On T3, call back on blood test for this pm

[PiggySue]

I had blood tests recently for iron and they must have done the TSH. I have been well and using T3 only (3 daily doses of 50mg of UniPharma T3 = 150mg daily).

I asked that I get a print out of the results so that I could collect it, but instead the doctor wrote a letter (she had not been able to get me by phone) to say that the results meant that she wanted me to see an endo.

I did not take my morning dose, so when I had the blood test at 9.20am I had not take any since 8pm at the latest.

I cannot get any numbers over the phone and wondered whether anyone knew what I will find when I go in in an hour? (My GP doesn't know that I am self-medicating!)

Will I have to admit it? Or can I just act dumb (obviously depending on what they have found)?

[Clutter]

PiggySue,

You are wasting your GP and endo's time if you are overmedicated and let them think you are hyperthyroid because you haven't mentioned you are self medicating. It seems likely your TSH is very suppressed. Sometimes labs will automatically check FT4 and FT3 if TSH result is abnormal. 150mcg T3 is a high dose so your FT3 may be elevated too.

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I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[PiggySue in reply to Clutter]

Clutter, thanks for replying. I guess that I will find out! I did not realise that they did that if the TSH is supressed, so I guess that I will have to come clean. I use UniPharma, which several people on 'Recovering with T3' have mentioned is quite weak compared to Cytomel etc (not in relation to me though!)

I wanted to check my iron because I had reduced my dose and was starting to feel tired again. I do know that overmedicating can make you feel tired, but I did not have any other hyper symptoms. I have been taking a double dose of iron for about 2 years, so I wonder whether I am finally at the correct level of ferritin and therefore my thyroid is finally functioning better?

I did feel a bit better for the lack of the morning dose so I am slowly trying to cut down now (I have usually started to feel pretty lousy pretty fast when I have tried in the past). I am now down to 100 a day after a 2.5 weeks and feel ok (starting to wake at night though).

I am seeing my favourite GP, who did say that I might be hypo when I went in crying with tiredness, but the TSH was not high enough for treatment on the NHS. The Iron was low enough though. But her suggestion makes me think that she might be aware of Hashimoto's/hypo etc. I just don't want to find myself off her list!

[Clutter in reply to PiggySue]

PiggySue,

It's all speculation until you know what TSH level is and whether FT4 and FT3 were tested. If your TSH was in range before you self medicated it is almost certain be undetectable on 150mcg T3 which is a very high dose equivalent to 450mcg Levothyroxine. FT3, if tested, is likely to be considerably over range. If FT4 was tested it will usually be below range when patients take T3 only.

I doubt your GP will deregister you but she is entitled to decline to treat you if you don't listen to her advice.

[PiggySue in reply to Clutter]

Clutter you were right (as always!). TSH was suppressed 0.01, FT4 was 5.2 (range 9-19) FT3 was 6.2 (range 2.6 - 5.7). They were worried about my pituitary.

I will carry on bringing it down slowly and the GP wanted me to go back in a month.

She is well switched on. She did say that overmedicating could cause uneven heart beat and osteoporosis. I said that I agreed about the heart, although mine has never been so even (I have suffered from palpitations and irregularities since my teens). But I said that I understood that it was thought that osteoporosis was not from overmedication but from naturally occuring hyperthyroidism and she agreed.

The good news is that finally my ferritin is at 91.8 (10-200) having been 13 when I was at my worst!

I will make sure that I check my vitals more often (I will have to make the time!) as this is what is reccomended on the 'Recovering with T3' group and in Paul Robinson's book.

I wish that we could get proper help from the doctors (although mine is pretty marvellous!).

[Clutter in reply to PiggySue]

PiggySue,

I wouldn't worry about TSH being suppressed mine was suppressed on 100mcg Levothyroxine and I don't have a thyroid gland. FT3 over range which is a problem and long term overmedicating can cause osteoporosis and atrial fibrillation.

I'm surprised that your FT3 is only mildly over range. As you've already reduced dose to 100mcg it is very likely back in range already.

[SmallBlueThing in reply to PiggySue]

Thanks for the mention of the link between osteoporosis and hypertension.

[PiggySue in reply to SmallBlueThing]

That was a typo, SmallBlueThing!! I am sorry, I should have proof read! I meant 'osteoporosis and naturally occuring hyperthyroidism'!

Whoops and sorry.

[SmallBlueThing in reply to PiggySue]

I see what you mean, but I checked out the original version, and it's useful info for me as I have hypertension and my TSH is now only just in range.