Who is currently taking Thyroid medication ?..

[MNguy]

Looking for advice re dosing.

Over the last few years, I've had (private) bloods that suggest thyroid isn't doing too well, and a load of thyroid related issues (even a private doctor mentioned this when the results came out).

I've got some Tiromel 25 mcg, and looking to do a trial on them. What is the best dose to start off on?

Do you have labs you can share with us?

 

[BuzzSaw]

I'll try to find them, but due to various upheavals in life (being made homeless), I lost a load of results. But I remember my rT3 being quite high and everything else was within range. This was about 2 or 3 years ago I had the tests done.

 

[MNguy]

I'll try to find them, but due to various upheavals in life (being made homeless), I lost a load of results. But I remember my rT3 being quite high and everything else was within range. This was about 2 or 3 years ago I had the tests done.

You could start by taking a quarter of your 25mg pill twice a day and see how that goes. 25mg a day is a pretty hefty starting dose of T3.

 

[Anonymon]

Any update on your thyroid routine? I’ve been experimenting with taking my time release T3 before bed to try and boost cortisol. Seems to be hit and miss, but I definitely feel a response. Waiting on recent saliva cortisol results. Last spring my AM cortisol tested low though, which might explain why taking the t3 before bed helps.

Had been a spell on normal T3 meds in various CT3M type patterns and it’s mostly been a failure. Better at first like usual, then worse overtime without the benefits. On slow release, I have distinct benefits despite some draw backs, and generally know how I feel on it when it’s going better. On straight T3, there are some ups and downs but it’s mostly downs. Glycogen retention got so bad I just started aching and cramping, so I’ve been coming off that. Felt better rapidly when coming off.

Things got pretty bad, so one night I took 25mcg of T4, not T3 but T4, before bed, and woke up with more energy and generally felt like the lights had been turned on all week. I’m weening off T3 now and almost off of it, and may come off T4 as well and just go without it, or go up to 50mcg T4 before bed. T4 before bed helps me sleep and wake up more rested and makes me feel better after eating something.

CT3M basically failed for me. Based on my experience, it seems like the most benefit I get from thyroid meds happens either when they’re initially hitting my system or converting from T4, but that benefit has a peak, so if the T3 is higher, the benefit’s the same, but I’m burning through my cortisol and other things faster, making it pointless and leaving me worse off.

I’ve tried every protocol for thyroid, and I’ve still seemingly had the most success with some T4 before bed, slow release T3 being in second place, and it all being iffy after that. NDT’s hit or miss for me, and with all the recall nonsense and inconsistency of being able to get it, I’m less inclined to want to be on it.

I had more success this time on T3 only in part thanks to being on small doses of Gaia Herbs Rhodiola spaced out 3x a day. Best I ever did technically was on slow release T3 with that Rhodiola, but my access to slow release can be hit or miss with my doc and it was harder to sleep on that protocol, so I’m trying to make something else work. In my case more Rhodiola may have made it work though.

 

[MNguy]

Had been a spell on normal T3 meds in various CT3M type patterns and it’s mostly been a failure. Better at first like usual, then worse overtime without the benefits. On slow release, I have distinct benefits despite some draw backs, and generally know how I feel on it when it’s going better. On straight T3, there are some ups and downs but it’s mostly downs. Glycogen retention got so bad I just started aching and cramping, so I’ve been coming off that. Felt better rapidly when coming off.

Things got pretty bad, so one night I took 25mcg of T4, not T3 but T4, before bed, and woke up with more energy and generally felt like the lights had been turned on all week. I’m weening off T3 now and almost off of it, and may come off T4 as well and just go without it, or go up to 50mcg T4 before bed. T4 before bed helps me sleep and wake up more rested and makes me feel better after eating something.

CT3M basically failed for me. Based on my experience, it seems like the most benefit I get from thyroid meds happens either when they’re initially hitting my system or converting from T4, but that benefit has a peak, so if the T3 is higher, the benefit’s the same, but I’m burning through my cortisol and other things faster, making it pointless and leaving me worse off.

I’ve tried every protocol for thyroid, and I’ve still seemingly had the most success with some T4 before bed, slow release T3 being in second place, and it all being iffy after that. NDT’s hit or miss for me, and with all the recall nonsense and inconsistency of being able to get it, I’m less inclined to want to be on it.

I had more success this time on T3 only in part thanks to being on small doses of Gaia Herbs Rhodiola spaced out 3x a day. Best I ever did technically was on slow release T3 with that Rhodiola, but my access to slow release can be hit or miss with my doc and it was harder to sleep on that protocol, so I’m trying to make something else work. In my case more Rhodiola may have made it work though.

Interesting. Are you a high rt3 guy? I’ve considered trying to add some t4 to my protocol, but my rt3 is already pretty high. I actually just ordered some rhodiola yesterday to help with my cortisol problem (low AM, high the rest of the day). Your post gives me hope that it might help.

 

[Anonymon]

Interesting. Are you a high rt3 guy? I’ve considered trying to add some t4 to my protocol, but my rt3 is already pretty high. I actually just ordered some rhodiola yesterday to help with my cortisol problem (low AM, high the rest of the day). Your post gives me hope that it might help.

I’ve had higher rT3 before on tests, but lowering it didn’t really do anything for me. My problem’s always been low cortisol.

The best Rhodiola I’ve used is the Gaia Herbs kind. Very low concentrated dose, but I get more out of it. I‘ve tried different dosing schemes too. I actually find Rhodiola makes my sleep issues worse only if I’m not taking enough of it, which for me coincides with a headache before bed.

I also do better when eating very large amounts of protein, regardless of my other macros. I’ve seen studies where higher protein meals increased cortisol output in the time period following the meal, so it could be that. Or I might just be burning through my protein faster since I have low cortisol.

Having the rhythm of cortisol is important, but your overall output over a 24 hour period is what’s most important. If you are just low in the AM by a little bit, but high otherwise, then I envy you. Hope your new protocol works out!

 

[MNguy]

I’ve had higher rT3 before on tests, but lowering it didn’t really do anything for me. My problem’s always been low cortisol.

The best Rhodiola I’ve used is the Gaia Herbs kind. Very low concentrated dose, but I get more out of it. I‘ve tried different dosing schemes too. I actually find Rhodiola makes my sleep issues worse only if I’m not taking enough of it, which for me coincides with a headache before bed.

I also do better when eating very large amounts of protein, regardless of my other macros. I’ve seen studies where higher protein meals increased cortisol output in the time period following the meal, so it could be that. Or I might just be burning through my protein faster since I have low cortisol.

Having the rhythm of cortisol is important, but your overall output over a 24 hour period is what’s most important. If you are just low in the AM by a little bit, but high otherwise, then I envy you. Hope your new protocol works out!

Do you dose Rhodiola in the AM or throughout the day? Have you considered giving hydrocortisone a try for your low cortisol?

 

[Anonymon]

Do you dose Rhodiola in the AM or throughout the day? Have you considered giving hydrocortisone a try for your low cortisol?

I’ve done different schemes. I always do it in the morning, but have tried having 1-3 doses spaced out in the morning vs spaced out throughout the day beginning with the morning. It’s hard to say which was better.

I have tried both hydrocortisone and cortisone acetate for my low cortisol. Although there were many positive benefits from it and it fixed a lot / most things closer than anything has, it was scary as all hell as time went on. Maybe I just overshot it (20-22.5mg a day worth at the height briefly, taken in 2.5mg doses spread out that I built up to), but I started to become deranged from it. Sleep was better at first then worse. I decided to come down because my source got iffy and I was having a bad reaction to the vaccine, which I regret getting during trying it all out. Also had some bad life events happen around that time too, as in really bad, and it filled me with unending visions of my own death, and made me want to kill someone as well as myself. Almost did it a bunch of times, at least the ‘myself’ part. I mentally turned into a crazy person, which is the polar opposite of me, as I’m normally so calm and unshakable that it irks people. Tapering off cortisol meds fixed that.

I had a lot of success with Rhodiola + slow release T3, so I wanted to try doing something closer to that instead given that I started going mad on HC and CA. It may just have been the life events + PTSD levels of stress hormones running through my veins, but it was scary enough to make me want to try something else. And I didn’t want to become dependent on it and worse off. I would advise anyone to be very, very cautious about experimenting with cortisol. A little goes a long way. I’m technically still on 2.5mg of CA in the morning and have been for a while. If someone wants to experiment, that or hydrocortisone at 2.5mg once in the morning and then some other time during the day spaced out seems to be a safe dose that at least in studies out to 30-60 days did not cause observable suppression of the adrenal axis. At 30 days one study saw 10mg to cause no suppression, but I’ve heard enough withdrawal stories at that dose to still be wary of it. 2.5-5mg is a relatively safe dose to experiment with if someone was interested. Was on T4 at the time too.

Additionally, if you have low cortisol issues, or for a lot of guys, don’t take Ashwagandha. I took it for years but am generally better without it. Caused more problems then helped for me.

 

[Anonymon]

Do you dose Rhodiola in the AM or throughout the day? Have you considered giving hydrocortisone a try for your low cortisol?

I was able to unintentionally recreate some of the anger and mental side effects I had on HC with just T4, so I’ve recently begun experimenting with low dose HC again to see how I do on it this time. 5mg split up throughout the day. I’ll let you know how it goes.

 

[Gianluca]

I'm in the same boat. I was not that far out of what's considred normal ranges to start with but I have noticed zero positive changes. On the downside, increased insomnia

Can I ask you what was your FT3 level before and after?

 

[BillyJ03z]

Who is currently taking thyroid meds? If so, my questions are as follows:
1) did you notice an increase in energy level ?
2) Did you notice an increase in your mood? Are you in a much better mood?
3) do you notice you burn fat easier?
4) did it improve your cholesterol levels?
thank you in advance.

Pre-TRT I was considered sub-clinical Hypo... FT 4 was lower 10% of range, FT3 Upper 20% of range and TSH fluctuated in and usually slightly above range... with physical symptoms of low libido, sleep issues, fatigue.

1) No
2) No
3) No
4) Yes, that is mainly why I started taking Armour Thyroid. My Lipid Panel (cholesterol) was always perfect pre-TRT but since starting TRT my lipids have always been completely out of wack (bad numbers). Then I read somewhere on this forum that Thyroid supplementation can help normalize lipids. So I purposely started taking Armour when I was taking Sarm- RAD-140, which is notorious for messing up lipids, and when I got blood work back my Lipids were all "PERFECT".. for the first time ever on TRT, I had perfect lipids (picture perfect cholesterol)... and as a bonus my always low SHBG raised from single digits to 21. My doctor (GP) didn't believe the correlation that Thyroid supplementation can regulate/normalize lipids. So I went off Armour for a few months and blood work came back with lipids out of wack and SHBG at 11, then my doctor put me back on Armour and the blood work I just got back yesterday has all my lipids back in range and again raised my low SHBG from single digits to 23.

I'm still struggling with mild/moderate depression, no mental motivation and no energy, but I think I need more T3 and less T4... so I am going to drop the 3 grains of Armour to 2 grains and add 25mcg of T3, along with progesterone cream and oral preg.

 

[Gman86]

Pre-TRT I was considered sub-clinical Hypo... FT 4 was lower 10% of range, FT3 Upper 20% of range and TSH fluctuated in and usually slightly above range... with physical symptoms of low libido, sleep issues, fatigue.

1) No
2) No
3) No
4) Yes, that is mainly why I started taking Armour Thyroid. My Lipid Panel (cholesterol) was always perfect pre-TRT but since starting TRT my lipids have always been completely out of wack (bad numbers). Then I read somewhere on this forum that Thyroid supplementation can help normalize lipids. So I purposely started taking Armour when I was taking Sarm- RAD-140, which is notorious for messing up lipids, and when I got blood work back my Lipids were all "PERFECT".. for the first time ever on TRT, I had perfect lipids (picture perfect cholesterol)... and as a bonus my always low SHBG raised from single digits to 21. My doctor (GP) didn't believe the correlation that Thyroid supplementation can regulate/normalize lipids. So I went off Armour for a few months and blood work came back with lipids out of wack and SHBG at 11, then my doctor put me back on Armour and the blood work I just got back yesterday has all my lipids back in range and again raised my low SHBG from single digits to 23.

I'm still struggling with mild/moderate depression, no mental motivation and no energy, but I think I need more T3 and less T4... so I am going to drop the 3 grains of Armour to 2 grains and add 25mcg of T3, along with progesterone cream and oral preg.

Awesome anecdote and info. What’s ur goals with adding in the prog cream and oral preg?

 

[BillyJ03z]

Awesome anecdote and info. What’s ur goals with adding in the prog cream and oral preg?

Goals with Prog and Preg are to try to backfill pathways... (I considered this after reading the lengthy thread regarding Progesterone)..... I started taking 5mg DHEA at night, 30mg Preg in morning and will rub Prog Cream 15mg into thinning scalp area (since approx 10% or less of topicals absorb I'm looking at 1 to 1.5 mg systematic). Still waiting on Test, E2 and DHT numbers, but I just dropped my current dose of Prop @ 15mg ed/sq to 10mg.

I am actually starting to prepare myself to stop TRT completely if I don't dial in this time. Getting ready to stop TRT.... What do I need to know?