Help understanding results please

[Tishlyn]

Hi there. I've just joined the site after being rather confused this week by information I was given by a rheumatology consultant I saw. I really hope someone can help

I have been hypothyroid for approx 20 years, along with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, migraines, hypertension and undifferentiated connective tissue disease. Anyway, this consultant listened to my symptoms and considered I may be deficient in Vit D and, importantly, seeing I had a TSH of 0.06, he felt either my pituitary wasn't functioning correctly or that I may be overdosing on thyroxine. I have taken 125mcg thyroxine each day for at least the last seven years, but can't remember the dose I was on before then

He arranged tests and then rang yesterday to tell me the results. Vit D levels were on the floor: 70 is good, 50-60 is deficient and my result was 15! Then he told me my TSH 0.06 (0.35-4.5), Free T4 23.2 (11-23), Free T3 3.8 (3.5-6.5).

He is writing to my GP for Vit d supplements and to ask that they reduce my thyroxine. Does anyone know if I am now considered hyperthyroid now. So confused by it all!!

Thanks to anyone if they can help me understand this.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Tishlyn.

I hope your GP prescribes loading doses of vitD3 to boost your levels. Mine prescribed 40,000iu daily x 14 days followed by 2,000iu daily for 8 weeks and vitD rose to 107 from <10.

You aren't hyperthyroid, nor are you overmedicated. Low TSH does not indicate overmedication unless FT4 and FT3 are considerably over range. Your FT4 is a gnat's over range and up to 27 would be acceptable. Your FT3 is at the bottom of range and is likely to become lower with the dose reduction. Low TSH, high FT4 and low FT3 indicates a lack of T4 to T3 conversion. It would be helpful if Liothyronine (T3) was added to your Levothyroxine to raise your FT3. Your GP may not be able to prescribe Liothyronine without an endocrinologist's recommendation.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Tishlyn in reply to Clutter]

Thank you so much for your reply. I took this information to a doctor (not my normal GP as there is currently a very long wait to see him) and he agreed that my thyroxine should stay the same, but we did not discuss the T3. I will bring this up when I see my own GP next time. He also prescribed vitamin D - which he said was a loading dose, but it is 1 mcg per. day, which doesn't sound a lot to me, compared to 40,000 iu daily you mentioned, but perhaps that is the same dose. Wouldn't life be easier if everyone used the same units!

[Clutter in reply to Tishlyn]

Tishlynn, 1mcg vitd = 40iu. That's wholly inadequate, babies are given 400iu. See your own GP as soon as you can or buy online.