Conversion

[HASHISmom34]

does anyone know how long from start of taking meds it should take to see your T4 & T3 get into optimal range? My levels seem to have only gone up a little in 6 months! What i read is that you T4 & T3 should be in the upper quarter range to feel best. Thanks in advance

[Jazzw]

On 50mcg of Synthroid? Probably never - that's a starter dose at best. (I read your earlier post and the great responses you had). 50mcg is just enough to switch off whatever your own thyroid was making for itself - and therefore much less than you need. Every raise of levothyroxine takes around 4-6 weeks to reach optimum levels in your body, so it's worth testing before each 25mcg raise to see whether you need to raise again.

[HASHISmom34 in reply to Jazzw]

thank you Jazzw. I have had a crazy start after being misdiagnosed for yrs. 75 which i thought was going to do the trick ended good for a few wks then i went hyper. probably too much to start. then i broke it and did 37.5 for awhile, then 50 which i was getting better until bad headache and nausea experience after refilling my generic. I am now taking 50 of synthroid which i figured i would stay on awhile before i go asking the new endo if i can try the T3 or up my T4 to 75. One has to work. I am also looking at my current supplements though and more to add. Looking at doing gluten and dairy trials too to lessen antibodies. The highest my Tsh ever has been was 6! some have told me 75 is too much for me. others have told me i need T3. some said no i need 75 because my TSH is now still at almost 2 and they said it should be 1....... i am so confused!!!!

[Jazzw in reply to HASHISmom34]

TSH is a pretty useless test once you start taking thyroid hormone replacement. Doctors are told in medical school and by drug reps that it's all they need to look at but it's just not true, as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of unhappy hypothyroid patients around the globe. Some people do brilliantly on levo. Some don't...

Most feel best with their FT3 level in the top 25% of whatever range your lab uses. Doesn't matter if that means TSH is suppressed.

[SilverAvocado in reply to HASHISmom34]

With all this confusion about doses I would make sure to get tested before any change. Make sure you've been on a given dose for at least 6 weeks, then you need TSH, freeT4 and freeT3 tested. If your GP won't do that, go through Blue horizon, it cost well under £100.

The most important number is freeT3, which should be in the top third. If it's not you need to raise, if it's over range you need to reduce.

Ifyou're finding that raised make you feel uncomfortable even though the blood tests show you're under medicated, which it sounds like may have happened, make sure your vitamin D, B12, ferritin and folate are all optimal. Also consider treating the adrenals, starting with a 24hr saliva cortisol test. This you'll have to pay for yourself as it's not done on the NHS.

[HASHISmom34 in reply to SilverAvocado]

thank you. All of my levels are good except ferritin and iron. they were lower but not deficient. i started an iron supplement with added b12, C and folic acid for better absorption.

[SilverAvocado in reply to HASHISmom34]

The NHS ranges are extremely bad. You can be very sick from a deficiency even if your numbers are well within the range. Generally you want them to be at least halfway up the range as a minimum.

I don't know much about raising iron, but there will be loads on the forum if you search or start a new thread about it. Usually you want to be very careful to get the good quality form in high doses. Most of the supplements you buy in shops are intended for just for maintenence. You can retest a few months later and see if your levels have increased.

[HASHISmom34 in reply to SilverAvocado]

yeah I am aware. I get my levels checked every few months. I do not buy my supplements from stores, I order from health companies online that my brother who is a nutritionist recommended. Labs do not have the best guidelines for example either. For vitamin D they have less than 30 is insufficient, under 20 deficient! Actually for no symptoms you should have a level above 50 and optimal health closet to 70-80 especially for hash's patients. @ yrs ago my General practitioner told me i was ok when my levels were 30..... then a few months later i was at 27 and she still never said anything. I started requesting copies of all my labs and seen all of this. Needless to say i started on High potency Vit D3 right away and started feeling better soon after. I do not rely on labs or drs as much any more. I am my own advocate, do tons of research on my own.