More Results - everything has gone wrong again

[Jefner]

Everything has gone wrong again Here are my latest results. I have swung the other way again.

I think I need to up my Levo back to 100? Restarted back on the t3 on the 20th. I did the test sooner than I should have because I needed to see what my antibody levels were to report back to my Functional Medicine Doctor. Not happy that my Folate is dropping and dropping each test

Because I was over range on the t3 from the 15th August test, I left it off for 2-3 days as advised to clear the surplus and then restarted back on 5mcg with 75 Levo.

What do I do now, am so frustrated

****24th August**** - after 75mcg Levo, 2-3 days off 15mcg t3 and restarted on 5mcg on the 20th August

CRP 0.1 <5.0

Ferritin 97.1 (20-150)

FT4 12.45 (12-22)

FT3 2.43 (3.1 - 6.8)

TSH 13.46 (0.27 - 4.20)

T4 Total 85 (64.5 - 142.0)

Anti Thyroidperoxidase abs 365.60 <34

Anti Thyroidglobulin abs 245.40 <115

B12 961 Deficient <140

Serum Folate 11.65 (10.4-42.4)

***15th August**** - after being on 15mcg t3 and 75 Levo for just over 2 weeks

TSH 0.97 0.27 - 4.20 IU/L

Free T4 13.77 12 - 22 pmol/L

Free T3 H 9.34 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

2nd August - upped t3 from 10mcg to 15mcg and dropped Levo from 100mcg to 75

****26th July **** - after adding 10mcg t3 on 30th June with 100 Levo

CRP 0.2 <5.0

Ferritin 100.4 (20-150)

FT4 19.38 (12-22)

FT3 4.74 (3.1 - 6.8)

TSH 0.51 (0.27 - 4.20)

T4 Total 115.3 (64.5 - 142.0)

Anti Thyroidperoxidase abs 393.5 <34

Anti Thyroidglobulin abs 261.7 <115

B12 873 Deficient <140

Insufficent 140-250

Serum Folate 15.68 (10.4-42.4)

****23rd June results**** - this test from a freeby from Blue Horizon as they were trialing a spot test and needed a comparable so I did this test early afternoon as I didn't think they would send me the results

FT4 27.61 (12-22)

FT3 3.86 (3.1 - 6.8)

TSH 1.77 (0.27 - 4.20)

T4 Total 159.8 (64.5 - 142.0)

******7 June 2016 Results*****

CRP 0.2 <3.0

Ferritin 89.7 (20-150)

FT4 14.77 (12-22)

FT3 2.41 (3.1 - 6.8)

TSH 15.70 (0.27 - 4.20)

T4 Total 91.6 (64.5 - 142.0)

Anti Thyroidperoxidase abs 411.9 <34

Anti Thyroidglobulin abs 260.3 <115

B12 496 Deficient <140

Insufficent 140-250

Serum Folate 13.08 (10.4-42.4)

******21 April 2016 Results*****

CRP 0.2 <3.0

Ferritin 79.4 (20-150)

FT4 20.68 (12-22)

FT3 2.84 (3.1 - 6.8)

TSH 2.55 (0.27 - 4.20)

T4 Total 124.2 (64.5 - 142.0)

Anti Thyroidperoxidase abs 301.1 <34

Anti Thyroidglobulin abs 287.8 <115

B12 440 Deficient <140

Insufficent 140-250

Serum Folate 19.94 (10.4-42.4)

[bluebug]

If you aren't still supplementing folate and were deficient or low to begin with then it will fall with each test. Therefore you need to continue supplementing and will have to do this for life.

There are plenty of people who have to continually supplement B12, vitamin D, iron and other B vitamins for life.

Other than that when were you suppose to test your thyroid hormones?

[Jefner in reply to bluebug]

bluebug

Because I went over range on the t3 I only restarted back on it a week before I tested

[greygoose]

I told you you were over-reacting to the high FT3 last time. I don't think you should have stopped it, just lowered the dose a little - not right down to 5 mcg. It's obvious that it was going to be too low this time. Now, you've got to start all over again.

Why on earth would you want to increase the T4 again? I thought you were gradually lowering it to see if you were better off without it. You know you can't convert it. And, if you'd taken the B complex, as I said you should, your folate wouldn't have dropped again. It's not desperately low, but it does need a boost. You need that B complex.

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

Greygoose

I only missed 2 doses hon and went back on 5mcg about a week before I did the latest test. I didn't realise it could get that low in such a short space of time, I am obviously sensitive to dosage changes. From the way my results looked in July on 10mcg, that might be my sweetspot dose as it was rising better, my tsh was lovely and suppressed and my t4 within range but a little high.

I need to increase the t4 up to 100 surely because my TSH has gone high?

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

Your TSH has gone high because your FT3 is under-range.

No, I don't think you're super-sensitive to dose changes. You've said yourself that T3 is out of the blood pretty quickly. Well, the blood test only tests what's in the blood.

My advice, to start with, is to leave the T4 where it is, and increase the T3 back up to 10 and wait for six weeks before doing anything else.

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

greygoose

my results looked much better of the 26th July when I was taking 100 Levo and had been on 10mcg t3 for a couple of weeks. TSH was 0.51 then and t3 had crept up to 4.74

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

Yes, the TSH was better, but that was because the FT3 was better. Not because you were on 100 mcg levo. Because you were on 10 mcg T3.

You've got to make up your mind what you're going to do about the T4. You know you can't convert it to FT3, your rT3 is high. Do you still want unconverted T4 slopping around in your blood? Or do you want to see how you feel on T3 only? You've got to pick a route and stick to it, not keep chopping and changing. You've reduced to 75 mcg, Why go back up to 100? It doesn't make sense.

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

greygoose

so it was the t3 lowering my tsh back to being suppressed and not the T4?

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

More or less, yes. I'm on T3 only - no T4 whatsoever - and my TSH is suppressed.

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

greygoose

My brain can't work that out As my brain is working at the moment the only way to get my tsh suppressed again is to up my t4 BUT saying that I will be adding to my rt3 levels which I believe can also give me shite symptoms

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

rT3 in and of itself does not cause shite symptoms. But, it can block the T3 receptors, making you more hypo.

No, the only way to suppress your TSH is not to increase your T4, it is to increase your T3.

T4 is the storage hormone, that has to be converted into T3.

T3 is the most important hormone - we can manage without T4 if we take T3.

And, when we take enough T3, it suppresses your TSH.

[Jefner in reply to greygoose]

greygoose

worried that my low t4 results might be giving me hypo symptoms though?

[greygoose in reply to Jefner]

No. Low T4 does not give symptoms. Low T3 gives symptoms.

T4 is the storage hormone. T3 is the active hormone needed by all the cells in your body.

And when there's not enough T3 to go round, those cells can't function properly, and cause symptoms.

You can live quite happily without T4. I do. A lot of people on here do.

Some people just can't tolerate T4.

[Musicmonkey in reply to Jefner]

Jefner I think the point is that we are all sensitive to T3 as it is quick acting and has a short life once taken.

You would expect your T4 to be lower in range because you have reduced it in order to have the T3 directly (not so much T4 needed to convert to T3).

Your latest results show low T4, Low T3 and high TSH. It seems you need more hormone and going on your previous dosing and symptoms, you would probably be better increasing the T3 slowly until you find optimum both in blood results and how you are feeling.

[Jefner in reply to Musicmonkey]

musicmonkey

that's why I was thinking of increasing my t4 back up to 100 and t3 back up to 10mcg because if you look at the 26th July results, that is what I had been taking for a month and my results didn't look too bad

[Musicmonkey in reply to Jefner]

Lol - you are sounding like a GP! How did you feel on that dose? That's important.

[Jefner in reply to Musicmonkey]

musicmonkey

feel shit on any dose I am on because of my high cortisol levels.

[Musicmonkey in reply to Jefner]

You have mentioned the July results:

****26th July **** - after adding 10mcg t3 on 30th June with 100 Levo

FT4 19.38 (12-22)

FT3 4.74 (3.1 - 6.8)

TSH 0.51 (0.27 - 4.20)

Your T3 could be higher. Your T4 is quite high in the range but even so, your T3 could still be higher. It's up to you, but I would be inclined to increase the T3 again, slowly and then see where you are. Dose changes need to be slow so that the full effect can be judged.

[Jefner in reply to Musicmonkey]

musicmonkey

yeah and then there are these results

***15th August**** - after being on 15mcg t3 and 75 Levo for just over 2 weeks

TSH 0.97 0.27 - 4.20 IU/L

Free T4 13.77 12 - 22 pmol/L

Free T3 H 9.34 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

showing that my ft4 was quite low in the range albeit I had only been on 75 Levo for a couple of weeks

[Musicmonkey in reply to Jefner]

I guess what you are saying is you would feel that you want to increase your Levo. Why don't you try that and keep to the dose long enough to see what is really happening?

As you have Hashi's your symptoms will fluctuate and impact on how you feel. As you had rT3 problems your results will have potentially been impacted by that as it needs to clear the system.

What I am looking for with my results is a good level of T3, as that is the active hormone and is what makes the difference.

[Jefner in reply to Musicmonkey]

musicmonkey, yes hon, just assumed I need to increase my Levo again but then again I have lost so much weight since I was on 150mcg and always had been for 10years with no apparent problems...well none that I could put my finger on

[Musicmonkey in reply to Jefner]

Sorry, I am not sure what point you are making here. If you were ok on 150mcg of Levo, why have you changed anything? Or have I missed the point?

In any case, you seem to know exactly what you want to do and how because none of the suggestions give here seem to suit.

[Jefner in reply to Musicmonkey]

musicmonkey

that was the original dose I was on before my crash a year ago when suddenly my body was getting too much t4

[bluebug in reply to Jefner]

You aren't suppose to have blood tests after 2 weeks of changing your doses.

Next time either move your functional nutritionists appointment, OR contact them and explain why you cannot have new blood tests until a few weeks time.

[Jefner in reply to bluebug]

bluebug

yes I am aware of that which I mentioned in my post but I needed the antibody readings