Help can someone please read my Thyroid results please??

[carlie62]

Hi everyone, I have been on liothyronine for past 2 years as I could not tolerate levo, first time my actual thyroid results have come back abnormal! I used to be borderline before, this time results are as follows...

TSH 0.5 (0.4-5.0)

T4 5 (9-19)

T3 3.1 (2.6-5.7)

Im having what I call crash days where I have to sleep in the afternoon and my legs feel like Ive run a marathon, eye sight is blurred also going through the change this year and wondered if thats why my results have changed so much the past year.

I really appreciate your help as you have all been so helpful in the past I dont know what I would have done without this site.

Many thanks xx

[greygoose]

How much T3 are you taking? Because it looks like you need an increase in dose. Your FT3 is much too low, and that's the one that counts.

[carlie62 in reply to greygoose]

Hi greygoose Im taking 20mcg of liothyronine twice a day at the moment, my endo doubled the dose last year when I was sleeping most of the afternoon before my results were ever like this

[greygoose in reply to carlie62]

OK, so there seems to be a bit of an absorption problem. One would expect your FT3 to be a bit higher on that dose.

How are your vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin?

Do you take your T3 on an empty stomach and wait an hour to eat or drink anything other than water?

[carlie62 in reply to greygoose]

vit d is 117, folate is 12.9, b12 is 443, not sure about ferritin as i cant see that on my blood tests, i do take with water or a cup of tea, i have to take pro vit d as last result sowed 2 years ago i was abnormally low

[greygoose in reply to carlie62]

I don't know what pro vit d is. But your vit D is fine now.

A cup of tea with your T3 is a very bad idea. Especially if you have milk in it. But the caffeine will stop absorption of the T3.

Your vit B12 is too low. It should be more like 950 to 1000. I would suggest you supplement that, and also take a B complex with methylfolate, because your folate isn't very high, either.

[carlie62 in reply to greygoose]

its a vitamin d only prescription not the full name of it as i cant remember as not at home at the moment, but i will also take your information into my endo ...luckily thank god im seeing him on Tuesday next week, !!!...i have been caffeine free for 20 something years but will take heed and only take my tablet with water from now on. o you know how low the B12 should be before the doctors give you a B12 jab?..as my results havent flagged up for B12 ..many thanks

[greygoose in reply to carlie62]

There's caffeine in tea, you know.

I think B12 has to be under range for most doctors to take notice of it - and even then some of them ignore it. They just know nothing about it.

[shaws Administrator]

I'd say you aren't on sufficient T3 as your T3 is low. If your GP/Endo is prescribing they've been told to only take the TSH into account and nothing else (as far as I know and reading your post seems to be the right conclusion).

When on T3 only our T4 will be negligible as we are taking none and T3 reduces what T4 we might produce. However, your T3 result could be nearer the 5 mark and that might give your receptor cells a boost and thus your metabolism.

Are you taking UK T3?

[carlie62 in reply to shaws]

Hi shaws yes I am taking uk T3, prescribed by my endo on prescription through NHS, I cannot take levo as I am allergic to it and brings me out in hives and makes me feel really ill, so my endo after me asking him put me on just T3...how much T3 can you go up to??.Im wondering if going through the change which I am this year has really knocked out my levels..

[shaws Administrator in reply to carlie62]

You are fortunate your Endo is prescribing.

I'd tell him that you've contacted a forum - Healthunlocked Thyroiduk.org.uk - an NHS Choices for information and that it has been pointed out your T3 is too low if on T3 only, can he increase your dose by 1/2 tablet in order to increase your Free T3 and after a blood test in six weeks hopefully your level will have risen, if not he might have to add another 1/4. This is an excerpt from TUK and you will see why we ask for ranges as labs do differ:-

"FT3 = FREE T3

T4 converts to T3 and is the only thyroid hormone actually used by the body's cells.

The approx. reference range for Free T3 is 4 to 8.3"

Some people have a gene defect called DIO2. I think I may have but have never had a test but am well on T3 only. I take my dose once daily as I followed the advice on this link:

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

Your Endo may never have heard of this defective gene and just for information:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

[carlie62 in reply to shaws]

Thank you shaws for the information, i will download an take him the info..im very lucky as he is excellent and treats the patient rather than uk "normal ranges"

[shaws Administrator in reply to carlie62]

You are very fortunate with your doctor.