Test results advice

[AppleOrchard]

Please can I have some advice on these. I took them in the correct way as per patient to patient suggestion.

I’m taking 75mcg T4 and 25mcg T3.

I feel my T4 is a bit too low and perhaps the T3 is a little too high.

Should I increase T4 to 100mcg and reduce the T3 to ¾ of 25mcg? Or something else?

Just to add to the complication - I have run out of T3. I ordered in plenty of time but the person was away so sent it on Monday. But it still hasn’t arrived. Tomorrow is day three without T3.

Thank you very much.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

AppleOrchard

Those of us on combination thyroid hormone replacement have very individual needs as to where we each require our FT4 and FT3 to be for us to feel well, so it's not something that anyone can advise you on as to where your levels should be, it's something you have to discover yourself by trial and error and gradual tweaking of doses.

Your results would have me bedbound, I cannot function with such a low FT4 but plenty of others can.

So, how do you feel?

If you are going to change your dose(s) then only change one thing at a time, never change both dose of Levo and T3 together because you need to see what each individual change does.

My suggestion (as a non-medical person and based on my own experience) would be to reduce T3 to 3/4 of a tablet (18.75mcg), wait 8 weeks then retest and see how you feel. This should reduce your FT3 level and may increase your FT4 level.

[AppleOrchard in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you very much for your reply. I really appreciate it. I know different everyone is when taking T3 and T4. It really is what works for one, works for one. I’m not feeling great and I was desperate to get these results so I could alter my dose.

My hair is falling out, my voice is terrible and I’m really so tired by about 11.30am. I’m also really cold a lot. So I know something is definitely not right and have known for a couple of months. It’s been a bit of a nightmare getting the T3 done but finally I have.

I think the problem for me is the low T4. It’s as low as it was when I was first diagnosed. I always functioned best when it was the high end of normal range.

My inclination is to raise the T4 but that might raise the T3 to out of range.

I thought you could tweak things after two weeks of a change.

Thank you very much again.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to AppleOrchard]

AppleOrchard

My inclination is to raise the T4 but that might raise the T3 to out of range.

Yes, eventually increase Levo. But if you raise your Levo now it will raise your FT4 but also could raise your FT3 to a certain extent as well depending on how much natural conversion you have. It's not going to take much for your FT3 to go over range.

So, the best thing to do is to start by reducing dose of T3, this will lower your FT3 level and because taking T3 lowers FT4 then a little less T3 might increase your FT4 a little, not enough and you will need to add some Levo but this is the best way to do it in my experience.

I started taking T3 with my Levo at the end of 2015 and believe me it can take years to get the balance right.

I thought you could tweak things after two weeks of a change.

No it's 6-8 weeks. I personally find that can take 10 weeks for levels to stabilise after a dose change.

[AppleOrchard in reply to SeasideSusie]

I have sent you a PM.

[AppleOrchard in reply to SeasideSusie]

And I have no T3 tablets at the moment. I don’t know what will happen if it doesn’t arrive. I don’t know if the person will send more. Perhaps she has insurance for this kind of thing.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to AppleOrchard]

AppleOrchard

Please send me a private message with details of the supplier.

[AppleOrchard in reply to SeasideSusie]

I’ll do that now. I’ll get the details.