Hello everyone. I’m from the USA and love to read all of your posts here. I get so much valuable information here than I do in my own country.
I had thyroid cancer 3 1/2 years ago and my thyroid was removed. I’ve had several RAI treatments. Normally my simulated TSH returns back to below 1. This time it didn’t and I asked if it was because I took prednisone for five days for a back injury but she said usually that lowers the TSH. So my TSH is up there and she has now given me T3 to add to my T4. My T4 never gets below 1.70 for the past two years it stays on the very high normal side. Her plans are to take away a pill a week, so I would only take .100 Synthroid six days a week versus seven days a week. She is giving me 5 mg of T3 . My plans are to split it in half for at least the first week see how I do. My concern is the fact that my T4 is still up there and I don’t want to feel hyperthyroid. I’ve read on here that many of you start off by splitting the dose a.m. and p.m.
We had a conversation about skipping two days of Synthroid as I was a bit paranoid about the high T4 and adding the T3 but then I thought about it and I’m thinking well I don’t want to take 200 MCG away from my body for a week versus 100 MCG away from my body for a week. Funny thing is I don’t really feel hypothyroid so my recent TSH feels not correct to me. And I did wait eight weeks before taking blood work after Rai as I normally do.
So my question is related to taking the T3 with synthroid and eliminating a day of 100 MCG, will the T3 lower my T4? I know it will lower my TSH. I’m skeptical because it doesn’t seem to matter what dose change I do my, T4 still hangs out in the normal high range. I know it’s already affected my bones. Ugh! Just experienced 4 weeks ago a compression fracture in my spine.
I’m including my most recent labs. The lab work is prior to any dose change.
I hope I made sense here. It’s 7:30 in the morning lol
Currently taking .100 mcg synthroid 7 days a week. I’ve been on this dose since end of 2020.
New dose change would be .100 Synthroid 6 days week and adding 5 mg T3 seven days a week.
Thank you! Grateful for any help.
FREE T4
Your Value
1.70 ng/dL
Standard Range
0.61-1.80 ng/dL
TSH
Your Value
4.010 u[10]/mL
Standard Range
0.300-5.600 u/lU1/mL
FREE T3
Your Value
2.5 pg/mL
Standard Range
2.0-4.4 pg/mL
Written by
Thyca63
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Hi Thyca63. I'm also in the U.S and agree totally about this forum being superior to those in the U.S. These administrators and lovely folk are brilliant. They will give u valuable advice. Good luck.
Just a word of advice... On this forum, you have to click on the blue 'Reply' button under someone's comment if you want them to be notified that you've replied. If you don't, they probably won't see your reply. I'll tag mintgreenish for you.
Don't worry about the FT4. Taking T3 will reduce it, anyway.
T4 is basically a storage hormone, which doesn't do very much until it is converted into the active hormone, T3. So, it's unlikely that your high level of FT4 has affected your bones. It's more likely to be your low FT3 - healthy bones need good levels of T3. You are a poor converter and your conversion has possibly got worse over time and that's why your TSH has risen? What level is your FT3 usually?
So, taking T3 should bring your TSH down, but by how much on such a small does, it's impossible to say. Did your endo say anything about increasing it? You might need more with time.
Thank you my phone was messing up so I have no idea what happened with the reply previously. My T3 has been pretty much around the same level as I posted maybe a little tiny bit higher at times but not much for the past two years. Because I had other things happening with my lymph nodes, we were hoping there would be a better conversion after the surgery.
My TSH has never been high unless I had the Thyrogen shots to prepare for radioactive iodine or a whole body scan and that’s a stimulated TSH it has always gone back down under 1. and the highest 1.5. I don’t know why it has not come down this time.
Thank you for giving me peace of mind about the T4 because here in the groups in the USA that I participate they all were saying that having a high T4 and adding T3 to it could cause a lot of problems for me moving forward.
My endocrinologist is only starting me at 5 mg T3 because I am drug sensitive and we’re starting from there until
here in the groups in the USA that I participate they all were saying that having a high T4 and adding T3 to it could cause a lot of problems for me moving forward.
Oh, that's rubbish. Lots of people do it. In fact, in the UK, that's pretty much the only way you'll get T3, if your FT4 is really high, and your FT3 very low. Endos always reduce the dose of levo - often by far too much - and taking T3 will reduce the T4 anyway. It doesn't stay high. It can't stay high.
Oh, I understand why your endo is starting you on 5 mcg. That's the best way to do it - with all hormones, start low and increase slowly. I just wondered if he was thinking that would be enough.
She is starting me slow. She didn’t say to split in half. That was my feeling to start by splitting it in half. So my plan was to take half with my synthroid at 6:30 am then the other half two hours after lunch. She did no think I should split it. Your opinion? And I do appreciate your advice!
Also the first year after my thyroidectomy the doctor had my tsh suppressed and at that time my T3 was mid level and I felt so hyperthyroid. My FT4 stayed high too. But I was only taking T4 med, .112 everyday. I even got high blood pressure from it. So this is why I am concerned adding t3 to a high T4 would cause the same reaction. My T4 goes between 1.70 to 1.77.
Do you think it’s ok I skip a synthroid dose a week like my endo suggests while taking T3?
I am in Florida and I was given the opportunity to increase T4 or to keep taking the cytomel and T4 but, 6 days a week. I, personally, went for the increase in T4 due to the strong headaches I had while taking T3. I think that the lovely, generous and welk informed people here will give you a good advice. Good luck and good health!
I just started. I’ll see how it works. I agree with some here to split it. I could not do a higher dose of T4 because it’s too hard on my heart and is not converting properly and she thought even other meds I would have the same issue. I need to get my tsh down to help prevent a reoccurrence of thyroid cancer. I hope this goes smooth. It’s been a struggle for two years. I know it takes some time to feel the T3 and I only took half of the 5. this morning. For some NDT works better but I have a feeling the endo I have now will not support it.
And there wasnt that much change in FT3 with higher doses of T4.
I'll have my blood work on Friday. I added a natural anti cholesterol pill last week but it is causing the same effects of the prescribed one. I am afraid of stopping them before the blood work as they could make it worse. Let's hope for the best. I hope you have a good doctor.
I do have a hood doctor. What natural anti cholesterol med are yuh taking? The cholesterol med should have nothing to do with your thyroid hormones. And thanks for reminding me to take my cholesterol med lol
CHOLEST OFF. The brain fog is horrible! I did dishes without soap, I was fighting with the range for not getting hot and I had never turned it on, and the list follows....Good luck!
Well I’m still splitting the T3 (5mcg). I think if I took it all at once I might not like it. Other than waiting for a procedure coming up Friday to put cement between my vertabrae, just bored. Yes a compressed fracture L1. Ugh!
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