Results

[RM10]

can anyone help me with my results please.

FT4 7.7 (range 9.0 - 25.0)

FT3 4.5 (Range 3.5-6.5)

TSH 4.1 (Range 0.30-5.0)

I take 10mg liothyronine (t3)

5000mg sublingual B12

doctor wants me to increase T3 dose to 20mg

[Clutter]

Yes, you look to be under medicated. Another 10mcg will help lower your TSH and raise your FT4 and FT3 a bit and should help you feel a bit better.

Next time you're due thyroid bloods ask your GP to test ferritin, vitamin D and folate (no point testing B12 as you;re supplementing). Vits are often deficient/low in range with hypothyroidism and getting them high in range boosts well being.

[Marz]

I agree with Clutter. How long have you been on T3 ? They do say that once on T3 bloodtests are not quite as helpful - they are only a guide. Usually with T3 the TSH is suppressed and the FT4 is lower. You are on a small dose of T3 so increasing may help. You do not mention your symptoms. Are you taking Folic Acid with your B12 ? As they work together....

[RM10]

Thanks for the replies.

I've been on T3 nearly two years. Before that I was on levothyroxine 50mg for about 5 years. About a year after starting thyroid meds (coincidence or not?) I started falling over and being unable to walk then for upto 2 weeks. A 3 week stay in hospital (and 2 years off work wheelchair bound) found nothing wrong. I read my notes and included in them was 'possible thyroid myopathy'.

As hospital never mentioned this to me or looked into it I started experimenting myself.

Along the way my lactose intolerance symptoms were getting worse and I found there was lactose in levothyroxine. I visited my unhelpful GPs and refused to leave until they changed my medication - he was not happy with me and said let's try T3 (liothyronine). (He said he didn't know if it had lactose in it or not!). I gave it a go and continued looking into thyroid myopathy. Due to the continued falling over I thought I may be over-prescribed at 20mg so I started taking 10mg. February was the last month that I fell over constantly and I felt I was doing ok though very fatigued and unable to lose weight even though I eat fairly healthily. So when these tests came back and said I should put my dose back upto 20mg I don't know if I should. I should say that every GP I've spoken to says my falling over has nothing to do with my thyroid probs/meds.

Sorry for the long post, I just don't know what to do. Wondering about taking private tests?

[rosetrees in reply to RM10]

I wonder if you'd be a candidate for natural dessicated thyroid. I think Armour can be prescribed on a named patient basis. This has T3 and T4 in it (as well as T2, T1). I don't think there is any lactose in NDT but it might suit you better than T3 only.

[Marz in reply to RM10]

Are you taking Folic Acid with your B12 - they do work together in the body so you need BOTH.... Ferritin - Folate - Iron also need to be tested. Post the results with ranges and lets see if someone can help....

[RM10 in reply to Marz]

No I'm not taking folic at all, I will look into this, thanks

[Marz in reply to RM10]

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

[Hidden]

When on T3 only many don't feel well until their T3 is at very top of range or even over the top and TSH suppressed. It looks like you could take more T3 if you are going to keep taking T3 only. There is a liquid T4 called Tirosint that has no allergens in it. I am in the States and don't know if you can get it. But when you take T3 you really need to make sure your iron is good and your D, as well, and your adrenals can handle it. T3 without good adrenal function can be disastrous. Iron testing should be a nutritional status, not just ferritin. That would include percent saturation and TIBC. Are you gluten free? If you are lactose intolerant you could also be gluten intolerant. There is such a thing called gluten ataxia. Symptoms include loss of balance.

[RM10 in reply to Hidden]

Sorry, how do I know if my adrenals can handle it?

I was taking vit D over the winter but I've let is slip, need to start taking again.

I haD wondered about gluten so did a gluten test ages ago and it came back negative! Saying that I did a few months gluten free and all my stiffness in my hips seemed to clear up. I am really on the verge now of going gluten free, it's just making the decision to start and being prepared in the kitchen.

To be honest I don't ask the GPs advice on much now as they always say I've had all the tests possible and they all come back negative/ in range etc.

I find it so hard to understand how the thyroid works

[Marz in reply to RM10]

...for good information on adrenals click onto stopthethyroidmadness.com and at the top of the page click onto ADRENALS

[sheenah]

The NDT Nature-Throid is apparently hypoallergenic - you poor thing - I would strongly advise you to buy Doc Peatfields Book - Your Thyroid and How to keep it healthy - It's the Thyroid Bible as far as I am concerned!! Sheenah x

[RM10]

Really sorry to bother you all again with my questions but something has just happened.

I halved my T3 Dosage in February as I thought I might be over prescribed.

After going to the docs earlier this week for blood results I was told to increase my dosage back to 20mg.

I've done two days at this dose and whilst at work today I've fallen all my length on the floor and am now having to use both my crutches again.

I've had 3 years of falls and no one knows why. Is it coincidence that when I halved my thyroid tabs end of few my falls stopped and now I've increased them I've started to fall over again?

Any ideas anybody???

[Hidden]

Sorry I didn't respond back to you before, but for some reason I wasn't seeing my first response at the thread.

The link provided to you would have been where I would have sent you for adrenal information.

It could be that you cannot raise your doses that quickly. Some people are extremely sensitive to any raises in dosage, especially of T3, and can even feel a difference when just increasing by 2.5 mcg. You can experience myopathy from being both hyper or hypo, and your blood tests do show that you are hypo. My Endo has told me that the brain is the first to respond to T3, so maybe you just need to raise a bit slower? And making sure your iron levels are good is imperative for taking T3. If you have any anemia at all, you have a good chance of not having a good reaction with thyroid hormones, especially T3. A nutritional status iron is imperative, as hemoglobin as well as ferritin do not give you a good read on your iron stores. Ferritin can be falsely raised due to inflammation, and hemoglobin can be raised simply because of a raised red blood cell count.

[RM10]

Thanks all, I've got a few things to look at now, you are all so knowledgeable.

I've decided to move to a different gP surgery and am in the middle of doing this at the moment. Hopefully a fresh set of eyes and thoughts will help.

I've taken myself back down to half dosage and I'm going to keep taking half dosage for a few more days til I'm back on my feet (literally) then I will up the dose to 20mg as per doc and see if I start falling again. Think I need to do this to confirm what is happening. Then see if new doctor can help.

Thanks I will also be looking into all the other helpful hints you have all given me.