Is this a silly question about taking Levo ??

[lynnwin]

Hi not sure if this is a silly question I'm taking 100mcg Levo on one day and 75mcg on another and had my bloods back T4 21.4 (12.0-22.0) TSH 0.16 ( 0.27-4.2) .. I keep a diary and it seems I feel worse on the day I take 100mcg   is this just coincidence or could this be what's happening ? They didn't do my t3 even though the GP said they would .. So I'm having to pay Biolab to do the whole lot again grrr ... Do you think it would be beneficial to have RT3 done also ?? Many thanks in adavance xxxxxxxxx

[Mikiviki]

Your results look good.  I don't know how long you've been taking medication but it takes most of us a long time to feel well. If your t4 is good T3 is being properly converted.  But I always get both checked just in case.  I did get high T3 once and I felt a bit jumpy.  

[lynnwin in reply to Mikiviki]

Thank you Mikiviki I think it's worthless the labs just doing t4 and TSH as it th T3 that's important .. My friend would have been really poorly if she hadn't insisted on a FT3 .. Can't really afford it but got no choice have to pay for the 3 to be done again  thanks for your help I thought it may have been a silly question but seemed weird I felt worse when taking the 100mcg dose xxxxx

[greygoose in reply to Mikiviki]

Ummm... no, that's not true. You cannot tell how well you are converting just by looking at the FT4. Your FT4 could be very high, but your FT3 rock bottom. You need to have both taken at the same time to be able to tell how you're converting.

[sulamaye]

Mikiviki how do you conclude that if t4 is good t3 will be fine? Why does good t4 = t3 being properly converted? That assumes you are converting it fine, that you are not over converting to rt3 etc I just can't see your logic. Why would any of us advise people to get t3 tested if we knew that t4 indicated everything was hunky dory?

[130396 in reply to sulamaye]

I agree 100% with you sulamaye. 

I would've been extremely ill if gp hadn't had ft3 tested as well.

My tsh was low ft4 high BUT ft3 was at bottom of range.

I've just also had RT3 tested and to my surprise was almost double what it should be!!!

I'm on 100mcgs levo and 20mcgs t3. Was told to reduced t3 from 25mcgs to 20mcgs due to high RT3.

 Mikiviki you CANNOT assume that someone is OK based on t4 results.

It is very possible Lynne isn't converting and may also be building up high RT3 

[radd]

lynnwin,

Taking alternate doses of Levothroxine on different days is fine because T4 has a long half life meaning it takes a several weeks to leave the body.

Your results are good but as you know it is the T3 that is crucial as being the active hormone will be the one to alleviate symptoms. 

Testing RT3 is controversial as although the results speak for themselves the interpretation of how that result was achieved is immensely complicated. 

Post T3 results complete with range (numbers on brackets) for members to comment.

[lynnwin in reply to radd]

Hi radd thank you for your reply .. Yes I'm going to get them redone with Biolab just cross as the GP said they would do t3  now having to pay as I don't know what's going on ? ... I won't do RT3 as Biolab can't do it by post they said the lab needs the sample within one hour of taking it and I don't want to travel to London .. My best friend had hers done and is struggling to get someone to make sense of them and after paying out for them which she can hardly afford she found out she has to pay again for them to be read not good when most of us are too poorly to work  

I will post my results when I receive them thank you for taking the time to reply take care xxxxxxx

[sulamaye]

Personally I can't see that you would feel better or worse on a day you took more t4, t4 is a storage system with a long half life so it is unlikely that it's effect would be immediate like t3 s effect is, it is more that it accumulates. Personally if your paying and can afford it you may as well get rt3 tested then you will have the full picture.

[lynnwin]

Hi sulamaye I can't really afford it but have no choice as its the only way to see what's going on ... Biolab won't do RT3 by post as it needs to be tested within a hour of taking it Genova do it but my best friend found out to her detriment that after paying for bloods she needed to pay again for someone to read the results  as Radd said above they are hard to read if when I get my results it looks like there is a problem I will ask to see a endo .. Thank you so much for your reply this thyroid thing is a bloody nightmare  

Take care xxxxxx 

[sulamaye in reply to lynnwin]

I used stop the madness to see ratio of rt3 to t3 it wasn't hard. I think there is another testing company, can't remember who look at resources here or in TPAUK site you should get a discount code too.

[130396 in reply to sulamaye]

The problem is I've just had all the tests done including RT3. 

I used the sttm calculator to convert it all and got the answers from that. But when Iasked how to rectify high RT3 I couldn't get any answers and Thyroid UK who I ordered the test through are unable or unwilling to interpret and advise so hit a brick wall at a huge cost. So total waste of money unless someone can interpret and advise.

I personally still think lynnwynn should get the complete tests done including RT3. 

Maybe someone else here who has used UK testing xan give some guidance as to where to get the tests done with a company that will follow up with some help

[sulamaye in reply to 130396]

I agree I think she should get rt3 done too. The two pronged approach to tackling high rt3 are firstly to identify what is causing it, high cortisol, low cortisol from a saliva stress test, or other stresses on the body like a low calories diet. Then address that as much as possible, so take adrenal support or use adrenal lowing herbs etc. Then to actually clear the rt3: t3 only will suppress tsh so you don't make any more t4 and no t4 = no rt3 and some people think it takes about twelve weeks to clear it. But obviously you need to address the cause or trigger else  you'll just be on t3 forever like me or it will all start again. 

[Wishingwell in reply to 130396]

I know this is a relatively old post but my understanding is to rectify high rt3 you would reduce t4 and introduce t3 - it's t3 that lowers high rt3.

[130396 in reply to Wishingwell]

Hi

Thanks for your reply

I am already on t3 as I take both t4 and t3

My hard heartbeat is very bithersome

[Wishingwell in reply to 130396]

Ah ok did you lower t4 and then add/ increase t3?

[130396 in reply to Wishingwell]

I did lower t4 and kept t3 the same.

Still got hard heartbeat and hot flushes though