T3 Relevance - Results!

[TcKay]

Here are my results, as promised. I have no idea what is or isn't relevant, normal or if the T3 in and of itself shows anything, but I greatly appreciate the input

[greygoose]

Well, you could say that the FT3 is THE most important number. And yours is below range. So, not surprising you don't feel well.

FT4 is also low, but TSH is only slightly raised. Are you taking any thyroid hormone replacement? I can't remember. If you are, then you need an increase. And, if you aren't, you should be!

T4 is a storage hormone that has to be converted into T3. T3 is the active hormone, needed by every single cell in your body - and there are millions of them! It's low T3 that causes symptoms, so I really don't know how your doctor can say that it is irrelevant - that just shows his ignorance.

Not much else of any relevance on there, just the usual stuff that they test to make it look like they're doing something. Everything is in range, although everything is low in range. I don't know if that is significant.

The only other thing is your B12. That is too low. Optimal for B12 is 1000, and anything under 500 can cause irreparable neurological damage. So, best start supplementing that as soon as possible. If i were you, I would take 1000 mcg sublingual methylcobalamin daily - that and nothing else. At the same time, you need to take a B complex, because all the Bs work together, and need to be kept balanced. You can get a good one on Amazon (always get your supplements on Amazon, so much better quality!) by Thorne, which contains a decent amount of methylfolate. Because your folate is a bit low, too.

Hope that helps?

[TcKay in reply to greygoose]

Thanks greygoose, that definitely helps. I do already supplement with B12 (but only 400mcg) and B complex, plus Iron and Sea Kelp. Its good to know that my results do seem a little low and Im not just making something out of nothing!

[greygoose in reply to TcKay]

Why are you taking kelp? It contains a lot of iodine. And iodine is not a good thing to take unless you have been tested and found deficient. Were you tested? Even if you are deficient, it's not something to just take on a whim, it should be over-seen by a doctor that knows what he's doing. Iodine is not something to play around with.

400 mcg B12? Pft. No point in wasting the money. Next time, get 1000 mcg nuggets. I didn't even know they did methylcobalamin in 400 mcg.

Best to take 1000 mg vit C with iron, to help absorption.

[TcKay in reply to greygoose]

This one of the reasons that I'm glad I found this site.

When my hair first started falling out and my periods went spastic I went and had my hormones checked, and thyroid was checked too (TSH & T4), all appeared normal.

So I went to H & B, who suggested Sea Kelp for hair loss. In ignorance I assumed that this couldn't be a bad thing.

So, I will stop the Kelp, up the B12 and continue with Iron.

Thanks grey goose

[greygoose in reply to TcKay]

You're welcome.

I would stay away from H&B if I were you.

[TcKay in reply to greygoose]

Lol, i think I will from now on....their penny deals always seem so tempting!

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to TcKay]

You can get great deal on bashed and broken brazil nuts in the penny sales at H&B - selenium. Also stuff like prunes (iron and fibre). It's just some of their supplements which aren't wonderful (or overpriced for what you get), and possibly their training.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to TcKay]

Wonderful marketing - double the your prices for everything, then sell it at two-for-one-plus-a-penny.

[humanbean in reply to greygoose]

@greygoose A little bit of info on NHS "treatment" of B12 deficiency...

A few people over the years have posted on here and elsewhere that they were diagnosed with low B12 by their doctor but were denied injections because the deficiency was deemed to be dietary in origin. (I don't know on what grounds.) Instead they were prescribed cyanocobalamin tablets in a dose of 50mcg per day.

And the price the NHS is charged for these utterly useless tablets?

Tablets, cyanocobalamin 50 micrograms. Net price 50-tab pack = £8.99

[greygoose in reply to humanbean]

Incredible, isn't it. Well, serves them right for being so ignorant!

But, that doesn't help the patient, does it. I always say to people that they're better off buying their own because doctors only prescribe the wrong things, and not enough of it!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to greygoose]

Even the British National Formulary pretty much damns that product - only any use for those with a low B12 diet.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Hi TcKay

Vits and mins first

B12 is too low at 450. Anything under 500 and there's a risk of neurological problems. The Pernicious Anaemia Society recommends 1000. You can supplement with Solgar or Jarrows sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges which you dissolve under the tongue for absorption directly into the bloodstream thereby bypassing the digestive system.

When taking B12 we should take a B complex to balance the B Vits. Be sure to get one with methylfolate rather than folic acid. Folic acid is synthetic and needs to be converted by your body to folate.

Your folate is fine, it's just over half way through the range so you don't need a B Complex with a particularly high level of folate, just a good balanced one.

Don't consider cheap supermarket or H & B own brand, they are cheap because they contain cheap ingredients, usually the least bioavailable and the wrong sort. If you want you can ask for anything you're considering to be checked for the right ingredients before you buy.

You don't have a Vit D result there. This is important to know before considering supplementing with D3. See if you can get it tested. If your GP wont do it then you can obtain an at home fingerprick blood spot test from City Assays for £28 vitamindtest.org.uk/vitamin...

Also, there's no ferritin. Again ask your GP to test this. This needs to be half way through range.

I can't remember whether you said you were on any thyroid meds (Levo) so my reply is assuming you are. I am not medically trained, my reply is based on my own experience, reading and research.

TSH: 1.78 (0.35-3.5) For a treated hypo patient this is too high. 1 or under is the aim when being treated.

FT4: 13 (8-21) This is 38% through the range. For a treated hypo patient this should be in the upper third of the range

so around 17+

FT3: 3.3 (3.8-6.0) Well, this is a joke, as mentioned in your previous thread. For a treated hypo patient this should be in the upper quarter of the range so around 5.4+

Here is a useful article that may come in handy in future when discussing things with your GP.

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, wrote this in a Pulse Online magazine article:

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

If you email [e-mail] she will let you have a copy of the article which you can print out and show your GP.

As mentioned already, you are not converting T4 to T3. There are a couple of ways to address this, again assuming you are on Levo.

One way is to try NDT. This contains a set amount of T4:T3, typically 38mcg T4 to 9mcg T3. This can be obtained without prescription via certain reliable recommended sites overseas. There are a few different brands, the Thai ones being popular and inexpensive, a lot of people do well on these.

The other way is to add synthetic T3 to your Levo. This is more flexible because you tweak the Levo and T3 to suit your needs and you don't then get the fixed amount like in NDT. Again, T3 is available without prescription from certain reliable recommended sites overseas (don't consider getting them from body building sites).

However, before considering doing anything about NDT or T3 it might be best to get all your vitamins and minerals up to their optimal levels so see if you can get those missing tests done, make a post with the results and we can advise if there are any deficiences and what supplements to get if necessary.

Sometimes adrenals are out of whack and need addressing but they would need to be tested. Somewhere there is a list of hypothyroid signs and symptoms along with adrenal fatigue signs and symptoms but I can't find it at the moment. Perhaps another member will know and link to it.

I can't help with the other tests but nothing stands out. You can check them on this useful website labtestsonline.org.uk/map/a...

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to SeasideSusie]

PS - I've just realised, those results are almost 9 months old. Things may have changed and it might be an idea to get up to date results. If you can't get them done with your GP then check out Blue Horizon Thyroid Plus 11 (includes Vit D) or Plus 10 (without Vit D) bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/T... - an easy to do at home fingerprick test.

[TcKay in reply to SeasideSusie]

That's fantastic Susie (sorry dont know how to tag), thank you!

Yes, the results area few months old, which i why I asked my doc to retest. He did, but only TSH and T4, and is now refusing to test ft3 or any folates asn he says the folates are normal. Sigh.

Previous results in 2011 are: TSH 0.91 (.035-3.5) and T4 15 (8.0-21)

Results in 2014: TSH 1.13 (0.35-3.5) and T4 14 (8-21) This also shows ferritin levels as : 26 (23-300) and B12 344 (130-1,100)

I dont take any meds at all, but do supplement Vit B, with a B complex, Iron and sea kelp (as I had heard it could help with the hair loss) so not sure if the results are interpreted differently as a result.

If my Doc refuses to get on board I will create a post re sourcing for self med purposes and go via Blue Horizon for testing going forward.

As you said, there comes a point where helping yourself is the only way to get out of this hole.