Can a lower dose of thyroxine be beneficial?

[heapsreal]

Hopefully ema chymes in buy using thyroxine may increase reverse t3. Maybe worth looking into natural thyroid which has both t3 and t4 or just use t3 until body temps change and feel better then go back on a natural thyroid with t3 t4.???

 

[maryb]

A friend is on T3 and its changed her life, so maybe thats the way to go - I'll discuss it with my doc next week.
And so to the natural thyroid, ah but which one heaps - so many to choose from and I'm so sensitive.............

 

[JBB]

T3 didn't do anything for me, but not to say it won't help others...I believe the best reason for using T3 is thyroid hormone resistance or a conversion problem (or in combination with T4).

 

[heapsreal]

A friend is on T3 and its changed her life, so maybe thats the way to go - I'll discuss it with my doc next week.
And so to the natural thyroid, ah but which one heaps - so many to choose from and I'm so sensitive.............

the idea is start low with t3 say 5mg and then slowly work your way up ( u can get a reaction when u first start using t3 as it gets rid of alot of the rt3 etc) in doses 25mg at a guess and stay there for several weeks to months and when reverse t3 is low u then change to one of the natural thyroids that have both t3/t4.

Im not certain of doses. Im sure a quick google on t3 only for reverse t3 will bring up plenty of hits??

Some people only need a course of t3 to lower rt3 and then require no thyroid replacement??

cheers!!

 

[SOC]

T3 didn't do anything for me, but not to say it won't help others...I believe the best reason for using T3 is thyroid hormone resistance or a conversion problem (or in combination with T4).

I was on Armour Thyroid because my T3 was low but my T4 was low normal, so probably a conversion problem. After 5 years (I think), it's now switched and my T3 is normal but my T4 is low so just this week I changed to synthroid, which is T4 only. So I think it depends on your T3 and T4 levels whether you want both T3 and T4 (Armour Thyroid) or just T4 (synthroid).

That said, the endocrinologist I saw last week flat refused to prescribe Armour Thyroid regardless of my T3/T4 balance. "I NEVER prescribe Armour Thyroid." I suspect this is a fairly common attitude as I had to fight my GP for quite a while to continue the Armour Thyroid prescription. So it might not be easy to get the T3/T4 combo.

 

[heapsreal]

They do sell a t3 t4 combo which isnt armor/alternative type treatments that the conventional docs may prescribe. Can look up international antiaging systems. They sell armor, t3 and the t3 t4 combo. Check the name of it and then ask local pharmacy about it as its more a conventional type prescription.

 

[maryb]

@heapsreal
@SOC

thanks guys - my doc will prescribe what I need eg. AT
I'll have the blood tests done first - have to say I definitely don't feel any better on this T4 - I have gone back to 75mcg as Ema suggested though.
I'll have a google later heaps - just going to the vets with my dog........

 

[maryb]

@Ema @heapsreal @SOC
so I did my temperature - it was 35.4 yesterday and same again this morning - also having a lot of heart jumps and palpitations as well as sudden increase in heart rate - which does drop down to normal ( for me)
Sooooo I don't think this med is helping me - I have another week before I speak to my doc - unless I e-mail them.... what do you think?

 

[heapsreal]

@Ema @heapsreal @SOC
so I did my temperature - it was 35.4 yesterday and same again this morning - also having a lot of heart jumps and palpitations as well as sudden increase in heart rate - which does drop down to normal ( for me)
Sooooo I don't think this med is helping me - I have another week before I speak to my doc - unless I e-mail them.... what do you think?

They also say adrenal fatigue/dysfunction can be a big issue that needs sorting out before thyroid can help??
Need good cortisol levels and dhea, this in its self can improve thyroid function and body temps and theres different ways to improve adrenal function, vitamins, herbs, hormones etc.

Going purely off body temps mine was always like 35.2 there abouts all day, adding pregnenolone and dhea increased my temps to 35.9-36.1 and felt alittle better for it. I tried a low dose t3 and felt crap with no increase in body temp, tried it a few times but not for me. Then i started testosterone and now my body temp is 36.5 to 37. Do i feel better for it?? alittle, i just think its a small piece of the puzzle i have sorted. The underlying immune and infection stuff i still need to get on top off but now i have my metabolism functioning better, i just have to get other pieces of the puzzle in there to get increased improvement.

Also look into adding neurtransmitters or supplementing to improve them eg dopamine, noradrenaline serotonin, acetylcholine. I think together with good dhea and cortisol as well as testosterone. Add things all one at a time and see how you go, but research all these things too. you may not need thyroid but just fix adrenal dysfunction/HPA axis stuff.

I hope all that makes sense.

 

[maryb]

@heapsreal
thanks yes it does.
my cortisol reading recently was too high morning, high the next two readngs and normal evening one - so I thought my adrenals were at least working to a degree.
dhea was okayish too although my doc said to try a smlall amount.
its the heart things that I don't like.......

 

[Crux]

Hi maryb;

I just lowered my thyroid med, ( nature-throid), from 1 grain to 3/4, because I was getting palps. too.
I only did this starting yesterday, but I'm already better.

From reading about thyroid dosages, etc., I see alot of people end up trying various dosages, brands, types, etc. before they feel better.

I hope you can find what's best.

 

[Ema]

@Ema @heapsreal @SOC
so I did my temperature - it was 35.4 yesterday and same again this morning - also having a lot of heart jumps and palpitations as well as sudden increase in heart rate - which does drop down to normal ( for me)
Sooooo I don't think this med is helping me - I have another week before I speak to my doc - unless I e-mail them.... what do you think?

I would go back down to 50 mcg and hold there for the week and get labs. They won't be perfectly reflective of your level on that dose but will give you some useful info.

Sorry you are going through all this...

 

[maryb]

@Ema
thanks ema - I did go down to 50mcgs this afternoon - glad you suggested that too. I'll see how I go - have e-mailed the doc but no reply yet.
I speak to the doc next week but don't know when I'll get my bloods done, thats always a big problem here in the uk. I may start ringing round the private hospitals they sometimes do a phlebotomy service.

 

[brenda]

I have been wondering whether to get back on either T3 or Naturethroid since upsetting my immune system causing high thyroid antibodies again, dry mouth and now, positive rheumatoid arthritis because l took iodine whilst selenium deficient. I started transdermal selenium drops and had slight hyperthyroid symptoms so cut back and it seems that my thyroid is working better as less dry skin and a little weight loss. Its surprised me how well selenium is working and preferable to taking hormones l think.

 

[maryb]

@brenda
thats good to hear about the selenium - I do have a few brazil nuts about 3 times a week - I sometimes do better on foods than supplements, but you don't know exactly how much you get in foods do you.
I think I have some Pure selenium - I'll have a look.

 

[brenda]

@maryb lhave had most success with my latest selenium but it was not cheap. However it seems to be much more effective transdermally so will work out cheaper in the long run than orally. It has been made to be better absorbed than the rest. Can't give the link till tomorrow. I am even having to wonder whether l will need HC for my adrenals at this rate. It shows that the gland itself is not the problem with hashis

 

[SOC]

@Ema
thanks ema - I did go down to 50mcgs this afternoon - glad you suggested that too. I'll see how I go - have e-mailed the doc but no reply yet.
I speak to the doc next week but don't know when I'll get my bloods done, thats always a big problem here in the uk. I may start ringing round the private hospitals they sometimes do a phlebotomy service.

Your "this afternoon" raised a flag for me. Every doc -- GP, ME/CFS specialist, endocrinologist -- that has prescribed thyroid meds for me has emphasized the importance of taking it before getting out of bed in the morning and not taking anything else by mouth for 30 minutes. They want it in your system as early in the day as possible.

 

[maryb]

@SOC
well I've learnt something - didn't know about the timing I have to say........

I have been taking it in the mornings but yesterday I waited hoping that the doc would get back to me..
Didn't get the same bad reaction yesterday on 50mcgs so I'll stick with that until next week (always hate saying that and then crossing my fingers!)

 

[SOC]

@SOC
well I've learnt something - didn't know about the timing I have to say........

I have been taking it in the mornings but yesterday I waited hoping that the doc would get back to me..
Didn't get the same bad reaction yesterday on 50mcgs so I'll stick with that until next week (always hate saying that and then crossing my fingers!)

Good luck! Neither daughter nor I have ever taken more than 50 mcg even though daughter's TSH was about 10 when she was first tested. My understanding was that the docs thought higher doses would suppress normal thyroid function. I don't know much about responses to higher doses, though. I know they're used when the thyroid is removed or failed, so there's a large body of knowledge about higher doses. I hope the 50mcg dose works for you.

 

[Little Bluestem]

Just to complicate the issue further - low iron can also sabotage thyroid treatment.