Results

[Geegee777]

Im currently taking 75/100mcg levothyroxine alternate days,15mcg t3, split into three 5mcg doses.

I feel good, but tired by 2pm sometimes earlier.

Id be most grateful for any advice offered 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

[SlowDragon Administrator]

FT4: 14.9 pmol/l (Range 12 - 22)

Ft4 only 29.00% through range

FT3: 5.02 pmol/l (Range 3.1 - 6.8)

Ft3 51.89% through range

suggest you try increasing levothyroxine to 100mcg daily

This will increase Ft4 and Ft3

Retest in 6-8 weeks

You may need further increase in levothyroxine after this

[Geegee777 in reply to SlowDragon]

My bloody endo told me to decrease😠😠😠I will have to be tactful at next appointment. I do not wish to decrease as feeling better at each increment🌸🌸🌸🌸

[McPammy]

Looking at your blood results. I’d say you’re on slightly too much T3. If it’s that high and you didn’t take any T3 prior to the blood draw you’ll probably go over the range once you take your T3 medication. That’s why your TSH is suppressed. As the T4 is looking good without taking any prior to your blood draw.

I my experiences when my T3 goes over range I feel tired and heavy. As soon as I lowered my dose I was full of energy. My T3 is normally 5.4 (3.9-6.0) and that result is 2 hrs after taking my 7am T3. I take 5mcg twice a day 8 hrs apart which gives me bags of energy.

The way to find out if it goes too high is redo your blood test after taking your meds. I have done bloods with and without taking meds to know exactly where it goes down to and where it’s highest peak is. I feel this is best to stop under or over medicating yourself. My TSH is usually just within range. And my T4 is midway or lowish. I also split my T4 dose

Remember too much thyroxine can make you feel tired similar to too little.

[Geegee777 in reply to McPammy]

I will have a good long think about my next step, as im working at the moment. Thank you for your reply. Certainly makes sense🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to McPammy]

McPammy

Her Ft3 is only 52% through range and Ft4 only 29% through range

[McPammy in reply to SlowDragon]

I know and understand what you’re saying. I do think it’s prudent to be sure you’re not going over the levels by getting bloods checked without and with taking your medications prior to the blood draw. The aim where possible I feel is to try and mimic a healthy persons thyroid levels through correct dosing and keep levels optimal not over or under medicated. Geegee777’s TSH is suppressed so a level must be too high probably T3. This is just my personal experiences.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to McPammy]

But many many thyroid patients have very low or suppressed TSH even on just levothyroxine……and almost all thyroid patients have very low or suppressed TSH on virtually any dose T3

You seem very fortunate that you don’t…..and are certainly very much in the minority

Certainly would be a LOT easier for many if their TSH “obeyed the rules”

[McPammy in reply to SlowDragon]

My TSH is very low but not suppressed since I started T3 combined with T4 medication, so I’m in the group with very low TSH.. is that the minority? I feel it’s all about getting the correct dose for yourself. Fortunately for myself my private only endocrinologist dosed me correctly from day one for T3 and T4. And that I’m on liquid levothyroxine I feel helps as I can tweak that dose by small margins and get it almost perfect as 25mcg tablet dose changes are normally too much of a percentage change for lots of people. It’s not just T3 it’s also T4 doses that’s worked for me. I’m putting my experiences on here in hope someone else finds their optimum like I have. I do believe you should do bloods with and without your daily meds not always without, as how would you ever know if you’re going over range. My private only endocrinologist wants bloods without and my NHS endocrinologist wants with taking. So I do both which makes me feel very confident that I’m not going under or over medicated. My aim is to mimic a healthy persons levels. More important I feel fully engergised and 100% better than on T4 only when I could only convert 8% to T3. Second important thing is that my endocrinologists never query my levels nor TSH and have no issues giving me repeat prescriptions for T3. Infact they are both really pleased with my results each time but not as pleased as I am. It’s about balance and tweaking medications and optimising vitamins too to suit and support your own endocrine system I feel. I want to share my success in hope that I can help someone else who may be struggling like I was.

[Geegee777 in reply to McPammy]

Yes, indeed you are very fortunate to have knowledgeable and supportive professionals and each one6of us on our thyroid journey is unique, youve given me and very probably many others hope that there is light at the end of the quite long tunnel, thank you. Im thinking it may be a good idea for me to have a test after medication, as you have mentioned, can you please tell me how long after taking t3 and t4can I have my bloods drawn? 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

[McPammy in reply to Geegee777]

I haven’t any guide lines from anyone on how long to leave after I’ve taken my meds. I usually book a 9am blood draw and take medication at 7am. So 2 hours I leave.

[Geegee777 in reply to McPammy]

Ok, thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to McPammy]

There’s some research that suggests liquid levothyroxine is less likely to lower TSH

Obviously vast majority of patients are never going to get liquid levothyroxine because of the cost. It’s more expensive than the T3

personally with my Ft4 and Ft3 roughly 70% through range I have minimal symptoms and feel well….but TSH is 0.01 and has been ever since started on T3, steady resting heart rate around 50 with no ectopic beats

if I reduce T3 or T4 (and I have tried both separately) ….after 3 months TSH creeps up from 0.01 to 0.02 ……energy levels plummet, heart rate drops below 45, sometimes below 40 and I start to get ever increasing irregular ectopic beats and my legs give way (especially left leg). Walking becomes increasingly impossible. Carpal tunnel, constipation, etc etc

[Geegee777 in reply to SlowDragon]

It goes to show, even the smallest change can make people symptomatic, so low and slow is a great mantra, which has and still is my mental prompt along my thyroid journey 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

[meme]

How long was the gap between testing and your last dose of Levo and what time was your test?

[Geegee777 in reply to meme]

My last levo prior to test was 9am Sunday my test was 9am Monday. Last dose of t3 9p.m night prior to test.

[BiscuitBaby in reply to Geegee777]

Hi I am on a similar dose to you. 100/15. I started playing about with timings. I started on 3x daily but I found it really inconvenient at work so I started taking 2 x daily. Now I take all of it at once in the morning. That has sorted my palpitations and I feel better for some reason. It will put my t3 over range for a wee while I reckon but on average over the 24 hour period I reckon it's OK. My tsh is suppressed but it has been since I've been on levo alone. I don't know how to change that. It's taken a long time to settle on this dose and timings and I feel pretty well. I also think you have some scope to increase levo a smidge. Its difficult though when you are relying on endo to prescribe. I really wish we got a bit more leeway with the thyroid hormones to experiment. I mean nobody wants to make themselves unwell by going over. We are all just seeking to be well!!

[TiggerMe in reply to BiscuitBaby]

I'm with you, one dose first thing seems to last far better than splitting which causes dips... I've recently dropped my T3 a little and upped my T4 now everything else is optimal

[andyjs2 in reply to TiggerMe]

My son had this same problem with feeling good in the morning then getting tired in the afternoon while on all T3, but he checked his 24hr saliva cortisol and even though good in the morning it was very low in the afternoon. Once he started taking adrenal cortex, he feels great all day long.

[TiggerMe in reply to andyjs2]

Supporting the adrenals is certainly a game changer as it helps make better use of the fT3/4 available

[Geegee777 in reply to TiggerMe]

Hi, my cortisol levels are included in posted results, but i haven't a clue how to read them, any advice would be most welcome 🌸🌸🌸

[TiggerMe in reply to Geegee777]

This is blood serum cortisol which looks ok for a 9am draw but it doesn't tell you the free levels which you get with the saliva test which also you do 4 or 6 times throughout the day which gives you a better idea of highs and lows

Adrenal cortex is a supplement which contains often bovine adrenal cortex so no medulla which contains adrenalin... like Adrenavive

[Geegee777 in reply to TiggerMe]

Hi, ok, that makes sense. Im planning to increase my levothyroxine first as its quite low. Retest, then see about saliva cortisol test. Thank you for your reply, as I was a bit unsure of what to do after levo increase. 🌸🌸🌸🌸

[TiggerMe in reply to Geegee777]

I agree a little more T4 is the way to go 🤗low fT4 makes you feel lousy even when taking T3

[Easylover in reply to Geegee777]

Paul Robinson's book is a must. I think his blogs can teach a lot. Just winging it when you have blood tests and true expertise is unnecessary. There are people who do know how to sort you out.

[Geegee777 in reply to andyjs2]

Hi, what is adrenal cortex?

[andyjs2 in reply to Geegee777]

Adrenal cortex is a supplement made from bovine adrenal glands and contains cortisol, aldosterone, and DHEA that is made naturally in the cortex of the adrenal gland.

[Easylover]

The whole idea of splitting doses of T3 is the half life is less than the T4. If you take all the T3 in one dose, you are actually causing the afternoon fatique. According to the author, Paul Robinson, the only way to achieve the proper dose is with signs and symptoms, meaning your temperature, heart rate and blood pressure taken and recorded over time following each T3 dose.

[Easylover in reply to Easylover]

Every body is different. Don't do what other people do. You and your body and thyroid are unique. You deserve to feel well. We cannot suddenly have a normal thyroid experience. And I personally don't think that trying to have a blood test that match a person with a normal thyroid is the answer.