Feeling so very low

[lizzie1]

Hi everyone

Dont honestly know where to start. In a nutshell have tried NDT and T4 and am now on 50 mcg T3 only.

Will list my recent blood results below ranges are tsh 0.35-5, t3 3.5-5.3

T3 45 mcg Dec 2014 tsh 0.13 t3 5.4

T3 50 mcg Mar 2015 tsh 0.21 t3 5.1

T3 52.5mcg Nov 2015 tsh 0.32 t3 6.3

Took my meds teatime the day before blood tests.

I feel so unwell. My body aches, my joints ache and I feel about 100. My worst symptom however is a feeling of being drugged. I barely function. I can only describe it as feeling like a zombie. I have felt like this for many years and cant continue like this. It affects my balance and I struggle to get through each day. I am breaking down crying all the time.

As you can see from the last blood test i am over range and when i see the endo next month he will have a pink fit. I dont know what else to try. I supplement with iron and B12 so no pointers there. I am starting to wonder if these symptoms are something else and was thinking about trailing HRT (i am 57).

What i cant understand is that my free t3 level looks more than adequate, if it was my thyroid why am I feeling so dreadful. I never felt much different taking meds. I have never felt the rush that some people get taking t3. My heart rate and bp initially were slightly up but now they are fine.

Would it be safe to just plough on and increase my meds to see if it my brain needs even more t3 to function. I have read that some people need to be quite a bit over the range to be well. Then you read info that says not to go over range. I am so defeated.

Sorry for the moan.

[shaws Administrator]

I am on T3 only. My dose isn't as high as yours but I've never felt a rush. Just calmness. I also feel well.

I take my dose once daily. A doctor who used T3 himself at 150mcg daily I'll give a couple of his links. Unfortunately he died prematurely through an accident but this is how he treated his patients.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

I'm sorry you haven't yet found a dose which suits you.

[lizzie1 in reply to shaws]

Thanks shaws for your reply.

[greygoose]

The blood tests only show what's in the blood, not what's getting into the cells. You may have some sort of hormone resistance.

To try and help absorption, all your nutrients need to be optimal. Have you had anything else tested except iron and B12? I take it you did have them tested before supplementing? How much are you taking? Have you tried taking vit C with the iron to aid absorption? Do you take a B complex with the B12? All these little détails help us to understand.

[lizzie1 in reply to greygoose]

Hi Greygoose My ferritin was 35 but have been religiously supplementing since then. I take vit c with the iron. I take a separate vit b tablet to the b12. I did a rt3 test and it was normal. My endo would not give me my iron figures last time but said they were good.

Just stumped as to why i feel so grotty. Thats why i am starting to think it might not be thyroid related. Not keen on the thought of HRT but if it helped then would give it a go.

Appreciate your reply.

[greygoose in reply to lizzie1]

Tell your endo he's breaking the law! It is your legal right to have your results.

OK. So, what was your B12 result and how much are you taking?

Have you had vit D tested?

[lizzie1]

Thanks for the reply reallyfedup. My endo would not give me my iron figures but said they were all good. I do know my Vit d3 is fine though.

I had read that you could allow just 12 hrs before a blood test when using t3 as it is so short acting. I think i had about 15 hrs between the last medication taken and the test. I did have one private endo who wanted me to take my meds before the blood test. Confusing!