Blood test results plus ramblings

FT3 - 8.1 (3.5 - 6.5)

FT4 - 2.9 (ll - 23)

TSH - 0.03 (0.35 - 4.50)

Any comments on these?

I've not been feeling brilliant since the beginning of the year and feel that there is something else going on.

One observation is the timing of my first dose of T3 in that I've been sleeping well and not waking up until 8.00 am or later. This morning I woke up very early and took T3 at 4.00 am and seems to have made a difference in that I'm more 'with it', more energy and more 'can do' attitude.

NHS Endo doesn't want to see me for 6 months, offered no advice except for the usual 'you're taking too much T3' and my response of 'not interested in figures, how I feel is more important'. This could be the end but am keen to use the NHS for blood tests and nothing else.

[humanbean]

If taking T3 at 4am has made you feel a little better, then perhaps your adrenals are struggling and you would benefit from using the circadian T3 method developed by Paul Robinson. He's written a couple of books about it and also has a blog.

recoveringwitht3.com/blog

I have never used his method but I know many people get a lot better with it.

[Hidden in reply to humanbean]

I've tried that humanbean but unfortunately setting the alarm and not getting back to sleep left me wiped out. I understand the science behind it as I bought the book. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[shaws]

Your blood tests are consistent with someone on T3 alone.

If you are feeling better, the dose must suit you.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

I was feeling better shaws up until the New Year. Do you think the results look OK? Thanks.

[shaws in reply to Hidden]

Yes, the results look fine but read down a couple of paras and you will see Dr Lowe pays no attention to the TSH after the initial diagnosis. Only how the patient feels.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Hidden]

If you're no longer feeling well and your t3 has crept up above the range maybe cut your dose a tiny bit and see if it helps - ? How are your pulse and temp?

[BillieSt]

Sorry but TSH of 0.03 is nearly on the floor, it's negligible.

[shaws in reply to BillieSt]

I often had a TSH of 0.01. Dr Toft said it's o.k. to have a very low or suppressed TSH if you feel better.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

Actually Shaws, I'm wondering if maybe you might be able to clarify the point I made below please? I have never really been able to get my head around this :-s

[Hidden in reply to BillieSt]

Please correct me if I am mistaken but I think thyroid cancer patients are expected to have a suppressed TSH as standard as part of their treatment. Surely it makes no difference whether you have cancer or not with as suppressed TSH, as long as you are not clinically over stimulated?

[shaws in reply to Hidden]

Exactly the point Dr Lowe made often. No harm comes to us with thyroid hormones. If someone forgets and takes a double dose he/she will be over-stimulated and may not feel too good, but he/she just misses next days dose till system settles down. Dr Skinner also made the same point.

[shaws]

Sorry, I missed out the link to Dr Lowe. This is the excerpt:

Our treatment team uses the TSH level only initially to help clarify a patient’s thyroid status. But during treatment, we completely ignore the level. The reason is that the TSH level is totally irrelevant to normalizing the patient’s whole body metabolism and relieving his or her suffering. The only clinical value of the TSH level is to see the effect of a particular dose of thyroid hormone on the pituitary gland’s "thyrotroph" (TSH-secreting) cells.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[BillieSt in reply to shaws]

It would appear not all endocrinologists follow that doctrine!

[puncturedbicycle in reply to BillieSt]

Yes, it's a problem.

[shaws in reply to BillieSt]

Oh, what if they would, life would be so much better for their many of their patients! They haven't been taught/learned the skills.

[BillieSt]

I think that's an unfair assessment. The link is to a private practitioner who offers his patients a particularly intensive treatment at some cost. The (excellent, as it happens) endocrinologist who has treated me the past two years doesn't have the benefit of such a relationship with his patients. NHS hospital clinics are very full, we usually have to wait some 3 months between consultations, often relying on blood tests in between which by necessity mean some level of diagnosis based on the TSH, F4, F3. Better that surely, than self diagnosis and treatment.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to BillieSt]

It's brilliant that you've had such an excellent experience and treatment. May I ask what part of the country you're in? I'm always on the lookout for a good endo.

[humanbean in reply to BillieSt]

I'm much happier self-treating. I've had my fill of being patronised by the medical profession to be honest.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to humanbean]

To be fair it sounds like BillieSt isn't being patronised, which is what we all want and deserve from a doctor. A good endo is the holy grail.

[Aurealis]

I wonder if you'd feel better if you take your doses at exactly the same time each day. 4 am maybe too early for you to stay awake, but perhaps 6.30 or something would be ok? Having said that, I sometimes take my early dose at 4 if I can't sleep and it seems to last until my next dose.

[mickstability]

Could it be that the batch of T3 you've got isn't as strong as previous batches? I know that the Mercurypharma batch 81526 that I've been taking since just after Christmas only seems to be about 75% as strong as previous batches. Just a thought...