Had a call from my endocrinologist today told me to stop taking levo and to take only t3 twice per day 10/10. I was taking 75mg of levo and 5/10 T3. So no reduction of levo bit by bit is what I would have thought. My Tsh is suppressed at 0.03. Has anyone been told just to stop levothyroxine and take just T3 how did it feel?
stopping T4 query : Had a call from my... - Thyroid UK
stopping T4 query
Once I'd started T3 and felt good I wondered if I needed T4 and reduced it a little.... couple of weeks later I felt awful and it took another month to get my levels back up
I would suggest you try a reduction first to see how you feel, your fT4 is already pretty low so I think you'd soon have your answer... I ended up raising my T4 as above 50% felt so much better
If you are still feeling fatigued I'd suggest upping your T4 a little first to see if that helps rather than reducing as you are only at 23%
Did you ask to try T3 monotherapy?
Your endo has told you to drop 75mcgs Levo and add in only 5mcg T3?
Is there a plan to increase further as 20mcg T3 will likely leave you hypo.
No I didn’t ask for it, I asked if I could have more T3 to see if I would feel better. He thought my Tsh was low so he suggested I should drop levo and retest in 6 weeks. He was arrogant didn’t even ask how I was feeling
Suggest you run away from this endocrinologist as fast as possible
A) on almost any dose of T3 majority of people will have suppressed TSH
B) only ever reduce Levo by max 25mcg per day …..even that is often far too large a change
C) Someone on just T3 is going to need significantly more than 20mcg T3 per day
D) he should be looking at results and asking you how you feel
T3
Are you currently taking 5mcg per day or 10mcg per day
Or total of 15mcg per day?
Which brand of T3
How long have you been taking 75mcg levothyroxine
Retest 6-8 weeks after any dose change or brand change in levothyroxine or T3
Please add most recent results and ranges
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)
On T3 - day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day with last dose 8-12 hours before test
also when were vitamins last tested
What supplements are you taking
Hi SlowDragon
I wasn’t worried about the low TSH but realise endo’s are obsessed by them. I agree with you with regard to reducing T4 a little at a time. I’m currently taking 20mg of T3 in two 10mg doses brand is Roma.
I’ve been on 75mg of levo for maybe 2 years.
I did follow dosing protocol before testing. My test results are TSH 0.03 (0.35-4.94) FT3 4.00 (2.4-6.00) FT4 11.1 (9.00-19.0)
I’m supplementing with selenium, calcium, zinc, B12, cod liver oil, magnesium glycinate, multi vitamin.
I’m awaiting some test results for ferritin folate & vitamins.
I do think this Endo is probably not right for me. Just questioning why he would say stop T4 all together and test again. Seems like TSH is his bench mark
FT4: 11.1 pmol/l (Range 9 - 19)
Ft4 only 21.00% through range
FT3: 4 pmol/l (Range 2.4 - 6)
Ft3 only 44.44% through range
You results suggest you likely need dose INCREASE in levothyroxine
Ft4 probably too low
Many (most?) thyroid patients on combined levothyroxine and T3 find they need BOTH Ft4 and Ft3 at least 50-70% through range
Suggest you consider Increasing levothyroxine to 87.5mcg daily
Retest in 6-8 weeks
Likely to see both Ft4 and Ft3 have increased
What was Ft4 BEFORE starting on T3
Multivitamins never recommended on here
Which multivitamin is it
A daily vitamin B complex yes ……multivitamin no (most contain iodine not recommended)
Hi there my FT4 was 16.5 (9-19) prior to starting on T3 in July last year.
My multivitamin doesn’t contain iodine.
FT4: 16.5 pmol/l (Range 9 - 19)
So Ft4 was 75.00% through range
FT4 frequently drops when T3 added and many members find they then need dose increase in levothyroxine after few months
Which multivitamin is it
What were most recent Vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 results and how long ago were they tested
Can I ask where this endo is?
I’ve been on 40mcg per day of T3 only for many years and that works for me, but we are all different and it’s what works for us.