Thyroid levels: Hi im Sylus911 im new here.I had... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

141,270 members166,540 posts

Thyroid levels

sylus_911 profile image
7 Replies

Hi im Sylus911 im new here.I had my thyroid removed 5 years ago,felt so well than 14 months ago my levels changed and i have,nt felt well sinse.Although i was told my tsh levels had gone back to normal 2.4 i,ve recently had a blood test for my t4 and t3 levels, the t4 is high and the t3 is low and my tsh level is now 1.57.I was told that im not converting.I have no idea what all this means can someone please explain to me.

Written by
sylus_911 profile image
sylus_911
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
7 Replies
Scazzoh profile image
Scazzoh

Hi Sylus, sorry you are not well. Could you post the test results with the ranges (the number in brackets), so that you can get accurate advice? T4 being 'high' and t3 being 'low' does not really mean anything.

sylus_911 profile image
sylus_911 in reply toScazzoh

Hi t4 level is 20.3 the t3 level is 3.5.I am on 100mcg levothyroxine a day

JemimahR profile image
JemimahR

Your body should convert T4 into T3 - T3 is the active hormone. I had this issue when I had my thyroid removed - I couldn't have T4 supplementation alone (Levothyroxine) as my body wouldn't convert it. I trialled combination therapy - T4 and T3, then T3 only but the only thing that worked for me was moving to NDT (which unfortunately most GPs and Endos don't endorse).

sylus_911 profile image
sylus_911 in reply toJemimahR

What is NDT?

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply tosylus_911

NDT stands for Natural Desiccated Thyroid. That is, it is dried, standardised animal thyroid made into tablets.

Most often doctors refer to it as Desiccated Thyroid, Desiccated Thyroid Extract (DTE), or Thyroid USP (though that is actually the powder used to make the tablets, in the USA) or one of the brand names such as Erfa Thyroid, Armour Thyroid, or one of the other makes.

All makes of prescription-quality desiccated thyroid that I know of are from porcine sources. All makes of desiccated thyroid contain similar amounts of T4 and T3 hormones - though they do vary a little.

Some people feel better by taking desiccated thyroid rather than levothyroxine.

(There are several products which are made from dried animal thyroid that do not declare their thyroid hormone content. In general, we do not know how much - if any - thyroid hormone these products contain.)

Many other abbreviations and acronyms can be found in my document created expressly for this forum:

dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u...

sylus_911 profile image
sylus_911 in reply tohelvella

Thank you for the info.You must excuse my ignorance ,its only recently i,ve been trying to look into all this.I had my thyroid removed put on thyroxine and as far as i knew that was that.Did,nt know anything about how your levels can change,but i knew it when they did.When i went back to see my consultant and ask him what was t4 and t3 he said they were only numbers.As im learning a bit more about things it seems that there quite important numbers id say.I,ve just been put on antidepressants and anxiety tablets,i know i dont feel well,although some days i dont feel as bad, but other times i feel so awful,can that happen?

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply tosylus_911

The whole point of the forum is for us to help each other in whatever ways we can. No-one is born knowing about thyroid medicines and tests and so on! Most of us only come to know what we know due to circumstances forcing us to do so.

People vary all the time. I am probably as stable as anyone here - never became very hypothyroid, still have my own thyroid, am male (which seems to mean fewer problems for many) - and yet even I find myself changing over shorter and longer periods.

I believe I have seen changes in other people over times as short as five minutes.

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Thyroid levels

Hi I have just had my annual check and asked for a print out of my levels as the Doctor said they...
pure2293 profile image

Repeat thyroid test

Hi, I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism or Borderline Hypothyroidism about a year ago as my TSH was...

Fluctulating Thyroid levels

Hi can anyone tell me why my levels keep fluculating. I had a blood test taken back in March....
sylus_911 profile image

Thyroid levels

Hello Last December I had a lump appear on my neck - turned out it was a thyroid cyst that had...

Causes of unstable thyroid levels/symptoms

Hey guys Just thought I'd post my blood tests 2014 to show how unstable they were and the lack of...
Saggyuk profile image

Moderation team

See all
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator
PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator
Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.