Hi. I have been advised to post on here to see what you make of my results. I've had hashimotos for 14 years and am on a constant rollercoaster with my thyroid. I am currently on 125 Levo and seem to swing from hypo to hyper every few months. I haven't felt well for a long time and currently have about 15 symptoms of hypothyroid including fatigue, aching muscle, joint pains, cold extremities and low mood. I seem to walk around in a daze! I am wondering whether I would benefit from T3, but I know that it isn't easy to get in the UK. Any advice would be amazing. Thank you
Tsh 0.28 (0.30-4.20)
Free t4 15.2 (9.0-19.0)
Free t3 3.5 (2.6-5.7)
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Vic198
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As you are still symptomatic it may be worth asking your GP for an increase in dose. It will suppress your TSH but should improve your FT4 and FT3 which aren't optimal. Dr. A. Toft, ex-president of the BTA, states in the link below that the purpose of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status and sometimes that may mean that TSH will need to be suppressed in order for FT4 and FT3 to be higher in range. Email louise.warvill@thyroiduk.org.uk if you want a full copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.
Ask too for ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate to be tested as low levels are common in hypothyroid patients and cause musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and low mood similar to hypothyroid symptoms.
Thank you so much for the reply. I have only recently ordered the thyroid uk information pack and I can't believe it has taken me so many years to read more about it. It is so good to read that all these symptoms that I have are thyroid related, as there are so many now and I didn't know where to start. I will check those other bloods too as I wake with awful aching muscles every day and have joint pains, twitching muscles and now three mortens neuromas! So, it is ok to have a very low (out of range) tsh if your t3 and t4 are optimal? Thank you so much for your help. I found the information pack so informative and reassuring and wish I had read it sooner.
Vic198, a lot of doctors are very anti below range TSH but it is sometimes necessary in order to optimise FT4 and FT3 in order that the patient feels well. My own TSH varies between 0.01 and undetectable as TSH is suppressed to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer recurring.
Thanks Clutter. You've been a great help. I'll head back to the GP to discuss and get the other tests done. Out of interest do you take Nutri Thyro or know if it helps?
I function best on a suppressed TSH with FT3 & FT4 in higher range. Some GP's need educating in this matter & I was referred to an endo who has allowed me to stay on this dose.
I would suggest great caution be exercised with regard to using any thyroid supplements considering the length of time you have been medicating with Levothyroxine. Perhaps you could get some medical guidence should you want to go down this route.
The last thing doctors should do is adjust our thyroid hormones, due only to the TSH result.
When you get a new blood test for your thyroid hormones, don't take levothyroxine before it, take it after and leave approx 24 hours between the last dose of levo and blood test which should be as early as possible.
When you take levo you should leave around 1 hour before eating because food can interfere with the uptake. If you've had breakfast before your blood test, you should leave a two hours gap each side of taking levo.
Thanks Shaws. I usually take my thyroxine at bedtime. Is it better first thing? the last blood test I had was about 4pm and I had been fasting that day. I was doing the 5:2 but have decided that, although it is good for my weight, it may have been exacerbating my thyroid symptoms.
Sugar highs and lows can encourage a Hashimotos attack and further unbalance disrupted thyroid hormones. It is of utmost importance to eat low GI foods and practice a healthy life style. A lot of people have said going gluten and possibly dairy free has made a huge difference in controlling their Hashimotos attacks
Taking bedtime dose is fine, as long as you've last eaten 2 hours previously (longer if you've had a fatty meal). Blood test is always best at the earliest as the TSH is highest then (it varies throughout the day) and it may mean the difference between non-diagnosis and diagnosis. You have to miss the bedtime dose if you're having a blood test next day (allow approx 24 hours gap between levo and test). Take dose after test and you can also take your dose as normal that night.
I think the 5:2 is good as you only need to do it two days a week. I am doing it and it's had no effect thyroidwise on me.
4 pm is much too late for a TSH test. It's highest very early in the morning, and gets lower through the day. Had you had your test at 8.30, it would have been much higher. Just another little thing that doctors Don't know...
Whether or not it's better in the morning or at night dépends on the person. We're all different. It's what suits you best that counts. But whenever you take it, leave 24 hours between your last dose and the test.
Wow, thank you all so much. I never knew that about blood tests first thing. I've always just gone after work! I'm very interested to see what my next blood tests show. Sounds like I could do with a higher dose then I have never seen an endo. Would it be a good idea? Thanks
Bwahahahaha! You could, but only if there's a good one near you. Otherwise it's a waste of time. Email Louise. Warvill@ThyroidUK. Organisation.UK for the list
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