Guest guest Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 When taking T3 (any form, either synthetic or natural) then your TSH will be suppressed, but as you stopped taking any the morning of the test, your free T4 and free T3 should be fine, but do ask him for the results together with the reference range for each of the tests. I would tell your GP that you have started taking T3 because you had done loads of research and knew that levothyroxine was a mainly inactive hormone and that it has to convert to the active thyroid hormone T3 to make every cell in your body and brain function and that you never got well on T4 only, but feel so much better now you are taking T3. Tell him that you saw a private doctor who specialises in thyroid disease(you do not have to tell him who this was if you don't wish to) but that you are going to keep on using this medication now because it works for you. Tell him that you also know that anybody taking T3 will have a suppressed TSH because the pituitary gland, which secretes Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), recognises when there is insufficient thyroid hormone circulating in the blood, so it sends out more TSH to tell the thyroid to start putting out more. When it recognises there is sufficient thyroid hormone circulating in the blood, there is no need for any TSH so it is suppressed. Tell him that you would like him to prescribe T3 for you and see what he says. Make sure though that you make it clear you will never go back into taking levothyroxine again. Luv - Sheila Hi Everyone After following Dr P's advice I am now on T3 only. I am feeling so much better and in control of my brain again (most of the time anyway). Since last August I have tried to avoid going to my dr's,but after three letters requesting blood tests I went two weeks ago. I did not take any T3 from lunchtime the previous day of the test. My question is would this have made any difference to my tsh, as I have been expecting him to send for me,and I was all geared up with some answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 That should be OK. Go to the www.thyroid-rt3.com to find out when to stop meds before tests. I believe they have a page devoted to that on this site. I had the same problem and following the same procedure as you I got test results that were considered fairly representative of my state, on the advice of Val from the RT3 group. My TSH is always very small anyway, because I take T3. Of course your doctor might not agree with Dr P! If you're feeling better with the T3 stick to your guns! My doctor is probably terrified of T3 and will not prescribe it to me, but he has had to admit that I am a lot better on it. So we don't have that discussion anymore. MacGilchrist From: "jacki.dunkley@..." <jacki.dunkley@...>thyroid treatment Sent: Mon, 9 May, 2011 9:59:37Subject: tsh and t3 Hi EveryoneAfter following Dr P's advice I am now on T3 only. I am feeling so much better and in control of my brain again (most of the time anyway). Since last August I have tried to avoid going to my dr's,but after three letters requesting blood tests I went two weeks ago. I did not take any T3 from lunchtime the previous day of the test. My question is would this have made any difference to my tsh, as I have been expecting him to send for me,and I was all geared up with some answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 I find that when I stop taking T3 and thyroxine before a blood test, the test results come back T3 below range or at bottom of range, T4 within range but the bottom half, but my TSH is STILL suppressed. It took several months of no T3 and only 100mgc of thyroxine to raise the TSH only a little and still under range. I had to go back on it again despite what my GP said. Why did I listen to the stupid man who threatened not to be my doctor unless I stopped taking the T3. It ended up me ill and he still sacked me. So to get my TSH to 1 (where most people are supposed to be at their best) it would take months and I would be in a very sorry state.I think my pituitary is probably having a snooze (perhaps it isn't getting enough thyroid hormones to keep it awake long enough to tell the thyroid to work a bit harder lol). Now that is what I call a catch 22 situation Lilian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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