Blood results

[4by2]

Hi on the recommendations on this site I asked my GP to take bloods with specific interest to T3 levels. Could someone throw some light on these results? Serum Cortisol 424nmol/L Serum free T4 11.3 pmol/L TSH Level 4.2mu/L Serum triiodothyronine 4.0 pmol/L

Ferritin 380ug/L Vitamin D 59 nmol/L I have just read the post on anxiety and cortisol and wondered if my levels were out of sink. I have suffered with anxiety for about 12 years. Probably when my GP prescribed me with HRT for menopausal symptoms. Then found I had hypothyroidism and was prescribed Thyroxine. Before Christmas last year GP increased Thyroxine to 125mcgs and I started getting palpations and very anxious. Phoned GP who told me to cut down to 100mcgs the next day! Reading some of your posts maybe I should have reduced the dose slowly!! How do you see Endo? Do you need to see someone privately?? Thanks 4by

[shaws Administrator]

If you have the ranges for your results. It will be helpful. The reason being labs differ in their ranges (just to complicate things) and members can only respond when ranges are indicated.

Many members have been disappointed by the Endocrinologist. Even paying privately.

If you email [e-mail] she has a list of sympathetic Endocrinoogists.

[4by2 in reply to shaws]

Hi yes I will give you the ranges. Serum free T4 Range 11.3 (10.0-19.8) TSH 4.2 (0.3-5.5) triiodothryonine 4.0 (3.5-6.7) Ferritin 380ug/L(12.0-300.0) Cortisol 424 morning values (110-530) Blood was taken at 9 am. Plasma C 5mgs (0.0-10.0) Vitamin D 59 (24.0-167.0) Thanks 4by

[steviecat in reply to 4by2]

Curious. I'm no expert - hopefully you'll get an answer from someone with a far better grasp of this disease than I. However, at first glance, your thyroid numbers seem a bit askew. TSH is indicating that your thyroid is struggling a bit. Your T4 is very low in range and so is T3. I think you also might benefit from some VitD3 supplementation (taken alongside VitK2 MKVII). With luck, someone will be able to interpret your cortisol levels as these have an important effect on hormone conversion. It would seem that you are undermedicated, but you had an adverse reaction when your Levo was raised... Hmm, as I say, hopefully one of the experts here will respond.

[4by2]

I hope so Think I need some help & advice!!

[Clutter]

4by2,

Palpitations can also be caused by under medication. TSH 4.2 means you are under medicated. Ask for a dose increase. You can start it gently by taking 100/125mcg alternate days for a couple of weeks before increasing to 125mcg daily.

The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.

Ferritin over range can indicate inflammation somewhere in the body but it can be caused by something insignificant like a cold or virus at the time of testing. I wouldn't worry about it and would simply retest in 4-6 monts.

VitD is optimal around 100nmol/L. I would supplement 5,000iu daily for 4-6 weeks then reduce to 5,000iu alternate days and retest in July. Take vitD 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.

I can't answer your question on cortisol. You might want to write a separate post asking about cortisol and be sure to mention it in the title.