Hi all, I don't have any current results other than TSH which is currently 60! My question is that I've been on T3 monotherapy for 4 years 25mcg daily broken down into 10 morning/10 afternoon/ 5 bedtime but for the past 7 months I've been having bad palpitations, fast heartrate (reached 200 last month) accompanied by body tremors. I have chronic lyme disease and my very knowledgable holistic lyme doctor feels my symptoms are thyroid related and my very knowledgeable thyroid doctor feels it's my Lyme so between the two of them I'm not getting any better! My own GP wants me off t3 altogether and back on t4 due to the high heartrate, weakness in limbs etc (which the hospital is saying the only thing they can find wrong is my high TSH) as these current symptoms have landed me in A&E 6 times. I understand without labs it's not really possible to give accurate info but I'm just looking for suggestions/ opinions. TIA
Advice on med change : Hi all, I don't have any... - Thyroid UK
Advice on med change
Fast heart rate can be a hypothyroid symptom
25mcg T3 is low dose if ONLY on T3
Could you get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing
Have you had thyroid antibodies tested?
letsgetchecked.ie/home-thyr...
Can GP test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
What vitamin supplements are you taking
Yes, I did find my heartrate dropped a bit when I took my next dose of T3. I've tried increasing T3 slightly but my heartrate feels `off` when I do which was probably due to adrenal (lots of stress as a carer for my mam who has dementia) . I do have diagnosed hashis and last test showed my antibodies were 23. I take a lot of supplements mainly for my Lyme disease including Multivitamin
Vit D
Vit c
Triple zinc
Resvestrol
Querctin
L lysine
NAC
Krill oil
Fulvic acid
Personalised homeopathic remedies etc
All made by a clinic that realises that lots of commercial vits are not very good.
Doc tested iron, b12 etc and as per usual said all is in range ( I've requested copy of results).
Money restrictions are a factor in not testing privately but I've booked my private thyroid bloods for this Friday and I've just completed a private 48 holter monitor to check heart.
Fast heart rate and hypothyroidism
endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/...
The electrocardiogram revealed supraventricular tachycardia with 200 beats/minute (PSVT). The possible triggers of arrhythmia were investigated.
Thank you Slow Dragon, I've just had a read of it. Eltroxin is the standard in Ireland and I've done not done well on it (possibly due to fillers) . I've been ringing chemist's all morning looking for an alternative T4 but there aren't any currently available. I may have to just go back on Eltroxin for a while in the hope that it will settle these random palpitations.
Which brand is your T3
Are you on dairy free or gluten free diet
Ireland MUST have at least one lactose free brand of levothyroxine
Lactose free brands in U.K. - currently Vencamil or Teva
Vencamil is lactose free and mannitol free. originally only available as 100mcg only, but 25mcg, 50mcg and 75mcg tablets became available Sept 2024
Prior to March 2023 Vencamil was called Aristo
Vencamil often very well tolerated/best option for many people
How to get prescription written for Vencamil
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
How to get Vencamil stocked at your local pharmacy
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Posts discussing Vencamil
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....
Teva makes 12.5mcg 25mcg, 50mcg, 75mcg and 100mcg
Some patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine.
Teva is lactose free, but contains mannitol as a filler instead of lactose, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Mannitol seems to upset many people, it changes gut biome
Helpful post about Teva
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Posts that mention Teva
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Teva poll
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Relatively new ……Hillcross brand
This is a box, rather than a brand. 50mcg and 100mcg are Accord brand….but beware 25mcg is Teva brand
Helpful post about different brands
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
List of different brands available in U.K.
See if any available in Ireland
thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...
Thank you Slow Dragon, some very useful information here. I've asked a number of pharmacy's about Teva but none stock it over here. I've asked if they could order it in but was told they can't. My new endo gave me a prescription for 75 thyroxine. She wants me to stop t3 immediately and start 75mg straight away. She said after 3 months on t4 she may, at a push, add a minute amount of t3 but unlikely in 99.9% of her patients. In your opinion, how should the switch from fast release t3 to t4 only be done safely?
When you were on Levo how much were you taking
Did you try Levo plus T3
Hi Slowdragon, it's been at least 4 years or more since I was on T4 meds. I've never tried a combo t4/t3 as my private doc put my straight on t3. I started on 25 t4 then 50 then 75 then 100mg and my regular GP at the time wouldn't go any higher as my TSH was in range.
100mg and my regular GP at the time wouldn't go any higher as my TSH was in range.
100mcg Levo is not a high dose
Approximately how much do you weigh in kilo
What were actual results.
“Within range” is not necessarily optimal…..many many people on Levo will have TSH below 1 (or below range) when adequately treated
Most important results are always Ft3 followed by Ft4
And essential to maintain GOOD vitamin levels
Low B12 will make you feel off balance (like walking on small boat on rough sea)
ALWAYS test 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)
T3 ….day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day, with last dose approximately 8-12 hours before test
Standard treatment is levothyroxine only
Results and symptoms can be significantly improved by
Fine tuning dose levothyroxine
Find out which brand suits you best .
On dairy free diet you will need LACTOSE FREE levothyroxine
Teva or Vencamil
Aiming for Ft4 and Ft3 approx 60-70% through range
on just Levo and OPTIMAL vitamin levels…..if Ft4 is at top of range but Ft3 remains low
Next step is to add SMALL dose T3 alongside Levo (if Ft4 is right at top of range, then small reduction in Levo eg 12.5mcg or 25mcg daily)
Usually starting with just 5mcg T3 twice day
Wait 6-8 weeks….retest (Test as listed above )
Sometimes that’s enough
Some people need further increase…..to 15mcg or 20mcg daily……but this is ALONGSIDE Levo
If on ONLY T3 then you are likely on inadequate dose. On T3 only 40-60mcg daily is more typical
As you are dairy and gluten free your hypothyroidism is presumably autoimmune
ESSENTIAL to have lactose free T3 and levothyroxine
I'm currently on Thybon T3. I've been gluten and dairy free for 6 years. I don't even know if lactose is the issue. I'm assuming my issue with Eltroxin was either a conversation ( which my new endo advised me that the testing is not something that she will ever do ( surprise surprise) or the acicia filler but I just know that I always feel really off balance, I'll etc on it. I called 7 pharmacies this morning trying to source tirosint due to minimal fillers and 5 only stick Eltroxin and the other two said its currently unavailable from supplier. One did stock NP thyroid but my prescription is only for t4. I've just booked bloods for Friday and then I'll be doing a consultation with my private doc ( who prescribes t3 etc) to ask him if maybe a combo might be worth a try as I've never taken t3/t4 together.
Tirosint not available in U.K.
Ask pharmacies if they stock Vencamil or Teva levothyroxine
Approx 50% of autoimmune thyroid patients develop dairy intolerance and need lactose free levothyroxine
I've asked about Teva and was informed that they literally have Eltroxin. It's frustrating
Yes looked online …..only Eltroxin
How archaic
Ask about private prescription and sourcing from U.K.
thyroiduk.org/get-support/t...
Roseway labs have a telephone prescription service
you could ask if they would accept a patient based in ROI
rosewaylabs.com/patients/pr...
I have a UK based GP that prescribes me my t3 thankfully. He has been great over the past 4 years but lately he seems distracted during our online consultations. I showed him my blood results 5 months ago and told him I'm feeling bad and that my TSH was 57 and he brushed it off saying he doesn't go by tsh which I agree with ,but home I'm feeling but still didn't offer a higher dose or alternative solution. I feel he's taken on too many patients as it beginning to feel rushed.
Unbelievable that TSH of 57 was ignored
What were Ft4, Ft3, TPO and TG antibodies
When were vitamin levels last tested
Get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing
Then look at seeing /zoom with different endocrinologist
Or try Roseway
It is unbelievable and my dosage hasn't changed since so it will be interesting to get my bloods done on Friday to check if it's higher! I can't seem to find my last results as I had to delete a hugh amount of emails recently due to low storage on my phone and may have deleted them by accident. Who or what is Roseway?
Ireland has Aristo, Oroxine, Teva and Eltroxin.
However, the Teva formulation is NOT the same as in the UK.
Also, be aware that Aspen supply a product called Eltroxin in, for example, Australia, which is a different formulation to the Amdipharm (Mercury) product you get.
The Aristo product is identical to the UK and rest of EU Aristo levothyroxine products - however it is branded. (Different branding in, for example, Germany and UK but same tablets.)
I cannot say anything about how the Irish system works, I simply do not know, but the link below identifies the approved levothyroxine products.
hpra.ie/find-a-medicine/for...
Thank you Helvella, although they can stock these medications most chemist's choose to stock only Eltroxin by Mercury Pharma. I've phoned over 10 chemist's now since this morning and none stock Teva and the majority had never heard of anything other than Eltroxin!
Is it possible for you to send a prescription out of Ireland?
After all, when we were in the EU, we could use UK prescriptions in many pharmacies - e.g. in Germany. Or even to Northern Ireland under whatever passes for an agreement!
I fully appreciate that costs, time, etc., and likely many other things might make this non-feasible.
Some advice please
Advice needed - T3 levels
advice on results
Do high levels of T3 have to potential to shut down T3 receptors?
Mood change on T3?
