My latest TSH is 0.66 and had to lower thyroxine just a bit (from 100/88 to just 88) as was getting some hyper symptoms and felt way better with a lower dose, finally have energy and drive again!
My T4 is healthy range, 60% through.
However, my T3 dropped to just 10% of the range (while still on the old thyroxine dose, before the recent dose change)! It used to be around 30%, and back in the day 50-60% on T4 alone.
But my symptoms have actually improved since TSH balanced and since I reduced thyroxine a bit, way more energy, get up early with ease, exercise, feel calmer and more productive. But would still love to have even better energy and more focus, and less hair loss!
I am on thyroxine. I tried Erfa NDT, it really did great things to my Ts, T3 was 60% finally, goodbye wanting to nap during the day and hello all day energy! I tolerated it well.
But then I started to get neck swelling after about a month of NDT and my anti bodies went up after 2 months of NDF, also went hyper with TSH and started to get heart palps, breast tenderness and HBP. My hair started to fall out like never before.
Went back to T4 and all that was solved, apart from now low T3!
Tried synthetic T3 many times, different doses, times, brands, fast release/slow release, can't make it work, feel dreadful, brain fog, like an altered unhealthy mental state.
Tried adding a quarter of NDT to thyroxine and my pulse goes up and I start to feel dreadful.
Go back to T4 and start to feel more myself again.
Yet, 10% T3 is not good, though I finally actually feel better than I felt in 18 months trying to balance my thyroid and trying different doses and meds.
But what do I do to raise T3, considering I can't take synthetic T3 (even in smallest doses), and NDT - while it solves my T3 problem, it creates other problems and triggers Hashi?
Tempted to try Armor. But if Erfa triggered my Hashi and other symptoms how would that be different. That neck swelling took a bit to balance and it wasn't comfortable.
I felt great on Erfa for about 4 weeks and then really started to struggle. Felt better on T4 alone after, but miss all day energy and mind clarity.
Supplement with iron, folate, D and B12, selenium, Omega and others. Monitor blood work regularly. Gluten, soy and dairy free. Whole food diet, eat carbs/protein/fat, no calorie restriction.
I just can't understand what else can I do to raise my T3? Any ideas ... please? What worked for you?
Written by
Juliet_22
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi Juliet-22. I've had problems with synthetic T3 myself and have taken Thyroid S for years which helped, but after a reformulation of the ingredients of Thyroid S, I have had no end of issues. Could you possibly increase your T4 medication to see if you convert more T3? I did read once, that Selenium supplementation is supposed to enable T3 conversion more effectively. It might be worth trying Thyroid S NDT, as you don't need a prescription and it might just work for you. I have also tried Erfa, but I feel awful on it, so I am trying to tweek my Thyroid S dosing, unsuccessfully at the moment, but hanging in there. I'm sure there are others that have a lot more experience, hence better ideas to offer you. Good luck! 🙂
Erfa made me feel strange inside and gave me a terrible headache, even starting low.
Sorry to hear the increase in thyroxine didn't help either. I hope you can find something that works. All this tweeking of meds is quite a pain to be honest. Thyroid conditions are rather tricky to manage in my experience, no wonder medics avoid it like the plague.
I will PM you the source for Thyroid S as I'm not supposed to post it publicly.
I have finally lowered my TSH to a healthy 0.66 ...?? fT3 & 4 are the important ones
My T4 is healthy range, 50% through. ... too low for most generally needs to be 70%+
However, my T3 dropped to just 10% of the range (while still on the old thyroxine dose, before the recent dose change)! It used to be around 30%, and back in the day 50-60% on T4 alone..... so your conversion rate has gotten progressively worse
T3 was 60% finally, goodbye wanting to nap during the day and hello all day energy! Sounds like this is the level you need to get your fT3 back too?
But my symptoms have actually improved since TSH balanced ... I don't understand what this means TSH balanced with what?
Which T3's have you tried?
Supplement with iron, folate, D and B12, Omega and others... are you taking a B complex? Foggy thinking could be low B6 or magnesium, have you checked you sex hormones? Hair loss can be linked to high testosterone
Sorry, miscalculated my T4, it's 60% of the range. It usually stays around the same number all the time.
In theory, it would make sense to increase thyroxine a bit vs decrease to see my Ts rising. But my symptoms tell me otherwise. I felt worst for it and better after going back to just 88 Mcg. When my thyroxine meds are too high for me, I feel a lot of fatigue, brain fog and can't exercise. I reduced to 88 McG and the next day was able to start functioning again and exercising, been on this dose for a week and feel like a different person, so much more energy.
TSH matters to me as well personally, a lot! With perfect Ts on NDT and suppressed TSH, I was having HBP and pulse all the time and felt unwell.
I know how important Ts are, totally. But for me, TSH is equally important based on symptoms.
Yes, take selenium too! Started adding B6 too.
Just checked sex hormones, testosterone is in the healthy range.
Tried Erfa NDT, different compounded T3 versions, and Cytomel.
Yes, I know I need to up my T3 get to 50% or at least close to it, but taking more thyroxine is not working symptom wise, and so far NDT and T3 haven't worked either ...
I reduced to 88 McG and the next day was able to start functioning again and exercising .... this doesn't make sense as T4 is a storage hormone with a half life of 7 - 10 days so any change wouldn't be overnight... could it be the excipients in the tablets that are causing you the issues? Which brand do you take?
I know, I hear you... But I do notice change right away with the change of meds, like the same day, always have. I know otherwise it takes longer to balance and 6-8 weeks for it to reflect in the blood. This time I felt better, even thought it would make sense to increase the dose. I might try 2-3 days on 88 and 1 day on 100, vs 88/100. The funny thing is that since I increased from my regular 75 mcg 18 months ago, on which I've been for a very long time, my T3 decreased. Work that out ... Been a lot of experimentation for the last 18 months.
I take the same brand of levo, lactose and mannitol free, it comes from Germany, been on it for around 15 years, or more. The only other option left for me to try is Tirosint or Armor, but I'm concerned about trying NDT again due to my past experience with Erfa and how it triggered Hashi.
I just can't seem to get to the bottom of it - as to how to increase T3 levels.
We had discussions sometime last year about the role of TSH, that it stimulates the thyroid to produce T4, but also catalyses the conversion of T4 to T3. So by raising your levo from 75 to 88 or 88/100 you may have reduced your TSH, this in turn would reduce your T3. It’s all a bit of a balancing act.
Interesting, and a new one for me, I heard the opposite, that by raising your thyroxine you're supposed to raise your Ts too, but that's not the case with me clearly!
Balancing act, I get it. I am just wondering how do I raise my T3 ...
I have just realized that since going off NDT and back to thyroxine, my T3 has dropped! Been off NDT for 5 months now and still low T3. Before NDT on thyroxine alone it was 30% of the range at least! So looks like NDT did something that affected my conversion. Argh...
I also felt a change overnight on a dose change of Levo….just once…when I was titrating from 50 to 75 Levo I had a massive energy surge for the first five days on 75. Unfortunately this surge has never repeated.
I can imaging it to be more noticeable when adding as your body is quite literally starved of it and soaking it up... I've certainly experienced this with T3
Hi Juliet_22, I watched a YouTube video recently, called - How to increase T3 naturally -7 steps by Dr Westin Childs. There might be some ideas in it for you. It might be worth a try. Good luck.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Switching from NDT to T3 only - what dose?
Advice on increase of T3
Should I increase my T3 or my T4?
Trying to balancing T3 and T4 
Advice and “moral support” needed with T3/T4 combo
