Just started T3

[Braveheart77]

Hi everyone I have been prescribed T3 and I'm taking 5mg three times a day as advised along with 50mg levothyroxine. I'm on my fifth day and starting to anxiety? Is this normal and will it settle down. Any advice

Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at previous posts

You were on 75mcg levothyroxine

So dose levothyroxine been reduced

We always advise starting T3 very very SLOWLY

Reducing Levo initially 3-4 days before starting T3

Start by adding just 5mcg T3 for first 4-5 days

Once this is ok, add 2nd 5mcg dose roughly 10 hours after first dose

Suggest you reduce T3 by 5mcg and wait for at least a week, possibly longer before considering adding 3rd dose

Is levothyroxine still same brand as previous

[Braveheart77 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your reply I was told to start 3 times a day 5mg by private doctor... I feel it's to much to soon as I'm feeling anxious and on edge I was not told to gradually low leveroxzine and gradually add T3 . I will now start again with 5mg of T3 once a day a for week see how I feel. I'm little worried as I've been told to lower leveroxzine to 50mg which I've started already

[FallingInReverse in reply to Braveheart77]

Agree completely!

I started 10 T3 split 5 in the morning and 5 at bedtime. And it took 9 months for the crazy constant palpitations to stop!

For me, 10 all at once is not something I would do again. Much less 15!

That’s just me : )

edit: also - I went from 50 to 25 Levo simultaneously… took me the 9 months to get back to 50 then up to 62.5 and then 75. I really do fault these doctors for not understanding just how low 50 (much less 25!) Levo is.

[Braveheart77 in reply to FallingInReverse]

I'm totally confused as to why I was told this ? Not sure what to do just stay on 75mg leveroxzine and take 5 mg T3

[FallingInReverse in reply to Braveheart77]

Listen to SlowDragons advice for sure ! Intro T3 slowly. There is no reason to rush and every reason to go slow and wait those weeks to see how you feel.

I haven’t looked at previous posts but will now out of curiosity…

[Braveheart77 in reply to FallingInReverse]

Yes totally she knows what she's talking about she advised me before and I didn't listen!

[FallingInReverse in reply to Braveheart77]

Haha!

Just reading it all, seeing your good FT4 in recent results, so definitely clear from SlowDragon

1) Reducing Levo initially 3-4 days before starting T3

yes - reduce Levo by the 25 as recommended

2) Start by adding just 5mcg T3 for first 4-5 days

So if I was you I would start 5 mcgs for the next 5 days since you already have been on your reduced Levo for a week. Right SlowDragon ?

3) Once this is ok, add 2nd 5mcg dose roughly 10 hours after first dose

Then in a week - add that second 5 mcgs T3

…. SlowDragon Do you think it would make sense to consider adding only 2.5 at this stage … ? Before jumping to the full 10? Just thinking of my experience.

Optional) Suggest you reduce T3 by 5mcg and wait for at least a week, possibly longer before considering adding 3rd dose

And decide then if you want to add the third dose of 5.

If it was me, at that point I would start the clock for 6 weeks for the next blood test.

That’s what I would do based on my own experience, but of course gather all advice given here in balance!

Ps, it did take me 9 months for my FT3 to finally test in the top of the range… and right now for the first time I am kind of close to where I think I should be, but not quite. It take a while.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to FallingInReverse]

Do you think it would make sense to consider adding only 2.5 at this stage

Yes quite possibly

And decide then if you want to add the third dose of 5.

Yes better to go slow. Adding third dose not obligatory

[Braveheart77 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes with levo still at 50mg ? Or 75mg

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Braveheart77]

What tablets have you got

And which brands

50mcg and 25mcg?

Assuming yes

You could cut 25mcg in half and increase levothyroxine up to 62.5mcg

Take the 5mcg as 2 x 2.5mcg

Then in a week or so ….increase T3 by 2.5mcg in morning…..a week later increase afternoon dose by 2.5mcg

Wether you reduce levothyroxine further…..difficult to say

How much do you weigh in kilo?

[Braveheart77 in reply to SlowDragon]

I'm now 70.9 kgs and levo different brands not home so can see I think I felt better on 75 mg lol but obviously 3x5mg straight off has not had a great affect on me I think I'm going to do what you said in this post see how I go

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Braveheart77]

So guidelines on ONLY Levo suggests a daily dose of 112.5mcg daily levothyroxine

So you may not need to reduce dose Levo at all.

[Braveheart77 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes I think I'm going to stay at 75mg levo and slowly introduce T3 at half 5mg I so appreciate your help as I knew that my body wasn't feeling right! With such a large dose of T3

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

I'd stick with 75mcg of Levo as your fT4 was only around 73% so no reason to drop it as adding t3 will likely make it drop further and make you feel lousy, 1 week at a time of adding 5mcg or even 2.5mcg if you'd rather of T3 as it is powerful stuff

[FallingInReverse in reply to TiggerMe]

I have wondered that - considering the equivalency of Levo to T3… and also seeing that every time someone gets a new T3 Rx they are told to reduce Levo by 25.

Do you know if that is actually not necessary at all?? Or when it would be and when it wouldn’t be?

[humanbean in reply to FallingInReverse]

I have never found reducing T4 has helped me personally when I do anything with my T3 dose.

In my own case the T4 reduces by itself when T3 is added or increased.

[FallingInReverse in reply to humanbean]

1) Once again re-activating my frustration that I was dropped to 25 and given T3 when I probably should’ve just given more Levo a chance.

2) The FT4 suppression is also something everyone should know when starting Lio, that no doctor is going to have any idea about.

[Braveheart77 in reply to FallingInReverse]

Looking at the response no !

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to FallingInReverse]

If their fT4 is already within range I would always suggest people start T3 and check to see the effect it is having on their fT4 levels before dropping the dosage. Over the first 3 months of adding T3 it dropped mine way down and I actually needed to increase my T4 to keep it in my happy place 60%

There seems to be some weird thing about taking something away when adding something new but in this case it often means you feel good with the T3 and then go down hill as your fT4 levels slowly drop off 🫤 and of course you think it is your T3 that needs changing when it's actually back to the T4 which really didn't seem to do that much hence adding the T3 😵‍💫

[FallingInReverse in reply to TiggerMe]

Hey! It’s like you’re reading my mind 😡

Another 💡looking back… not only were my Free Ts low ( but “in range”!!!!!) then my doctor dropped Levo from 50 to 25 (so misinformed… like you can Google Levo starter dose), added 10 T3 all at once (due to very well intentioned doctor who did some research and found this “experimental “ approach…)

Then it took me 9 months to increase my Levo back to the starting line.

What a colassal waste of time.

Braveheart77

The only thing I’ll add to what I said before, is that you shouldn’t underestimate the value of even 2.5 mcgs of Liothyronine… or 12.5 of Levo.

Read SDs personal experience. You can see the very slow and gradual trade offs and increases.

For our disease you need to reset your expectations clock from weeks to months and months. Realize that you will likely arrive at your optimal dose within a year (but maybe longer).

When I started to realize this I set my sights on a target dose… and took many 6-8 eeek adjustment periods to get there, cutting pills in halves and quarters along the way.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

my own experience …..7 years ago

I was also told to reduce levothyroxine by 25mcg per day and add 2 x 5mcg T3 same day

I knew that was too sudden a change for me personally to tolerate. My Ft4 was similar to yours at 20 (12-22) and Ft3 under 4

I initially reduced levothyroxine by 12.5mcg …..4 days later started on 2.5mcg T3 (a spec of dust cutting 20mcg tablets into 1/8ths)

2.5mcg waking initially gave a noticeable whoosh and 2.5mcg mid afternoon…..also similar whoosh

Carried on at same dose

After 3-4 days that whoosh effect had stopped

I then reduced levothyroxine by another 12.5mcg …..waiting 4 days before slowing increasing T3 in morning to 5mcg ……waiting another 4-5 days before increasing afternoon dose to 5mcg

Held at that dose 6-8 weeks before retesting. Felt better and worse in almost equal measure initially…..had more energy, but also a bit hyper…..or unsettled and nearly chucked it all in the bin on several occasions

But, slowly , slowly that improved

After blood test at 8 weeks, dose T3 was SLOWLY increased by further 10mcg, so 20mcg in total per day

After much experimenting I personally find it best to take as 4 x 5mcg doses.

Some people only need 2.5mcg x 3 per day or less

Some might need 5mcg twice day, or more common 3 x 5mcg per day, but it frequently takes weeks/months to fine tune what you personally might need

Some people can tolerate taking as just 2 doses, some a single dose

After a further 2 months I found I needed to increase Levo slowly back up. Ft4 had dropped to bottom of range. I only adjust Levo by a maximum of 25mcg PER WEEK up (or down) ….wait 6-8 weeks and retest

[Braveheart77 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much I'm just not sure where to go from her as for 5 days I've been taking T3 5mg three times a day ......do you think I should still take 50mg levothyroxine and 5mg T3 for a week see how I feel...or put levo up to 75mg again and take 5mg T3 sorry to keep asking I'm just so confused 🤔

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Braveheart77]

75mcg T4 + 5mcg T3 for a week and then think about adding another 2.5mcg or 5mcg T3 and wait another week

[Braveheart77 in reply to TiggerMe]

Thank you 🙏🏽

[Braveheart77]

How do you reply privately please

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Braveheart77]

If you click on the persons name or picture it will take you to their home page where there is a CHAT box top right 🤗

[Braveheart77 in reply to TiggerMe]

Thank you