Anyone supplementing NDT with T3?

[PixieElv]

Hello lovely people

I am taking NDT (4 grains) after experimenting with Levo and T3 and that not suiting me. I felt great for a little bit but have now started putting on weight again and am really exhausted in the afternoon (some of my original symptoms).

My T4 is now 24 (12-22) and my T3 is 5.8 (3.4-6.8). I am considering dropping to 3.5 grains and adding a bit of T3 (how much? ) to drop my T4 and raise my T3.

Does anyone do this? Or has experience of this? I see people supplement with Levo ( radd ?), but my T4 is already too high.

Thank you!

[radd]

PixieElv,

A drop in FT4 levels when medicating T3 is more usual but yours is over range indicating in my view you are over medicated. FT3 is already a substantial 70% through range. Once we surpass our sweet spot, meds can become counter productive and work against us.  

As well as a sweet spot ratio of FT4:FT3, we also have a sweet spot ratio of totals:frees Glancing back at your recent posts I noticed your cortisol and testosterone are high which encourages elevated levels of protein transporters risking binding excess thyroid hormone. This could mean you have less ‘free’ and hormone levels are actually a lot higher than labs indicate and are possibly converting to inactive forms. Hence the hypo symptoms.

All hormones need to balance as are dependant upon one another. Good advice from ainslie regarding pregeneolone. Have you reduced DHEA dose?  HRT will help reduce testosterone further. Are you taking progesterone alongside the oestrogel?

I had raised testosterone which reduced a few months after I started HRT and I also had to reduce my thyroid meds as they suddenly became much more effective. If I was you I would reduce NDT to 3.5 grains and not introduce either T3 or Levo but wait to see what happens when sex hormones balance.

And the usual advice re ensuring iron and the thyroid function nutrients are optimal.

[radd in reply to radd]

 PixieElv

I’ve just remembered I initially put on weight around my hips & boobs when I first started HRT. I wrote a post about it. The weight eventually shifted and I was left a different shape, kind of more curvy instead of straight up & down! 

You might find the same once hormones start working properly.

[PixieElv in reply to radd]

Hi Radd

I have just remember that I didn’t stop biotin before the blood tests. They didnt tell me they were doing them so I had no warning🙄

I have reduced DHEA, so hopefully that should help with the testosterone reduction. I also have the Mirena, so that takes care of the progesterone. I am currently trialling the Oestrogel vs the Estradot (patch) as I wasn’t absorbing the oestrogen well enough.

I might try and give the HRT a chance to work first for another couple of months, then retest thyroid without biotin. Too many dials to fiddle with 😱

And good to hear you lost the weight again. I was a fat child and heavily bullied, so putting on weight is a bad trigger for me.

Thank you

[radd in reply to PixieElv]

PixieElv,

You asked me about supplementing T2 and I forgot to answer. I did get some at great expense but haven't felt any difference, or run any new labs.

[PixieElv in reply to radd]

Thank you. I’ll give that a miss, especially since I am taking NDT. I have a whole cupboard full of supplements that don’t work already 😂

[Aurealis]

Follow your instinct. Reducing t4 seems a good plan but you will also reduce t3 by reducing NDT, and you may then need more t3 but I’d start by reducing NDT dose. Who knows you may feel well then. Weight gain and exhaustion can occur with too high a dose

I take T3 and NDT. But we’re all different.

[PixieElv in reply to Aurealis]

Hello Aurealis

That was my thinking. If I reduce NDT then I am reducing both T4 and T3, hence adding T3.

How much do you take of each?

[Hidden]

I take a combi of all 3! 😂I've only just added T3 though so I couldn't talk to how I find it but it seems to be going ok.

I was prescribed it by my endo; I reduced NDT to 60mcg from 105 and added 10mcg T3. Kept Levo at 50mcg.

You can see my posts on it if you're interested but when I first introduced it I had a terrible first week with deep depression, feelings of worthlessness and a return of OCD symptoms, which I put down to covid. Having some some more reading around it could well have been a reaction to the T3 so just bear that in mind!

5 weeks on and it's all settled down now.

[PixieElv in reply to Hidden]

Hi witchinghour

Sounds like you had a rough ride in the last few months! Somehow Covid seems to hit us thyroid suffers a lot harder 😔

I am glad it settled down for you and that makes me think I might leave it all alone for a few more weeks, give the HRT a chance to settle down and then retest.

Too many variables to fiddle with and maybe my body needs have a chance to settle down.