Thyroid results

[Lisab68]

Can anyone make sense of these for me. I am on 100 thyroxine daily, finally got my doc to check t3 but don't understand results

[Marz]

How long have you been on T4 ? - it is still low in range. As is the FT3....FT4 needs to be in the upper quarter of the range and the FT3 in the upper third - I have read....

More importantly - how do you feel ?

[Lisab68 in reply to Marz]

Been on thyroxine about 10 years always on 100, yearly tests always show me (according to doc) as ok on this dosage. Feel like I've been hit by a bus most days, also diagnosed with fibromyalgia and depression. All my symptoms are just labelled as depression by doc so never feel any better am on 200 sertraline daily and also amytriptyline 50 at night

[Marz in reply to Lisab68]

...sorry to hear you feel unwell. Have you had your levels checked of - B12 - Ferritin - Folate - Iron - VitD ?? When these are optimal you will begin to feel better as your T4 tablet will convert into the more ACTIVE thyroid hormone T3...

Sometimes it is the basics we have to attend to in order to feel well. We also have to take control and be politely assertive

[Clutter]

LisaB, TSH 1.8 is a little high for comfort for most people who are usually comfortable with TSH just above or below 1.0. Your FT4 is low in range, ideally it would be in the top 75% of range >16 and FT3 would be in the top third of range >4.6.

If you are still symptomatic ask your GP for a dose increase. Read Dr. Toft's comments in Treatment Options thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if a copy of the full Pulse article would be helpful to show your GP.

[Poshpenny]

I'm most definitely no expert, but I wonder if you could be having problems converting the inactive t4 hormone into the active t3? In which case, some t3 might be helpful for you. However getting that on the NHS is very very hard, because they pay way over the odds for it compared to what it can be bought for in Turkey for example. Or (but again you'd have to go off piste to get some) NDT, which has both t3 and t4 in it. I think best first step would be to try and get your thyroxine dose increased, and get the ferritin folate vitamin b12 and vitamin d all tested to make sure those are all good too. If those are not "optimal" then the thyroxine pills won't work as well as they should.

[greygoose in reply to Poshpenny]

I think she's converting OK, it's just that she hasn't got much to convert. Both FT4 and FT3 are below range.

Lisab, you need an increase in dose. 100 mcg is not very much.