Advice on Progress with T3 Trial

[FleetRose]

I started my T3 trial in July this year. My Endo asked me to reduce my Levothyroxine from 75 to 25mcg and to add 2 x Liothyronine 5mcg.

I made changes slowly but was alarmed at dropping to 25mcg T4 so alternated with 50/25, eventually keeping at 50 mcg after an interim Medichecks blood test. I have not yet told the Endo of my decision to change the dose recommended and am due an NHS blood test at the end of November.

Here are my results (mixture of Medichecks and NHS with different bands). I followed the protocol recommended here and vitamins and minerals are optimal.

Medichecks Results

April 2023 (before trial)

TSH .36 (0.27-4.2); T3 3.51 (3.1-6.8); T4 21 (12-22)

August (trial 6 weeks +)

TSH 0.753 (0.27-4.2); T3 3.6 (3.1-6.8); T4 11.5 (12-22)

Oct 2023

TSH 0.085 (0.27-4.2); T3 4.2 (3.1-6.8); T4 15.4 (12-22)

NHS Results from end August:

TSH 0.19 (0.35-4.94); T3 3.7 (2.4-6); T4 10 (9-19.1)

The TSH is quite suppressed and I'm not sure whether to decrease levothyroxine to 25/50 alternating. Does anyone have any advice/comments? Thank you wonderful people.

[Pearlteapot]

how are you feeling?

Your T3 is still quite low I would feel terrible at that level but everyone is different

For TSH There is a difference between ‘below range’ and suppressed My endo is okay with mine at 0.004 because it’s still measurable TSH is expected to go below range when you are taking T3

If you are otherwise feeling well I don’t think you should reduce your dose because of the TSH number But are you feeling well? That’s the million $$$ question

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How do you feel

What vitamin supplements are you needing to take to maintain optimal vitamin levels

FT4: 10 pmol/l (Range 9 - 19.1)

Ft4 is only 9.90% through range

FT3: 3.7 pmol/l (Range 2.4 - 6)

Ft3 is slightly better at 36.11% through range

These results suggest you probably need to INCREASE your levothyroxine to 50mcg daily

Retest in 6-8 weeks

Quite likely to need to increase further after that

Many members on levothyroxine plus small doses of T3 find we need Ft4 and Ft3 at least 50-60% through range

[FleetRose]

Thank you Pearlteapot and SlowDragon for your replies. It's difficult to say how I feel as I have other health issues. I have 'atypical' Polymyalgia, have a constant level of pain and am on long term steroids with all the side effects that come with that. I would say that my energy levels have improved a bit and I feel more positive despite all!My sleep is still disturbed - get to sleep ok but wake at 3/4 am and then can't go back to sleep. This is a long term problem but timing the pednisolone and thyroid meds is a problem too, especially around food (pred), no food (levothyroxine) and sleep.

I take the following supplements in addition to my thyroid meds, prednisolone and HRT: Methyl B Complex (Lamberts), vitamin C 1mg, zinc and copper 15mg/1mg, Vitamin D3 with K2 (MK7) (Nutri Advanced), Resveratrol, OsteoIntensive for osteoporosis which has D3, K2, calcium, manganese, boron, silicon and magnesium, omega 3 fish oil. I take 250 mg magnesium citrate at night. I was taking selenium but the Endo said that it was toxic long term and that I should stop.

Thank you again, I really appreciate your help.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to FleetRose]

That’s quite a lot of supplements

We shouldn’t supplement copper unless tested

Ideally also test zinc and selenium

Stop vitamin B complex week before testing as contains biotin and this can falsely affect test results

Steroids likely to affect TSH (reducing it)

Vitamin D, HRT and Magnesium at least 4 hours away from levothyroxine

[FleetRose in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon. I agree it's too many supplements but not sure which ones to cut out given thyroid, PMR and osteoporosis issues! Thankyou for info on copper. I'd been taking zinc for some time and thought I needed to balance it with copper.

Do you know who does testing for zinc and selenium?

I didn't know steroids reduced Thyroid and maybe HRT does too?

Do I need to keep transdermal HRT (oestrogel) 4 hours from thyroid meds?

I'm sorry I'm so late replying to your post but thank you again for your advice.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to FleetRose]

prednisone and thyroid

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl....

Blue Horizon do zinc, copper, selenium and magnesium

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Zinc and selenium test

gettested.co.uk/product/min...

Copper test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Transdermal HRT doesn’t need to be 4 hours away from levothyroxine

Change in levels of oestrogen and progesterone might affect FT3 and Ft4 levels though

[FleetRose in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you, that’s really helpful.