rT3 with Thybon?

[milupa]

I have been taking only Thybon for so long I cannot remember if it makes sense to measure rT3?

I saw a new practitioner today and he was clearly unhappy when I said that I don’t need T4, fT4 and rT3 measured because I am on Liothyronine.

Please bring me up to date on this topic, thank you!

[greygoose]

If you are not taking any T4, and your thyroid isn't producing any, then you won't have any rT3 because rT3 is a product of conversion from T4: no T4 = no rT3. Goodness! Even an endo should know that!

[milupa in reply to greygoose]

How kind of you to reply! And thank you for clarifying this.

I had the same issue when my husband went to a private GP last year: she was so annoyed she stopped seeing him ‘because I thought I knew more than she’.

This practitioner today also took it personally that I disagreed with him.

Happy Women’s Day tomorrow (how lucky we are to get one out of 366 😉).

[greygoose in reply to milupa]

Not that that one day changes anything!

Well, at least I've never had that problem with a doctor. Usually they say 'oh, well, you know more about this than I do'. Which is pretty decent of them, I have to admit. Trouble is, it doesn't get me anywhere. That's why I self-treat.

[DippyDame]

No real need to test rT3 at all...it is the inactive form of T3

If T4 gets too high it starts converting to rT3 instead of T3, this helps keep T3 from getting too high. The rT3 will be metabolised and excreted.

No need to worry about it.... since you are taking T3 only, rT3 will not be an issue in any case

Your GP should understand that T3 reduces both TSH and FT4 so tests are unreliable markers. The practitioner did not!

On T3-only we monitor the dose by signs and symptoms.....good old fashioned clinical evaluation.

We clearly have to understand and know what these signs are

I need high dose T3-only to function (self medicating) and my practice now accept that testing is not necessary. Truth be told I don't think they have a clue about T3.

You need to educate your GP.

This might help

paulrobinsonthyroid.com/can...

[milupa in reply to DippyDame]

Thank you so much for the link! Paul Robinson’s book was such a game changer for me ten years ago, but I had forgotten about him.

I felt unwell after a tooth extraction so my dentist sent me to this alternative practitioner. I was not prepared for blood tests but now I have my arguments ready for the next appointment.