T3 Medication options

Hormones
1

Hi sorry for the second post of the day!!!

I am based in the UK and currently taking a combo of levothyroxine and liothyronine. The liothyronine gives me palpitations and disrupts my sleep but at the higher levels (around 20mg) seems to have a positive impact on my fatigue.

Other than NDT and Liothyronine, are there any other forms of T3 medication that are available on the NHS in the UK?

Thanks in advance

2

Hi Caz, Have you tried a different manufacturer?  Not all manufacturer's put the same ingredients in their levothyroxine (T4) tablets, so maybe it's the same for Liothyronine (T3).  Also try splitting the dose up and spreading it throughout the day.

3

Hello Caz:

There is few other meds Thyrolar is a combo and I am not sure if it is in the NHS formulary.  It may work better on you.

Also NDT (natural dessicated from a pig's gland) the names are  Thyroid S, Thyroid W and Armour thyroid. These are available online.  All of these contain T3 and T4.

Also you could break the T3 in half and take some in a.m. and then 7 hours later take  the other half.  It is powerful and it is not timed released so you could take it and cut it and take bits later. 

Regards,

Shelly

4

Hi, do you mind me  asking why you were offered the combo as opposed to levo on its own? Cheers

5

Hi Barbara thanks yes it had crossed my mind to try different brands I must ask my Gp. I tried spreading liothyonine throughout the day but it didn't help unfortunately. Things have moved on a bit since I posted this and they seem to think there is a chance I was misdiagnosed 8 years ago and may not need thyroid meds at all!! So I'm on the scary journey of trying to wean myself off it all! I've told them to test all my bloods including t3 every time I drop 12.5mg as I am still not entirely convinced this is the answer (but fingers crossed it is!!) xx

6

Thanks for this shelly I'll speak to the endo about these as I had never heard thyrolar either. As per my reply to Barbara above, they now want to try taking me off everything gradually as I don't have hashimotos or any genetic links, they think it's possible I may have been misdiagnosed! Although after eight years of treatment I think I will probably need something in my system as my thyroid may be a bit damaged by now xx

7

Hi Debbie, I was only offered levothyroxine originally and was on this for years and still symptomatic. I did some research and requested the combo from my Gp. The first Gp refused saying it was too expensive (gee thanks!!) but another one let me trial it. X

8

Hello Caz:

Well if you were misdiagnosed, then in a way that is good news.  I guess I know about so many of these meds because I could start a museum with all the ones I tried. LOL.

All kidding aside, Thyrolar (brand name used in USA), generic name is Liotrix.  It is a T3 & T4 combo.  I hope NHS would support this medication as it has been around a long time.

Stay well, and let us know what happens. Merry Christmas..

Shelly

9

Cheers shelly! Yes I'm praying that I can come off the meds completely as like you say, that would be the best outcome.

Yes I feel I've learnt so much about the condition over the past month it's strange how complex it is.

Will let you know what happens! Happy Christmas xx

10

Thanks for that. i will look into it. Isnt it shameful that we cannot get our lives back without probing for solutions ourselves. I feel Ive lost a year of my life. X

11

There's a pharmacist who says she had hypothyroiism and cured herself. I'm finding her emails about what she did to cure herself really helpful. She advises that she cured herself by doing certain things to support her thyroid and getting certain vitamin and minerals at optimum levels. As none of it is harmful it's got to be worth a try. I'll PM you her name and link to her site. Register for her emails and say you want them every day, that way you can quickly get the ones you need.

12

I feel exactly the same- everyone suspected of having thyroid problems should be referred to an endo and monitored right from the beginning rather than having GPs just guess and leave us to live in misery. Wish I had done my research sooner x

13

Thanks Barbara that would be great! I think especially as I haven't got hashimotos it would definitely be worth a try!

14

In my experience some GPs are better than the endos! Some endos don't listen because they are so well qualified. They forget the patient is the most qualified person when it comes to the other half of the equation i.e. the effect the medication is having.