New Thyroid blood tests. T3 advise please.

[HelenR23]

I've attached my latest bloods. All done before I take daily dose of levo and stopped all vitamins a week prior. Please can someone advise me on how to start taking T3 along with T4. I'm currently on 100mg levothyroxine. Cortisol is still high, had the Dutch test done too which said it was high but I showed my doctor and he wasn't interested. Anxiety sky high for months so hoping adding T3 may help my situation. The T3 I managed to source is Liothyrinine 20mg tablets. I know it's Christmas and you are all busy so I don't expect an answer straight away. Thankyou.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much levothyroxine were you taking with previous test results 2 months ago

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ft4 has reduced a little…..but Ft3 has reduced even more

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

You only need to stop vitamin B complex a week before (next time)

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand

Cut 20mcg tablet of T3 into 1/4’s

I prefer a sharp craft scalpel

Others find a pill cutter works ok

get a pill dispenser to safely store remaining 1/4’s in

First day …..suggest you cut 1/4 in half….into 1/8ths

(yes it will be a speck of dust)

take 1/8th of tablet in morning……assuming ok

take remaining 1/8th mid afternoon

If that went ok

Next day take 1/4 tablet (5mcg dose) in morning

If there was noticeable “whoosh” …..stay on 1/8th am and 1/8th pm until that is no longer noticeable before moving to 1/4 tablet in morning

Increasing to 2 x 5mcg

Wait at least 5-7 days….before considering adding a 2nd 1/4 tablet (5mcg dose) mid-late afternoon

Probably holding at that dose 6-8 weeks before retest

Day before test…..2nd 5mcg dose …Take 8pm assuming testing 8am next morning

[HelenR23 in reply to SlowDragon]

I had reduced my levo thyroxine to 75mg 4 weeks prior to test.I'm on b complete, b12, magnesium glycinate, omega 3 oil and vitd3 with K2. The levo was Teva. My new prescription is Accord and have asked to stay with Accord. I only upped to 100mg because I felt so low.

Thankyou for replying so soon.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to HelenR23]

many people find Teva upsets them

If changing dose it’s always best to not change brand

Only change one thing at a time or you don’t know what is causing issue

Accord only make 50mcg and 100mcg tablets

Adding T3 almost always results in slight reduction in Ft4 levels. So suggest you stay on Accord 100mcg at moment

Do you normally take levothyroxine waking or bedtime?

Vitamin D tablets and magnesium both need to be at least 4 hours away from levothyroxine. Magnesium supplement best taken early evening or bedtime

Suggest you test vitamin levels again at next test…..or one after that

[HelenR23 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes I will stay on Accord 100mg for a while and have requested to only have Accord as I'm usually on that. I had vitamins done last month and all look good now except ferratin was a bit high and again the cortisol is too high. Shall I wait a couple of weeks to get Accord back into my system before I do T3. I've only been on Accord for a week so far.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to HelenR23]

perhaps wait until after Christmas ?

Or after New Year break

[HelenR23 in reply to SlowDragon]

Ok thankyou very much. Have a great Christmas!

[HelenR23 in reply to SlowDragon]

Sorry I forgot to ask, what dose of Levo do I reduce too when I introduce T3

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to HelenR23]

You might not need to reduce at all

If you decide to reduce a little……5-7 days BEFORE adding T3…..consider reducing levothyroxine by 12.5mcg per day (75mcg and 100mcg alternate days)

[HelenR23 in reply to SlowDragon]

Ok thankyou so much.

[Sofie007]

Hey Helen, I am no expert but I can tell you that I also had very high anxiety on T4 only. I am still figuring out my perfect doses but since I added T3 the anxiety is a lot less.

[HelenR23 in reply to Sofie007]

That's good to know thankyou. Yes I think the dosage is a difficult thing to get right judging by other people's experience. I shal be starting mine in the new year. What dose of T4 were you originally taking?

[Sofie007]

I was/am taking 75mcg of levo, I added about 10 mcg of T3 (2x5 morning/noon) I took 15 mcg and felt really good but then my T4 dropped. So take it slow and see how you feel

[HelenR23 in reply to Sofie007]

Ok that's similar to my amount of Levothyroxine. Thankyou and Merry Christmas.

[Sofie007 in reply to HelenR23]

merry christmas!