Any advice welcome

[Axleg]

I'll try and keep this as simple as possible. I had Radio Iodine about 6 years ago as I had an over action Thyroid (even though I was over weight!!) I've been on Leyvothyroxine ever since as they killed off too much Thyroid and I became under active.

I've never been quite right on the Levo, getting headaches, tired eyes, aches and even Graves disease at one point. I'm taking 150mgs currently but feel lethargic and have started putting on weight despite a good diet and regular gym. I have very dry sore eyes and the lack of concentration and brain fog is not getting any better.

NHS say I'm in the normal range but I think my levels are low and I don't think I'm converting well so I had a private test done but not sure what the results mean in real terms.

TSH 1.26 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.2

Free Throxine 19.80 pmol/l 12.0 - 22.0

Free T3 3.7 pmol/L 3.1 - 6.8

Any pointers would be good, personally I think switching to a Natural based product would be better for me.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Axleg Your results are good up to a point. TSH is pretty good and FT4 is good. 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 when on Levo only.

Your problem is your very low FT3, which should be in the upper quarter of it's range.

It looks like you could have a conversion problem and the addition of T3 to your Levo or changing over to Natural Dessiccated Thyroid would be a good idea.

However, because good conversion can't take place unless all vitamins and minerals are optimal, then you should test the following

Vit D - recommended is 100-150nmol/L according to the Vit D Council

B12 - should be at the very top of it's range

Folate - should be at least half way through it's range

Ferritin - should be half way through it's range

If all these are at optimal levels then it would seem sensible to consider adding T3 or changing to NDT

[Axleg in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, that's really helpful.

[Fruitandnutcase]

That's the trouble with radioactive iodine, it eventually renders you underactive, even though one trainee endo told me that doesn't happen.

I'd check out your vitamin D and B12, ferritin and folates, you want them well up within their ranges. I went totally gluten free a couple of years ago and that reduced my thyroid antibodies massively. I eat a really healthy diet, eggs, nuts and seeds and lots of oily fish - it's supposed good for dry eyes, also eat lots of vegetables and fruit but not too much and mostly berries. I avoid processed food, sugary food, junk food and fizzy drinks etc

Sounds like you might have dry eyes, I had that when my Graves was active. I used and still use,preservative free eye drops, I like HycoSan and Theolose Duo. You can get 'gunky' ointments for night time but I don't like them.

Make sure you put them in regularly throughout the day, not just morning and night, you've almost got to 'overdose' with them and keep using them even when your eyes feel better. That's where I fall down!

Hope you get sorted out soon.

[Axleg]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, that's really helpful.

[Axleg]

I've spoken to my GP and he agreed I could do with a addition of T3 but wanted to refer me to a specialist however my earliest appointment on the NHS is Jan!!!. I really can't wait that long and am keen to see if an addition of T3 will make a difference. Can anyone advise or message me where I can buy T3 as a supplement. Thanks.

[Clutter in reply to Axleg]

Axleg,

Buy a pillcutter from your high street pharmacy because you will need to quarter the 25mcg T3 tablets into 6.25mcg doses. You should start by adding 6.25mcg to your current 150mcg Levothyroxine dose. It may be necessary to add a second 6.25mcg T3 dose but it will very much suppress your TSH which your GP and endo may find problematic.