Body temperature, T3 and rT3 results.

[kiltermon]

I have been taking levothyroxine for several years and told my doctor I still feel absolutely wrecked all the time with weight that will not shift, all they do is pull faces about high cholesterol and BMI but don't listen to me when I say I have no appetite and am very active, tests apparently show normal T4 and after I made a fuss T3 was tested but rT3 is not done! The doctor told me that if T3 is normal then rT3 is normal, the research I've done does not seem to confirm this, as rT3 is not tested how can a Doctor say this, they only have part of the picture. Also at 62 I'm told my body temperature of 96 is normal - again this is not what I have been finding out, I live in Northern Ireland and I am afraid the health service here is in the dark ages so I need an unbiased professional opinion - is there any such person who could clarify these points?

[Moggie]

Have a look at this link regarding RT3 which seems to indicate that not eating can itself cause RT3, whether this is true or not you'll have to decide for yourself.

sensible-alternative.com.au...

Moggie x

[kiltermon in reply to Moggie]

Thanks it's interesting but the real problem is that I simply don't want to eat much, I can go virtually all day without something to eat and when I do feel hungry a few crackers or an apple suffices. I make small dinners but usually leave a lot of them too, the Doctors look at me like I'm a liar when I tell them this, it is so demoralising and hurtful, I've almost given up trying to find an answer as all the doctors do is tell me "it's normal", the way I feel can't be "normal", they have even discouraged me from taking a private blood test telling me that they can't get involved! Heaven help me if I have a heart attack - they'll probably tell me they can't get involved in that either.

[greygoose in reply to kiltermon]

Lack of appetite can be a hypo symptom, as is gaining weight on fresh air! But doctors are not trained in nutrition, weight loss, etc. They know nothing about it. Well, that is to say they THINK they know everything (mainly old wives' tales) and that is why they look at you like that. Nor, unfortunately, are they trained in hypo symptoms. Hence the brick wall you're up against.

Do you have any blood tests to share with us? That would give us a better idea of what is going on. How much levo do you take?

Hugs, Grey

[Clarebear]

Yes I think we need blood test results too. If your fT4 is high, that might indicate that rT3 could be high too. I had a rT3 test done privately through Genova. You ideally need a fT3 test done at the same time, as the ratio between the two is useful. Mine indicated that my rT3 was a bit too high. I think I have sorted this now by increasing ferritin, and cortisol (using CT3M) and by taking NDT containing some direct T3. Xx

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Pretty much the NHS does not do rT3 testing at all. (I think I saw a reference to one NHS lab doing it - but that could have been research rather than regular testing.)

Rod