Is it too bold to say that “anyone on T3 will have a suppressed TSH?”
Mine has a couple zeros after the decimal. Been on 10 t3 for about a year and a half, and dropped to 7.5 a couple months ago.
Would love to hear from anyone as to your TSH while on t3, will be interested to see the highest that comes through. (edit: let me know tsh, t3 dose and how long on it.)
I take NDT, which contains T3. My last TSH was below the laboratory's measurable range of 0.01. This caused the endocrinologist, who seems as clueless as a kitten in a paper bag nestled in a stork's next on top of a two-story building, to become alarmed and message me. "What are you doing?" I don't see him anymore so I ignored the message, which would have said, "I am finally getting enough T3 to operate my brain across my normal workday."
Previously, I was dozing off for a nap at 11 am, 2 pm and 5pm, and my TSH was registering 0.03, 0.05, 0.08 on too little NDT (9 mcg T3).
Currently I'm getting 22 mcg of T3, split morning and noon and I am able to function like an ordinary human bean.
I hope this helps. Everyone here has been very generous with their experiences, wisdom, guidance, protocols, cautions, and encouragement.
My dose is 18 t3/85 t4 compound. My levels get down to .01. My heart rate is good at this level but my sleep patterns are off. I have also developed extreme sore gums and tongue the past 9months. I am working my brain off to try isolate foods, meds to figure which is the cause. For me any little change in my meds that work causes major upset to my system. My compound has worked for years and 9months ago started having the severe mouth issues. You may could have the Dr decease your mcg dose and see if this brings your numbers up a bit. This may help you.
Phyllis
May I ask what prompted you to reduce from 10mcg of T3 to 7.5mcg.? The reason why I’m asking is I've done the same. My endo wanted me to reduce T3 because of suppressed TSH. How are you feeling? Have you needed to adjust your T4 dose?
Hi! What’s your tsh??
My long story short: reason for decrease - my ft3 was over range, and was for a few titration periods. The forum noted - probably not a good idea to be over range long-term. That felt like sound advice.
Longer story: After my first year on Levo (Aug 2022)… 50 mcg the entire year and feeling like cr*p of course… my doctor’s next step was to drop me to 25 Levo and add 10 t3. That was Aug 2023.
Whereas many would be thrilled to have t3 thrown at them, the palpitations were immediate and never-ending and I was convinced I was going to have a heart attack. It was too much too soon all at once. That led me to this forum - thank goodness - totally saved me and I’m eternally grateful.
So. I then took Aug 2023 to about Dec/Jan 25 to increase Levo from 25 to the current 112. Low and slow, and with the “change one thing at a time” approach I felt trapped with the t3… … so a couple months ago my t4 was finally nearing upper quartile, I dropped t3. I feel way more peaceful (ie, many days I don’t notice my heart beating…)
I think this is near/optimal for me but am now dealing with perimenopausal and my continuing low ferritin. So I’m good on a regular day, but need to get more excercise and for that I’m still a little fatigued.
Many thanks for your prompt reply. Having hypothyroidism is a continual journey and yes, this forum has saved my life too.
My results:
T4100mcg T3 10mcg (x3 years on this dose)
TSH 0.01 (0.27-4.2) T4 16.53 (12-22) T3 4.48 (2.8-7.1)
T4 100mcg T3 7.5mcg:
TSH 0.16 T4 16.04 T3 no result
T4 100mcg T3 5mcg: (felt terrible)
TSH 0.71 T4 16.88 T3 4.52
I noticed my T3 results on 10mcg were lower than on 5 mcg hence I’m trying to look at the whole picture. I feel I’m almost there with my dose but have ongoing issues with low ferritin and I’m 49 so despite having regular periods I’ll be perimenopausal too. I’ve recently stopped taking protein powders in an attempt to improve my digestion and will watch to see if there are any changes in my blood tests and vitamins. I’ve also started taking T3 x3 daily rather than in one dose - I’m definitely a lot warmer for doing this. I’m due blood tests in April so will post on here and ask for advice on possibly increasing to 112mcg T4.
Thank you! I’ll be looking forward to your update next. Always good to have buddies with similar dosing to hear from 😃
This latest result is ‘typical’ of my TSH on combination treatment (75mcg Levo/ 15 mcgLio) I needed to reduce meds slightly In perimenopause (whereas many members report needing slightly more)
TSH 0.020 mlU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2)
FT3 5.4 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8)
FT4 15.2 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22).
i had 2.9 but it's not a fair comparison as had only been taking T3 for 7 weeks, and still felt undermedicted , (and before i started T3 , TSH was already high as i had lowered levo dose to 87.5mcg to deal with over range fT4 , so prior to starting T3 my TSH was 5.3 ~ fT4 91% ~ fT3 13% ie. wobbly zombie )
after3 weeks on 6mcg T3/ 75mcg Levo
then 4 weeks on 9mcg / 75mcg
TSH 2.9 ~ fT4 56% ~fT3 56% ( still wobbly , but less zombie)
but i have since increased levo to 92 mcg and reduced T3 to 6mcg...which now feels pretty 'functional' ... ie. i can manage to do hard physical work a couple of days a week , but not a lot else is getting done ..... anyways we'll see what next test shows when i get round to it ..........
Excellent! Now that I’ve gotten past the brain fog and can get my job done - this is my next goal “can manage to do hard physical work a couple of days a week.”
For your 56% through range… what made you choose a Levo increase, and not a t3 … dropping back to 6 t3 and you still feel good?
because the T3 already felt too much/ too harsh ..ie. hot / sweaty 90 minutes after taking it . and tense uncomfortable bladder feeling lasting for 7 hrs after even a split dose... then feeling ok after that .. so i just didn't fancy adding more T3 at that point .. also i'd been ok on 112 levo for previous few yrs and only lowered it due to fT4 going significantly over range , so when it fell to 56% , i thought increasing my T4 fitted with others experience (endo's lowering levo too much when adding T3 and feeling better when levo dose was put back up) ... and mainly instinct.... i just felt sort of 'ungrounded/baseless/hollow / unstable' with 'top end' spiking too high .. Levo being 'bass'/ T3 being 'treble' .. if you see what i'm getting at ... sorry rambling ... was at work yesterday .... bit buggered now .
increasing Levo back to 87.5 made me feel much better/ more solid pretty much overnight which re-assured i was on the right track . since then i've fiddled around quite a bit .. just following my nose by how it feels .. basically moving T3 away from times when it gives me problems ., but still trying to keep levo dose as low as is possible due to cancer cell considerations . lots of minor fiddling over several months ...87.5mcg levo + 3x 3mcg T3 .. then 2x 4mcg .. then increased levo a tad more to 92mcg and then lowered T3 1 x 6.25
been on 6.25 mcg at 11.30am for 5 weeks now, with levo split breakfast / bedtime .which definitely feels more sustainable than other variations have .....but things keep changing just when i think i'm on the right track ie a small bedtime dose of T3 was not a problem for several months ... then gradually it was , started keeping me awake , so had to pack it in . as can't risk not being fit for work .
i recently had a very promising result from trying out a 5am T3 dose a couple of times .. but it's tricky to be as consistent as i'd like to be cos my work hours are odd ~one night / one day , which is not ideal .
so i'm wandering around , but not necessarily lost 
Me too 😀!
Very suppressed tsh, on T3 10, years 
TSH on T3 only
Suppressed TSH, on T3 trial
