Next steps?

[Guest guest]

I've been reviewing my situation after a year on T3 and would welcome any

thoughts that anyone might have.

I've been on T3 since Dec 2010, starting at 5mcg. I'm now on 30mcg in a split

dose. I got up to 40mcg over the summer and felt great, best for years, but my

hair started falling out again big time and hasn't stopped yet. When I first

started T3 my weight went down, but since April I've put on a stone and a half

and gone up two dress sizes, despite sticking to the same low carb, gluten free

diet throughout.

Overall, I feel a lot better than I did, but I reckon I have another 20% to go,

given the weight gain, the constipation and the hair loss. I would like to try

to put the dose up again, but the endos can't seem to understand why I am not

already hyper and will not support me in an increase.

They have already tried to put my dose down once, and I have now been instructed

that I MUST take my meds before the next blood test to avoid a false low result,

so if I do that (yeah right) I think they will rely on the blood test and ask me

to drop it. If I stay off the meds for 24 hours before the blood test, TSH is

suppressed, FT4 is below range and FT3 is mid-range.

I have to say I don't `feel' hyper. I've just checked my vital signs and my BP

is 95/59, my resting pulse 78 and my temperature (orally) 36.2.

My B12, folate and D are great now and my ferritin is now on the low side of

acceptable.

I'd love to be completely well in time for my daughter's wedding in September

and I wondered if anyone has any thoughts as to how I might achieve this.

Thanks

D

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila, do you happen to have a full iron panel and also what was your actual

ferritin result ?

The hair falling out could just be that of low iron thats why i ask.

Do NOT listen to your endo about taking your meds before the blood test, as you

have already suspected that sounds like they want to see a really high FT3 and

then say you have to lower. Everybody is different so everbody needs dif amounts

of T3, some just 25mcg others 100mcg+

When you went to 40mcg how was your pulse and temp then and how did you feel ?

If it was me i would raise my T3 but try maybe a 6.25 or 5mcg depending on the

size of your tablets in an increase, check signs/symptoms and see if you need to

go higher. Also remember as you are raising T3 you are also loweing your own

bodies FT4 so you need to hold the dose for a bit and to also let youyr body get

used to it.

Hope this helps

Steve

>

> I've been reviewing my situation after a year on T3 and would welcome any

thoughts that anyone might have.

>

> I've been on T3 since Dec 2010, starting at 5mcg. I'm now on 30mcg in a split

dose. I got up to 40mcg over the summer and felt great, best for years, but my

hair started falling out again big time and hasn't stopped yet. When I first

started T3 my weight went down, but since April I've put on a stone and a half

and gone up two dress sizes, despite sticking to the same low carb, gluten free

diet throughout.

[Guest guest]

Hello D,

If I understand you correctly, then you are currently on 30 mcg T3, reduced from 40 mcg T3 because your hair started falling out and because of pressure from your endo's – right?

Ok – comments on dosage first.....

30 mcg of T3-only medication is too little. On T3-only the majority of people need between 40 mcg -150 mcg... most commonly around the 70-100 mark, from what I have read. Some need considerably more (above 200, but this is rare); and perhaps some do, but I have never heard of anyone needing less than 40 mcg. Judging by your low temps and weight gain you seem – contrary to your endo's opinion - to be under-medicated.

As for your hair loss .... you say your ferritin is now on the low side of acceptable – and hair loss is in most cases due to low iron. So with a bit of luck the hair loss should reduce as your iron level rises. However, in some cases hair loss can be an (autoimmune) condition `in its own right'.... hopefully this won't be the case with you.

They have already tried to put my dose down once, and I have now been instructedthat I MUST take my meds before the next blood test to avoid a false low result,so if I do that (yeah right)

I love your attitude <g>.... Tell them what they want to hear, or, better still, keep stum – but whatever you do, don't take your T3 within 12-24 hours of the blood draw.... depending on how high or low you want your levels to look.....If it were me, I would stop it for 24 hours just to be on the safe side.

If I stay off the meds for 24 hours before the blood test, TSH is suppressed, FT4 is below range and FT3 is mid-range.... and what's wrong with that? Sounds perfectly ok to me

If I were in your shoes, I would up the T3 back to 40 and see how it goes, regardless of what your endos want you to do, and frankly, I would carry on to slowly up the dose until you feel 100%. Your blood results won't change much if you up the dose of T3; the TSH will stay suppressed, the FT4 might get lower (but this is of no consequence and to be expected whichever dose of T3 you take) and your FT3 will be responsive to the time laps between last intake and blood draw.... and that is up to you.

30 mcg is by no stretch of the imagination a high dosage, nor would 40 or 50+ be, whatever your endos say. Why should you risk your health and stay `under par' just to please them? It is not your problem that they are ill informed about the use of T3. It is your body, after all.

I can't see any reason why T3 should be responsible for the hair loss – this might have happened co-incidentally.... to my mind your previously low ferritin is most likely to blame for that, and it might still be too low for the hair loss to stop now. You need to bring up the ferritin to around 100... and remember to take lots of Vit C with the iron supps.

Bottom line, D ..... as long as you feel right, you are not putting yourself at risk. If or when you over-medicate, you will be the first to know, even without a blood test; your body will tell you loud and clear.

With best wishes,