FT3 & FT4 testing???

[Thorn]

I am in the US and 2 years ago following lab work was put on 50 micro of Levo. Just recently (June 2017) had more lab work done. My TSH was 8.97(0.40-4.50 mIU/L),(No T4 or T3 results). My Levo was in increased to 75 micro because 50 was not working. In the 2 years since starting the Levo I have gone from FEELING tired to now BEING so tired I can't stay awakeand I can sleep 16+ hours on some days and I don't feel bad after sleeping that long, just feel defeated because I do. Of course my weight, fatigue and brain fog has been on a steady rise for about 5 years. I chalked it up to getting older(59), metabolism slowing down. I was hands on owner with my own landscaping business, loved it! It seems unreal for me to feel like this now. Sorry for going on so.

Should I ask to have my T4 and T3 levels checked before I go through a lot more testing that will not get the medicine that my underactive thyroid needs? Of course I'm sure that will eventually happen but I'm bottoming out. Would doing so speed up this process. The only mention was of my TSH level.

Just to say.... Type 2 Diabetes and Hypothyroidism diagnosed in same lab results in June 2015. Pulmonologist diagnosis of COPD in same month of 2015. I couldn't figure out why I was unable to perform at the work that I had always looked forwar to doing.

Any insights or thoughts will be appreciated. My next labs are scheduled for September .

Thank you so much

[Clutter]

Thorn,

TSH was 8.97 because FT4 and FT3 were low. You should have a follow up thyroid test 6-8 weeks after increasing to 75mcg. Arrange an early morning and fasting (water only) blood draw when TSH is highest, and take Levothyroxine after your blood draw.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Hypothyroid patients are often low or deficient in ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate which can cause fatigue, musculskeletal pain and low mood similar to hypothyroid symptoms so ask your physician to do blood tests to check levels.

I would wait until TSH has dropped to between 0.40 - 1.0) to ask for FT4 and FT3 to be checked.

[Thorn in reply to Clutter]

Thank you, will have the levels of ferritin, folate, Vit D and B12. Also won't take my Levo until after draw. Again thank you so much for sharing.

[Thorn in reply to Clutter]

I just realized that I had taken my 4am dose of Levo prior to my last 2 labs..won't do that again. I wasn't told not to...