I've just been to see my Endo. today and got my results for the last two years:
Taking 150 mcg thyroxine - down from 300 mcg over three years.
No thyroid due to follicular thyroid carcinoma in 1993
Female age 55
Weight 71kg
May 2013
Free T4 mui/L 24.2 (10.0 - 18.7)
Free T3 pmol/L 5.3 (3.5 - 6.5)
TSH mui/L <0.01 (0.38 - 5.5)
Anti-thyroglobulin IU/mL <10 (0 - 115)
Feb 2012
Lipid Profile
Prolactin mmol/L 162 (0 - 646)
Gonadotrophins
FSH iu/L 83.1
LH iu/L 43.4
Cortisol nmol/L 427 (140 - 500)
Testosterone nmol/L 2.3 (0.5 - 2.6)
Oestradiol pmol/L 61
Dheas u(funny letter)mol/L 1.7
Main Symptoms:
Hair loss
Aches and stiffness
Pins and needles in arms and legs
Very dry mouth
Mental fog
Fatigue and tiredness - fall asleep if i sit down.
Brittle hair and nails
Intolerant to temperature - feel mt bones are cold most of the time.
Depression - new in the last nine months
I feel much worse now than when I was on 300 mcg but was starting with hypo symptoms which is why my dose was lowered. I've had - it's the change (went through in my early forties and no symptoms for years) - it's because I was taking so much my body is use to a high dose and many other reasons over the years.
Written by
jmd1157
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Hi I think you may do better with a little less T4 and some T3, very easy to be over treated, similar symptoms too. Most people need T4 in top third of range but FT3 near the top, higher than yours even.It will take a while to adjust with altered doses.
Try doing your pulse at the Carotoid artery, neck but do not use the thumb, it is easier their , you would be dead without one! It would also be good to do BP 3 times a day. Cuff only, sit ten mins , straight arm, table ,then take it.
While the temp can be a good guide, mine is naturally at that, even with a fever not like other peoples. y thyroid been stable for years. Make sure you have also had the 4 other autoimmune hormonal essential tests, Vit , ( if low , corrected calcium before treatment) B12+ foliates ( high in range) feritin/ iron fairly high in range and Glucose, or similar symptoms.
Best wishes,
Jackie
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Thanks Jackie, I tried my Carotiod artery and am rubbish at finding it in a morning when I'm trying not to move too much, though I have no problems during the day. Looks like I'll have to buy a cuff though my blood pressure at clinic today was 125/78 so not bad for my age.
My temperature has been low for years and doesn't go much above 36c during the day unless I have a temperature and then it's nearer normal. Endo doesn't seem interested in B12 etc. but then I've never brought it up either, though he did do iron a couple of years ago and I was sent for an endoscopy and a colonoscopy as it was very low. I was put on iron tablets for three months then told I was ok.
He did want to send me for another bone scan, but I'm moving home next week so will need to transfer to a new hospital so he is sending a report to my new Dr.
I must admit we spoke better today than we have all the time I've been going to see him and this is the first time I've asked for all my results and this is all due to this fantastic forum,
Hi BP perfect, so no need really,B12 is important, can you pay for a blood test, through main site Blue Horizon, on line,( Quote TUK f10 for discount) unless the GP will do one, mine will ,although difficult.iron is normally for life, you need that checking too.,low in range is too low.Do you mean a DEXA scan? For "normal" vulnerable people it is recommended, I think something like 5 years, unless Osteopenia ( pre osteoporosis) or of course osteoporosis., for that I have to have it every two years. Have you had a vit D test?Hormonal If low ,corrected calcium before treatment, often called bone profile., bloods.? Yes, as you are finding, lots of knowledge vital. You should feel fine on the correct treatment, bloods normally show that. too..
Thank you for your reply, I'll look into it when I've moved and registered with a new GP. Yes it is a DEXA scan. It's around two years since I last had mine, but endo is keeping an eye on me for weak bones as I was taking 30mcg for 17 years. He was talking about me falling and breaking my hip bone - cheerful.
Good about Endo and Osteoporosis, mine is so bad now, that the last DEXA I was phoned an hour later, I do not know what I was meant to do about it!! I have been told not to fall for years as it would kill me.As you say, ridiculous info! if Endo good, as you sure you are not having regular bloods for all needed things? mine did them first visit, years ago.Gp doses all the follow ups annually or less, too. Do you always have copies of your Endo`s bloods? If not, phone the secretary and ask, make sure the ranges are with them ,as unless requested, hospitals do not send out ranges.
Your FT3 is too low, and that's the one that counts. Being that low it is bound to cause symptoms. However, given that your FT4 is so high, it would appear that there is a convertion problem, so I agree with Jackie, the addition of some T3 and the reduction of your T4 would no doubt help.
Thank you, when I get my referral to a new endo. I'll speak to them about it. Do you know what would be an ideal FT3 for me? I do have to keep a suppressed TSH.
The TSH is meaningless. It is a very bad test of thyroid function and rarely bares any relationship to the way people feel. The fact that it is suppressed is neither here nor there. The problem is that doctors are obsessed with the TSH because they have no understanding of it. You do not need TSH once you are on thyroid hormone replacement, so the fact that it is suppressed is irrelevant. It won't do you any harm.
As for the FT3, most people need it at the top of the range - or even slightly over the top - to feel well. But it's a question of trial and error. Nobody can say in advance just where yours will need to be. But it's very rare to see an FT3 at the top of the range with a TSH that isn't suppressed.
Many thanks for your reply. My TSH suppression is needed due to the Thyroid cancer, so having my FT3 at the top of the range wouldn't be a problem anyway if I felt better for it.
If it's only pulse you are after, buy yourself a cheap pulse oximeter - not for the O2 levels it gives, but it produces a very quick reading of heart rate without hunting for anything! I bought one for another reason a while back, but it was invaluable when I was monitoring hyper symptoms when I had thyrodiitis (I became hyper and then bradycardic on beta blockers!), and it is the quickest way of getting a heart rate imaginable, and saves getting wound up about it too! If only I could get such a fast blood pressure reading from a machine.
Ebay have them for well under 20 quid, (pick a supplier with near 100% reputation) although you might wait a bit for it coming from a supplier abroad, from UK suppliers they can be a little dearer, but still under 20 quid.
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