Hi, I was referred to an endocrinologist by my GP because I am still having symptoms of of hypothyroidism although my TSH was extremely low. She was hoping he would prescribe me T3 but he didn’t because apparently he only gives it to cancer patients as it can cause heart problems.
Can you tell me if the T3 available on Amazon is any good and if not where can I purchase it privately please? Also do I have to tell my GP I am trying T3?
Thanks in advance.
Do you mean this one?
amazon.co.uk/SAN-Nutrition-...
Well, I suppose it might help some people, but it's not the hormone, T3, that you're looking for - look at the ingredients - it's an adaptogen, a herb. They couldn't sell real T3 - liothyronine - on Amazon because it's prescription only. 
What were your thyroid and vitamin results from most recent test
ALWAYS test thyroid levels early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
ESSENTIAL to test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin at least annually
We must have good vitamin levels for levothyroxine or T3 to work. Frequently necessary to supplement to maintain optimal vitamin levels
Important to need to know Ft4 and Ft3 results BEFORE starting T3
If you add your results members can advise next step
Email Thyroid U.K. for list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologist and doctors who will prescribe T3 if results demonstrate you need it
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
TSH - 0.11 (0.3-5)
T4 - 16 (9-25)
T3 - 4.4 (3.5-6.5)
Vit D - 48 (25-50)
B12 - 760 (220-700)
I get the same tablets every time.
I couldn’t find any ferritin results on my system online form.
I take Vitamin D but no other supplements.
vitamin D
presumably the unit of measurement on vitamin D is nmol?
48nmol is too low
How much vitamin D are you currently taking
NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required
ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...
GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.
Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol
leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...
GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)
mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...
But improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...
vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...
Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.
Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing
likely to need higher dose in winter than summer
Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.
There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.
One spray = 1000iu
amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...
Another member recommended this one recently
Vitamin D with k2
amazon.co.uk/Strength-Subli...
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average
Vitamin D and thyroid disease
grassrootshealth.net/blog/t...
Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease
newscientist.com/article/23...
Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7
Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
livescience.com/61866-magne...
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
Great article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium
drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...
Vitamin K2 mk7
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
Was test done early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Which brand of levothyroxine are you taking
Have you had thyroid antibodies tested
FT4: 16 pmol/l (Range 9 - 25)
Ft4 is only 43.75% through range
FT3: 4.4 pmol/l (Range 3.5 - 6.5)
Ft3 only 30.00% through range
Shows you are not on high enough dose levothyroxine
Most people when adequately treated on just levothyroxine will have Ft4 at least 60-70% through range
Push for dose increase in levothyroxine by 25mcg and retest in 8 weeks
approx how old are you
Pre or post menopause
Approx how much do you weigh in kilo
pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...
Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine:
In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.
The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).
The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.
……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.
The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.
I take vitamin D bought from Boots, a different GP said this was adequate.
I’m 54 and had my ovaries removed 3 years ago so I am menopausal and on 1mg of HRT daily.
I weigh 76kg (5 feet 4inches tall) and gave a healthy diet and exercise 4-5 times a week
A GP is only obligated to treat vitamin Deficiency
Down to us to maintain OPTIMAL Vitamin levels
Even Government say 75nmol minimum
Is HRT patch or pills
HRT you swallow frequently results in needing dose increase in levothyroxine
Guidelines suggest you are likely to need 121mcg levothyroxine per day
approx 850mcg per week
Thats 125mcg 6 days week and 100mcg once week
In HRT that dose might need increasing a little
So try 125mcg every day
Retest in 8-10 weeks
Which brand of levothyroxine is it?
my HRT is pills and I take it in the evening because I was told it could interfere with my levo. I’ll ask about patches
Suggest you reread your Post from 2 years ago
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Vitamin D needs testing twice a year when supplementing
How much vitamin D are you currently taking
Are you supplementing magnesium as well
Have you had thyroid antibodies tested yet or ultrasound scan of thyroid
Approx 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune
Assuming your hypothyroidism has been confirmed as autoimmune, have you had coeliac blood test done yet
Are you now on strictly gluten free diet or dairy free diet
I am now on 100mcg of levo.
I take 50ug of vitamin D a day but no other supplements.
I had private blood tests done in 2021 that shows I have been confirmed as autoimmune. I am now on a gluten free diet and also now just started a dairy free diet.
Not had a scan on my thyroid but the Endocrinologist I saw has tested my cortisol level but the results take 2 months to come back apparently
50ug vitamin D is 2000iu
How long have you been taking this dose ?
Suggest you increase to 4000iu daily
Retest end of January
Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing
Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.
There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.
One spray = 1000iu
amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...
important to consider magnesium as well at least 4 hours away from levothyroxine
I think your endo might win what we should absolutely have as a regular award for “Endoknob of the Week”.
“he only gives it to cancer patients as it can cause heart problems”.
I can’t even…
I mean, what’s he actually saying? “Cancer patients are already doomed so it’s worth the risk”? 
And honestly, taking synthetic T3 generally doesn’t cause heart problems if it’s needed by a patient to resolve their their thyroid issue.
Anyway—moving on. Your FT4 isn’t actually very high in range at all. You might get considerable benefit from simply having your levothyroxine dosage raised. How much are you currently prescribed? What’s the most you’ve been prescribed?
Edited to add that I’ve just seen you’ve posted you take 100mcg. Was that before or after those blood tests were done?
TSH measurement can be very misleading once someone begins treatment for hypothyroidism. It should not be looked at in isolation.
I’ve been on 100mcg for over a year now from when I had my private blood tests done and I showed the results to my GP.
So those bloods were done on 100mcg levothyroxine?
You’d definitely benefit from an uplift in levothyroxine if so.
Thanks, I will give my GP a ring this week. To be fair she is great and does seem to understand thyroid problems
That’s possibly just as well, seeing as you appear to have an endo who doesn’t…
See if you can get a raise to 125mcg levo. They might be concerned about that low TSH but with FT4 and FT3 levels nowhere near the top of their ranges I think there’s definitely wiggle room to try it.
🤣🤣🤣endoknob of the week …….. I just spat my coffee out !
be prepared .. take a door knob with you to endo appointments and leave it on the desk as you leave if they deserve it (without any explanation)
😂
This is far too fancy a knob. 😂 But how I’d love to do that. Can you imagine the confusion on their faces?
is this more like it ?
🤣
I do not agree with his statement:-
"as it can cause heart problems"
When I took T3 all my 'during the middle of the night recordings' of severe palpitations on T4 were resolved and cardiologist didn't need to put an implant in my heart 'to see what was going on' as he proposed
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