Latest test results help please!

[Tweetypie28]

Hi

My symptoms have returned recently after having a really good spell! So went off for another private blood test and was quite surprised at the decline in FT4. My TSH has now gone below the scale but I am now taking T3 so I believe this can be ignored?? Please correct me if wrong!

FT3 3.8 (3.1 - 6.8)

FT4 13.46 (12 - 22) my last reading in March was 18.25

TSH 0.019 (0.270 - 4.2)

Vit D 56 .1 insufficient - taking prescribed vit D tablets

Ferritin 71.9 (13 - 150) - taking prescribed iron tablets

Iron 13.0 (6.0 - 34.5)

B12 397 (191 - 663) dropped quite a lot since last test which was 568 in March

Folate 6.6 (4.6 - 18.7)

I currently take 125 levo and 10mcg of T3 (prescribed). I have another appt with endo lined up but what do you think I should be discussing?

Does your T4 result drop when you add in T3 which is what has happened here. How do I correct this? By adding more T4 or does the T3 need increasing or both!!!

My B12 is low and I will arrange for an active B12 tests, folate needs a supplement too looking at this.

However, my cholesterol has dropped!!! Wahoo, seems like the healthy eating I have been doing has worked with that - shame it hasn't worked with my weight!!

[Marz]

Your B12 is certainly very low - you also need to take Folic Acid when taking B12 as the two work together. You will find an improvement when B12 is at the top of the range - 800-900.

Cholesterol is mostly made in the body as it is needed for so many things. Around 86%. Very little from food - just a ploy by the Food Industry to encourage you to buy expensive cholesterol lowering stuff which is not needed. The Thyroid treatment is possibly lowering the cholesterol as your metabolism increases.

If you are planning an Active B12 test then do not start supplementing as this will skew the results.

Not sure about the TFT's - I know that taking T3 only will lower FT4 and TSH - but as you are taking both then it does seem a mystery. Sorry not to be able to help on that one If your symptoms have returned it may be time to increase the T3.....

[Tweetypie28 in reply to Marz]

Thank Marz, this is my thinking but I don't understand the drop in T4 - Ill ask the endo.

Interesting comment on cholesterol. Shame the weight isn't disappearing if my metabolism is increasing!

Ill hold off from the b12 at the moment until I get an active test, thank you

[Marz in reply to Tweetypie28]

I'm T3 only and now in my 3rd year Still carrying the extra weight Cholesterol will also lower with good Folate levels too...... Think Hypnoteq has explained why the T4 is where it is ....

[Tweetypie28 in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz - do you think we will ever shift this bulk??!! Do hope so

[Hidden]

We need T4 (as an inactive prohormone) for it's conversion into the active T3, that our cells need. Hence us being given Levo T4. So if we circumnavigate this process by taking some T3 directly in tablet form, we need less T4 for conversion. The body therefore isn't called upon to generate as much T4 and hence TSH is likewise reduced.

[Tweetypie28 in reply to Hidden]

This is what I thought. As I am having symptoms, do you think I need a slight raise in T3?

[Hidden in reply to Tweetypie28]

I believe that as long as ft3 is within range it isn't an issue that your TSH is suppressed (Dr Lowe??) so you could try upping your T3 to 20mcg perhaps.

[Tweetypie28 in reply to Hidden]

This was my thinking, in fact I took 20mcg this morning but always good to hear a second opinion!!

[Hidden in reply to Tweetypie28]

Let us know how you get on. I upped my 20 to 40 for a while and felt better but was going to run out of tablets. It made a difference with my temp which I monitored during the higher dose.

[Tweetypie28 in reply to Hidden]

Thats the fear isn't it, running out of tablets! The key is to make sure you pop prescription in when they are due, even if you don't need them then, they build up that way! are you still on 40 or did you have to go back down? Im off to the endo next week so thought I would increase anyway, hopefully with positive results and then tell her what Ive done in the hope she will keep me there!