T3 query

[Bollieforme]

Hi all, had an appointment with an endocrinologist yesterday (privately) it was a follow up appointment after blood tests. He has agreed to put me on T3 10mg dose, not sure if this is a low dose or a normal starter dose? Recommending reduction of levo from 100 to 75. Asked about the D102 test, told me it was rubbish and proves nothing. He also went on about T3 saying in his opinion he doesn’t think it makes any difference. I have no idea why these specialists are so dismissive. Felt 100% sure I wouldn’t have got T3 if I wasn’t a private patient. Makes you want to scream! Now waiting to see if my Gp will go on his recommendation.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Bollieforme

Recommending reduction of levo from 100 to 75.

What results did he base this reduction on? Was it these from 3 weeks ago:

TSH 1.07 (0.35-4.94)

Free T4 15.7 (9.0-19.00) = 67% through range

Free T3 4.5 (2.4-6.0) = 58.33% through range

To be perfectly honest I'm surprised you got T3 prescribed with those results, as mentioned in reply to your previous post your conversion isn't poor. Good conversion takes place when the ratio of T4:T3 is 4:1 or below, yours is

15.7 divided by 4.5 = 3.48

Regardless, if you're going to trial T3 there is no need to reduce your Levo. Endos seem obsessed with doing this.Taking T3 will reduce, maybe even suppress your TSH and it will reduce your FT4 level as well, it;'s just what it does. So by reducing your Levo your FT4 will go lower, then even lower still with the T3. Some of us are fine with a low FT4 when taking combination thyroid hormone replacement but some of us need both FT4 and FT3 over half way through range, so it makes sense when your level is 67% through range to see what effect the T3 has on your level and how you feel before messing with your Levo dose.

He has agreed to put me on T3 10mg dose, not sure if this is a low dose or a normal starter dose?

It's a good dose to prescribe to start with for your trial but it's recommended here to start with just 5mcg daily, split into 2 doses if at all possible, see how you go for 2 weeks then if everything is OK add increase to the 10mcg, 5mcg morning and 5mcg later in the day - afternoon or evening. Then wait 6-8 weeks for all levels to settle and see how you feel.

You may or may not need more T3. With those results above I would expect you not to need any more than 10mcg. When I first added T3 my ratio was 5.56:1 and I got up to 31.25mcg T3 at one stage, but after lots of tweaking of Levo and T3 over the years I am now settled on 12.5mcg T3 (half a self sourced 25mcg tablet)

[shaws Administrator]

If Endocrinologists had a dysfunctional thyroid gland, I'm sure that the majority would be prescribed what would relieve their symptoms if levothyroxine wasn't doing the trick.

First - he is unaware that T3 is the 'active thyroid hormone' and we have millions of T3 receptor cells in our bodies - brain and heart contain the most.

Many of us cannot recover on levothyroxine alone and it is time that patients had options that enables their bodies to function normally and have no symptoms at all.

My clinical symptoms do not resolve unless I take T3 (liothryonine) alone.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Cost of different brands and doses varies considerably

Much cheaper to be prescribed 20mcg tablets and cut in half to get 10mcg per day

Then cut into 1/4 to get 5mcg

Thybon Henning 20mcg tablets are cheapest on private prescription at 50p-60p per tablet

NHS brand options and prices on this post from this morning

Might be higher on private prescription

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[samaja]

You don't need your endo to test for DIO1 and DIO2 genes. Your could do it through Regenerus (more expensive but you have a lab test) or yourself if you have your DNA raw data through a website like Ancestry.

Your endo obviously doesn't know what they are talking about regarding thyroid so I would really start looking for a new one if possible!