First post

[EROB]

Hi, this is my first post on the forum. I have had an under active thyroid for over 20 years and I have to say my journey has been very hit and miss. To cut a long story short I've had a relapse and am struggling to cope. I'm currently signed off work, but am desperate to get back to 'normal'! I often feel that no-one understands and feel very alone (hence joining). What I'd like to know is do these relapses happen to others, even though bloods are normal? I feel worse now than when my TSH was 0.04.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

EROB I've been treated for hypo for over 40 years. The first 20 or so I wasn't too bad but then I went downhill. I think mine was triggered by a series of viruses,one after the other without really recovering from one before I got hit with the next. I've never really got back to anything like feeling well since. Is there anything that can have triggered your relapse?

What we always ask, and advise, is to see all your results, full thyroid panel and vitamins and minerals, that way we can identify where anything might be wrong with your thyroid meds, see if you have a conversion problem, any nutrient deficiencies. So can you post any results you have, with their reference ranges, ideally we need

TSH

FT4

FT3

TPO antibodies

TG antibodies

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

If you can't​ get them all done (FT3 and TG antibodies are rarely done on the NHS) then you can do a home fingerprick blood test that covers everything mentioned from

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/T... or

medichecks.com/thyroid-func...

[EROB in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi Seaside Susie,

Thanks for the response.

On the 2/3/17 my results were

Vit D - 85

T3 - 3.5

T4 - 18.6

TSH - 0.79

Results on the 26/4 the GP only requested TSH which was 2.52.

I take a Thyroid Complex vitamin and B12.

The only thing I can think of for the relapse is I moved house in January and have a stressful job, which I'm finding difficult, as I don't really feel part of the team. I haven't felt particular stressed and I'm normally fairly tuned in.

I just don't like the thought that this is my life now!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to EROB]

EROB The recommended level for Vit D is 100-150nmol/L. Over 75 is replete. So at 85 you aren't too bad, you should be able to boost that by getting out in the sun with skin uncovered (no sunscreen) for maybe half an hour a day. You could probably do with a maintenance dose during the winter, say September/October to March/April of maybe 1000-2000iu D3 daily. If you do supplement you'd need K2-MK7 as well, you can get combo D3/K2 supplements which might be easier.

**

Were you tested for B12? If so was folate also tested? As you're taking B12 are you also taking a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins?

**

What is in your 'thyroid complex vitamin' ? Does it contain iodine/kelp? If so we shouldn't take iodine unless we have been tested deficient.

**

T3 - 3.5

T4 - 18.6

TSH - 0.79

Do you have the reference ranges for these?

TSH is obviously at the lower end of it's range which is good, most of us Hypos feel best when TSH is 1 or below.

FT3 is very possibly low in range, FT4 I have no idea whether that is near the top or not. What is obvious though is that you are not converting T4 to T3 very well. Good conversion takes place when the FT4:FT3 ratio is 4:1 or less. Yours is 18.6 : 3.5 = 5.31 : 1 .

Selenium can help with conversion, as can optimal levels of vitamins and minerals so it's a good idea to get them all tested as mentioned.

If all the building blocks are in place and your conversion is still poor, then adding T3 to Levo or changing over to natural dessicated thyroid (NDT) is worth considering.

**

Stress comes in many forms (chronic health conditions, poor sleep, as well as the more obvious forms) and stress can affect adrenals. Adrenals and thyroid are linked. You might want to consider a 24 hour saliva adrenal stress test to see what's going on and whether you need any specific help, but lots of Vit C and a B Complex help support adrenals generally.

[EROB in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi,

I do take vit D as well, as I suffer with Polymorphic light eruption, so being out in the sun is not an option for me 😔 I was taking a vit B complex, but thought it was making me feel worse, so changed back to just B12.

Nutri Advanced thyro complex contains iodine and selenium, but the selenium is a low dose. I think I'll buy an additional supplement.

The ranges are

T3 3.5-6.5

T4 10-18.7

TSH 0.35-4.5

Looking at it again my T3 is lower end and T4 higher end. I don't know if this makes a difference?

All this is very interesting and helpful, so thank you very much. I had no idea about the T3 to T4 ratio.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to EROB]

2/3/17

FT3: 3.5 (3.5-6.5)

FT4: 18.6 (10-18.7)

TSH: 0.79 (0.35-4.5)

Oh, that explains a lot.

You have very top of range FT4 so your Levo is doing it's job. However, there's not really any conversion going on. I think if you were under an endo who understands about conversion then you would be prescribed T3 to be added to your Levo (if you are in an area where it's still allowed to be prescribed). So, you could discuss this conversion issue with your GP but there's no guarantee that he will know anything about or accept conversion problems.

The alternative is to consider self sourcing and self medicating and accepting responsibility for your own thyroid health and doing your own blood tests.

**

This is also interesting:

"Results on the 26/4 the GP only requested TSH which was 2.52."

There's a big difference in your TSH result comparing it to 2/3/17.

Were the blood draws done under the same conditions - same time (early morning?), did you fast overnight or did you eat or drink anything but water before your blood draw, did you leave off Levo for 24 hours? Conditions have to be the same each time in order to compare results.

Have you ever had thyroid antibodies tested?

[EROB]

Hi,

My GP is very supportive and I've tried Liothyroine (T3) twice before, but it makes me feel so sick I have to stop it. I've seen two Endocrinologist, but they are not interested.

I've never thought about the times I have my blood tess I just do when I have time. The last one was done PM.

You've told me more and given me a better understanding than any GP or Endo consultant has in 20 years!!