Results

[susanyoungcasper1]

Been to go today for results and he said I am over medicated.

TSH 0.31 marginally suppressed and T4 normal. I am feeling so tired my skin is in a right mess. Feeling cold and weight has shot right up. Feeling really low.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

What does "T4 normal" mean? Can we have results with ranges please for members to comment. Let us know what dose of thyroid meds you're taking and if there's been any recent change. You haven't given much information here.

[susanyoungcasper1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi I am now on 125 levothyroxine after being reduced 5 weeks ago from 150.

16.9 pmol/L range U9-19 read code 442v serum free To level

0.31miu/L range U 0.35 - 4.94 serum TSH level

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to susanyoungcasper1]

FT4: 16.9 (9-19)

TSH: 0.31 (0.35-4.94)

Are these the results from when you were on 150mcg Levo? If so there was no need to reduce your dose, you were not over medicated.

Assuming that they are your results on 150mcg then your GP is dosing purely by TSH and the fact that you are slightly under range is the reason for the reduction.

The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it is needed for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges.

From ThyroidUK's main website > About the Thyroid > Hypothyroidism > Treatment Options:

"According to the BMA's booklet, "Understanding Thyroid Disorders", many people do not feel well unless their levels are at the bottom of the TSH range or below and at the top of the FT4 range or a little above."

The booklet is written by Dr Toft, leading endocrinologist and past president of the British Thyroid Association. You can buy the book on Amazon for £4.95 and it might be a wise investment so that you can highlight the appropriate part to show your GP. I'm not sure how he can argue with a book published by the British Medical Association.

Also, Dr Toft states in Pulse Magazine:

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

You can obtain a copy of the article by emailing [e-mail] then you can print it off, highlight question 6 to show to your GP.

Ask him to restore your dose to 150mcg (assuming those results were when you were taking that dose) and point out that you can only be over medicated if your FT3 is over range, and perhaps invite him to test FT3 to prove one way or the other that you are over medicated. It is very unlikely that he will be able to get FT3 tested!

[susanyoungcasper1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi these results are on my 125 . I had blood test 17 th of this month and results today. I am seeing endo on 21 June but my go said they will reduce me further. I am already feeling anxious and I am very tired and low 😣

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to susanyoungcasper1]

Do you have the results from when you were on 150mcg? I'm wondering what triggered the reduction in dose.

As far as these results on 125mcg are concerned, what I said previously applies to this dose. You are not over medicated so you should resist any attempt to reduce your dose further. Use the information I have given you to get your point across, buy the book from Amazon and email for a copy of the Pulse Online Magazine article then point out that if your FT3 is in range you can't be over medicated.

[susanyoungcasper1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much for your help I am desperately trying to sort this as want to feel normal again. Also trying hard to lose weight but nothing happening. I don't have my results from last test

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to susanyoungcasper1]

Susan - you are welcome

Weight loss will only happen when optimally medicated, and when FT3 is at a good level. It's so important for FT3 to be tested but doctors are quite ignorant of this fact.

T4 (provided by Levo) is a storage hormone which converts to T3 which is the active hormone which every cell in our bodies need. If we can't convert T4 to T3 well enough then FT3 will remain low and we remain unwell.

If you can get FT3 tested at the same time as FT4 we can tell you if you're converting well enough.

It's an idea also to have vitamins and minerals tested because we need them to be at optimal levels for thyroid hormone to work properly.

Ask for

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

If you can't get all these tests done through your GP or endo then we can tell you where to get them done privately.

[susanyoungcasper1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you. I am planning to ask for t3 test in June and my vitamin and minerals. I will let you know how it goes. I am sure my t3 is low and this is why I am gaining g weight and feeling as poorly as I am. I will self medicate if I don't get the help I need.

I also have a lot of inflammation in feet hands and fingers .