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[Fiona1510]

I started my T3 of 5mcg twice daily a week ago along with reducing my Levo from 150mcg to 100 mcg as per endo instructions.

I had terrible muscle and joint pains for the first 5 days which have settled, still a bit headachey at times. Feeling slightly less tired, brighter in mood - I know it’s still very early days

BUT I have put 6 lbs of weight on over that time!

prior to being diagnosed years ago I put on around 2st in weight very quickly, I’ve struggled to shift it but lost half a stone last year and kept if off til now.

I take my thyroid meds either early morning 6 ish - if I waken up otherwise it’s 8 am. Don’t drink for 45 mins or eat for couple hours.

I know the advice on here is so start T3 slowly and decrease T4 slowly but feel I need to follow endo advice at the moment while I have my 2 month trial.

Anyone have any suggestions? I have plenty T4 so could juggle with that but no scope with T3.

Thank you x

[arTistapple]

My advice would be don’t mess around with either the levo or the T3 unless you have very undesirable symptoms or you will set yourself back months. Be certain in yourself that the symptoms are bad enough to do something about, before you make any further changes. You have been given something quite powerful. Starting on T3 can be a big deal for many patients. Unfortunately endos do not know what is necessarily going on in your body. However in the short term IMHO putting on weight is not a reason to jiggle about with your meds for something that could well settle down. The advice you refer to from previous posts -Stands.

[Fiona1510 in reply to arTistapple]

thank you. I agree with you. I was just so shocked at the rapid increase in weight. If it continues I will possibly email her through but she did advise it may need to be tweaked in time xx

[McPammy]

Do you have the blood test results that your Endo made the decision to drop your levothyroxine by 50mcg and add in 5mcg of T3 twice a day. When I started the introduction of my T3 5mcg twice a day 8 hrs apart my private only Endo told me not to reduce my levothyroxine dose. My T4 blood results was at the top of the range at that point and my T3 right at the bottom end. I’m a very poor converter. I very quickly within a day or two felt so much better I could hardly believe it. I lost all the 4st I’d piled on when under medicated too quite rapidly, within 6-9 months and it’s stayed off. My metabolic rate is now functioning properly along with my entire body head to feet I feel.

Maybe your drop of levo by 50mcg might be too much???

[Fiona1510 in reply to McPammy]

my last results are

Thyroid peroxide.A Bs 131 NR <6.0

Total T3 1.6 NR 0.9-2.5

TSH <0.01 NR 0.35-5.00

Free T4 19.7 NR 9.0-21

Total T3 1.6 NR 0.9-2.5 

I have an ultrasound on 14/3 for possible adenoma as pituitary levels high and thyroid calcified. So it's all go. Hopefully sorting it out properly and I can get my life back on track a bit. X

[TiggerMe in reply to Fiona1510]

I didn't drop my T4 which was 95% when I started T3 but my T4 blood level dropped by 20%

Seems to be quite normal when adding T3 for it to drop your T4 levels

[TiggerMe]

I'm afraid you have to dance to the Endo's tune if you want them to keep prescribing, 50mcg drop is probably excessive and you will likely feel crap but you have to stick with it to get the blood results which you will then likely need to push for an increase.

You can't really mess with T4 as it takes so long to settle and it's all about the blood results... you need a stable dose for 6-8 weeks.

I have this T-shirt though with an NHS Endo.... on the up now 🤗

[Fiona1510 in reply to TiggerMe]

I went private as she doesn't cover my area with the NHS. Yeah I feel I do need to follow the advice but I can't afford to pile on the weight at this rate. I'm already overweight so 6lbs a week is just not acceptable.

[TiggerMe in reply to Fiona1510]

It is likely just fluid which I found disappears rapidly once you are on the right dose if that is any consolation 🤗

[TiggerMe in reply to Fiona1510]

I would suggest trying not to over analyse but keep a daily record and let it go, any dose change good or bad has a settling period you just have to ride it out 😕