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.
Recently started on T3: Morning all, I've... - Thyroid UK
Recently started on T3
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.
T3 isn't an instant fix. Be patient and follow Endos instructions.
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
I would think you'd find some benefit after about 24 hours
Is prescription for 5mcg or 20mcg tablets
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).
Prescription is for 20mcg but I have to cut them in half and take half per day.
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
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?
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
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
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
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.
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
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.