Hi all, so I have just picked up my results and they are as follows. Serum T4 <3.2 pmol/L. Reference range 7.9 - 20 pmol/l. 1st trimester low limit 6.7 pmol/l. 2nd trimester low limit 5.8 pmol/l. 3rd trimester low limit 6.1 pmol/l. Serum TSH level >46.8 mu/l 0.34 - 5.60mu/l. Serum T3 level - ( SG1138) under 2.5 pmol/L 3.8 - 6.00pmul/L. Any help with understanding these results would be very much appreciated, thankyou. Also I'm still off the levothyroxin but beginning to feel tired and achy all over again. Have an appointment with my GP on the 16th to discuss what to do next as I really can't afford to loose another job again neither to I want to have to go through what I had been while on the levothyroxin again. Catch 22 situation I guess.
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You need to make an appointment to see your GP sooner. Your FT4 and FT3 are both below range which means you are hypothyroid and need Levothyroxine. Your dose should be increased until FT4 is in the upper range >16.0 and FT3 at least halfway through range >4.9.
Was TSH tested, and why were you taken off Levothyroxine?
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.
Hi thank you for replying . I was taken off thyroxine as I was suffering so many side effects that were putting me into hospital eg really bad stomach cramps, being sick after taking it every morning, normally around 30 mins after taking 175 I was on 200 for a short period but this just made me collapse and I wasn't able to see. Long story short my GP said stop taking it and see how you feel was I shocked about myself,however all 36 symptoms I had went away within a week but now 8 weeks without any I feel awful,i have been sleeping for for the past 3 days and could sleep more but I'm back on a 12 hour night shift tonight. I do still have some thyroxine here and think I should start it again today as I'm feeling tired and both my hands are hurting and swallon. Reminds me how I was feeling 8 years ago before it was discovered.
You are profoundly hypothyroid and need thyroid replacement. Try 75mcg - 100mcg Levothyroxine. If you have adverse effects again stop taking it. Your GP should trial you on liquid thyroxine which doesn't have the fillers which may be making you ill. If you are unable to tolerate liquid thyroxine then you should be trialled on Liothyronine (T3) or natural dessicated thyroid such as Armour, Naturethroid, Wp or Erfa.
Thank you Clutter I have just taken 100 mcg of thyroxine and will continue and see how it goes and take the dose regular at the same time everyday. Will update this post again if I feel any better or worse + I will inform the GP that levothyroxin isn't the only medication out on the market for sufferers like us on the site. Thank you for you advise.
I am sorry to hear you have felt so unwell for so long.
People who are intolerant of Levothyroxine, often feel better for a short while before the repercussions of not replacing those missing but vital hormones kicks in. There are many reasons why someone may not tolerate thyroid meds and nutrients, iron and cortisol are usually the first considerations.
Ask your GP to test Vit B12, folate, ferritin, Vit D and post results complete with ranges (numbers in brackets) for members to comment. A doctors "normal" may not be the same level as that which members have found to be most beneficial for good thyroid function.
Also ask your GP to test for thyroid antibodies TPOAb & TGAb as you have complained of hyper and flu like symptoms in a previous post, and a 9am cortisol test.
Your results show you are clearly hypothyroid and require thyroid hormone replacement. Many members have found that by addressing nutrient deficiencies, their meds are better tolerated.
It is important to take your pill on an empty stomach with a glass of water, 1 hour before food, 2 hours before supplements and 4 hours before calcium, iron or vit D supplements.
When GP's are uncooperative, members use private labs - link below
Hi thank you for replying. I will have a look through the links you have sent me now. I have been on 175mg thyroxine for 8 years. Taking it 6am every morning without fail. On and empty stomach but everyday 30 minutes later I'm crippled in pain, throwing up and my muscles go into complete spasm. Approx 2 hours after taking it i am left with a tummy ache that last all day and suffer terribly at work. I get home and go to bed and wake up feeling OK 'sh but I know within 30 minutes I will be sick and throwing up as usual. My GP said unfortunately it's the side effects and I have to live with it. 8 years on and I have had enough of living with the side effects. Hence the recent GP's experiment to take me off it and see if there was any change. I felt great for the past 8 weeks but not so good now. I have slept for nearly 3 days which isn't like me at all. Although, I have enjoyed sleeping as when I'm on the thyroxine I only sleep for 1 1/2 hours a day at the most and also stop eating as it completely removes my appetite.
Some have trouble getting thyroid meds to initially work but you do not have to live with these dreadful symptoms//side effects.
You need to find out why the meds aren't working because you have no choice but to take them as missing thyroid hormones need to be replaced.
The goal of the meds is to reduce your TSH to around 1.0 and raise T4 & T3 thyroid hormones to the upper third of range. This is the point where many members start to function better.
Levo works for many but may have problematic fillers, etc for a small subset and there are other thyroid hormone replacement meds. However, these (probably) wouldn't work either without the fundamentals being put in place (ie adequate iron, nutrients, cortisol).
If thyroid meds make you tired but hyper & not able to sleep, look at your adrenal health. These glands become compromised when we have consistently low thyroid hormone and cortisol which is required for good thyroid hormone synthesis (& meds to work) becomes unbalanced.
Thank you so much for this link. It describes my life down to a T, living with constant stress, as I'm always stressed. Both financially and personally due to the constant worries as to weather I can hold down yet another job. My GP just signs me off work for 2-3 months and ses I need to rest. Any employer will not tolerate this as I hav had 9 different jobs since 2012 when my symptoms or side effects from taking 175mg levothyroxin have been at there worse. I have also worked hard since the age of 11 and it's the only time I get to myself when I don't feel stressed as I always feel I'm working towards a better future. Being on thyroxine has made this now virtually impossible because of the side effects and I'm so stressed all the time. I really found this link helpful as it could be the link as to why I'm having so much trouble with the thyroxine itself. Thank you so much for the link.
There is thought that Levothyroxine shouldn't be administered when adrenal health is seriously compromised as the glands struggling hormone output can not keep up with the new increased metabolism caused by the T4 (Levo) and the hormone balances are further divided.
I believe this is when we get the palpitations and anxiety, etc, associated with Levothyroxine but these symptoms can also be attributed to low iron.
Adequate iron is a key for conversion of T4-T3 and low levels may decrease deiodinase activity resulting in conversion to reverse T3 ( rather than the active hormone). This means you could be hypothyroid (with low ferritin) and yet appear euthyroid (normal) in your doctors eyes, according to the standard TSH and T4 thyroid labs.
Oh my God I do get anxiety and palpitations all the time and have had so many ECG'S I have lost count. Thank you Radd. You have provided me with some very insightful information for which I am very grateful. I now have something to confront my GP with on my next visit. Must admit that today has been a bad day for me in regards to aches and pains. Just tried to brush my teeth and couldn't do it. However all the info you have provided has given me a massive mental lift and I will and do intend to keep battling on until one day I can lead an almost normal life. My partner asked if I could walk the dogs with her and I had to say no because my balance is a bit off as well today but I can only put that down to not having any meds in my system for 8 weeks while the GP experiments what happens when I come off it after 8 years. Simple answer is I'm become crippled and home bound again so my advice to anyone who's GP tells them to do this, don't do it. You do feel fantastic for a few weeks but then we crash and it's very painful and distressing.
GP's are only general practitioners and do not under thyroid psychology. Presenting information might help you to get the tests you ask for but don't expect miracles.
Most members have had to educate themselves in order to improve their health.
My meds are stabilised and I feel well but I still get balance issues & tinnitus when my thyroid hormones go too low (for what reason). These symptoms are common but your GP probably won't believe you ! ...
A good read is "Your Thyroid And How To Keep It Healthy" by Dr Barry Durrant Peatfield.
Well looking through your original post I am left wondering if your problem isn't a reaction to the particular version of levo you have been given. There is a liquid version that suits some people who can't take the fillers in the tablets.
You do need thyroid replacement somehow or other, or it could be fatal. But clearly, one way or another your terrible symptoms need to be dealt with.
If you don't get an immediate referral to an endo, I think you would be justified in going to A&E. Better before you go into a coma!
Thanks for you reply ruthi, this seems to keep coming up in all the replies I am getting re-the fillers in the tablets. I guess I just kind of gave up on life itself until I came across this site while looking to see if there was another solution to stop my symptoms as even after 8 years and various specialist and being told it's all in your head does nothing to help ones stress levels nor mental state and having a GP who's latest experiment was to tell me to stop taking it for 2-3 months and see what happens. It's really nice to find so many of you that have provided me with advice and links to follow and not to feel like I'm on my own with this anymore. I can't even speak to my partner because she doesn't really understand and is getting frustrated and fed up with me moaning. I wouldn't say I was moaning, nor am I looking for sympathy but support I guess which thanks to this site and the people on here I have found what I have been craving so badly. Sorry to go on and apologies for the late reply as I'm at work until 07:00 and it already feels like I have just been in the boxing ring and done 10 rounds. I can't see my Gp until the 16th but have another gp calling me this Friday to discuss as I stated to the surgery that I'm beginning to feel really unwell. Pain all over and so tired again. All I did was take 100 mcg of levothyroxin today and I'm suffering the same symptoms again. I.e twinges in my chest.hands arms and legs painful,very tired even though I have slept for nearly 3days and no doubt I'll be sick again on my next dose as normal + I'm hot and cold and can't regulate my temp again. Anyway sorry to go on and thankyou for replying ruthi,
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