Too much levo or T3?

[Jamima]

I’ve been on a 50mcg levo dose for just over 6 weeks and introduced t3 at 3mcg increasing up to 9mcg over that time. I was previously taking 2-3 metavive I per day but didn’t feel right so moved to levo. I’ve taken levo before and didn’t have great results as it made me very lightheaded, foggy and tired. This time adding the T3 seemed to have helped and I was more able to tolerate it until about a week ago when I started to feel really tired during the day back to very difficult foggy mornings until around 2pm. I was splitting the levo 1st thing and bedtime and t3 in 3mcg doses 4-5 hours apart.

I haven’t taken any levo today, only a 3 mcg dose of T3 first thing and I’m feeling very odd - tired but wired and heart racing, unable to focus but clearer head than the last week.

I’m wondering if I should reduce one or both of the hormones as I just feel ‘over’ and jittery today.

I just ordered a test from medichecks and would prefer to get results as accurate as I can on this dose but not sure I should stay at this dose.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Have you tried different brands of Levo to find the one that suits you best? Same with T3, what brand of each are you taking?

I'd wait and see what the test says before changing anything. 50mcg Levo is a small dose for combination therapy so you may need more of that even.

Do you know if you had positive thyroid antibodies? Many with autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's benefit from a gluten free diet. A smaller percentage of those also need to remove dairy from their diet to feel well. These are intolerances and will not show up on any blood test.

[Jamima in reply to Jaydee1507]

Thank you Jaydee - I’ve only tried one brand of each euthyrox and tiromel. I’ve just ordered more levo and it’s eltroxin so I’ll see how that goes. My antibodies were fine last time I tested but I’ve cut out gluten anyway.

[Lalatoot]

Jamima it takes time and much determination to find your doses of levo and t3. You need to decide on your doses and stick them out whatever then do bloods. Otherwise you are just guessing and doing things randomly The symptoms of overmedication and undermedication can be the same so we need blood results to guide us as to whether we need to raise or lower doses

Decide on your doses and stick them out for 6 weeks. Then look at blood results and decide which 1 thing to alter next. Then stick it out etc. It is hard and takes time but it is methodical and works

[Jamima in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you Lalatoot - I just felt really awful today very racy, my Fitbit heart rate was up at 132, but it’s reduced now. I understand about sticking to a dose for 6 weeks and I’ve done that so I’ll see what the test says. I also used some progesterone cream this morning and wondered if that may have made a difference.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

why add T3 at this stage

50mcg levothyroxine is only standard STARTER dose

I would go back to just Levo

Wait 6 weeks for levels to settle

Retest

Then look at increasing levothyroxine dose upwards

Meanwhile make sure all four vitamins are at optimal levels

[Jamima in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you SlowDragon - I introduced T3 because before starting levo I was using Metavive I and whilst it wasn't a perfect fit, it was better than when I'd tried previously tried levo only. On my last trial of levo only I got to 62.5 and then suffered some really awful side effects, lightheadedness to the point of having to grab onto walls. I have had low cortisol as measured by a SST and 4 point saliva, that may have changed or it may be that the T3 helps but I haven't suffered those side effects this time on levo plus T3. I still feel like my cortisol is low particularly in the morning and I still feel more 'awake' after 7pm, so I suspect there's still a problem with my cortisol rhythm.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Jamima]

The problem adding anything that contains T3 it will almost always suppress TSH and shut your own thyroid output off

This is ok if already built up to good levels of Ft4 first …..but if add too early can get complicated

It can be slow process building up Levo dose high enough

Might need to split dose

Vitamin levels need maintaining as you go

Feeling dizzy/falling suggests B12 low

[Jamima in reply to SlowDragon]

Ah, that's interesting about T3, do I just stop or should I titrate down?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Jamima]

I would increase levothyroxine……adding 12.5mcg daily

After 3-4 days reduce T3 by 3mcg

See how that is

Then retest after 6-8 weeks

Assuming shows you need increase in levothyroxine increase again by 12.5mcg …..perhaps reduce T3 again….or stay at 2 x 3mcg

[Jamima in reply to SlowDragon]

Ok, thank you.