Experience with Sustained Release T3

[Fortunate]

I will preface this by admitting I am slightly leery of my need for thyroid supplementation. My Free T3 and T4 are within normal range, but on the low end. My rT3 is a bit high and my rT3 to T3 ratio favors supplementation according to functional medicine guidance. In any case, I am open to to trying it if it solves some things for me (energy, mental clarity, mood, tendency to get headaches).

I was prescribed sustained release T3 from Empower. My early experience was a little unusual. I took the dose first thing in the AM. I felt no effects at all until mid afternoon to late evening, when I noticed a bump in energy and mental clarity. But, in some cases, it felt like the effects started more in the evening than the late afternoon.

I titrated up to 15 mcg, which felt like too much. I ended up stopping altogether. I am considering giving it another try, sticking to 5-10 mcg. But, and here is my question for the forum, I wonder if it is worth exploring a product that is not sustained release? It seems as though the dose and/or bioavailability was not consistent on the compounded sustained release. On the other hand, it could be my biology's response to the drug and not the drug itself.

Does anyone here have experiences moving from sustained release to standard T3? Do you have opinions (positive or negative) on the benefit of one over the other?

 

[Fortunate]

If it helps, TSH was 2.19 (0.450 - 4.500), and at a subsequent blood draw:

• Free t4 - 1.08 (0.82 - 1.77)
• Free T3 - 2.7 (2.0-4.4)
• rT3 - 21.7 (9.2-24.1)
• Thyrglobulion Ab <1.0 (0.0-0.9)
• TPO 10 (0-34)

 

[JA Battle]

If it helps, TSH was 2.19 (0.450 - 4.500), and at a subsequent blood draw:

• Free t4 - 1.08 (0.82 - 1.77)
• Free T3 - 2.7 (2.0-4.4)
• rT3 - 21.7 (9.2-24.1)
• Thyrglobulion Ab <1.0 (0.0-0.9)
• TPO 10 (0-34)

T3 is another hormone that follows a circadian pattern of secretion. I’m not in favor of slow release. I have t3 in a little dropper bottle with ethanol. I take 5mcg at bed. And 1mcg with each meal for a total of 8mcg.

Most of our t3 secretion ramps up in evening and in first stages of sleep cycle. This is following behind our tsh secretion that primarily happens in the afternoon.

 

[Fortunate]

T3 is another hormone that follows a circadian pattern of secretion. I’m not in favor of slow release. I have t3 in a little dropper bottle with ethanol. I take 5mcg at bed. And 1mcg with each meal for a total of 8mcg.

Most of our t3 secretion ramps up in evening and in first stages of sleep cycle. This is following behind our tsh secretion that primarily happens in the afternoon.

What type of drops are you taking?