Help ! Ft3 9.73 feeling desperate.: Hi everyone... - Thyroid UK

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Help ! Ft3 9.73 feeling desperate.

sophiethecat2003 profile image

Hi everyone,

In need of some help with my blood test results from Blue Horizon.

I think I am over medicated, but don't understand the figures.

I take 150mcg of Levo, 40 mcg Tertroxine, Paroxetine 20mcg and vit D tablet daily.

My doctor is away for 2 weeks, do I need to see someone else?

Results below.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Thanks

sophie xx

Biochemistry

Ferritin H 274.1 20 - 150 ug/L

Thyroid Function

Free T4 21.37 12 - 22 pmol/L

Free T3 H 9.73 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

TSH L <0.005 0.27 - 4.20 IU/L

Immunology

Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs H 87.6 <34 kIU/L

Vitamins

Vitamin B12 192 142 - 725 pmol/L

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sophiethecat2003
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14 Replies
shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Did you leave 24 hours approx between taking your hormones and the blood test?

sophiethecat2003 profile image
sophiethecat2003 in reply to shaws

I rang them and they said I needed to take my meds.

But I did leave 11 hours as I did it in the evening and stored it in the fridge.

Sophie

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to sophiethecat2003

Some more responses will come along. I would have thought that the results would be skewed and probably gave you a higher T3 than otherwise and a very low TSH.

I took T3 one morning before blood test but GP allowed me another test as I could see he was shocked and he was happy that my T3 was now in range (I left 24 hours this time round). This is an excerpt from a previous post by Clutter:

It strikes me that this dosing according to TSH, FT4 and FT3 really is rubbish and leads to inconclusive and conflicting advice from medics who should know better. I felt best I've been since 2010 when I stopped meds in Nov 2013 and my TSH rose to 107.5 in Dec.

T4 monotherapy which I complied with for 2 years left me almost bedridden. T3 monotherapy was better but I still felt very unwell. T4+T3 is much better but there is still room for improvement so I shall be trialling NDT.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Clutter profile image
Clutter

Sophiethecat2003, 11 hours is long enough for the T3 to be out of your serum but it is better to leave 24 hours between last dose and blood draw to measure the normal circulating hormone in your serum rather than the peak levels from recently ingested meds.

Your TSH is very suppressed, FT4 at the top of range and FT3 is considerably over range. FT3 shouldn't be more than 6.8 which is the top of range. You are overmedicated and this will be making you feel ill. thyroid.about.com/od/thyroi...

I was similarly overmedicated (slightly less than you) on 75mcg T4 + 40mcg T3 last year. I didn't feel ill or overmedicated but I had slight hand tremors and a lot of hairloss. I halved T3 to 20mcg for 2 weeks to let the higher levels wash out and then resumed 30mcg T3. Hairloss stopped 7 or 8 weeks later. 3 months after reducing dose FT3 was 4.5. I didn't have any hypo symptoms after reducing dose.

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies means you are positive for autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's). 100% gluten-free diet may help to manage Hashimoto's and reduce antibodies.

Your ferritin is also over range. If you are supplementing iron you should stop as too much iron isn't good. If you aren't supplementing, high ferritin indicates inflammation in the body. It's possible it's connected with your high FT3 and, if so, will drop when your FT3 level drops. Ask for ferritin to be retested in 3 months.

B12 is extremely low but within range. Ask your GP to do a full blood count to check your red blood cell count and to test intrinsic factor and anti-parietal cells to rule out pernicious anaemia. Don't supplement B12 until you know whether your GP will do the tests as supplementing will skew results. Post the results or ask for advice on how much to supplement if GP won't do the tests.

sophiethecat2003 profile image
sophiethecat2003 in reply to Clutter

Hi clutter

Thanks for your reply

I don't take anything extra apart from vit d.

I thought it might be a idea to leave my meds off for a couple of days.

Can I get advice from the site ? I don't want to break any rules.

I asked Blue horizon about my test and they said it would just be the T3 that would be affected so I am redoing that.

I don't know where I am with all this. My doctor is away at the moment and I asked another doctor to do a thyroid check and she wouldn't.

I have just gone with my doctor saying my test's were ok in the past, but they clearly aren't as the Blue horizon ones show.

Any advice would be greatly appreciate.

Thanks

Sophie x

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to sophiethecat2003

Sophie, skipping dose for a few days will speed up washing out the higher levels. Resume 150mcg Levothyroxine and halve the T3 to 20mcg daily and retest in 6-8 weeks. Remember to leave 24 hours between last dose and blood draw.

sophiethecat2003 profile image
sophiethecat2003 in reply to Clutter

Hi clutter,

Restarted taking meds yesterday, feeling awful again.

The 3 days I left them off I felt so much better so I don't know what that tells me.

I noticed that you answered a question from another member about vit d.

I found that I had low vit d about 3 years ago and have bee taking the same dose as the person whose asked the question.

Is vit d something I should be taking a higher dose of ?

Thanks for your help clutter.

Sophie ☺ x

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to sophiethecat2003

Sophie, The only way to tell whether you are supplementing enough or too much is to have a vitD test, at least annually. Ask your GP to test or order a private vitD test from City Assays thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

It takes time, several weeks, for the high FT3 to wash out so you will still be overmedicated.

You could continue T4 and stop T3 for a few more days to see whether there is any improvement. If there is no improvement, T4 may be the problem and you might want to try T3 only for 3 or 4 months to clear T4. You might then be able to reintroduce T4+T3 combination.

sophiethecat2003 profile image
sophiethecat2003 in reply to Clutter

Hi clutter,

Left my T3 off for 5 days in total, counting the days I left everything off. I feel dreadful.

My doctor is back on Saturday and I see her then..

I don't know if I should hang on or see another doctor.

I really don't know where I am with all this.. I feel so ill and alone. My partner is trying to help but works away and is very stressed. When he gets home at night after a long day and journey he hasn't got anything left to give.

My friend has just rung and I have cried down the phone.

I don't know what I should be asking the doctor about what tests I should be asking for. I am so upset and at the end of my tether.

I am not normally like this, I am a strong person and not a moaner.

I have other health issues and with my current BD and depression it's all getting too much.

I don't know wether to start taking the T3 again and see if that helps. I just don't know.

Any help or thoughts would be so gratefully received.

Big hugs

Sophie ☺ x

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to sophiethecat2003

Sophie, 5 days off T3 is long enough, start taking it again. It is going to take a few weeks for FT3 to drop into range. High FT3 may be causing anxiety. It should improve when level drops.

It's too soon to have more thyroid tests, you need to wait 6 weeks. You've had B12 but it would be useful to have ferritin, vitamin D and folate to see whether they are optimal.

I advise waiting to see your own doctor who can take all of your health issues into consideration.

sophiethecat2003 profile image
sophiethecat2003 in reply to Clutter

Hi clutter,

Thanks for that.

Had my ferritin done in the blue horizon test it was:

H274. 120 - 150 ug/L

Someone said that was very high and to see a haematologist.

Also...not sure who, said get a full blood count.

Is the blood count what you mentioned?

Do you think l should resume the T3 at 20 instead of 40mcg?

Thanks for your help

Hugs

Sophie ☺ x

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to sophiethecat2003

Sophie, that's not necessaary. Ferritin can be high if you had a cold or virus at the time of testing. It indicates inflammation in the body. Retest in 3-6 months. If it's still high discuss with your doctor.

I had ferritin 384 a couple of years ago when I had a lot of fibro type pain and was otherwise unwell too. GP said he wasn't concerned. Health improved a few months later and I've not had it retested.

sophiethecat2003 profile image
sophiethecat2003 in reply to Clutter

Hi clutter,

Thanks for that.

No cold or virus at the time of testing, but had been on Paroxetine for a few weeks, which tied in with the blue horizon report saying I had only been over active for a few weeks.

I am beginning to think that the Paroxetine may be responsible for some, if not all of this.

Thanks so much for your help.

Big hugs

Sophie ☺ x

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to sophiethecat2003

Sophie, worth mentioning to your GP. A different SSRI may suit you better. There are no known drug interactions between Paroxetine and Levothyroxine on Drugs.com

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