T3 levels

[Dizzy444]

Hello helpful ladies, what were your t3 levels when prescribed T3 ? Do they have to be below the bottom reference level ?

[greygoose]

I presume you're asking people on T4 mono-therapy?

Being elegible for T3 is not a question of your FT3 level, it's about how well you convert. If you need to have your FT4 very high over-range just to get your FT3 to mid-range, then you are a very poor converter. And, it's probably not a good idea to have the FT4 that high, so the protocol is to reduce the levo and add in some T3. IF you can find an endo that knows what he's doing!

[Lalatoot]

Dizzy To know if you need T3 you need to have thyroid bloods that measure TSH, ft4 and ft3 from the same blood draw. Ideally you need several blood draws over a period to show a pattern.

Looking then at TSH - it should be down around 1 or lower. Any higher tends to indicate that you need an increase in levo dose first.

FT4 look at your result and work out how far it is through its range percentage wise.

FT3 look at ft3 and work out how far your result is through the range percentage wise.

Finally look at the percentage results for ft4 and ft3. How do they compare with each other?

When I was prescribed T3 my TSH was well below range indicating that I really didn't need more levo. My ft4 was 60% and my ft3 16.7%. It was clear that my ft3 was lagging well behind my ft4.

[Dizzy444 in reply to Lalatoot]

thank you for that, I’ve looked at all three results over the past 18 months, I’ve done private tests and had them done by the gp, who interestingly tested t3 on the last two tests. My latest test as follows

TSH 0.11 (0.3 - 5.5)

T4. 22.3 (12 - 22)

T3. 3.8. (3.1 - 6.8)

The endo said my TSH was too low and reduced my levo dose to 75mcg daily

So I wondered if t3 has to go below 0.3 before they prescribe T3

[Lalatoot in reply to Dizzy444]

Dizzy those results show poor conversion. Your tsh and top of range ft4 suggests too much levo as they say but they are ignoring your low ft3 result. Ft3 should just lag slightly behind ft4 so your ft3 should be high in its range as ft4 is high in range. Your ft3 is very out of step with your ft4.

[Dizzy444 in reply to Lalatoot]

thank you, I think I need to find a new endo, I went with one recommended by thyroid U.K. so not sure what to do next. I have considered buying t3 but I don’t know if I’m brave enough to go it alone with my meds.

[Dizzy444 in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you for the reply

[McPammy]

when I was hospitalised my readings where

TSH 0.02(0.35-5.50)

T4 18.1 (7.8-14.40)

T3 3.9 (3.7-6.00)

I was over medicated on T4 levothyroxine which had recently been increased by my GP this lead to suppressed TSH re too much T4 levothyroxine However, I was barely converting to T3 as these figures indicate

My heart rate was in the 30’s I felt very tired and exhausted

The hospital discharged me without any help whatsoever not even a reduction in the levothyroxine T4 dose

I eventually went private Only from that point was I diagnosed properly and put on a T3 liothyronine trial which has been nothing short of a miracle for me I also did the gene DIO2 test which came back positive Once again proving I am a poor converter of T4 to the most important hormone T3

[Dizzy444 in reply to McPammy]

Thanks for replying, so glad you managed to get sorted. My t4 has been over thr range and my t3 remains just within range and yet all my private endo suggested was to reduce levo, my cholesterol is high and also blood sugar. I haven’t the energy at the moment to even try to do anything, I just feel defeated

[McPammy in reply to Dizzy444]

your T4 does look a bit high, especially if you followed TUK guidelines and didn’t take your levothyroxine prior to the blood draw on that morning. I do think you could do with lowering it just a tad. Once you’ve done that I’d get another blood test. Then your TSH may well go much higher as your T3 is very low. It’s at that point I’d request a T3 trial. Sometimes endocrinologists have to prove that you are on the correct amount of T4 levothyroxine then go down the T3 road. I know that when I was over medicated on levothyroxine T4 and my T3 was too low I felt dreadful. I had no energy. I could barely walk or sit up. Going over medicated can feel the same as under medicated in my experiences. Do you have trouble sleeping or keeping asleep with your levo over medicated? What’s your resting heart rate like. My heart rate goes very low when I’m over medicated. You’d think the opposite but not in all cases. I do hope you can sort things soon. I know how awful life can be.