Hi all any suggestions on how I can convince my gp into giving me a trial of T3 please

[kimbo]

[shaws Administrator]

I doubt if you would be fortunate as they have guidelines which says T4 only (levothyroxine).

However, seeing you have been diagnosed 10 years ago and are still ill you can ask [e-mail] for a copy of the article by Dr Toft and send it to your GP, pointing out a couple of things which apply to yourself before your next appointment. For instance this is a reply from Dr Toft re question 6 of how much levothyroxine you can take:-

The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range – 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This ‘exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism’ is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l).

Even while taking the slightly higher dose of levothyroxine a handful of patients continue to complain that a sense of wellbeing has not been restored. A trial of levothyroxine and tri-iodothyronine is not unreasonable. The dose of levothyroxine should be reduced by 50µg daily and tri iodothyronine in a dose of 10µg (half a tablet) daily added.

******

If he refuses ask to be referred to an Endocrinologist and maybe someone will have seen a good one near where you live and can send you a private message. It is ridiculous that we have to fight to get proper medication which makes our health improve so much.

The doctors just DO NOT UNDERSTAND how ill we are and how it impacts our whole way of living.

[kimbo in reply to shaws]

Hi thank you your reply I will ask Louise for a copy x

[Moggie]

My statement to my GP of "If things dont change I will lose my job" seemed to do it for me BUT by this time I had done an awful lot of research on T3 and thyroid issues in general and she knew that she couldn't just fob me off with the "in range" or "normal" rubbish.

Moggie x