UNUSUAL PHENOMENA

[NIKEGIRL]

Hi. I haven’t written in a long time. Sorry. I am looking for a name to put to the phenomenon I am currently experiencing.

I had a TT in Dec 2022. Struggling to find optimal post surgery like most people . Got a small script of t3 recently on top of my 180ndt (75, 75, 30). When I started the script of t3 (5mcg x 2 daily) The symptoms I had been experiencing went away and they were constipation, cracked skin on feet, no appetite signals and a few others. These symptoms went away for 3 weeks and I thought great!!! but after 3 weeks the symptoms all came back?????I remember some of the admin staff talking about a phenomenon whereby the body using the meds up and then the body goes backwards again. As I have described.

My last blood was

TSH <0.001 suppressed

T4 13.1 range 12-22

T3 4.4 range 2.5-6.0

If you know what is physically happening to me that would be amazing and thank you. 💛

[helvella Administrator]

Inappropriate comment re NDT. The poster has already stated:

Got a small script of t3 recently on top of my 180ndt (75, 75, 30).

NIKEGIRL has been posting for several years and has a complex story.

[NIKEGIRL in reply to helvella]

Thank you.

[helvella Administrator]

I wonder if you are looking for homeostasis? Where whatever is done to the body, it reacts to try to return to its previous state!

The word 'ratcheting' often pops into my mind. One click up, a small movement, and then drop back most of that before the next click.

[NIKEGIRL in reply to helvella]

I find this phenomenon happens to me. Ratcheting sounds the closest. Is it a real thing? Is it experienced by a minority

[helvella Administrator in reply to NIKEGIRL]

I think a lot of people have something like that when they start levothyroxine, especially if they retain some thyroid hormone production capacity.

To be clear, that is just the word I think of - I don't think there is any formal use of the word in that way.

[NIKEGIRL in reply to helvella]

I am nervous to tell my functional dr that this phenomena has happened to me in case they decline any further T3 increase

[helvella Administrator in reply to NIKEGIRL]

I can understand that. Maybe someone can suggest a path that will help?

[sparkly]

This is just my opinion.

You could try taking your T3 dose in the morning as one, instead of splitting. Seeing as you are on big dose of ndt 5 mcg might not be doing anything but 10mcg might.

This happens to me all the time with my T3 medication and hrt meds.When I need an increase of T3, within an hour of taking increased dose I feel like a new woman and that lasts only 2,3 days. I'm on T3 only, largish single dose and always been classed as complex.

Same with hrt, went very quickly to unlicensed dose of oestrogen. Testosterone was very fast acting, just 3 weeks, and felt truly unbelievable for 4/5 months then the feeling diminished .

My body needs high doses of hormones, both thyroid and sex hormones.

I do feel that I might be now near my optimal dose of T3 as the last 2 increases made so much difference to my on going symptoms.

Going off your username I take it you are active. I found when recently on a 8 week fitness challenge I had to increase my T3 due the increased effort needed and left so fatigued where i would come home and be asleep with 30 mins. T3 has always been my source for energy. I'm not fit, but I am trying and this is really having positive impact on my body and feel the healthiest I've been.

[SilverAvocado]

NIKEGIRL,

I tend to feel that when a dose is adjusted almost anything can happen in the first few weeks, and it isn't until six or more weeks have passed that we can see the true impact of the new dose. It seems to be not uncommon to feel loads better shortly after an increase, even if the increase isn't enough. Maybe the body initially doesn't realise the increase isn't large enough, and is just delighted to be getting any improvement. I think I've also had the opposite, feeling initially more undermedicated, even though theoretically I should be less undermedicated.

As others have said, you're freeT3 is still on the low side, just over halfway up the range. So you have room for an increase. I think the experience you had, of initially feeling much better, is a good sign you see moving in the right direction.

I saw in another comment you mentioned being worried about telling your doctor in case they refuse another increase? It sounds like a bit of a doctor management situation, and maybe you need to take a strategic approach, like buttering them up with praise, or giving a more simple story. Perhaps just say you've had slow improvement on the new dose but symptoms are still present?