T4 not being increased by GP

[Pixie50]

Hi everyone hope you are all doing g good and still fighting for your health!

Following on from my previous post. A new GP in my practise wouldn’t increase my levo to 100mcg until she had the go ahead from endocrinology. They have decided that I am adequately medicated and won’t increase due to heart and osteoporosis risk!! 🙄 see attached

I have sent another message to my GP today asking for a second opinion from a local endo in the list from here who actually know a bit about the thyroid which they are doing but have advised they cannot increase my T4.

But have even quoted the NICE guidelines regarding 1.6mcg per kg of weight which they have all ignored!

I am totally flabbergasted by it all tbh and dont know what to do next? I do have a little supply so can self medicate at 100mcg for the next few weeks hopefully until the 2nd opinion comes through.

Any advice from

Your good selves would be greatly appreciated

[SlowDragon Administrator]

previous post you say

I have been on 75mcg levothyroxine and reduced my T3 down to 25mcg p/wk (split into 2 x doses) as free T3 was over range and was advised by you lovely lot to get T4 sorted first. I didn’t want to stop T3 completely so reduced quite a bit.

T4 14.7 ( 11.50-22.70)

T3 3.1 (3.10-7.00)

TSH 0.18 (0.30-5.50)

So can you clarify

Presumably you self source T3 and GP is unaware you are taking T3

Exactly how much T3 are you taking per day

It’s ESSENTIAL on T3 to take EXACTLY same dose every day

Taking almost any dose of T3 will result in significant reduction in TSH to well below range

Then, almost inevitably GP will want to reduce dose levothyroxine

you will need to tell GP you were taking T3 …..but now stopped …..

And that would like increase in Levo to 100mcg instead

Retest 6-8 weeks later

Which brand of Levo are you taking

If GP won’t increase levothyroxine, will need to see thyroid specialist endocrinologist

Here’s link for how to request Thyroid U.K.list of private Doctors emailed to you, but within the email a link to download list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologists who understand that taking T3 lowers TSH

Ideally choose an endocrinologist to see privately initially and who also does NHS consultations

thyroiduk.org/contact-us/ge...

[Pixie50 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for your reply SlowDragon

GP is aware I was taking T3 but they have all ignored this fact

After taking advice on here I reduced my T3 to 6.25mcg p/day (25mcg tablet split into 4 with pill cutter) until my T4 was sorted and T3 back to optimal range however this seems to have gone really low now

The 2nd opinion will hopefully come from one of the recommended Thyroid UK endos that I have sent to my GP

Shall I stick to 75mcg T4 and my 6.25mcg T3 until I have further info from the 2nd endo?

Brand of levo is accord and T3 Tiromel

[serenfach in reply to Pixie50]

Personally I would take the 6.25 in the morning, and another 6.25 late afternoon. T3 is short lived. And see how you feel, and what the second endo says. He may have heard of T3 and how it lowers the TSH, but you never know!

I am amazed that you can split the pills that small - even with a pill cutter, and not spend half an hour looking for the bit that pinged out somewhere on the fluffy carpet!

[Pixie50 in reply to serenfach]

Thanks for advice serenfach! Might try that. Wonders will never cease if I manage to speak to an endo who knows what they’re talking about however I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

Luckily my pill cutter drops the pill into the container underneath otherwise I would def have the problems you are talking about 😆