Blood results after taking 100 mcg of SYNTHROID for 8 weeks. Free T3 still low.

[Lucas22]

Hello. These are my results after 9 weeks taking 100 mcg of SYNTHROID, increased from 75 mcg. I am male, 38 years old, 72 kg:

TSH:

Before taking thyroid medication: 5,09 uUI/ml

Whit 75 mcg: 1,13 uUI/ml

Whit 100 mcg: 0,19 uUI/ml

Ref: 0,40 – 4,30

Free T4:

Before taking thyroid medication: 1,01 ng/dl 28,18 % in the range

Whit 75 mcg: 1,18 ng/dl 43,63 % in the range

Whit 100 mcg: 1,42 ng/dl 65,45 % in the range

Ref: 0,70 – 1,80 ng/dl

Free T3:

Before taking thyroid medication: 0,34 ng/dl 70% in the range

Whit 75 mcg: 0,32 ng/dl 60 % in the range

Whit 100 mcg: 0,33 ng/dl 65% in the range

Ref: 0,20 – 0,40

So, whit 100 mcg, the TSH is now below the reference range, free T4 increased from 43 to 65 % of the reference range, but free T3 is still lower than before starting taking Synthroid. Well, whit 100 mcg for 9 weeks, I see zero improvements, I still have fatigue, constipation, no outer eyebrows, tiny hair, and the worst symptom of mine, my legs are heavy, weak, and painful.

Should I go to 125 mcg, or is time to ad T3 to the mix?

I have in my home now T3 in the form of:

- Desiccated thyroid from Thailand;

- 2.5 mcg, 10 mcg, and 20 mcg T3 capsules from a compound pharmacy

- Also, I can ask the compound pharmacy to make the capsules the size I want without a prescription.

What do you think? What is the next step to take?

Thank you very much!

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum,

Unfortunately, there is no quick fix with thyroid hormones. Ours may have taken years failing enough for us to be finally diagnosed. So, it does take some time to build back the hormones to a level in which we have relief of clinical symptoms.

It is a life-long disease and hormones are needed in order for us to keep healthy and function normally.

You should have an increase about every six to eight weeks until you feel well, although some doctors stop increasing due to the blood tests alone.

Switching from one type of thyroid hormones isn't advised until you have given your body a long time to get acclimitised to increasing doses. If after sometime you still don't feel good, then you can look at alternatives.

The first aim is to have a TSH at 1 or lower. B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate should be at an optimum level also as too low can also give us clinical symptoms.

Thyroid hormones should be taken first thing on an empty stomach with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating. (or at bedtime if you prefer as long as you've last eaten about 3 hours previously).

Blood tests should be the very earliest possible and fasting. Also allow 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. This gives the best result for you.

Always get a print-out with the ranges for your own records and you can post if you have a query.

The followin is a list of symptoms and replacement hormones can alleviate them. Thankfully we don't get all of them

[Lucas22 in reply to shaws]

Hello.

I am not a new member, I go from 75 to 100 mcg from here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thank you any way!!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Lucas22]

Apologies Lucass22. I hope you feel better soon.

[Clutter]

Lucas22,

TSH 0.19 is below range. FT3 65% through range indicates you are converting T4 to T3 well. There is scope to increase Levothyroxine dose to raise FT4 which will also raise FT3 or you can add some T3 to your Levothyroxine dose. Doing either will suppress your TSH. Levels are good now but you should be aware that symptoms may lag behind good biochemistry by several months.

As you have T3 available I would add 5mcg T3 to 100mcg Levothyroxine for a week or two to see how well you tolerate T3, and then increase to 10mcg. Hold at 10mcg for 6-8 weeks and retest to make sure FT3 remains within range.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.