Comments on blood results please?

[thyr01d]

I'd be grateful for comments on these latest blood test results:

T4 18.3 (Range 10 - 24.5)

T3 3.9 (Range 3.8 - 6.7)

TSH 0.07 (no range given)

History is that until this time last year I was on about 150 - 125 mg of Levothyroxine daily (can't remember exactly, I think it was 150 weekdays and 100 at weekends). My new GP reduced the dose to 75 mg weekdays, 50 mg at weekends and these are the latest results, one year on.

I'm tempted to ask about dropping to 50 mg weekdays and 75 at weekends, anyone have any thoughts?

For reference,

TSH October 2014 = 15.9

TSH January 2015 = <0.05

TSH June 2015 = 1.0

TSH August 2015 = 2.7

[lc1973]

Hi

I reckon If you reduce your Levothroxine most probably your TSH will rise and your FT3 which is already at the low end of being in range will become lower as will your FT4. I guess the important question is how do you feel? i know that if my FT3 is low i feel awful...mine is not as low as yours and i do feel awful and i'm taking some T3 to increase mine. What were your results like on a higher dose of levothyroxine out of interest?

[thyr01d in reply to lc1973]

Hi Ic1973

I feel as we all do, very tired, low in mood, have difficulty concentrating and can't lose weight, but I was not better on a higher dose, just had anxiety and racing heart to go with the rest!

The results on the higher dose were as shown, Oct 2014 and Jan 2015.

T3 has never been tested before, we're all surprised the lab agreed.

How long have you been taking T3 for and have you notcied a difference?

[lc1973 in reply to thyr01d]

Hi thyr01d

I am experimenting with T3 currently. i take 200mcg levothyroxine and 10mcg T3 per day.

Having felt rough most of the time since diagnosis and still putting weight on and having not seen any real improvement on levo my doctor has agreed to a trial of t3.

If im honest im not noticing a massive or instant improvement and i think..sorry know i had big expectations of T3 being the miracle cure for me ; however i do have other issues going on like low ferritin and low vit d which can affect absorption of thyroid medication and low morning cortisol. i wouldnt want to put anyone off trying it though as i know for some people on this forum it has been a godsend and it could still be for me once ive figured out the right dose of T4/T3 and being a lot more patient!.

I am due to have bloods checked again in the next couple of weeks so i would be interested to see biologically if there are any improvements as physically i am still far from right, when i say i am experimenting i am seeing if more or less levothyroxine is helping with T3 as my last blood test showed a requirement to increase medication. I have hashimotos so its possible i may be having another attack which has caused my TSH to rise as it was more like your current blood test.

Would have been good to have known your FT4 result and ranges with the previous thyroid blood tests as the TSH doesnt tell much unfortunately particularly when you are taking thyroid medication.

[thyr01d in reply to lc1973]

Unfortunately my surgery is very, very difficult about these things and charges very highly for viewing notes.

[lc1973 in reply to thyr01d]

Will they not tell you verbally? i guess it doesnt really help you now though as what is important is your current results but helps others on here to see the overall picture. When i get my results i have to ask them to tell me what i want to know, TSH, FT4 & FT3 and reference ranges otherwise they would tell me nowt! But i realise not everyone can get FT3 tested either!.

[thyr01d in reply to lc1973]

No, they will not tell me verbally, only the GP will if she rings and that's only a result of using all my persuasive talents. I do tell them what I wish to know.

I was in hospital 25 years ago having had surgery for life-threatening cancer when I had three young children and no husband. The doctor doing the rounds with the biopsy result, letting me know, if I would live or die read the lab report and said "I don't understand this"! I said, "let me see, I will" and sure enough I did.

It's not that I don't understand or don't know how to ask.

[lc1973 in reply to thyr01d]

Hi Thyr01d

Please dont think i was trying to suggest you were in some way incapable of asking...i just know some practices from my experience only like to tell you if the results are okay or not and i have to probe them to tell me what i want to know in order to try and get better. Hope you find some answers soon.

[thyr01d in reply to lc1973]

Thanks Ic1973, and sorry, I was being over-sensitive, I appreciate your and everyone else's kindness in helping.

[lc1973 in reply to thyr01d]

I know only too well about being over sensitive bordering paranoia sometimes! Most of us are in the same boat here trying to figure out how to fix ourselves. I hadnt realised how frustrating and difficult to put right this condition is!

[thyr01d in reply to lc1973]

Nor me - did you have a GP who smiled at you cheerfully and said "Oh this is easy to fix, you just pop a pill each day and that's it."? Maybe it's a good thing we didn't know then.

[lc1973 in reply to thyr01d]

Pretty much Thyr01d. ive had 5 years of not being right so far and i seem to be getting worse despite increases. The GP im seeing at the moment is not too bad but i can tell that i know more than they do and my experience of NHS endos is not a positive one to say the least....red faced and angry looking is how i would describe my experience...me being the red faced and angry one! The best help and advice ive had is on here but i still need the NHS for blood tests and medication at the moment but i may have to go it alone like some others on here in order to get well.

[thyr01d in reply to lc1973]

Mmmm, I too wonder about trialling T3 without NHS support but having read the negative possibilities written by supporter Dr Lowe I'm trying other routes first.

I wish you all good luck and hope you do recover full health.