Combination therapy T4 + T3 : Hi, since... - Thyroid UK

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Combination therapy T4 + T3

Balou23 profile image
20 Replies

Hi,

since 2 weeks I started to take 10 mcg T3/ 2 days on top of my daily levothyroxine.

I remember my periodic cycle was 24 days instead of 28 days when TSH was rising before. Today I was surprised to get my period at d23?!

I am confused again. Was expecting the opposite.

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Balou23 profile image
Balou23
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20 Replies
Easylover profile image
Easylover

Isn't the whole idea. to split your T3 into 3 to 5 Doses and take it at the same time every single day? According to Paul Robinson's book Recovering with T3 this is what he says.

I didn't mean to say it like that♡

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Easylover

Depends on the person. Although I do think splittinginto 5 is a bit extreme!

Some people need to take it all in one go to flood the receptors. I take my 75 mcg all in one go and don't feel in the least that it's too much. Other people need to split it into 2 - sometimes 3 - doses.

But, Balou23, I don't know what you mean by I started to take 10 mcg T3/ 2 days on top of my daily levothyroxine. Do you mean you take it only two days a week? That's never going to work. You have to take the same amount every day with T3.

Easylover profile image
Easylover in reply to greygoose

Thank you again GreyGoose for your reply!!!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Easylover

You're welcome. :)

Balou23 profile image
Balou23 in reply to greygoose

I take T4 every day and T3 every 2 days because T3 has a half-time of 2 days.

I tried to split it in parts the first week, but it wasn’t easy and I didn’t manage to take small parts always at the same time.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Balou23

Well, no, it doesn't.

T4 has a half-life of about a week. T3 has a half life of about 24 hours. But even if what you say were correct, it still wouldn't make sense to dose the way you're doing it. You absolutely have to take the same amount of T3 every single day if you want it to do what it's supposed to do: i.e. reopen the the receptors that were shut down during the time you were low in T3, get some T3 into them, and build up the correct amount inside the cell to stop your symptoms. Your doctor seems to be confusing T3 with aspirin!

Balou23 profile image
Balou23 in reply to greygoose

So, I better take 5 mcg every day instead of 10 mcg every 2 days.

Do you think it is the right dose of T3 when taking 43,75 mcg T4 (average)? Ratio more or less 1:10?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Balou23

Yes, much better to take the same dose every day.

Forget ratios, they are for euthyroid people. We hypos need what we need. If we need more T3 than T4 then that's OK. The object is to feel well, not try and mimic euthyroid levels.

Balou23 profile image
Balou23 in reply to Easylover

T3 has a half-life of 1-2 days. That why it was prescribed like this.

Anthea55 profile image
Anthea55 in reply to Balou23

Do you think "1-2" meant half not 1 to 2?

TiggerMe profile image
TiggerMe

Peri-menopausal? This will mess with your cycle timings 🤗

Balou23 profile image
Balou23 in reply to TiggerMe

According to me latest blood results I am not peri-menopausal yet.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

it’s going to take at least 6-8 weeks for dose to have effects

Presumably you mean you are taking 5mcg twice a day, every day

Retest after 6-8 weeks

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

On T3 - day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day with last dose 8-12 hours before test

personally I still find it best to take as 5mcg doses (four times per day)

we are all different

Balou23 profile image
Balou23 in reply to SlowDragon

I am taking 10 mcg or half of tablet every 2 days. Since I was taking alternately 50 mcg levo or 1 pink tablet and 37.5 mcg or half of grey tablet (Christiaens) I take it together with the lowest dose.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Balou23

Well you absolutely can NOT do that

Any T3 it’s absolutely essential to take exactly same dose everyday, and preferably at roughly same time every day

Suggest you take 5mcg T3 everyday for 6-8 weeks

Easylover profile image
Easylover in reply to SlowDragon

I really like this reply!

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

You really need to get Levothyroxine dose higher BEFORE adding T3

You increased to 75mcg too soon

At least 6-8 weeks on 50mcg …before retest

Once blood test shows need increase, then up to 75mcg …..wait at least 6-8 weeks and retest

Often won’t be ready to increase until been on constant unchanging dose and brand at least 12-20 weeks

How much do you weigh in kilo,

pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...

Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine:

In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.

The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).

The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.

……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.

The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.

The trouble with starting T3 too soon is that it will almost always totally suppress TSH, and if not on full replacement dose levothyroxine FIRST, you become more hypo

Also essential to maintain optimal vitamin levels

Balou23 profile image
Balou23 in reply to SlowDragon

Interesting.

If TSH is suppressed by T3 non or less T4/T3 will be produced by the remaining half thyroid. If T4 intake is not sufficient you will become hypo, but is T3 which is active T4 not covering it up? If you take high dose of T4 TSH will also get lower and body will also stop producing T4/T3.

What do you mean by ‘increased to 75 mcg too soon’? I was on 50 mcg for 2 months, then I increased to 50/75 mcg (1 pink tablet and 1 grey tablet every other day) for 2 years. Then I tried to got to 75 mcg daily, but I had some signs of being hyper (hart rate, sweating, losing more hair). I also suffered from insomnia, even on 50/75 mcg, but my TSH was never low, only T4 went up. I decide to lower the dose to get some sleep again. I now am taking 50/37,5 mcg T4 and every other day 10 mcg T3.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Balou23

tried to got to 75 mcg daily, but I had some signs of being hyper (hart rate, sweating, losing more hair).

Perhaps low iron / ferritin = hair loss

Sweating = low B12

Approximate how much do you weigh in kilo

When were vitamin levels last tested

You can NOT take different doses of T3 on different days

Strongly recommend you change to 5mcg per day

Perhaps as 2 x 2.5mcg

Balou23 profile image
Balou23 in reply to SlowDragon

Hi, I weigh approx. 58kg

I am now taking T3 for 2 weeks and I noticed to great despair eyebrows are thinning again Eyes are very watery when I try to fall asleep which causes under eye bags.

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