL thyroid and vitamins tested privately after 6-8 weeks on T3

If you’re already taking 20mcg T3 probably best to stick on it.

It’s trial and error how to take it

Some people take it as single dose

Many find it better or essential to split into two or three smaller doses

Nether levothyroxine or T3 will work well if vitamins are low

Strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential for thousands of thyroid patients

Only way to know if that includes you is to try it

Only make one change at a time otherwise you don’t know what’s helping or hindering

[shaws Administrator]

When first prescribed T3 to add to T4 - it immediately resolved most of my clinical symptoms I had on T4 only. I hope it works well for you.

[Europe2020 in reply to shaws]

Hmmm, that's what I was hoping for but I started on Fri morning and still don't feel any better. ☹