I am currently receiving depot injections for my bipolar condition. On 75mg of levothyroxine and 10mg of t3. I am experiencing chronic tiredness, weakness, leaky breasts,etc.
my endo will not increase the medication incase i become hyperthyroid.
my tsh is 5.6 total t3 is 2.6 and my t4 is 12
Any suggestions on self medicating and stuff like that?
please note i cant get tested for reverse t3 and free t3 because my endo doesnt carry out such tests
You are very under-replaced. Your thyroxine or T3 need increasing. You will probably find your mental health improves once you are on correct levels of thyroid medication. I speak from personal experience.
You will not become hyperthyroid increasing by a small amount as your TSH is almost too high! This is doing you more harm than good. I suspect your GP just isn't comfortable with his knowledge of thyroid disorders and may benefit from reading around the subject. One book that can be helpful regarding levels is Dr Toft's "Understanding Thyroid Disorders" where he states that TSH should be below 1 when on thyroid medication (and in some cases suppressed). T4 should be at the top of the range. You will not become hyperthyroid unless your T3 goes above range. Provided your T3 is within range, there is no harm to your TSH being low.
Please go back to your doctor, or see a different doctor, and explain this to him. You will not likely ever feel well on your current dose as it is keeping your TSH too high and your T4 and T3 far too low!
I hope this helps
Carolyn x
P.S. I should just mention that we are not allowed to advise on self-medicating
can you get a pituitary test too? prolactin? I have no real knowledge just trying to help J
To self-medicate you have to really know what you're doing. I wouldn't recommend you try.
I find it difficult to believe an endo would leave you with a TSH of 5.6, which is much too high, and wouldn't test for free T3. Are you sure he's an endo and not a GP? If he is an endo, then you need to change endos quickly because this one is worse than average and will dammage your health! If he's a GP then you need to ask for a referal to an endo.
Your TSH should be below one. For the frees, it is necessary to give the ranges because ranges vary from lab to lab and one can't interpret them without the range.
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