Congenital Hypothyroidism bloods

[juliarees82]

Hi there

I have just had my serum free t3 blood test result and it reads 4.0 - no action required. The scale they gave is (3.1-6.8) and thyroid Uk bottom half of scale is 4.0?

My TSH is 1.53 U/L (.27-4.20)

Serum free T4 is 24.9 pmol/L (11-25.0)

What would you say to that?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

How are you feeling?

Your FT4 is 57% through it's range. FT3 is 24% through it's range (thanks to HumanBean I now know how to work that out). FT3 should be higher in it's range than FT4. Also, from test results the FT4:FT3 ratio should be 4:1 or below (and thanks to Diogenes for that little nugget of information). From the figures you've given yours is 6.2:1. All of this shows that you are not converting well enough.

However, from previous posts, you've stated that you are very active and do insanity, running and cycling and you were advised that this will use up your T3, and the post by greygoose to another member with a similar problem that was linked to said:

Every movement you make uses up a certain amount of T3. So, it's pretty obvious that rigorous training is going to use up all your T3, and leave you more hypo. Which, as you have found, makes you put on more weight! Your body cannot easily replace the T3 your using, as it used to when your gland was healthy. Plus, you might not even be converting very well.

In my opinion it would seem you have three choices:

1) Add some T3 and tweak your meds (T3 and T4) until you find the right combination for you.

2) Try NDT, but as that has a fixed amount of T4:T3 it may or may not be in the right proportion for you, option 1 has more flexibility.

PLUS

3) Consider scaling down the amount of exercise you do so that you aren't depleting your body of T3.

In addition, to aid the conversion of T4 to T3, optimal levels of vitamins and minerals are necessary. How are your Vit D, B12, ferritin and folate? Ferritin in particular needs to be at least 70, preferable 100-130. Also, supplementing selenium will aid conversion.

[juliarees82 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Exactly what I thought! I had T3 done separately as I feel lousy and can't seem to lose weight! I've now noted more exercise makes things worse for me but I've been exercising like a nut to shift pounds - vicious circle! So all bloods are no action required to my GP!Thank you so much you've confirmed what I believed xx

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to juliarees82]

juliarees82 Well, of course it would be no action required as far as your GP is concerned, they just see a number and if it's in range then everything is hunky dory regardless of how you feel! They can't think outside of the box.

Was there much of a gap between your FT3 and the other tests? Just wondering because of course they're just a snapshot of the exact time the blood is taken and if done separately then the FT4 might be in a different place on the day the FT3 was done. But to be honest, if your FT4 is usually high then it wouldn't make a lot of difference in the workings out and would probably still show a conversion problem.

If you've scaled down the exercise, and get the vits and mins optimal, also supplement with selenium, that should help to a certain extent. If it does then option 1 might be your best bet and you could adjust the T4 and T3 to suit. That's what I've done. I tried NDT many years ago, also T3 alone, and neither of those were right for me. However, a combination of T4 and T3 is working better along with good supplements.