So after my last blood tests which showed a suppressed TSH and far from optimal T3 and T4 with ongoing symptoms for years, I finally decided to go to a private doctor. After much to’ing and fro’ing with my NHS GP, they finally gave it to me straight, ‘we do not prescribe T3 medication and if you want it, you will have to go private’.
I’m just reporting my experience and asking for advice as a single mum who works part time on a low income. So the initial consultation with my private doctor was £175 and my 6 monthly check ups (first one after 6 weeks), will cost £100. I have been on 100mcg of Levothyroxine but have now been advised by my new doctor to reduce that to 50mcg and I have a prescription for Liothyronine initially for to 10mcg and probably to rise to 20mcg after 6 weeks.
I’m now trying to source the T3 medication and need some advice if possible? Buxton and Grant pharmacy have quoted me 28 x 20mcg tablets for £70. I have also asked the [ another source ] (which is based in Turkey) and they have a price of £11.87 for 100 x 25mcg tablets. That is quite a difference! I just wondered what others think of the T3 medication they provide? It is called Tiromel Sodium and is manufactured in Turkey. Have others had experience of this? How did you get on with it? This will be a huge saving if I can go with this. BTW they were clear that they don’t actually require a prescription for theirs, I did know this but initially I feel safest having gone through a private doctor for my prescription.
Many thanks,
J
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PebblesPatch
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Can you share your most recent thyroid blood tests. Dropping from 100mcg to 50mcg Levo before starting combination treatment is a considerable jump… far more usual to reduce by 25mcg.
You may want to start Liothyronine at a smaller dose, eg 5mcg per day, adding another 5mcg once well tolerated. Adding 20mcg Lio within 6 weeks is a considerable jump- in my experience, you may not need this full amount, so it’s best to go slowly when adjusting medication. You can always use a pill cutter to divide tablets, retaining portions for subsequent days.
If you can advise on T3 suppliers, please private message only, as per forum guidelines re obtaining medication without prescription. Post will then be closed, so information cannot be posted.
Thanks for your reply. My results were as follows:
TSH 0.29 mlU (0.38-5.33)
T3 4.0 pmol/L (3.8-6)
T4 10.8 pmol/L (8-18)
I will follow your suggestion about the dosing, thanks for that. I am just to speak to the dr again in 6 weeks, he just suggested that eventually the maximum I could go up to is 20mcg but that might not be at the 6 weeks point.
I've taken Tiromel for years, no problem. I understand your sentiments regarding a prescription, but there are legitimate sellers that sell the real McCoy, so don't worry. Just check with admin, by PM, about the legitimacy of the site in question.
Have you had this 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 will prescribe T3
Ideally choose an endocrinologist to see privately initially and who also does NHS consultations so that might eventually transfer to getting T3 on NHS
please add most recent TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 results and ranges
Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
As Buddy195 says …..that’s a very large reduction in Levo
How much levo are you taking and please can you post your most recent labs?
Tiromel is perfectly fine....I've taken it for several years.
No need to reduce levo when initially introducing T3.
T3 will reduce both TSH and FT4 naturally....you can reduce levo if necessary once T3 is established and tested....see below!
You are likely to suffer from undermedication if you drop from 100mcg to 50mcg levothyroxine at the beginning
It is best to add T3 slowly to give the body time to adjust, it is a powerful hormone
A 10mcg starting dose would be too much for many people and may cause you ( or your doctor) to decide T3 doesn't suit you....so medication is stopped almost before it has begun!
You might benefit therefore, from initially adding just5mcg T3 to the 100mcg levo. If all feels fine add another 5mcg after 2 weeks....so total of 10mcg.
This may be enough to improve things, but if not add another 5mcg T3 after 2 weeks....total 15mcg T3 in 6 weeks.
Test at that point and adjust levo if necessary. Results will show if you need more T3
Ok, this sounds like a good plan. My only concern is that my new private doctor has written to my NHS GP to advise that I am to go down to 50mcg of Levothyroxine. I’m worried now if I will continue to get my normal dose? Not sure how to go about that 😬
My GPs have prescribed T3 (Liothyronine), I am under an endocrinologist (NHS) who monitors me but it's the GPs (three different surgeries now) who do the prescribing. I think it helps to know that if you need it the NSH are supposed to prescribe it for you.
Tiromel is OK, I was using it before. But you have to be careful where you order because there are lots of fake ones going around, made in China mostly. As far as I know there is currently nobody who is selling Tiromel online directly from Turkey. So this website you are mentioning that claims to be "based in Turkey" is probably in China.
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