My daughter is 19 and needs your help she's had this all her life.......

[julia-helayna]

My daughter is on 200mcgs of levo and still a tsh 3.5 they. She feels crap all the time she's 19 and has had this since birth. We've mentioned taking t3. Consultant said we need another blood test and to try other avenues as its expensive...... HELP advice please xxx

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum Julia-helayna.

TSH is a pituitary hormone, have your daughter's FT4 and FT3 been tested?

I'm not surprised your daughter feels unwell with TSH 3.5, she is undermedicated. The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status and for most people this will be when TSH is just above or below 1.0. Read the comments in Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] for a copy of the Pulse article to show your daughter's endo.

NHS T3 is phenomenally expensive and cost is undoubtedly a major obstacle to getting it prescribed. It can be obtained online quite cheaply but your daughter will need to pay for private thyroid tests if her endo won't test FT3.

Hypothyroid patients often have low ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate and symptoms can mimic hypothyroid symtoms. Your daughter should ask her GP to test them. Post the results and ranges in a new question for advice.

[julia-helayna]

Thank you for your reply will address your points promptly she's due a blood test xx

[Anthea55]

Have they checked pituitary or adrenals?

She may have problems converting from T4 to T3 and this can be genetic.

[Hidden]

Hello Julia,

Welcome to our forum and sorry to hear about your daughters poor health.

That is a large dose of Levothyroxine that clearly isn't working as demonstrated by a TSH of 3.5. Many members function best with a TSH of about 1.0 or sometimes even less.

Hypothyroidism can cause gut issues and in turn malabsorption.

Optimal levels of vits and iron are vital not only for general health but to make sure thyroid meds work in the body.

As others have advised it is important to have Vit D, Vit B12, folate and ferritin tested as if these aren't optimal, there is a chance that no thyroid med will work in the body.

The test your daughters doctor was referring to is T3 as he would be unable to prescribe T3 without first measuring her own levels. T3 is not easily available and extremely expensive.

It must be hard seeing your daughter suffer but it I were you, I would explore avenues to increase your daughters absorption of Levothyroxine before chasing T3.

Ensure your daughter takes her pill 1 hour before food and only with water

( not tea or coffee), 2 hours before supplements and 4 hours before iron or calcium.

Maybe supplementing deficiencies (after testing) and following a gluten free diet might also help.

Has your daughter been tested for thyroid antibodies?

Flower