Newbie - hello xxx

[Traybay72]

Been on meds (Levo) for a couple of years now. Drs are very disinterested. Was underactive. Most recent tests as follows

TSH 0.34

Free thyroxine 21.1

Is this classed as over active???

Got to have another blood test.

I'm on 125mg levo every day.

Any information, advice welcome.

I am tired all the time, feel weary, my vision is affected, my eyes feel wierd, I'm v forgetful too.

Is this because of my thyroid?

Thanks in advance x

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Traybay72 Do you have the reference ranges for your results please? It's not possible to know if you're in or out of range without them as ranges differ from lab to lab. You won't be overactive but you might be classed as over medicated if out of range, in which case your GP may reduce your dose of Levo.

You could do with having vitamins and minerals tested as deficiencies can bring their own symptoms which can be the same as hypothyroidism, plus unless Vits and mins are optimal then thyroid hormone can't work properly.

Ask your GP to test the following:

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

Also ask for thyroid antibodies to be tested as it's a good idea to rule out (or in) autoimmune thyroid disease.

[Traybay72 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi I don't have the ranges but I do want to make an appt to see dr tomorrow as I just don't feel right at all x

Thank you. I will make a note of what you've said. I don't understand all the information about thyroid meds/results etc...

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Traybay72]

Traybay72 Assuming that you are in the UK, then you are legally entitled to your test results, including the reference ranges, under the Data Protection Act 1998. Ask your surgery for a print out which they can't refuse but may make a small charge for printing.

Once you've got them, make a new thread and we can help you understand everything.

As a general guide, for a treated hypo patient the aim is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges if that is where the patient feels well and symptoms abate. Your results indicate that could be where they lie but obviously something isn't right if you are still experiencing symptoms. This is why testing FT3 is so important (but rarely gets done) as it tells us whether the T4 (which is a storage hormone which levo provides) is getting converted into T3 which is the active hormone that every cell in our bodies need.

And as optimal levels of vitamins and minerals (that's optimal rather than 'in range') are needed for thyroid hormone to work then it's important to get those tested as well, but doctors know nothing about that. If your GP won't test them, we can point you in the right direction to do a home fingerprick test.

You can learn a lot about the thyroid from ThyroidUK's main website thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/ Start at 'About the Thyroid' in the purple menu on the left hand side and work your way down. If you want to get well then you need to read and learn because GPs are very good at keeping us Hypo patients ill because they know so little about it.

[Traybay72]

Free thyroxine- is this FT3 ? FT4?

Or something else?

Thanks

[shaws Administrator]

If you are going to have a blood test for thyroid hormones it has to be the very earliest and fasting although you can drink water. Also leave about 24 hours between your dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. This helps keep the TSH higher and may prevent doctor adjusting dose unnecessarily so.

Ask Doctor to also test the Free T3 and Free t4 (they don't usually) but give more information on what's going on in your body.

[puncturedbicycle]

Wondering, as are others I imagine, if you're actually converting any of that thyroxine to t3 (the usable hormone) or if it is just sitting there lowering your tsh, raising your t4 and doing you little good if any. If you have hypo symptoms you need to know your t3 results. If the gp won't test it you can buy a relatively affordable fingerprick test via Blue Horizon Medicals (and elsewhere I'm sure) and find out for yourself.

[Traybay72 in reply to puncturedbicycle]

Thank you! Appreciate everyone's advice xxx

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Traybay72]