Thyroxine and blood test interpretation

[BrenM49]

Hi I'm new to the community so hello to all. been on Thyroxine for a number of years now and would like info on how others find it. I would also like to be able to interpret my blood tests a little better than I do.

Cheers Bren

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, BrenM49.

An estimated 85% of patients do well on Levothyroxine (T4) which leaves a substantial subset 15% who do not. Of that 15% I suspect a significant number are under medicated. Others may be poor T4 to T3 converters and require the addition of Liothyronine (T3) to improve FT3, some do not do well on synthetic T4 and T3 but are well on natural dessicated thyroid, and a very few are intolerant to any form of T4 and require T3 only.

My health declined when I was switched from T3 to T4 and I became largely bedbound. Since I've been taking T4+T3 combination I have recovered and remain well.

Thyroid advocates advise that most patients will feel well with TSH 1.0 or lower, FT4 in the upper quadrant, and FT3 near, or in, the upper third. Low TSH, high FT4 and low FT3 indicates poor conversion.

[humanbean]

The people who do well on levothyroxine don't bother googling their condition or their treatment. Why should they bother if they feel well?

The people who end up on this forum are those who can't get diagnosed at all, or who have a diagnosis and a prescription for levothyroxine but still feel awful.

Welcome to the forum.

[doglady85 in reply to humanbean]

humanbean: I am new to this site and grateful to be able to lurk. I am learning so much from you all.

Since November, I have been exhausted enough to nap right after breakfast and again at about five pm. By 8pm i feel like I am too tied to stand up. But I have a dog and must stand up and a bit more. My regular GP primary doctor ignored my complaints and her new male assistant asked me if I wanted to see a mental therapist! I left her and her team and got a new doctor also a GP kind of dr.

For months, I was exhausted all day, had terrible balance --had to hold on to the hallway walls to walk, had unexpected dizzy spells and started going bald in patches, starting with my temples then the crown and now down the back of my head.

After my new doctor read my blood tests,. I was given levothyroxine 1/2 of a .025mcg tablet once a day. I am less tired until 3PM but totally knocked out by 8PM. Can barely walk.

worse, my hair shows patches of baldness and the dermatologist who I went to says--without even looking at my scalp -- it's from low thyroid and just shrugs and says it will stop falling out and grow back when I get enough l-thyroxine in my system. No new rX,nothing.

And I just get balder. and more tired. And more scared.

I just asked my primary dr to test for Free T4, Free T3, TSH and TPO antibody. I found the combination in a thyroid article in a womans magazine. I haven't a clue how to know what they mean and am now worried that my primary may not either.

Please be patient with this sorry American. No support groups exist nthe states.