Bad reaction to T3
in [Thyroid]
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From: moriarte on 30 Sep 2005 15:03 hello, haven't posted here before so I'll include a bit of back story first. I first got ill when I was in University, with chronic fatigue and aching throat/neck which was diagnosed as Glandular Fever which flared up in cyclical way for a couple of years. Later in my 20s I began to suffer symptoms of hypothryoid (low body temp; chronic fatigue; lack of perspiration; awful allergic reactions). I pursued this with an immunlogist and gave up when he told me I was a hypochondriac. Asked for a thyroid test which was 'ok'! Then I had a swing to the other extreme, losing weight, anxiety attacks, extreme joint pain and swelling. Eventually my GP sent off a broad range of tests and my TSH came back sky high, and I went on thyroxine. From what I've learned on newsgroups these sorts of swings are quite consistent with Hashimoto's. I fought to increase the dose with various GPs over a couple of years and am now on 125mcg and still having 'crashes' and a level of fatigue which doesn't allow work or driving long distances. I had some private test done which showed FT4 just over the top of the range but FT3 in lower middle. I also still have active thyroid antibodies. A private dr prescribed T3 (lionothyronin) but I have had a very bad reaction to taking it each time I've tried; throbbing headache, racing pulse but oddly it's started off the aching thryoid again and has lowered my body temperature (which had been 98.8 now down in mid 97s) which takes quite a few days to recover after stopping the T3 again. Any thoughts? I suspect he will suggest Armour next time but I'm not sure I can face altering my meds again, the T3 trial has been such an unpleasant experience.
From: Daisy on 30 Sep 2005 16:09 What dose of T3 did you start with. Most endos would suggest reducing your T4 first for a month or so...then add in T3 in a small amount....that way you won't go hyper by acident. You can always titrate upwards if you need to My endo would probably say...drop your T4 to 100mcgs..thena dd in 5mcgs T3...split the dose if you can... Daisy-Claire
From: Marilyn on 30 Sep 2005 17:07 How much T3 did your doctor prescribe for you? Some doctors will prescribe the starting dose written in the prescribing literature which in US is 25mcg. That prescribing instruction was written for those whose only thyroid replacement is T3, not for those also taking T4. It is way too much for one already on a good dose of T4. T3 is about 4 times the strength of T3. With a FT4 already over the top of range, it is reasonable to expect the added T3 might create discomfort. My doctor would agree with the other poster who mentioned her endo dropping the T4 and adding a tiny bit of T3. It is good to split the T3, as you discovered it packs a punch. I have heard some say it is good to drop your T4 dose, wait a couple of weeks, then add in the T3. Just the thoughts of another thyroid patient. Not medically trained. "moriarte" <elizabeth(a)basilisk.co.uk> wrote in message news:1128107032.271714.10530(a)g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com... > hello, haven't posted here before so I'll include a bit of back story > first. > > I first got ill when I was in University, with chronic fatigue and > aching throat/neck which was diagnosed as Glandular Fever which flared > up in cyclical way for a couple of years. Later in my 20s I began to > suffer symptoms of hypothryoid (low body temp; chronic fatigue; lack of > perspiration; awful allergic reactions). I pursued this with an > immunlogist and gave up when he told me I was a hypochondriac. Asked > for a thyroid test which was 'ok'! > > Then I had a swing to the other extreme, losing weight, anxiety > attacks, extreme joint pain and swelling. Eventually my GP sent off a > broad range of tests and my TSH came back sky high, and I went on > thyroxine. From what I've learned on newsgroups these sorts of swings > are quite consistent with Hashimoto's. > > I fought to increase the dose with various GPs over a couple of years > and am now on 125mcg and still having 'crashes' and a level of fatigue > which doesn't allow work or driving long distances. I had some private > test done which showed FT4 just over the top of the range but FT3 in > lower middle. I also still have active thyroid antibodies. A private dr > prescribed T3 (lionothyronin) but I have had a very bad reaction to > taking it each time I've tried; throbbing headache, racing pulse but > oddly it's started off the aching thryoid again and has lowered my body > temperature (which had been 98.8 now down in mid 97s) which takes quite > a few days to recover after stopping the T3 again. > > Any thoughts? I suspect he will suggest Armour next time but I'm not > sure I can face altering my meds again, the T3 trial has been such an > unpleasant experience. >
From: moriarte on 30 Sep 2005 17:48 He suggested I start off with 20mcg WITH the 125mcg, which I told him I thought sounded a lot. He said as I hadn't had any hyper probs when changing the dose of T4 upwards in the past it would be ok. I had to give up after a week of this (I was fine for the first 4 days, no problems at all) and stayed off it for 10 days. I then tried the lowering my T4 to 100mcg to try the second option but developed a massive ache in the thyroid area (someone on another group suggested it was my thryoid gland kicking in and then being attacked?), accompanied by shivering crashes/low temp . I tried 5mcg divisions of T3 and just added a thumping headache to the other symptoms. The private dr is something of an alternative thyroid guru, but I have been worried by being given what most people think is a very high starting dose without warning.
From: Daisy on 30 Sep 2005 18:05
I had the same problem with Armour -but not with T3 -however -I took only 5 mcgs in addtion to 100mcgs. it made me very tired and sleepy. i am trying again -but using 5mcg tablets avaiblable from US and splitting them inot 2.5 mcgs twice a day... Daisy-Claire |