After 8 months on Levo - help with new test results please.

[Princesspea]

These are my most recent test results, I am on 175mcg Levo, 5000ui b11 daily, 5000ui vit d daily, multi vit etc

Vit D - 98 nmol/L - no range on it but from the info given i think it will b 50-220

B12 - >2000 ng/L (180-914)

TSH - 0.02 uU/ml (0.35-4.5)

Free T4 - 25.7 pmol/L (11-26)

Free T3 - 7.2 pmol/L (3.8-6)

Serum Folate - 9.7 ng/ml (>3)

Ferritin - 85 ug/L (15-150)

So from the limited knowledge I have picked up I would say -

I don't have a conversion problem?

I need to drop my Levo dose down to 150?

I need to go to once a week on the b12 supplements?

I need to maintain the vit d supplements?

My folate and ferritin look ok?

I still have a saliva cortisol test sitting to do.

I have the problem that although many of my minor symptoms have been resolved on Levo I still have many of the major ones, do I just need to give it more time? I clearly don't need T3 but would I b likely to fair better on NDT or is that the wrong path given my results?

I am quite overweight but I still think the fatigue etc I feel is down to more than that, it's still life altering as opposed to just extra tired due to the weight.

Many thanks in advance

Gail

[Moggie]

I think you are spot on regarding your test results and maybe do need a slight reduction in your levo seeing as your T4 is top of range and your T3 is over range. Like you said - reduce your B12 supplements but keep on with the VitD supplements and your ferritin and folates look fine.

You say that you still have many major symptoms - could you tell us what major symptoms you still have.

Moggie x

[Princesspea in reply to Moggie]

Hi Moggie, thanks for ur response.

I still suffer quite badly with tiredness, fatigue and the feeling that I'm dragging my self about. Iv felt awful for the last few months although to be fair in the last week or so I have felt a bit better. Do I just need to reduce to 150 and give it more time? I also still have constipation and hemarroids, brain fog, unread reaching sleep etc albeit these are improved since starting Levo.

Gail

[Moggie in reply to Princesspea]

I think we are all looking for "perfect health" when we take these little white tablets but after a year and a half of being on this site I now know that not many of us reach that goal if we are on T4 only. Yes we might be loads better than when we first started but there are always symptoms that linger and cause us trouble, although saying that who's to say that all the brilliant advise given by people on here hasn't worked in numerous cases and fellow sufferers have happily gone on their merry way feeling as good as new.

You have just used the exact same words I used to my endo yesterday "dragging myself around" and his response was "that's a good way of describing it", which is not exactly what I wanted to hear.

I don't know the answers to your questions as you have some of the symptoms that I still have and, like you. my thyroid and vitamin levels are now fine BUT I would say that I had one whole year of feeling very close to normal and that was when I was on a T3/T4 combo (had to stop taking it due to erratic heart problems). Just because your levels are fine doesn't mean that adding T3 into the mix isn't necessary. My levels where fine but, like you, my symptoms still persisted so my GP took some of my T4 away and added T3 and BINGO I started to feel near on normal again so, going back to your original question, maybe you do need to try NDT. Sometimes a change of meds is what's needed to clear up those final symptoms.

If you are still tired, have brain fog and cant sleep then reducing your meds will probably make this worse so maybe you should look at NDT and see if that helps. Its all a big "trial and error" exercise with thyroid illness as we are all different and out bodies need different things so what works for you may not work for me.

Sorry I couldn't give you any definite answers but I hope I have given you food for thought.

Moggie x

[shaws Administrator]

Why are you thinking you need a reduction in meds? If it is because of your TSH, there is no need your TSH is fine. Ask your GP to add 10mcg of T3 to a reduced 50mcg T4 and see how you go on this. You can always provide proof that Dr Toft recommends this. He also recommends that some need a suppressed TSH to feel better and yours isn't suppressed. Mine is 0.01.

[Princesspea in reply to shaws]

Hi Shaws, no it wasn't my TSH, I now know better than to pay much attention to TSH! Thanks to this site. It was more because my T3 is over range and T4 high in the range that I thought I needed to reduce? My GP won't provide anything but I am under Dr S and see him in two weeks (I just like to know in my own head where I am going, hence tests, questions etc) so thank you for your advice, I very much appreciate it.

Gail

[Princesspea]

Moggie, that's fantastic, thank u. Especially from the point of view that when I got those results this morning and thought, oh no my results look 'fine' now, where do I go from here, but u have told me that again, it's not the end of the road and renewed my hope of health one day! Thank u. X