Should my endo have lowered my T3?

[Rosie0304]

I am 28 years old and I have Hashimoto's. I have been taking T4 for 2 years and T3 for 3 months. My Endo decreased my T3 in December because she said my TSH was suppressed. I have now got a high TSH and my Free T3 and Free T4 have dropped sharply. I am currently feeling very under medicated.

Should my Endo have decreased the T3 and what should I really be taking in terms of dosage?

Thank you

FEB 16 - Taking 100mcg T4 and 5mcg T3
* TSH - 7.3 (0.27 - 4.20)
FREE T4 - 12.5 (12.0 - 22.0)
FREE T3 - 3.4 (3.1 - 6.8)

JAN 16 - Taking 100mcg T4 and 5mcg T3
TSH - 1.62 (0.27 - 4.20)
* FREE T4 - 22.5 (12.0 - 22.0)
FREE T3 - 4.6 (3.1 - 6.8)

DEC 15 - Taking 100mcg and 10mcg T3
* TSH - <0.02 (0.27 - 4.20)
FREE T4 - 20.1 (12.0 - 22.0)
FREE T3 - 5.1 (3.1 - 6.8)

NOV 15 - Taking 100mcg T4 and 10mcg T3
* TSH - <0.02 (0.27 - 4.20)
FREE T4 - 20.6 (12.0 - 22.0)
FREE T3 - 5.3 (3.1 - 6.8)

AUG 15 - Taking 175mcg T4
TSH - 2.8 (0.27 - 4.20)
FREE T4 - 19.7 (12.0 - 22.0)
FREE T3 - 4.1 (3.1 - 6.8)
* TPO ANTIBODIES - 475 (<34)
* TG ANTIBODIES - 360.3 (<115)

[Barb135]

We often find this to be the case with member from U.K. because of the National Health System.  Many have to go private, but maybe you already have, since you're getting the T3 med at all.  

Can you tell us, exactly where, in U.K, you're located? If you don't care to put it on the forum, feel free to send me a private message.  You can do that by hovering your mouse over my name and when you get the drop down box, click on "Send Message".

[Rosie0304]

Thank you Barb.

No I had no symptoms of over medication when the endo decreased the dosage. If anything I felt extremely hypo as I was feeling cold, was constipated and had aches in my joints. Now my eyes are a bit puffy and I have gained more weight even though I have no appetite.

I have explained to the endo that I had no symptoms of over medication when I was taking the T3 at the time and he said my lab results don’t reflect that so I would like to self-medicate.

I have been through 2 different endos, this one and a previous one who didn’t like T3. I don’t know of anyone else I could think of to be referred to.

[flyingfool]

I agree 100% with Barb.

If any adjustment was recommended it would have been to lower the T4 dosage.

[Barb135]

Did you have symptoms of over medication in Dec when your endo decreased your T3 dosage?  If not, there really was no reason to do that...

The only thing that was amiss is that your FT4 was higher than we, typically, recommend that it be, but if you had no symptoms, of over medication, even that would be no problem.  

TSH is often suppressed when one is on  adequate dosages of thyroid hormones, but many doctors panic when they don't see a TSH reading.

Rule of thumb (where most of us feel best is for FT4 to be about mid range; yours, in Dec was 68% of the range, so that's higher than recommended.  Rule of thumb for FT3 is upper half to upper third of its range; yours, in Dec was at 65% of its range, so that's right in the ball park.  FT3 should be higher in its range than FT4 in its.

If anything should have been done at that time, it would have been to decrease the T4 slightly, not the T3 med.

Is your doctor willing to add back the T3 med?

Have you thought about a different endo, that's not so focused on TSH?