FreeT3 getting lower!

[Rennixon]

Hello all

Ive not been too good this summer & seem to have the feeling of swimming under water. Although I'm functioning quite well I don't feel it.

My levorthyroxine was increased a year ago from 100 to 125 mcg daily & slowly i began to feel better then in March this year the doc asked me to lower the dose ( from test results as my Ft3 was8.0(see ranges below) i had been having trouble sleeping & had heart palps & thought i may be pooling T3 so I agreed to reduce to 100 on alternate days. Tests in May revealed My Ft4 dropped to 16.8(again ranges below) the lowest it had been for over a year & my FT3 dropped to 5.9 roughly the same as before the increase in dose. So feeling terrible I upped the dose again, but have not really felt well since -

Symptoms include: numbness in my toe, headaches, brain fog, lethargy, bad tempered, forgetful, weakness, breathless & as from my last post-anxiety

Ive recently had some tests (because of the anxiety attacks) & now I'm wondering if the problem is conversion?

Tests results for 21/7/2017 are;

TSH 0.02(0.3-5.5) not budged since June16 after increase

FT4 20.0(11-23) was 23.9 after increase, dropped to 16.8 after decrease

FT3 4.9(4.1-7.9) was5.6 raising to 8 after increase, dropped to 5.9 after decrease

Any advise welcome

Thank you 😊

[shaws Administrator]

Doctor's should not adjust our dose according to the TSH alone once we've been diagnosed.

Do you have blood tests at the very earliest time, fasting (you can drink water) and do you leave 24 hours gap between last dose of levo and test?

Breathlessness could be due to lowish FT3. (I am not medically qualified).

[Rennixon in reply to shaws]

Thanks shaws

Yep well trained in the test department-early/fasting/no meds.

Wow didn't realise that low T3 could cause my breathlessness. Im trying to read up but my concentration is rubbish at the moment.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Rennixon]

Some further information and I think by now we could all set up surgeries We must know more than most Endocrinologists who only seem to recognise TSH and T4.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[greygoose]

You're right, you do have a problem converting. What you need is a reduction in T4 and some T3 added.

[Rennixon in reply to greygoose]

Thanks greygoose

My head is very foggy & so i end up doubting what i think is the problem, so for you to agree with my suspicion is a great help.

I would love to trail a combination on NHS but i know my CCG wont allow prescription

Having said that I've not asked my GP yet, so time to bite the bullet i think & see what happens

[greygoose in reply to Rennixon]

Or, you could ask him if he'd be willing to monitor you, if you bought your own. Some GPs will do that.

[Rennixon in reply to greygoose]

Doh! Didnt think about that -i hate brain blips 🤣

[greygoose in reply to Rennixon]

lol We all get them!