Hi everyone, I'm new here, but have been researching through here for a long time and finally decided to join Long story short, I have been hypothyroid now for about 10 years and have gained Soooo much weight since becoming so. I was never heavy before and now no matter what I do I can't lose, now i'm gaining I was wondering if any of you here think T3 may benefit me. My current levels are as follows (I will be getting tested again monday). TSH .38 (hyper) Free T3 3.1 (sorry i don't remember the free T4) I was on 250 mcg of synthroid, I was lowered to 200 mcg. My symptoms are also extreme fatigue, depression and arthritic like pain If anyone has an opinion i'd surely appreciate it. My doc refuses to give me armour (i've had it before through another doc and loved it.), but I want to try to at least push for synthetic T3 and need all the info I can find. Thank you so much for reading and sorry it wasn't so short!
Do you have your lab's reference range for FT3? With typical US ranges your level would be a bit on the low side so I don't think reducing the dose and by that much was a smart move, often you just can't go by TSH.
I've been on T3 for over 6 years and I've liked it. During the last couple of years I have had some issues with it but I don't think the med is to blame, it's my crazy body acting up (I haven't heard of similar problems with anyone else). I can certainly recommend giving it a try but if your doc is a "TSH watcher" (and this seems to be the case) I don't think you'll be very succesful with him as T3 is known to easily suppress the production of TSH and low TSH is unavoidable when optimally treated.
I've also noticed that the "rule" of replacing 50 mcgs of T4 with 12.5 of T3 usually doesn't work (T3 is about 4 times as potent as T4 but people that need added T3 are usually clearly hypoT so they do need an increased dose). You don't necessarily need to reduce your T4 at all, often one's FT4 comes down a bit by itself when T3 is started. And it certainly doesn't hurt if the T3 medication is started on a lower dose (like 5 mcgs) and increased over time if needed.
Last edited by FinnMaid; 09-23-2012 at 08:30 AM.
The Following User Says Thank You to FinnMaid For This Useful Post: Givemeabreak79 (09-23-2012)
Hi FinnMaid, Thank you so much for your response Yes, I do have the ranges, they are 2.3-4.2 for FT3. Also I was a little off with my lab result, it was 3.3, not 3.1. My doctor's website was closed for maintenance last night, so I was going by memory, sorry! It also looks like she didn't do my FT4, but there was one called free thyroxine and that one was 1.4 (Ref. 0.8-1.8) I agree with you when you say they dropped me by too much, I went from feeling sick and hyper to wanting to just sleep ALL the time, among many other symptoms On a brighter note, she ordered this extra panel without being prompted (the other doc refused and was a TSH queen), so maybe I can get somewhere with her. I just wish we didn't have to tell them how to do their job Thank you so much again, any extra help is greatly appreciated
It also looks like she didn't do my FT4, but there was one called free thyroxine and that one was 1.4 (Ref. 0.8-1.8)
This is a FT4 result and also proves you weren't that hyper. So you did have hyperT symptoms? A small decrease would then be appropriate but in a mild case of overmedication a reduction of 12.5 mcgs per day may suffice. Sounds to me it could be possible that you'd find balance with T4 only if your dose was adjusted with smaller steps - or have you tried "every possible dose" and found that none of them works very well?
Oh, ok I didn't know that was FT4, Guess you learn something new everyday, thanks!
YesI had bad symptoms, very hot, trembling, anxiety, trouble sleeping, nausea...well you get the point! No, I haven't tried any in between, this is the dose she gave me and i'm afraid to tweak it myself, because then She may think all is fine and blah, blah, blah...All the docs just keep saying it's not your thyroid, you just eat too much ( which may be true for some, but I have a very low appetite) and you're tired because you don't exercise enough, which that's mildly true, but it's awful hard when you're falling over tired and your joints kill I just looked up my upcoming lab order for tomorrow, and she's back to testing just the TSH, so it looks like I need to call tomorrow and pitch a little fit :-/ Anyhow, with those values, you don't think I was that hyper? Sorry for all the Q's, but where they are in range, I have no idea what to look for...Thanks again!
Anyhow, with those values, you don't think I was that hyper? Sorry for all the Q's, but where they are in range, I have no idea what to look for...
No your labs didn't look hyperT. When one is on hypoT medication one's TSH can be lower than what one would have healthy and with no meds. Usually those freeTs need to be somewhere in the upper half of the range, we all have have our own personal set points where we have no symptoms. I'm surprised you had hyperT symptoms with such levels but we're all individuals and react differently to thyroid meds (and our reactions can change over time, I for example have gone from one extreme to the other which makes no sense but I'll just have to go by symptoms)
Thank you for your opinion I had a really great doc once, unfortunately due to insurance changes I lost her Anyhow, I was "technically hyper" at one point, but she asked how I felt and I said great (this was on Armour Thyroid), so she left me at that level. I wish all docs could be like that This disease is so confusing at times, thank you for your help!
Long story short, I have been hypothyroid now for about 10 years and have gained Soooo much weight since becoming so. I was never heavy before and now no matter what I do I can't lose, now i'm gaining 
I was wondering if any of you here think T3 may benefit me. My current levels are as follows (I will be getting tested again monday). TSH .38 (hyper) Free T3 3.1 (sorry i don't remember the free T4) I was on 250 mcg of synthroid, I was lowered to 200 mcg. My symptoms are also extreme fatigue, depression and arthritic like pain 
Do you have your lab's reference range for FT3? With typical US ranges your level would be a bit on the low side so I don't think reducing the dose and by that much was a smart move, often you just can't go by TSH. 
and also proves you weren't that hyper. So you did have hyperT symptoms? A small decrease would then be appropriate but in a mild case of overmedication a reduction of 12.5 mcgs per day may suffice. Sounds to me it could be possible that you'd find balance with T4 only if your dose was adjusted with smaller steps - or have you tried "every possible dose" and found that none of them works very well?
