Advice on taking T3

[jacobite33]

Evening folks

Just received T3 today and I think you begin with taking a quarter of a 25mg tablet each morning along with the Levothyroxine

Going with my past blood results could someone possibly please advise me on the best way forward?

Will

[Lalatoot]

Will, as your FT4 was all but at the top of the range then I would decrease that probably just by the 12.5 to 100mcg but you could decrease by 25mcg if your intuition guides you that way.Week 1 decrease levo

Week 2 Add in quarter tablet lio

Wait a week

If all ok add another quarter tablet lio either to current dose or as separate dose.

You might want to stop there for 6 - 8 weeks and do bloods. some of us only need a low dose.

Otherwise it is add a quarter of a tablet every 2 weeks until you reach a total daily dose of one tablet then wait 8 weeks and do bloods.

It is all about finding the doses that suit you once you are on combo so take things slowly and only change 1 thing at a time.

[jacobite33 in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you so much for replying lalaloot,appreciated!

I am on 112.5mg one day then 100mg levo the next.Found my own dose to where it is now.To be truthful I’m dreading reducing it as I want in a very nice place when the doctor dropped it.Can I add the T3 first then reduce the levo?

I have their constant knot in my stomach and feeling as if the front of my neck is pulsing and anxiety.Hoping the introduction of T3 will ease it

Once again thank you for replying

Will

[Lalatoot in reply to jacobite33]

You can try. Adding t3 tends to slightly lower ft4 anyway However the advice on here is generally to lower levo if ft4 is at top of range.

My ft4 was 60% through range when I added t3 so I haven't experience of it being up at the top when I started combo.

[jacobite33 in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you

Decisions indeed

Best to stick with the advice from here I think.Reduce the T4 first although not looking forward to it 🤪

Thanks lalaloot

[Lalatoot in reply to jacobite33]

The reduction isn't that much if you just go to 100mcg per day. Many symptoms are caused by low ft3 and as you are adding t3 after a week it hopefully won't be as bad as anticipated.

[jacobite33 in reply to Lalatoot]

Aye hopefully girlMaybe just overthinking

If it has been low T3 all along that explains a lot even when I was on 125mg levo per day then down to 75mcg per day

Your a gem lalaloot take care and stay safe

[FancyPants54 in reply to jacobite33]

I didn't reduce my T4. I just started T3 and the process of taking the T3 has literally tanked my FT4. If you feel nervous, keep it where it is and add the 5 T3.

[jacobite33 in reply to Lalatoot]

Hey lalaloot sorry to trouble you again!Just a quick question

That was my first week up on T3 quarter of a tablet this morning.So tomorrow I up the dose to half a tablet?

Reason I’m asking I have it in my head I have to stop for a week before taking T3 again in the half tablet dose

[Lalatoot in reply to jacobite33]

Yes up the dose if you feel ok. You can either take half a tablet or take the second quarter tablet in afternoon or bedtime. Then either keep on half tablet for 6 - 8 weeks and do bloods

or

add in a quarter of a tablet after 2 weeks until you reach a daily dose of 1 tablet then wait and do bloods.

Some folks take it all in one go; others split it into 2 or 3 doses. Trial and error.

Hope all ok with you.

[jacobite33 in reply to Lalatoot]

Oooft complicated stuff this T3 lolYes I’m good thank you hope you are too!

Will add a quarter of a tablet every two weeks take it up to one 25mg tablet

Im thinking with my T3 only around the 37% absorption rate I will probably need the full tablet

Maybe? See how it goes

[Lalatoot]

You too, pal. Are you caught up in all the road closure shenanigans with the COP summit?

[jacobite33 in reply to Lalatoot]

Pal? Do you think I’m a tin of dog meat?Sorry chum!

No problem chappie (ah the old jokes are the best)

No I will be in Wick working so driving up there for a two week stay

They reckon there will be grid lock and no doubt lots of protesters

[Lalatoot in reply to jacobite33]

Aye it will be a right stooshie. Glad to be well away from it. Save travels to Wick.

[jacobite33 in reply to Lalatoot]

👍

Have a lovely weekend and thanks again for taking the time to reply!

[Lilian15]

This is how a doctor started me: First I had to stop levothyroxine for 4 weeks. Then start with 5mcg of T3 in the morning, for 4 days. If I was OK on that I would have 5 mcg of T3 in the morning and another 5mcg of T3 at mid day. Again after 4 days if that was tolerated I would add another 5 mcg of T3 in the late afternoon. Again if well tolerated after a week, the morning one was increased to 10mcg of T3 with the remaining two at 5 mcg. It was increased like this until I found what was best for me. I found that the late afternoon one kept me awake at night and I just did not feel right. I did feel quite comfortable with the morning one and mid day one. So they were gradually increased to 10 mcg in morning and 10 mcg in afternoon. Then levothyroxine was introduced back again. Starting with 50 mcg for six weeks, if OK another 50 for a further 6 weeks. If symptoms still there then T3 was increased. Finally I found that 100mcg of levothyroxine and 40 mcg of T3 was the dose I was at my best with. During this process I found that after a short while one symptom would have gone, and maybe I felt good one day a week. Gradually other symptoms went and I started to feel good several more days a week. It was after one year that I woke up and realised I had gone a whole week feeling normal, and with no symptoms. That was on 100 mcg of T4 and 40 mcg (sometimes 50 depending on manufacturer) of T3. I have been on that combination (T4/T3 or equivalent NDT) for 20 years. After the first few years I took the whole dose in the morning, without any problems, although I am not sure it would be the same for everyone.

[FancyPants54 in reply to Lilian15]

My goodness that was a brutal start. I'd have been in the lunatic asylum if anyone had made me stop Levo dead like that and for so long. Almost every dose change of T4 or T3 gives me terrible anxiety for a few days or weeks. That would have been unbearable.

[Lilian15 in reply to FancyPants54]

I was so ill and the levothyroxine alone wasn't doing anything, so stopping it for 4 weeks made no difference to me.

[FancyPants54 in reply to Lilian15]

Levo hasn't helped me either, but it's a hormone and changing things, even if it's not helping, seems to have a huge impact on my body. I'm still taking 125mcg Levo a day with my now 35mcg T3. My last blood test showed a FT4 level 18% through the range! But a few months back I tried dropping levo to 100mcg a day and in a week loads of my already really thin hair just fell out! I was sitting at my desk and it was falling out over my arms as I watched. I have no idea why. Perhaps because at the time my FT3 wasn't high enough, I don't know. I will need to try reducing it again soon. It freaks me out that I swallow all that each day and yet it's doing nothing until I try to reduce it.

[Lilian15 in reply to FancyPants54]

I think it is a matter of finding out what suits ourselves - one size does not fit all. I think that is why so many doctors do not want to have anything to do with T3 because as each patient is different, it means having to treat every patient as individuals.

[Gingernut44 in reply to Lilian15]

Isn’t that what they’re supposed to do anyway 🤔

[jacobite33 in reply to Gingernut44]

Ladies the most important thing for me at the moment is my football club that I think there all playing as if there hypo! Any advice for them? Will read all your advice later and thanks very much for replying!

Rugby Park half time

[Kikker57]

You shouldn’t take the T3 and T4 at the same time. One is active, the other inactive. Make sure there is at least 1 hr between the two and they have to be taken on a empty stomach. I take my T4 at night and the T3 in the morning. Suits me well.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Kikker57]

Lots of people do take theirs at the same time. Some out of choice. Others because they are on some sort of combination - whether T4+T3 or desiccated thyroid.

What do you feel is so bad about taking them at the same time?