liothyronine timing: hello - so I have been... - Thyroid UK

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liothyronine timing

bikebabe profile image
9 Replies

hello - so I have been fortunate in having a forward thinking endocrinologist (as per listing). He has enrolled me in a 3mth trial of liothyronine on the basis that >15 yrs on a very high dose of thyroxine (300mcg) may have desensitised my conversion to t3 after my t4 was halved after menopause 10 yrs ago. It’s now one third of that high dose.

It’s two doses of the lowest dose possible and I wasn’t sure whether I needed to have the second one an hr before/ two hours after food.

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9 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Is this 5mcg dose taken twice day?

Do you currently take levothyroxine waking or bedtime?

You can take first dose T3 waking on empty stomach (with levothyroxine)

Initially only add one 5mcg dose for first few days

Assuming all ok add 2nd 5mcg dose approx 10-12 hours after the first dose.

Yes ideally on reasonably empty stomach and nothing apart from water for at least 45mins (it’s absorbed faster than levothyroxine)

what were Ft4 and Ft3 results BEFORE starting on T3

has dose levothyroxine been reduced, if yes, by how much

Retest 6-8 weeks after being on 2 doses per day

Day before test, last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test, last dose T3 approx 8-12 hours before test

when were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels last tested

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

bikebabe profile image
bikebabe in reply toSlowDragon

hi slow dragon -many thanks re advice on timings etc. It’s two doses and i will defer second one for a few days as suggested. I was advised to discontinue if I get regular palpitations which is a possibility given my cardiac history. I don’t know what my blood results were from that NHS Trust. It’s two doses. I’m just about to do my bloods again but I was really quite bad with debilitating muscle & joint pain when taking vit D gels, vit k2, magnesium, and the b complex advised in this site. So I’ve stopped them all and restarted vit d spray which I got in special offer. Aches etc now almost back to baseline.

bikebabe profile image
bikebabe in reply tobikebabe

I smashed a cup of hot tea on the floor as wrist gave way hence the stopping of supplements.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tobikebabe

I don’t know what my blood results were from that NHS Trust.

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

Link re access

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine or before starting T3

 

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 as these need to be optimal on T3

Which brand of T3 is this

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

bikebabe profile image
bikebabe in reply toSlowDragon

hello slow dragon,

T3 brand is Morningside.

T4 varies according to what pharmacist can access - Mercury, Accord, Aristo, northstar and teva.

I can easily access my GP blood results and my Christie data but haven’t yet got that access for the acute trust. They use a third party (nonNHS) data provider who have limited options re data storage.

The D3 spray has K2 in it which means it’s the B complex recommended on here that aggravated something.

would I need thyroid antibodies testing? I dont have Hashis - it’s a congenital chromosome disorder that causes my hypothyroidism and deafness.

Thank you for your time and patience

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tobikebabe

Which brand of levothyroxine do you prefer

Or is there one that upsets you

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.

 Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine.

Teva contains mannitol as a filler, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet. So if avoiding Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half

But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)

Aristo (100mcg only) are lactose free and mannitol free.

Most easily available (and often most easily tolerated) are Mercury Pharma or Accord

Mercury Pharma make 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg tablets 

Accord only make 50mcg and 100mcg tablets 

Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots, and Northstar 50mcg and 100mcg via Lloyds ....but Accord  doesn’t make 25mcg tablets

beware 25mcg Northstar is Teva

List of different brands available in U.K.

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...

Posts that mention Teva

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Teva poll

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.

Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.

Government guidelines for GP if you find it difficult/impossible to change brands 

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l...

If a patient reports persistent symptoms when switching between different levothyroxine tablet formulations, consider consistently prescribing a specific product known to be well tolerated by the patient. 

If symptoms or poor control of thyroid function persist (despite adhering to a specific product), consider prescribing levothyroxine in an oral solution formulation.

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).

if you want GP to specify specific brand it must be written in certain way on prescription

See here

Prescription description
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tobikebabe

Some people do react to niacin in vitamin B complex

Which make of vitamin B complex is it

You could try just adding separate B12 first

Eg

B12 drops 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

After 2-4 weeks assuming all ok, add a separate methyl folate. Eg Jarrow Methyl folate 400mcg

bikebabe profile image
bikebabe in reply toSlowDragon

I will try the b12 drops. I had Thorne basic b complex

bikebabe profile image
bikebabe

oh and my thyroxine is same dose as before (alternating 109/125 mcg)

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