So confused about thyroid supplementation. Updated labs. Please help.

[dervmai]

My updated labs are as follows-

My t4 free t4 tanked while on t3 only (25mcg for 3 months). My reverse t3 went down from 28 to 13 and my tsh went down from 3.11 to 0.43.
My free t3 also is climbing back up whereas before it was at 2.9. my ft4 dropped from 1.4 to 0.7 which is concerning and my total t3 is low which I am confused about.

What does this mean? Do I up my dose? Switch to a t3 + t4 combo or NDT??? VERY distressed because of this. Still feel hypo I think. Please help, I dont have an endo, so I feel really alone right now trying to figure this out. Life has been very stressful as of late, just graduated, I am dirt broke and am in debt, feeling very overwhelmed having to deal with this . If anyone knows anything or can provide insight, it would mean a lot.

 

[dervmai]

bump

 

[Snicky]

bump

I’m no expert, but also hypothyroid and on NDT. I feel like the most important thing is: How do you feel?? That tells me what dose of NDT I need (along with diet/other interventions).

 

[dervmai]

I’m no expert, but also hypothyroid and on NDT. I feel like the most important thing is: How do you feel?? That tells me what dose of NDT I need (along with diet/other interventions).

I feel the same to be honest, before I got on t3. There was a period of like 2 weeks where I felt amazing, however this was most likely placebo. Currently I'm doing okay, I got my rt3 down a lot and I feel like I can sleep easier. Still struggling with anxiety, dry skin, hair loss etc...

 

[mgrabs]

I feel the same to be honest, before I got on t3. There was a period of like 2 weeks where I felt amazing, however this was most likely placebo. Currently I'm doing okay, I got my rt3 down a lot and I feel like I can sleep easier. Still struggling with anxiety, dry skin, hair loss etc...

I would start on a grain. 60mg t4 t3. And work your way back up to baseline. Might be uncomfy for a bit but you should do both t4 and 3

 

[dervmai]

I would start on a grain. 60mg t4 t3. And work your way back up to baseline. Might be uncomfy for a bit but you should do both t4 and 3

a grain as in NDT? How do I get it? Which one do I take? There are so many, is there any that Ray recommends? Or where to source it?

 

[dervmai]

I would start on a grain. 60mg t4 t3. And work your way back up to baseline. Might be uncomfy for a bit but you should do both t4 and 3

Also when you say work your way back up to baseline, what does this mean exactly?

 

[mgrabs]

a grain as in NDT? How do I get it? Which one do I take? There are so many, is there any that Ray recommends? Or where to source it?

Can you get to a good endocrinologist? Doctor

 

[Snicky]

I feel the same to be honest, before I got on t3. There was a period of like 2 weeks where I felt amazing, however this was most likely placebo. Currently I'm doing okay, I got my rt3 down a lot and I feel like I can sleep easier. Still struggling with anxiety, dry skin, hair loss etc...

What else are you doing diet/lifestyle and even supplement-wise?

I’ve been dx’d hashis for less than three years but had terrible, worsening symptoms I chalked up to ‘aging’ for nearly three years leading up to the bump in TSH that got me asking my doctor if I might be in need of treatment for my thyroid to get rid of all the exercise intolerance, weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, and arthritis! The bumped up but ‘within range’ (but no good for pregnancy) TSH value is what got the ball rolling. But I was prescribed Synthroid (T4) only, which helped only somewhat. Within two months I researched on my own other options and switched to compounded porcine thyroid through a private doctor.

It’s been trial and error since, but I tend not to pay a lot of attention to lab values, and go with my gut on how I feel. I think Ray said he never saw a healthy/thriving person with TSH above 1.0, but I could be wrong. I do think I’d try to keep my TSH below that.

I take 130mcg of porcine thyroid a day. That seems ok, but I am learning to play in a new way with ‘Peat’ recommendations since I found his work about 5-6 months ago as I have lower waking temps… still some sluggish metabolism.

My alternative thyroid doctor also isn’t too fixated on labs… but he does check Vit D3, CRP, cortisol, some other hormones. I know he prescribes compounded supplements with some Ayurvedic herbs (low dose, though).

All the experimenting I tend to do on my own. I’m skeptical of physicians…

I’d be good to know more about your regimen, and perhaps someone who is more into the T4/T3 tinkering can chime in with some advice or insight.

Don’t get too discouraged. It takes time but I believe there is a path to healing and improvement individual to each of us!

 

[Snicky]

Also when you say work your way back up to baseline, what does this mean exactly?

I think mgrabs is referring to starting on a low dose and slowly increasing until you feel ‘normal’ or well-regulated. That’s how you usually get started on any of these treatments.

Ie; I started on a 1/4 tab of my compounded porcine thyroid and went to 1/2. Later I moved to 3/4 because i felt sluggish… stayed there for awhile, tried a full tab but got a racing heart/anxiety… so dropped back. But 1.5 years later i bumped to a full tab and have stayed there 9 months because it’s where I feel just right (for now….)…