Success with T4 and T3 Meds?
NiciS72
Posts: 1,043 Member
I've been on T4 meds only for almost 4 years. It took me being diagnosed with Celiac Disease and going totally Gluten Free before my TSH got to a normal level. My quest is this, has anyone else here had NORMAL TSH between 0.3-2.0 and still had symptoms i.e. hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, hard to lose weight, etc. and overall feel like crap? i just went to a new Endocrinologist as my other was not listening to my concerns. With a normal TSH I SHOULD feel great. I eat right, I exercise daily, but I still feel like crap and it's difficult to lose a few pounds. This new guy prescribed a lower does of T4 and a small dose of T3. I'm reading a lot on the internet that says some people do better on the combo. I just want to find someone/anyone who is on it and had success. How long did it take? Thanks!
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I've had tremendous success since my endo added T3 about this time last year. I have Grave's and Hashimotos...had RAI(radioactive iodine treatment)back in 2003...my levels have been wild ever since. It got to the point last year that even though my TSH was fine...I was actually starting to get a bald spot in my hair . I've also had a lot of nerve and joint problems resulting in numerous surgeries over the years. After I started taking Cytomel..my hair immediately stopped falling out...a lot of the nerve issues I was having also stopped( something I totally unexpected because I wasn't sure it was related)...I stopped having to take prescription eye drops for dry eye because that also cleared up and my energy turn around has been night and day. Soon after starting it I got pregnant so my doctor consented to keep me on a low dose of it throughout the pregnancy...and that also made a huge difference. My first pregnancy my levels were terrible most of the time and I had to adjust my meds constantly..this time around they stayed completely stable and I never once had to adjust my meds. I had my baby 4 months ago and I've lost all of my pregnancy weight plus some...this is also a huge difference because after I had the RAI treatment it didn't matter what I did I could barely get any weight off. So..for me at least..its made all the difference in the world! I'd say I started to feel the effects of it about a week or so after I started it...I really started feeling better after baby when my endo increased my Cytomel dose. Hope that helps some!
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TSH has absolutely nothing to do with hypothyroid symptoms. T3 is the only active thyroid hormone than can potentially get rid of symptoms and only in the presence of optimized ferritin/iron levels and optimized adrenals.
If your body is successfully and perfectly converting T4 to T3 and you have plenty of T3 and good ferritin/iron and adrenal levels, you should have some relief from the symptoms.
You need a doctor that will treat you - not your TSH.0
