How to tell if you convert well?

[Emstar1892]

Can anyone tell me how to do this? For reference I have tsh 2.56 ft3 3.1 (3.1-6.8) ft4 10.1 (12-22)

[galathea]

If your free t4 is at the top of the range, or just over but your free t3 is bottom end of range, then chances are you dont convert the t4 into t3.

Your problem rather looks like you are not on enough meds to push the free t4 to the top end of the range. In fact itS not even in range but the free t3 is at bottom of range....

Assuming you are on levothyroxine?

G x

[Emstar1892 in reply to galathea]

Thanks very much! Sadly no I'm not on anything as my doctor says the TSH is normal and that the private ft3 and ft4 tests I had done are "hocus pocus."

[shaws Administrator in reply to Emstar1892]

Your doctor needs to be retrained (if they get any training in the first place).

You've had your first lesson in 'Diagnose It Yourself' with regard to thyroid gland dysfunctions.

Due to their guidelines informing them to only diagnose upon the TSH alone I doubt they know what FT3 and FT4 stands for. You may also have antibodies which are attacking your thyroid gland, if so you would have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease called Hashimotos.

We have to read and learn. As doctors usually only request TSH you are well within the normal range but your FT4 and FT3 are so low you've practically no thyroid hormones to drive your metabolism.

I am assuming you have clinical symptoms? Tick them off.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

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

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

[Milbrook]

Hi

You know if you have a conversion issue not only with results but you will still have half or more than half of your original symptoms

Check your base temp before you get out of bed, if it is below 35 then you have a conversion issue and you have a fight on your hands to convince your Dr and Consultants.

There is a medical paper from the USA which states the calculations of thyroid people is not the recommended tables to follow.

UK Dr's (not all) do not think out of the box and therefore because they have been taught to check records they will not endeavour to look at alternatives.

T3 will help, but trying to get a Dr to prescribe will be eventful

Good luck

Milbrook

[Emstar1892 in reply to Milbrook]

Thank you very much fro your advice. My temp is normally 35.4 and the rest of the symptoms are absolutely terrible (getting worse). Sigh.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Emstar1892]

This is a test which is self-explanatory.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[galathea in reply to Emstar1892]

Well you have free t3 at the bottom of the range, free t4 below the bottom and a tsh which is probably rising. Whether it rises enough to satisfy your doctor that you are ill, is open to debate. You can stand your ground and argue with him but its probably so hard to convinvice him that he knows nothing it may just be easier to move surgeries.

A lot of countries in the world would treat with a tsh over 2.5, sadly not the uk. They prefer to leave you to suffer.

There are some enlightened doctors around though..... some who dont use phrases like hocus pocus. ( ignorant git ). please find yourself one.

Xx G

[Angel_of_the_North]

With FT4 that low, you'd expect a TSH over the top of the range. With those results, I ask for an endo referral for secondary/central hypo thyroid (with that the TSH doesn't rise). The conversion looks OK, but there is nothing to convert!

[quiet-hawk-5989]

Conversion becomes more of an issue if you are being given a T4 only medical regime. If you can't convert, the T4 (Levothyroxine) backs up in your system and you can become seriously ill. I think it is true to say that everyone who has Hashimotos has a conversion problem... at least that is what I was told - you need TPO test to establish that as the cause for your symptoms - most of the more modern research on Hypothroidism states that a huge percentage of patients have Hashi's so you could be right in the end... Sorry you have this tedious journey ahead of diagnosing and finding the right treatment...