First set of blood tests after adding T3 to my T4 7 weeks ago

[hobbycat]

I wonder if anyone would comment on my latest blood test results just in. I have been 100mcg of T4 and 20mcg of T3 for the last 7 weeks. Previous to this I have been on 125mcg of T4 only :

TSH level 0.08 mIU/L 0.35 - 4.94mIU/L(was 0.07 in June)

Free T4 level 9.6 pmol/L 9.01 - 19.05pmol/L(was 15.6 in June)

Free T3 level 4.8 pmol/L 2.63 - 5.7pmol/L(was 4.6 in June)

I feel AMAZING compared to in June when I was only on T4. My brain has come back, and my energy - I feel ALIVE again – the different symptoms are air hunger, quickening heart rate and sometimes feeling jittery/shaking – though these come and go, and I wouldn’t trade to go back to before. Does it seem odd that I feel so good when my T3 has only gone up marginally and my T4 has dropped to very low in range ?

Anti-Thyroid Microsomal Ab (peroxidase) 24.3 IU/mL (was 44.4 in Oct16)

I don’t have the range for this though it seems a low number. Can anyone say whether they think it suggests Hashimoto’s or not ?

Other tests - Vitamins etc

Ferritin 80 ng/mL 20 - 204ng/mL(was 75 in June)

I’m now eating liver once a week. Should I supplement or just keep going with liver ?

Serum magnesium level 0.75 mmol/L 0.7 - 1.0 mmol/L (was 0.84 mmol/L 0.85 - 1.05mmol/L in Oct16). I have been taking 1 x 200mg magnesium citrate. Shall I increase ?

Vitamin B12 530 pg/mL 187 - 883pg/mL(was 591 in June)

I have been taking Thorne basic B complex – 1 capsule – and I seem to be going backwards. What next ?

Vitamin D 73.6 nmol/L 80 - 150nmol/L(was 66.6 in June)

I have been taking 2000IU chewable Solgar D3. Shall I increase ?

Folate 14.8 ng/mL 3.1 - 20.5ng/mL(was 9.7 in June) so that seems to be fine

I'm really keen to be optimising everything so any advice / help would be greatly appreciated.

[Clutter]

Hobbycat,

I suspect FT3 levels will still be improving. I found it took more than 8 weeks for FT3 levels to respond to T3.

TSH is suppressed as expected on the doses you are taking which are equivalent to 160mcg Levothyroxine. FT4 is usually much lower when taking T3 because it is unnecessary to have high T4 for conversion when taking T3 direct. FT3 4.8 is over halfway through range which is satisfactory.

If thyroid peroxidase 44.6 was above range in October you have autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's). Antibodies fluctuate and are higher after an autoimmune attack and then subside until the next.

Ferritin is optimal halfway through range but >70 should be fine. I would continue eating liver to maintain level.

Magnesium is within range so maintain with your current dose.

B12 530 is unlikely to be deficient. B Complex contains little B12 but is helpful for the other B vitamins it contains.

VitD is optimal 75-100. 2,000iu is fine for now but increase Oct-Apr.

Folate is good.

[hobbycat]

Many thanks Clutter for all your comments - it's good to be well. Neither my GP or endo has said to me directly that I have Hashimotos. Looks like that's my next area of learning. I read so much about going gluten free but I am a carbs monster and seem to crave gluten so I'm thinking I will reserve that move for another time.

[maxart in reply to hobbycat]

So much good info here isn't there? I found my health changed beyond all recognition when I went completely grain-free, about 3.5 years ago. Takes 2 weeks to detox, then you won't even miss them. I had a range of long term, medicated auto immune conditions that all cleared up within a month. If you're interested I recommend reading Wheat Belly Total Health by Dr William Davis, cover to cover. X

[hobbycat]

Thank you for the encouragement Maxart. I'm often a slow starter so I will look to getting the book you recommend and maybe that will be my catalyst ?!? Though as I'm feeling so much better than I was I'm wondering what going gluten free will solve for me if anything ?

[maxart in reply to hobbycat]

I guess all things are relative..

Gluten is only the tip of the iceberg with grains though. Gliadin is a component of gluten that also appears elsewhere. It attacks the intestinal lining, triggering autoimmune disease, and appears to directly affect the thyroid. Add to that the phytates in grains that prevent essential mineral absorption, the massive disruption to bowel flora and the carb chain Amylopectin A that dramatically elevates blood sugar, and it's all quite an unpleasant picture. After years of research and reading I can honestly say that eliminating grains is perhaps the most important thing that a human could do for their health (except probs quitting smoking).

[maxart in reply to maxart]

But, great you're feeling so much better. Hurrah for that!