Hi. On Sunday I was taken to hospital in an ambulance as I had an episode of VT that was deemed potentially dangerous. I was kept in hospital for 2 days whilst they checked out my heart which fortunately is in good shape.
unbeknown to me the endocrine dept without my consent sent an email to my endocrinologist suggesting they drop my T3 ( I take 15 gms in 2 doses) completely I also take 100 T4
My results at the hospital were
T4 13 .5 ( range 9-19)
TSH 0.25 (range 0.35-4.00)
Free T3 6.00 (range 2.4-6.0)
I argued my case that I feel terrible with no T3 and finally they agreed to leave things as they are whilst my heart checks continue. I'm due an MRI but my echoey was good and I have perfect blood pressure and pulse rate
Question is does anyone have any information around these levels of T3 causing episodes of VT in an apparently healthy heart. I don't want to be stupid and insist I continue if it is in fact doing me harm but then again I know I feel rough with no extra T3 and it's about quality of life isn't it.?
I know there is a drive to get everyone off T3 due to expense and I don't want to be a victim of this. I am a fit and heathy active 70 yr old.
Thoughts please
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Louie25
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Well I didn't have a choice as they tested as I arrived in hospital on the ambulance which was prob about 2.00 pm I take my T4 at night and I had taken a dose of T3 at 11.00. Which might account for the high reading which seems to have freaked the endos out.
The cardiologist do not seem to think my VT episode is related to my thyroid meds even though the endoscopy said stop T3 completely which seems bonkers to me and I won't give in without a fight.
Thanks I will do. Problem is everyone talks as if they are in control of chopping and changing the doses but I have to get the go ahead from the endo writing to my gp to make a change and it's not so easy to speak to either partic Endo!! I have my next appointment in June!!
It could be too much hormone it might not be. If you take 15 mcg LT3 + 100 mcg LT4 it equates to 145 mcg LT4 which may be a touch too much. What is your resting heart rate?You could try dropping to 10 mcg LT3 taking half at bedtime. I try to have the blood taken half way between liothyronine doses so I get a rough average fT3.
We don't know if the problem or too much thyroid hormone or not and even if it isn't it's possible a reduction would be helpful. It makes sense to monitor the heart on your current dosage and a lower one.However, whilst liothyronine can cause heart problems via the genomic action of thyroid hormone levothyroxine has dual action, genomic and by acting on a cell membrane receptor. See healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... for details. Endocrinologists may turn a blind eye (or be ignorant) but the truth is that on an equivalent dose basis levothyroxine causes more cardiac harm than liothyronine.
It sounds like you’ve had a very scary experience Louie25; I’m so glad that you are not having ongoing cardiac issues.
I need to increase/ decrease thyroid medication super slowly, as otherwise I get palpitations, fast pulse, tremor etc and have ended up in A and E with these symptoms. I now adjust Levo by 12.5mcg or Lio by 2.5mcg, in the first instance . If I don’t experience any adverse symptoms, I then adjust again.
I’ve found that adjusting slowly means I don’t miss my ‘sweet spot’ where I feel most well. If you do decide to reduce your medication, consider doing this slowly over time, to reduce chances of negative side effects.
As someone who needs high dose T3-only (100mcg) to function I'd suggest you either reduce the T3 to 10mcg or reduce the levo to 75mcg
I'm afraid it's often. trial and error....if you feel well on 15mcg T3, in your shoes I'd reduce the T4!
It's your body, you must decide
Some of us just need a bit more T3 and, like me, cannot tolerate T4.
How long have you been on 100mcg T4 plus 15mcg T3....is this dose well established?
Medics are trained to be wary of T3.... but it's importance is not highlighted....they often fear it which is wrong. It is arguably the most important hormone in the body
How we feel is paramount and as our much missed diogenes wrote....
For the moment mechanical thinking has traduced medical diagnosis.
It's not all about numbers!
Your heart appears to be healthy. Monitor your heart rate on a daily basis.....I use an oximeter or smart watch...and keep a note of the results....my normal RHR is 65bpm.
I'm aged 79 and without enough cellular T3 I become very unwell. The level that shows in the blood does not necessarily reflect what ends up in the cells. T3 does not become active until it reaches the nuclei of the cells. I need that large dose to ensure enough of it can reach the cells....overcoming a form of resistance.
Thanks for the reply. Actually my dose of T4 was only increased about 10 weeks ago from 75 prior to that I'd been on 75 and 15 T3 for years. Maybe 100 is too high for me with the T3
But to suggest I stop the T3 altogether seems mad and I can't believe an endocrinologist suggested it. I even said I would be willing to reduce it or reduce the T4 back to 75 but he seemed to think the T3 was the culprit!
I think that might be really pertinent to the situation—that your levothyroxine has recently been upped. I’d certainly question whether it was the liothyronine or whether it was simply the increase in levo. And that if an adjustment needs making, lowering levo would possibly be the first thing to consider.
Yes I think I'm coming to the same conclusion. It's odd that the cardiologist didn't seem to think it was the thyroxin at all as my level was T4 13 which is pretty low.
The whole T3 issue is madness....it is a vital hormone.
If you felt well on 75mcg T4 plus 15mcg T3 for years then that proved the point, it was working ....why change it to satisfy a medics lack of knowledge.
I did know as soon as I was admitted with the ventricular tachycardia that the first thing they would jump on was my T3 meds and it happened. What annoyed me was they emailed my consultant recommending stopping the T3 completely without even discussing it with me first. I then asked an endo bod to come and talk to me and I reasoned him out of making that change but of course the email had been sent and I heard from my GP that my T3 has been stopped in recommendation from the hospital!! Now I have to fight to get it reinstated. So frustrating!!
It's more than frustrating.... it's tantamount to medical neglect through ignorance.
How can we recover if those treating us have scant knowledge of the condition.
They are duty bound to discuss medication changes with their patients
I self medicate with T3-only and have done so for about 8 years...that, after a great deal of research. Long story all in my bio
My GPs initially thought I would kill myself but now leave me in charge of my thyroid treatment....they saw it was working! Their hands are tied behind their backs by those in high places and med students are taught to be cautious of T3. It's no more dangerous than any other treatment if used correctly
I have no NHS thyroid support which is madness but at least none of them interfere with my medication and it makes no difference to any other treatment I need
I guess I'll have a problem if I ever have to be in hospital or in care
I hope you can make them all see reason very soon.
I’ve been taking exactly the same 100 T4 15 T3 dose for some years generally getting my Frees more like high 40s%, so Forum members suggest I need to up my doses to get frees in 60-70%. My TSH tends to be stuck c.0.02-0.03. But over nearly last 5 years had Long Covid and lingering symptoms have remained high BP and high HR ( diagnosed with dysautonomia and postural hypotension), and as cardiologists not interested since echocardiogram/ ecgs show heart are ok, I have had GP panicking it’s ‘overmedication on levothyroxone’ creating the high HR. An endo.i was referred to looking back at 22+ years of blood results was happy it wasn’t the replacement T4 nor T3 giving the high HR etc. Lots of other things, other than LC, give high HR like low ferritin, vitamins etc…have you had these checked?
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