Need some knowledge of kidney issues....

[Wantie]

I'm getting a bit concerned that for whatever reason my kidneys are complaining. I have high levels of T4 - latest was 22.73 (12 a 22) and slowly rising levels of T3 4.98 (3.1 a 6.8). I was going to maintain a dose of 150 / 125 mg levo (alternate nights) with 12.5 mg cynomel every night for a bit longer but I'm now wondering if maintaining very high levels of T4 is a good idea. My issues are creaky bones, knee failure every now and then, wrist and shoulder aches all of which I've had in different proportions for a while and their intensity and impact on my life are much reduced over the past few months. However, I am conscious recently that I am getting dull aching in my lower back nearly all the time. Having checked some earlier blood results I see that my GFR has been reducing - down to 66 in February from 71and my creatinine is rising 84 in Feb from 80. I read a really interesting article on here about some research showing that excess T4 gets stored in the kidneys as T4 glucuronide. Does anyone know if this has a negative impact on the kidneys ? Would a solution be to reduce my T4 intake quite drastically and maybe increase T3 ? If so by what sort of amounts ? Also how does one support the kidneys ? I realise the importance of diet (am gluten free, low alcohol, fresh food and plenty of protein) I also supplement with B12 and B complex, eat Bolivian Brazil nuts, take K2, 1mg vit C and turmeric...D3 in the winter. I have stopped the zinc because it was formulated with Copper and I need to get a copper blood test before I continue as although my zinc is at the low end of the range, apparently people with Hashis can go over range on copper.

Was thinking of an adrenal test but to be honest I haven't understood what you do with the result....i.e. If you find you have adrenal fatigue there isn't much you can do that I'm not doing already to support my thyroid.

Ps My doctor is useless and I was signed off by my ends three years ago after 6 years of testing only TSH.

People on here know so much and I feel a bit depressed that it's one thing after another.

[greygoose]

The only way you will know if you need all that T4, is to try reducing it and see how you feel. It's all trial and error, anyway. There are no answers set in stone. Do you happen to have labs from before you added in the T3? That would be helpful to see how well you convert.

I'm afraid I don't know anything about kidneys, so I can't help you with any of that.

For your adrenals, you could increase the vit C. 1 mg is not very much. I take 5000 mg a day. Adrenals need vit C, and they need good levels of B vits. In order to support them, make sure you eat a high protein breakfast as soon as possible after waking. And, don't skimp on the salt! Adrenals need salt.

[Wantie in reply to greygoose]

Before, I was on a daily 150 mg Levo and I got bloods in early feb which were T3 4.17 (3.1 - 6.8) and T4 22.41 (12 - 22) TSH 0.27 (0.27 -4.2). I then reduced Levo to 125 on alternate days and added a half of a 25 mg cynomel. If I drop to about 100 mg levo each night and increase to 3/4 T3... is that too big a jump ? I know my basal temps and pulse. I would probably take the T4 and a half tab T3 at night and the extra 1/4 during the day...does that sound right or will I find my T4 drops too much? I can't easily do bloods as I rely on my doctor and she isn't aware of my self-medicating journey. I can only do Blue Horizon when I'm in the U.K.

Thanks for the tip about Vit c, I'll increase that. Am about to reduce my B12 to 5000 every other day as I've been on 5000 for a couple of months.

Again, many thanks for your thoughts

[greygoose in reply to Wantie]

OK, so your conversion was pretty bad. So, you really don't need all that T4. It doesn't matter if the FT4 goes low. The body only hangs on to what it needs. I'm not sure if the body 'knows' that you can't convert... there's a thought I haven't had before! But, the important thing is that the FT3 rises, because it's low T3 that causes symptoms. See how you feel on the revised doses. That's more important than blood tests, anyway.

[Wantie]

Great...will try and thanks.