Help with blood test results please...

[purplejuicy]

hey, so i have been on 100mcg of levothyroxine for a few months now (Hashi's) and was starting to feel human again after i had recovered from a knee op but i have been struggling with adrenal issues for most of the year on/off. a month ago i started to feel so much better that i increased my exercise (as per my physiotherapist) and after 2 sessions in the gym i was wiped out. felt absolutely terrible, like i had gone right back to the beginning.

So I've done a blue horizon thyroid plus 12 and here are the results:

CRP 0.5 (<50)

Ferritin 70.6 (20-150)

TSH 0.85 (0.27-4.20)

T4 total 96.8 (64.5-142)

Free T4 20.44 (12-22)

Free T3 4.58 (3.1-6.8)

Reverse T3 28 (10-24) HIGH

Reverse T3 ratio 10.65 (normal >15, boderline 12-15, low <12)

Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs - 579.1 (<34) HIGH

Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs - 235.9 (<115) HIGH

Vitamin D - 85 (deficient <25, insufficient 25-50, consider reducing dose >175)

Vitamin B12 - 315 (deficient <140, insufficient 140-250, consider reducing dose >725)

Serum folate - 27.15 (10.4 - 42.4)

so i'd really like advice on how to reduce reverse T3 and lower antibodies (i'm pretty sure my diet needs sorting out i.e stick to strict gluten & dairy free, even try autoimmune paleo diet for a few months to find triggers foods)

are my B12 & folate low even though they're in range?

any thoughts or help would be massively appreciated.

[shaws Administrator]

Did you leave about 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the blood test and fast?

You can reduce antibodies by going gluten-free and quite a few members say they feel much better.

Re Reverse T3 this is a link and go to the date March 24, 1999 to read about the action of RT3,

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

Others will respond re blood tests.

When not quite on an optimum of thyroid hormones when we exercise it reduces our T3 which, in turn, makes us feel bad as it lowers our metabolism.

Your FT3 could be a bit higher as could your B12. New recommendations suggest 1,000 to avoid neurological damage. Methylcobalamin sublingual B12 can be purchased through Amazon, details below:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[purplejuicy in reply to shaws]

hi shaws, yes i skipped taking my levo dose in the morning and didnt eat breakfast until after as i had it done at 9am.

thanks for the link regarding RT3, on the FB STTM group most are suggesting to get off T4 and start on NDT and add T3 but NDT made me very ill last time and I'm very nervous about self medicating again but theres also no way of getting T3 from my GP so i did buy some from a recommended pharmacy online a while ago. Was thinking of lowering my T4 dose and adding T3 very slowly but I'm not sure how much to lower by, hopefully someone can help on here.

i am purchasing some B12 now, better you spray seems good.

thanks

[shaws Administrator in reply to purplejuicy]

Dr Lowe knew best as he was a researcher, scientist and doctor and he said that RT3 changes all the time..

I am not medically qualified but I know of quite a few doctors (trained around the 50's and 60's said that nowadays we're on too low a dose of thyroid hormones to keep our TSH within range. It used to be between 200 and 400mcg.

As you are taking 100mcg of levo you can reduce to 75mcg and add half tablet T3 (10mcg or 12.5) wherever you source it from. 20mcg T3 is around 60mcg levo (in its effect) after a few weeks you can add a 1/4 etc and so on till you have relieve of clinical symptoms. Researchers have said that a ratio of 3 T4 to 1 T3 is best. Also take your pulse/temp before beginning and if pulse goes too fast drop back to your previous dose. Some feel good on T4/T3 and at least GP will prescribe levo.

This might be helpful too.

web.archive.org/web/2010112...

[purplejuicy in reply to shaws]

To reduce down to 75mcg I will need to go back to my GP and ask for 50 + 25 pills and surely she'll ask why and put up a fight?

I've read that when adding t3 you need to start very slowly so 6.25mcg in my case and raise every couple of days until symptoms clear.

What do you think of that?

[shaws Administrator in reply to purplejuicy]

I found with a pill-cutter I could half then 1/4 reasonably easily. It doesn't have to be perfect as some take levothyroxine once a week (I don't think I'd like to do that).

My Endo reduced my levo by 25mcg and started me straight off with 10mcg of T3added - I had to half 20mcg tablet.

If you are on thyroid hormones already, we can usually just switch straight over from one to another around the dose you were on then after a few weeks increase T3 by a 1/4 dose.

(I am not medically qualified by had undiagnosed/unmedicated hypothyroidism and just give my own experience and I am now well I now take T3 only).

[purplejuicy in reply to purplejuicy]

oh and also advising to raise T3 every 5-7 days....

[purplejuicy in reply to shaws]

ok so another source is recommending to lower my T4 dose to 50mcg and add T3 3 x a day due to it's short life, is that what you do? or maybe i should split the 12.5 dose over the day.

just a bit concerned about what dose my T4 should be at, as well as T3 as i know it can be powerful.

[shaws Administrator in reply to purplejuicy]

I have only given a 'suggestion' as to what helped me get better. Not giving you medical advice as I believe everyone on this forum is not medically qualified. You can read suggestions and either try or not.

Or you can make an appointment with an Endocrinologist and and pay for his advice.

T3 may have a 'shorter' life but it's effect is longer than most realise and it is the only Active thyroid hormone which is required in our receptor cells and I haven't looked back since.

I didn't say raise T3 every week. As most on this forum know - whatever thyroid hormones one decides upon it is raised slightly till symptoms are relieved, if they feel the least overstimulated they drop down.

[purplejuicy in reply to shaws]

Ok thanks for your suggestions with this, will just make an informed decision and start fresh on monday will post again with good news hopefully!

[eeng]

Exercise uses up some of the T3 in your body (the active thyroid hormone). Normally the pituitary would spot your T3 becoming low, kick the thyroid, which would produce more hormone (mostly T4), the body would convert it into T3 and everything would be OK again within an hour or two. Unfortunately with hypothyroidism we are on a constant dose of whatever hormone we are taking, so there is nowhere for the extra hormone we need to come from and every time we exercise we get a bit worse.

If we had some extra hormone (preferably T3) to take every time we exercised we would have some chance of being able to exercise without problems. However I don't think doctors see it that way.

[purplejuicy in reply to eeng]

yeh I've learnt the hard way with exercise and i won't be doing that again in a hurry! i love the gym and feeling the burn but not the complete burn out i get now...i could feel my heart throbbing in my neck and head during cardio so should've known to stop then.

i have T3 at home so I'm going to stick with yoga and walking for now and learn a bit more about T3 and how to start adding it.

[purplejuicy]

Hey, so I'm on day 6 of a lowered dose & just been having 6.25mcg of T3 but was starting to feel quoit hypo and rubbish so introduced another 6.25mcg today at 3pm. I've had a couple of drinks tonight with naughty foods but I'm lying in bed with a heart rate of 103bpm feeling very on edge, shakey and nauseous. Is this a sign of needing to drop back to just 6.25 tomorrow?