# Need help with T3 pooling and possible adrenal fatigue!



## shesupsidedown (Mar 18, 2017)

Hello!

New here and looking to hear your personal experience. I was diagnosed 6 years ago with Hashis. Until this Sept I was doing ok on about 2 grains...relatively stable, usually only having to tinker with my meds seasonally. Usually skewing on the side of hypo. Then this Sept I went high. I lost a ton of weight, felt sped up, heart palps, digestion issues, INSANE sex drive. Got my first UTI. Adjusted my meds seemed to even out. Then in October, I had a HUGE stressful event happen. This plunged me into major anxiety and panic attacks, a nightly sense of doom, depression, fatigue, I couldn't leave the house or socialize. For the next 3 months I had autoimmune flares, meaning I would feel the UTI or a cold sore coming on, but it wouldn't come on full blown...it was like my body was warning me or something..hard to explain. In Dec the every day panic and doom feeling subsided and I felt back to normal-ish. I have continued to feel a little on the high side but that has felt better then hair loss, brain fog and fatigue. Anxiety has been off and on. I have to carry Xanax with me at all times in case of a panic attack. Digestion never got better. I began exercising heavily a few months ago and now I have definitely felt as if I am skewing on the high side. I seem to have a endless supply of energy (I was doing a 40-60min HIIT or weight workout 6 days a week, hiking 6-7 miles 5 days a week, yoga, dance classes, and could still do more!), waking up after only 5-6 hours of sleep, mind sharp as a tack, but the nightly panic attacks are returning and I would feel detached from my body often. I would also feel sleepy after eating. Despite the training, my belly was constantly bloated and I was gaining weight. I attributed these changes to potential overtraining...until I read about free T3 pooling. In the last week when ever I take my meds I feel like I took amphetamines. So my doc told me to not take any medication for a few days and start climbing back up and also take Cortisol Manager.

My current levels are T4: 1.10 Free T3 4.8 TSH .0008 The funny thing is this is the first time in 6 years my antibodies have been so low! TPO AB 28. DHEA is on the high but normal side: 225. Ferritin is low at 24 (now taking iron). Havent had a 24 hour saliva test..I am going to order one. Though my cortisol was tested a few months back by blood and was fine.

I am 42, very physically active, eat a paleo-ish diet. I say paleo-ish, because when I tried the autoimmune paleo diet I became very sick. I need carbs, so now I eat oatmeal, rice, and quinoa. No sugar. No gluten. 
More then likely I could stand to eat more. I wouldn't be surprised if when I am training I am in a calorie deficit. So I have added in protein shakes in the morning.

I feel super nervous about stopping my meds...but I am having to take Xanax daily now to feel grounded in my body. Anyone have any personal experience/thoughts about pooling and adrenal fatigue?


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Welcome! Could you please revise your post to include the ranges for each of your lab results?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Welcome to the forum!

Can you please edit your post and include your lab ranges please.

Have you by chance had a Reverse T3 test?


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## shesupsidedown (Mar 18, 2017)

Oh sorry!

Free T3: [2.3-4.2]

T4 free [.84-1.51]

TSH [.400-4.000]

TPO AB [00.0-60.0]

Ferritin [10-291]

As for reverse T3, not this last go round. Possibly before but I am away from home so not sure.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

shesupsidedown said:


> Oh sorry!
> 
> Free T3: [2.3-4.2]
> 
> ...


I see you are taking 2 grains - assume this is NDT?



> My current levels are T4: 1.10 Free T3 4.8 TSH .0008


Your FT-3 is above range - that shows you are over medicated and would explain the anxiety you are experiencing. A slight decrease in your NDT might be all it takes. Then retest in 6 weeks.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Did you take your meds before or after you did labs?


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## shesupsidedown (Mar 18, 2017)

Hi! I took my meds about 6 hours before.

As for dropping the dose slightly, we discussed that but I was feeling like I was on amphetamines when I wold take my NDT. My doc recommended I stop the medication for 3 days, and I immediately felt better..when I tried to step back up, all the symptoms have returned.

I requested T3 only but at this point I feel as if I am making it all up. I have no idea what I am doing! And my doc just went on vacation for a week!


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

When you started the meds back up after 3 days, did you stay on your current dose or was it a lower dose?

Also have you ever had a TSI test done?


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## shesupsidedown (Mar 18, 2017)

I started back on 1 grain split into two doses (I had been on two grains). For two days I did that and felt ok. A smidge speedy after taking my doses but nothing unmanageable. My anxiety disappeared thankfully! Still felt as if I had energy, maybe a tad bit more tired. The third day I took all of my dose in the morning and had a terrible anxiety day. So I wrote my doctor sending her the STTM info about adding in T3 only. She prescribed T3 and I started it today. I again split my NDT into two doses and took my T3 with it about 4 hours apart, a total of 10mcg. By the afternoon I was completely EXHAUSTED. Like barely could stay awake exhausted...but by bedtime, I was wide awake again. Ugh. I am so bloated. I swear I have gained 5 pounds in the last week. My belly is constantly swollen.

Maybe I am adjusting? I just feel scared as I don't want to stay hyper and anxious but I certainly don't want to crash so hard I am unable to work or exercise. My doctor gave me barely any directions on how to take the T3 except split into two doses...but I don't know what to do if I stay exhausted or how often I can raise it or what dosage not to exceed...etc.

I have not had a TSI test done. I also haven't had a reverse T3 test, so I can't be sure I am pooling except for symptoms.

I would like to go get my labs done, though I am unsure if its money well spent at this point considering I just had them done a month ago. The weirdest part of all of this is my antibodies are the lowest they have been in years! What?

Oy. So confused. I will see how tomorrow goes!


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## shesupsidedown (Mar 18, 2017)

Just an update: This morning I again took a half grain of NDT and a 5mcg of T3 and felt awful. So sped up! Flushing, overheating, jittery, disassociated. It finally wore off and I feel somewhat ok yet it was time to take another half grain of the NDT. We will see how this feels. I am skipping the afternoon dose of T3.


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