Re: VISIT TO ENDO LEFT ME TOTALLY CONFUSED RE T3!!!

[Guest guest]

He said my blood results are very worrying and that parts of it show i am hyperwhich could be right as ive had palpitations but i didnt tell him that.He wants me to start back on some t4 and t3.

What are your blood results, Dee? (with ref ranges, please) - and are you taking Magnesium ?

Best wishes,

[Guest guest]

Dee,

80 mcg is a lot of T3, but haven't you got graves disease? I thought you had

RAI to remove the thhyroid?

If this is the case then you probably are resistant to T3... you need to find

the evidence that shows people who have Graves need higher doses of T3.

Your endo should know this, he should also know that people who have been

sujected to their own body making too much T3 are more likely to have

osteoporosis..

I have read about the t3 resistance but sorry I can't remember where.... Does

anyone else have this info to hand?

.

>

> I am so confused

> I went to see my endo today for 1st visit since starting t3 only off my own

back

> He started by saying he was not against t3 far from it then when i told him i

was on 80mgs a day i thought he was going to fall off his chair!!

> He said that in his 8 yrs of doing his job he has never met anyone on such a

high dangerous dose and went on to say about osteoporosis,

[Guest guest]

If you get palpitations, take 500mgs Magnesium and this should

help. However, if you are getting palpitations on a regular basis you should

decrease your T3 by 10mcgs and by another 10mcgs T3 if they continue. If you

are clearing reverse T3, you must not start taking any T4 until this has

cleared.

Luv - Sheila

He said my blood results are very

worrying and that parts of it show i am hyper

which could be right as ive had palpitations but i didnt tell him that.

He wants me to start back on some t4 and t3.

[Guest guest]

Sheila,

Sorry for off topic, but have ever talked with Dr. Peatfield about RT3? Does he

agree, that RT3 could block T3 and you need to stay on T3 only to clear

receptors?

Antanas

>

> If you get palpitations, take 500mgs Magnesium and this should help.

> However, if you are getting palpitations on a regular basis you should

> decrease your T3 by 10mcgs and by another 10mcgs T3 if they continue. If you

> are clearing reverse T3, you must not start taking any T4 until this has

> cleared.

>

> Luv - Sheila

>

> He said my blood results are very worrying and that parts of it show i am

> hyper

> which could be right as ive had palpitations but i didnt tell him that.

> He wants me to start back on some t4 and t3.

>

[Guest guest]

The maximum dose for T3 (Cytomel) is 3/4 microgram per pound of body weight (per

the New Drug Application for Cytomel). However, the average dose is less than

that.

Other issues for you to consider is adequate adrenal support and the bone loss

issue. While some claim that it is related to TSH, others claim that it is

related to the blood level of T3, the active hormone. And then if one considers

hormone reception deficiencies, the last word is intracellular, but there are no

accepted tests for that, so far as I know.

Have a great day,

>

> I am so confused

> I went to see my endo today for 1st visit since starting t3 only off my own

back

> He started by saying he was not against t3 far from it then when i told him i

was on 80mgs a day i thought he was going to fall off his chair!!

> He said that in his 8 yrs of doing his job he has never met anyone on such a

high dangerous dose and went on to say about osteoporosis, heart problems etc,

he also asked if a dr skinner was prescribing me i said no then he went on to

say that he is under investigation.

> He said my blood results are very worrying and that parts of it show i am

hyper which could be right as ive had palpitations but i didnt tell him that.

> He wants me to start back on some t4 and t3.

> He said 100mgs t4 and 20 t3 i disagreed saying i wanted more t3 so he is

getting a second opinion on monday and ringing me.

> I have cut down to 60mgs a day til then

> Would be very grateful for any advice

> Thankyou

> Dee xx

>

[Guest guest]

Yes to all questions. If you want to learn about rT3 in an

easily understood form, then check out Nick's web site http://thyroid-rt3.com/index.htm

Sorry for off topic, but have ever talked with Dr. Peatfield about RT3? Does he

agree, that RT3 could block T3 and you need to stay on T3 only to clear

receptors?

Antanas

---

[Guest guest]

I'm on 120mg of t3 and weigh 136 pounds, I know nick is on 150mg also some

people do need high doses I guess.

Regarding dr Peatfield and rt3 from talking with him on one of my appointments

he didn't seem to share the same views as the rt3 website, he in no way objected

to it but hewasnt interested in comaring rt3 to ft3 ratio ect..

[Guest guest]

I am taking 100 T3 in the summer and slightly more in the winter . If I reduce

the dose I soon know it is not enough . Dee you are the only one who knows what

dose is correct for you . This endo should be asking you how you feel and if you

still have symptoms instead of trying to scare you . It is rediculous that one

has to be a ' non- compliant' patient to get your health back . However this

seems to be how it is at the moment.Best wishes

[Guest guest]

I know many people need less t3 in the summer was just wondering if you know the

reasoning with this? I feel 10x better when it's sunny and warm, and this summer

will be my first while treating my adrenals/thyroid I'm excited lol

>

> I am taking 100 T3 in the summer and slightly more in the winter . If I reduce

the dose I soon know it is not enough . Dee you are the only one who knows what

dose is correct for you . This endo should be asking you how you feel and if you

still have symptoms instead of trying to scare you . It is rediculous that one

has to be a ' non- compliant' patient to get your health back . However this

seems to be how it is at the moment.Best wishes

>

[Guest guest]

Hi -as far as I know the only difference between winter and summer and needing

a higher dose of T3 in the winter is to maintain body temperature - which I

believe is done by the liver and hence in the winter it has to work harder at

this -hence needing more T3 . If you don't have enough T£ [or T4 to make the T3]

you are hypo and need the bed socks !!!! [as your liver can't keep you warm ].

Anybody please add or correct my reasoning .

[Guest guest]

when its cold, you need to more thyroid to keep your temperature up. When its

hot, your naturally need less thyroid to heat your body.

Antanas

[Guest guest]

Yeh I thought it would be about temperature it makes sense, but then I doubted

myself I started to think what about when your too hot and need to cool down,

but I guess it doesn't quite work the same way.

>

> Hi -as far as I know the only difference between winter and summer and

needing a higher dose of T3 in the winter is to maintain body temperature -

which I believe is done by the liver and hence in the winter it has to work

harder at this -hence needing more T3 . If you don't have enough T£ [or T4 to

make the T3] you are hypo and need the bed socks !!!! [as your liver can't keep

you warm ]. Anybody please add or correct my reasoning .

>

[Guest guest]

HiI dont understand what clearing reverse t3 means? sorry!!!I started on t3 only as i was feeling so bad on t4 do you think i should carry on with just t3 or add some t4 as suggested?What are the chances of me getting osteoporosis?ThanksDee xFrom: Sheila <sheila@...>thyroid treatment Sent: Fri, 25 February, 2011 11:09:29Subject: RE: Re: VISIT TO ENDO LEFT ME TOTALLY CONFUSED RE T3!!!

If you get palpitations, take 500mgs Magnesium and this should

help. However If you

are clearing reverse T3, you must not start taking any T4 until this has

cleared. Luv - Sheila

He said my blood results are very

worrying and that parts of it show i am hyper

which could be right as ive had palpitations but i didnt tell him that.

He wants me to start back on some t4 and t3.

[Guest guest]

I dont understand what clearing reverse t3 means? sorry!!!

I started on t3 only as i was feeling so bad on t4 do you think i should carry on with just t3 or add some t4 as suggested?

What are the chances of me getting osteoporosis?

Hi Dee,

Reverse T3 (rT3) is the mirror image of FT3. Therefore, unless specifically tested for, rT3 would in a blood test show up as FT3, because the chemical formula is exactly the same as that of FT3. Producing rT3 is one of the body's defence mechanisms to prevent hyperthyroidism by blocking too much FT3 from getting inside the cells. Unfortunately, sometimes the system `misfires' and a backlog of rT3 will form and only a T3-only therapy for a few months can clear this backlog of rT3. rT3, as well as FT3, are both converted from T4. By withholding T4 no more rT3 will form and the blockage will slowly disperse ... at least that is the idea.

If you have started T3 only therapy for the sole reason that you were feeling bad on T4, then you really need to take stock now and find out what is going on. Do you have your latest thyroid figures and would you please post them on here? Without seeing those figures (and the norm ranges) it is impossible to make any meaningful comment. We would all just traipse around in the dark and speculate, and this does not help you. If both your FT3 and your FT4 figure were well above the ref range, then yes, you might put yourself at risk for osteoporosis and heart damage, if they were below, then you would not.... but without knowing your results there is no answer to your questions....

with best wishes,

[Guest guest]

Hello Antanas

Something kept niggling at the back of my brain about this

because I knew I had previously had a discussion with Dr Peatfield about rT3

and the treatment some time ago, so went digging, and the following is what he

says. Hope this helps.

Luv - Sheila

WHAT SHOULD WE DO

ABOUT rT3?

By: Dr Barry

Durrant-Peatfield

You may remember that in order for thyroid hormone to work

in controlling our metabolism it has to be converted from the basic, precursor

hormone T4 to the active hormone T3. You will also remember that the amino acid

thyronine (which is made by two tyrosine molecules coming together) when

combined with four iodine atoms is how thyroxine is formed (which we know for

short as T4). Then one of the three 5: deiiodinase enzymes removes one of the

iodiio atoms and forms T3 (triiodothyronine or liothyronine), which does all

the work of controlling our energy output. This it does by improving the

capacity of the cell membrane to pass into the cell every chemical needed to

make our metabolism work, and to fire up the capacity of the mitochondria

within the cell to produce energy.

But circumstances may arise where the active T3 becomes

unwanted by our metabolic chemistry. Then the T4 to T3 conversion is sabotaged,

and the iodine atom removed from T4 is taken from a different site in the T4

molecule. So the chemistry is the same, but the layout is subtly different.

This differed form of T3 is called reverse T3 (rT3). And reverse T3

doesn’t have metabolic activity; it doesn’t have any effect on the

cell membrane or the mitochondria.

So, what is it for?

It turns out that this is a cunning way of removing excess

thyroid hormone, and preventing too much active T3 from being made.

The reverse T3 rapidly breaks down to its component parts

– the thyronine and iodine, which are thus re-cycled and stored, until

more thyroid hormone is required. So, you see rT3 is a way of disposing of

excess thyroid hormone.

Certain circumstances can arrive when removal of excess

thyroid hormone is helpful. Obviously, this process can remove excess T3 if the

thyroid gland is producing too much. This happens in early hyperthyroidism,

although the recycling is fairly limited, and with a thyroid gland thoroughly

over the top, is only of modest effect.

Many authorities like to test for reverse T3. I don’t

find this a particularly helpful test, but perhaps we can look at how it can be

interpreted. A low level is likely to be found with a hypothyroid state. If

thyroid output is lower than it should be, then rT3 levels will be low since

there is less T4 to be converted into either T3 or rT3. You can then conclude

that primary thyroid output is below normal, or that conversion is limited.

Poor conversion relates to low adrenal function (adequate

cortisone is needed for the conversion to work properly) or exhaustion or

dysfunction of the 5 deiiodinaise enzyme itself. Diagnostically, poor

conversion is usually evident in the serum tests or the 24-hour urinary thyroid

hormone.

Treatment is of course obvious. Either the provisions of T4

or T3 or both; or the use of natural desiccated thyroid, once adrenal support

is fully in place.

The pathological finding of increased rT3 means that either

more thyroid hormone is being created than the system needs or can use: or,

that there is some pathological process blocking adequate T3 uptake. Dieting or

malnutrition will have this effect; chronic illness will do the same.

Particularly one should mention the presence of cancer somewhere (especially

metastatic cancer, i.e. when it spreads), a degree of liver or kidney failure,

Cushing’s disease, insulin dependent diabetes, and the post operative

state following surgery.

Treatment has to be, therefore, if appropriate, of the

primary cause. Provision of extra T4 or T3 is not an option, because it will

mearly create more rT3. High rT3 means that general health should be

considered; and if all is well, one has to decide whether the provision of any

thyroid replacement could be too much, or there is a processing factor causing

a back up of T3 or T4.

Questions have been raised concerning the possible role of

high rT3 in causing receptor resistance in fibromyalgia. My colleague Lowe

found no evidence of this, and nor have I. Receptor resistance may indeed

occur, but it is due to other factors, most commonly adrenal insufficiency.

Sheila,

Sorry for off topic, but have ever talked with Dr. Peatfield about RT3? Does he

agree, that RT3 could block T3 and you need to stay on T3 only to clear

receptors?

Antanas

>

> If you get palpitations, take 500mgs Magnesium and this should help.

> However, if you are getting palpitations on a regular basis you should

> decrease your T3 by 10mcgs and by another 10mcgs T3 if they continue. If

you

> are clearing reverse T3, you must not start taking any T4 until this has

> cleared.

>

> Luv - Sheila

>

> He said my blood results are very worrying and that parts of it show i am

> hyper

> which could be right as ive had palpitations but i didnt tell him that.

> He wants me to start back on some t4 and t3.

>