Wisdom on T3 dosage and calcium and T4

[Mothebear]

I have been given, I think, the lowest dosage of T3 - 5mg which I have to split in half to take twice a day (7 am and 12am).

I understand dosage is based on weight but I could be wrong. I weigh 60kg (height 5’7”).

I feel I need another dose at 5 pm or so as I start to yawn extremely and struggle to stay awake past about 7pm (if I sleep then I’ll be awake at 2am!)

Also, a Dexa scan showed I have Osteoporosis in my spine (-2.5 is ok, mine is -3.0 so osteoporotic). I have been told to take VitD3 and calcium so I asked to have them as separate supplements, so have been given Rennies to take twice a day!!

I understand Calcium interferes with Levothyroxine hence my asking for the two separately.

Am I right on T3 by weight?

and

Does calcium affect Levothyroxine?

Many thanks for any steerage.

[Lalatoot]

Vit d needs to be taken 4 hours away from thyroid meds.No t3 is not dosed by weight. There is a formula for dose based on weight for levo only.

T3 is however much you need. I take 7.5mcg daily. This is done as 5mcg with 50mcg Leo on waking and 2.5mcg with 50mcg levo at bedtime.

You could try taking your 2nd levo dose later in the afternoon until you are able to get blood results and see if you can get a dose increase. There is no need to go by someone else's suggested time for doses. We need to find out what we ourselves need by trial and error.

[Mothebear in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you Laloot.

[Lalatoot in reply to Mothebear]

That should have said 2nd lio t3 dose later.

[Mothebear]

yes I did figure that was what you meant. Thank you. My T3 is dropping again, so I’m trying to hang in another 2 months to see if it has dropped further then I will feel more justified in asking for an increase. My endocrinologist spits fire and brimstone so I will only negotiate with hard data.

[JAmanda]

someone knowledgeable will tell you about calcium… but in case they don’t from what I’ve read it is better to avoid it and take d3 with k2 and this somehow helps you get the calcium you need from food… In sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong and if you’re very low, you may well need to supplement.

As to t3, yes no matter how much you take , in my experience, of you take it all in one go in the morning (as I do) you tend to get a bit yawny at 5pm - but it passes and you’re ok later in the evening. I wouldn’t say that tendency goes but you get used to it. Splitting your dose would help (but I don’t much like that). 5 is very little lio - what were your levels and on how much Levo etc?

[Mothebear in reply to JAmanda]

hi JAmanda

Thank you for this. I think I’m sorted on modifying my diet rather than dosing with Calcium.

As for T3/4.

I take T4 - 75mg SSTT and 50mg Mon, Weds, Friday.

T3 5mg a day split into 2 doses

I had 26 symptoms pre taking T3 and many have resolved or are far less noticeable, but some have started re-emerging, my stomach sphincter muscle not opening at times being one, hence my asking about a higher dose. I dropped to T3 3.1 on medichecks blood test which was I think a 30% drop over a 3 months period and also at the bottom of the acceptable range, hence asking Endo if I could try T3.

She was massively resistant but I also have DIO3 gene so she had to acknowledge I fit NICE’s recent recommendations. However from the first ‘battle’ I fear she will resist a request for more.

[JAmanda in reply to Mothebear]

she you’re very low on t3? Where are you on t4? I took 5s, 10s of lio x 2 across the day and found it all very hard to take until I went all in and took 20 each morning. Anyway, we really are all different. After a lot of experimenting I find 20 still about right for me.

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

Calcium seems to be a bit controversial but if you aren't getting it from your diet?... I supplement as without dairy or a lot of greens I'm getting around 200mg per week!!...

Have a look at this and see how much you are getting... osteoporosis.foundation/edu...

[Mothebear in reply to TiggerMe]

thank you Eeyore100

I am currently getting about half the requirement - 576mg and should be getting 1200mg.

However, I have only just been told about my osteoporosis so I feel well able to modify my diet now I know more about calcium rich foods if on a dairy gf free diet.

I already take VitD and K combined.

My gut is very settled so I am not looking to alter it at the moment.

[Litatamon]

Have you tried taking it in one dose in early morning? Asking because when I split it up, and everyone is different, I felt a pull for more & drops at different times.

But when I take it all at once in the morning I just don't feel the same drop or pull. I know it only lasts so long in the body, so hard to understand for me. But it has worked.

And if you do experiment with timing, give it time. I feel too many times on here people do not push through bad initial reactions for a bit, to see if things settle.

[Mothebear in reply to Litatamon]

thank you Litatamon

I feel the reemergence of the symptoms I had pre taking T3 so I don’t think it is when I take it, as that pattern remains the same, but re-emerging symptoms are concerning me.

[Litatamon in reply to Mothebear]

Hope you get is sorted out soon. All the best to you Mothebear.

[Mothebear in reply to Litatamon]

thank you.

[Poniesrfun]

Calcium can bind with many medications and reduce stomach acid so should be taken apart from other vitamins and meds. Four hours is the usual advice but in hospital we often used two hours, especially as many patients were taking multiple meds which had to be spaced out.

Patti in AZ

[Mothebear in reply to Poniesrfun]

thank you Poniesrfun

I already take VitD and K combined.

[Poniesrfun]

Also, the Rennie's don't have vitamin D - need to add that separately.

[Mothebear in reply to Poniesrfun]

Thank you Poniesrfun I take vit D and K combined.