New please help

[Vezza]

Hello....

I have just joined and really no nothing about thyroid I am not very computer savvy or intelligent but I am desperate and hoping someone can help.??.. My history is I have been on levothyroxine for 8.5 years 125mg per day in the last two years I have gained 2 stone and feel like I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown I cry daily, I'm tired have disturbingly poor short term memory and feel like I have totally lost my identity and am living my life behind glass unable to touch reality or communicate properly. I have posted my latest results. If anyone can advice me or knows of a genius thyroid Dr that they could recommend that can help I would be eternally grateful.. That's if once reading my results you think that is my problem.??

Many thanks in advance

TSH. 0.09

free T4 20

Free T3. 3.5

Serum Folate 7.3

Vitamin D 113

Haemoglobin est. 113

Serum Iron level. 7.2

Transferrin saturation index 9%

B12. 278

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Vezza.

Do you have the lab ref ranges (the figures in brackets after the results) as it helps members to interpret your results.

Your FT3 looks low to me. T3 is the active hormone which is converted from T4. Your FT4 looks good so you may not be converting well and may benefit from a little Liothyronine (T3) added to a reduced dose of Levothyroxine (T4). Low T3 can certainly make you feel very low, depressed, anxious and tearful.

Your B12 and folate also look low and you may feel benefit from supplementing methylcobalamin B12 sublingual lozenges, spray or patches and folic acid or methylfolate.

Your vitD is in the optimal range 75-200 but could be higher. We should all supplement vitD3 during October to April as ultraviolet levels are too low to stimulate vitD. 1-2,000iu daily vitD3 softgel capsules should be sufficient.

Hopefully someone else will comment on your haem and iron but the post underneath yours has a guide to iron which you may like to read. healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Heloise]

Hi Vezza, yes something is wrong. Natural desiccated thyroid can be prescribed (Armour, Erfa, etc.) which includes more elements than levo and easier treatment. If you are not using the T4 to produce T3, you will have symptoms and it looks as if you have sufficient T4 but insufficient FT3 which means conversion is not taking place. Sometimes this is due to low iron.

Scroll to the iron tests on this list. stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

In fact, it's a good website for questions you may have by clicking on other links.

[Hidden]

Vezza, your blood results suggest anaemia. Your Haemoglobin is low and should be 135-140. Your transferring saturation is also very low. It should be near 37%.

You need to start with iron supplementation to raise all these levels, along with B12, and folate, as per Clutter's post.

B12, Folate, and Iron, together, are needed to make blood cells and they will boost your haemoglobin levels.

To this you need to add some B-complex to balance all B-levels and to top-up your B1, and B6, for energy, and B2 to help in the conversion of T4.

Take iron with Vitamin C to help with the absorption and to boost your immune system.

Zinc and Magnesium are also needed and will help with your immune system.

Vitamin A and selenium, for the conversion of T4.

Once all of these vitamins and minerals reach optimal levels, the conversion will take place. Once your iron levels are high enough you'll begin to hold onto T3 for a much longer time.

[Vezza]

Hello I am overwhelmed by everyone's responses thank you so so much.!! I am reading through the paper carefully and will post up the other figures (lab reference ranges) later on today although they don't seem to be in brackets.? But there are some ranges there.! I have requested a referral to an endocrinologist from my Dr too.?? I have a FERRITIN RESULT (taken in earlier august test) SERUM FERRITIN 9ug/L (5.00 - 204.00ug/L) I hope this makes some sense.??? I am writing down all supplements mentioned.. Do I just go to a good health food store to buy them.?? (Obvs not the T3) also how do you get T3 prescribed.?? I really am so sooo grateful for responses.!!

[alangardner]

hi there and welcome vezza, as someone that is a fully confirmed techno idiot - and proud - as I am, you are not alone in the new world of cyberspace . always remember that you are and will be as savvy as you want to be ====YOU ARE AS INTELLIGENT AS YOU WANT OR NEED TO BE ==== when my lady was diagnosed as hyper 2+ years ago I didn't even know what this was , or indeed had ever really heard of it , but with ALL of the good people on this site I am a relative expert in my lady's condition now and WE are getting there [ were outside the tunnel and basking in the sunshine ]......it is a journey that is longer for some but with perseverance and the correct info and advise [ never forgetting that everyone's treatment to get to the same result will be different ] that I am sure you will get from this ' our' site as well as the most important thing to me ---- EMPATHY & UNDERSTANDING --- you will get there ......alan xxx

[Kel8]

Hi Vezza

I am pretty new to this too so can't answer all of your questions but just wanted to say you will be able to get all of the vitamins you need in Holland & Barratt or Boots if you take your list along. Also, you need to take your vitamins 4 hours away from your levo.

Kelly x

[Angel_of_the_North]

I'd also consider some adrenal support (eg ashwagandha). Cortisol is another thing that needs to be right for T4 to be converted to T3. When my cortisol was really low I was very tearful.