Results aren't improving much..: ...why would... - Thyroid UK

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Results aren't improving much..

misslissa profile image
13 Replies

...why would this be happening? First results I was on 50mcg levo and 20mcg lio, GP increased levo to 75mcg and I upped lio to 30mcg as I thought I needed more but GP didn't want to (maybe I shouldn't have done this but desperation...)

So Dec results aren't great.

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misslissa profile image
misslissa
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13 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

misslissa You haven't left enough time between adjusting meds and re-testing. It should be 6-8 weeks. You haven't yet got the full impact/benefit of the raised dose.

misslissa profile image
misslissa in reply to SeasideSusie

GP requested them early as I was feeling quite unwell. Initially was meant to be January. Hmm so maybe give it another 6 weeks and retest. I just don't feel like I'm improving, surely after 9 months things should be happening?? I mean my TSH is good but symptom wise I feel worse than I did at a TSH of 6.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Just to add to my reply above, in fact your FT3 has increased a reasonable amount in that time. T3 will lower your FT4 and TSH anyway, and as you have increased your T3 you can see that has already started to happen.

misslissa profile image
misslissa in reply to SeasideSusie

What do you mean? So the fact my ft4 has decreased (from original figure) it means my ft3 is better? I'm confused, I assumed my ft3 going from 5 to 3.8 in a month as a bad thing?

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to misslissa

Sorry, I read them the other way round, I read them as the top ones were the old results and the underneath ones were the current results, as you said

"First results I was on 50mcg levo and 20mcg lio, GP increased levo to 75mcg and I upped lio to 30mcg ....."

How are your vitamins and minerals, are they all optimal?

Ruthi profile image
Ruthi

Do you have Hashimotos? Hormone levels can swing wildly, with you buffeted in the middle. It's miserable.

If you do have Hashimotos, then going gluten free helps damp the swings down for many.

misslissa profile image
misslissa in reply to Ruthi

Yes I have Hashis. I have been tested for celiac and that was negative but I know I could still be sensitive. Gluten Free seems a huge challenge (household of 5) and the thought of it makes me quite anxious. Am I over stressing about it?

Ruthi profile image
Ruthi in reply to misslissa

It's like anything else, tricky at first, but becomes easier over time. I was lucky to have had experience of a dairy , egg and additive free diet for my daughter when she was tiny. For a long time we allowed none of it into the house because she was one of those children...

The key is planning, plus some emergency supplies in the freezer! Originally I bought all the GF stuff, but I soon realised that it was highly refined junk that gave me heartburn . Then I just changed the menu and stuck to naturally gf foods like potato, rice quinoa.

And to start with I just told myself I was trying it for three months. By the end of that time I had made enough mistakes to know it was worth it.

misslissa profile image
misslissa in reply to Ruthi

I think it could benefit the house anyway if the gluten was reduced. Would that be any use? I've read you have to be in it 100% but logically would a reduction not help? It's not the big stuff like rice vs pasta it's the table sauces, condiments etc.

Ruthi profile image
Ruthi

You don't need table sauces or condiments. But we have quite a few in this house. You just need to learn to read labels. It takes a while, and a few mistakes, but at least you aren't coeliac, so a mistake does no long term damage.

I knew for thirty years that I reacted to wheat, but I kidded myself that it was minor, and anyway I loved my home made bread and cakes. I bitterly regret that now.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

amymyersmd.com/2015/07/the-...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

If you try gluten free for 2-3.months and find it helps then it's easy to carry on

You don't have to have any obvious symptoms to still get fantastic improvement

Selenium supplements can help reduce antibodies and improve conversion too

eeng profile image
eeng

You need to ignore the TSH level as you are taking T3. Also the FT4 level is of limited use. It is interesting that your FT3 level has dropped even though you are now taking quite a lot more hormone. According to your latest test results you need more hormone not less. The balance between the Levothyroxine you take and the Liothyronine is something I don't know much about, but your results have got worse and you feel worse, so I think possibly an increase in both medications would help. Your TSH will then be extremely low, but that's normal for someone taking T3 (Liothyronine).

silverfox7 profile image
silverfox7

Valid point that you haven't waited 6 weeks. In November your FT3 reading was half way up the range so I think it might have been better to have just gone with the GP's suggestion to see what happened. It may not have been enough but it would have been a good indicator.

When my T3 has been too high I have felt really bad which I was thinking what happens to you but then can't work out why your FT3 reading has fallen. I know that when taking T3 then FT4 and TSH fall but have only noted FT4 going down to halfway down scale so why is this happening that it's much lower. Are you taking your meds correctly? Full glass of water and leaving one hour before food, 2 hours other meds and four hours before iron, calcium and oestrogen and PPI's.

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