Aching legs and pains in feet - does T3 work & what is the drug name?

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

I'm 37 and have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism for a year now, although I

suffered symptoms up to 4 years before that. I'm on generic levothyroxine,

100mcg, having needing an increase several times over the year. My TSH just

keeps on rising!

After each increase, I feel a lot better after a few weeks, but then this

quickly drops off again. This time, I'm still plagued by tiredness, aching legs

and now pains in my feet. My TSH is around 3.4, no idea what the other readings

are; my GP never even mentions it.

I really don't know what to do next. I feel like I can't go back to my GP yet

again, they are already suspicious that I'm stressed/depressed/a total

hypochondriac and I can't see my GP upping the dosage again without (in his

mind) any evidence.

My GP has mentioned that with one patient he switched them to T3, which worked

for them. Does anyone know what the drug name for this is? I asked whether this

would be in combination with T4 and he said no, it's just prescribed on it's

own. Is he right in this? Has anyone else just taken T3 and felt much better?

Also, can anyone recommend a good endocrinologist in the South East of England

(I'm based in Croydon) that I could ask to be referred to?

Thanks so much, and sorry for rambing!

x

[Guest guest]

You have a GP willing to prescribe T3 on it's own - that's fantastic, keep hold

of him!

Yes, I take T3 on it's own, after taking it in combination with T4 - it is

having really positive results for me. T3 is Liothyronine, and it acts totally

differently to T4 - it acts quickly and wears off quickly so multi dosing is the

key - I take mine 3 times a day at 4.30am, 10am and 2.30 pm (at the moment,

still tweaking timings esp the early morning one!)

I was diagnosed in 2006 after being ill for 5 years before that, having to stop

work, being put on antidepressents etc, giving up my job and by the time I was

diagnosed I needed a walking stick to walk around my 2 bedroomed flat. I stopped

T4 and started T3 on its own on 20th January this year, and haven't looked back

- this last week I have taken my 3 year old daughter out on the back of my

bicycle 3 days in a row - absolutely unheard of even a couple of months ago.

(at Christmas my GP diagnosed late onset post natal depression and wanted to put

me on antidepressants again - that tells you how low I was!)

My GP also prescribes me T3, but initially only in combination with T4, however

in desperation I switched to T3 only on my own and after 6 weeks went back to

her with conclusive proof of it's superiority that she couldn't refute (improved

blood pressure readings) and she increased my dose and now supports my T3 only

regime.

I can't recommend strongly enough getting the book " recovering with T3 " by

- it has invaluable information that you will need if you are switching

from T4 to T3. That's what guided me and although I still have a way to go to

get my optimum dose and timings sorted out, I am so much better on T3 only and

will never go back to T4. . See his website here for more info:

http://recoveringwitht3.com/ -

Wishing you luck in your journey to better health.

Nadia

p.s. feel free to email me if you want to ask me more questions about my

experience of switching from T4 to T3.

>

>

> My GP has mentioned that with one patient he switched them to T3, which worked

for them. Does anyone know what the drug name for this is? I asked whether this

would be in combination with T4 and he said no, it's just prescribed on it's

own. Is he right in this? Has anyone else just taken T3 and felt much better?

>

> Also, can anyone recommend a good endocrinologist in the South East of England

(I'm based in Croydon) that I could ask to be referred to?

>

> Thanks so much, and sorry for rambing!

>

> x

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Like Nadia I too am on pure T3 and it has made a dramatic difference to my

well-being. I highly recommend 's site. You might also look at

'Your thyroid and how to keep it healthy' by Barry Durrant-Peatfield which I

found really helpful when I first started getting to grips with being hypo. It

is laid out in short clear chapters and you can just read the bits which you

feel apply to you.

In the short term I think you should have a look at vitamins and minerals in the

files section of this site. It is rare that people with thyroid problems just

need the right thyroid hormone, very often we are short of vital vits and mins -

iron, b12, d3, folate, magnesium, copper, iodine - too, and without that being

addressed as well the 'right' thyroid meds cannot be utilised by the body. In

my own case I was horribly short of iron, b12 and magnesium and when I

supplemented this made a big difference too.

So you need to look at the vits/mins and then get your GP to run the tests and

new ones on your thyroid and post them here for further comments. Our levels

need to be at the higher end of the normal range for us to feel good and Gps

aren't aware of this - so your ferritin might be 30 in a range of 17-320 but you

won't feel right until it is up to 90/100.

Sorry to give you more to follow up but it will help you back to health faster

if you get these levels sorted now and get a better understanding of what the

hurdles might be.

Your GP sounds unusual in being willing to prescribe T3 but he may not have all

the bits of the jigsaw!

Best of luck

Finola