I recently had a change in medication from 4 grains and 50 mcg thyroxine, now down to 3 grain and my results are higher than before, am I being thick but how can this be! the serum tsh is still < at 0.05 R(0.4 - 5.5) Serum T4 15.6 R(11.5-22.7) but T3 is 10.6 R(3.5 - 6.5), I have felt rubbish for over 6 months now, put it down to losing my father in horrible circumstances. I feel dizzy, feel sick and exhausted. My eyes keep flickering without me knowing, my Dr referred me for a ct scan but that normal, wonder if these symptoms are down to high T3, I had been on the 4 grains and 50 mcg for years and it all seems odd whats going on, I would expect my TSH to be low as it was even before armour only had one normal test in 15 years so its normal for me! Should I reduce my dose more my Dr said she will speak with consultant at hospital as she is confused, the way I feel at the moment I feel like stop taking and work my way up has anyone does this ! many thanks
the more I reduce my armour the higher the resu... - Thyroid UK
the more I reduce my armour the higher the results seem to get, confused.
Groaten,
How long did you leave between NDT dose and blood draw?
took it in the morning say nine ish I am thinking the test was lunchtime ish but its hard to say parking was a nightmare, and the que at hospital was long! they told me I was only having magnesium test, I feel worse than before the drop in medication now, in fact I am wondering if I should stop it all together!
Groaten,
The T3 in NDT peaks for up to six hours so testing 3 hours after last dose will be why FT3 was high. If you feel worse after dropping dose you may be undermedicated. Perhaps you could order a private thyroid test to check FT3 before making any more dose adjustments? Medichecks offer #ThyroidThursday discounts. thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
Thank you for your help, I went to the drs yesterday and they have decided to stop all treatment, I am looking at this as a positive as 20 years + of feeling rubbish, think I need to take control of my health. you seem very knowledgeable, so how long would you leave it before having a private blood test, when will I not have any medication in my system, I have been taking 3 grains of armour, the pharmacy said about 6 weeks! many thanks, will use blue horizon as they were brilliant before, feeling abit nervous but empowered. kx
Groaten,
That seems a very strange decision. Your FT3 shows overmedication so reducing dose not stopping it would be the right decision. As I said, if you took a dose prior to the blood test you may not even be overmedicated.
If you stop taking medication most will be out of your system within 4-6 weeks.
thank you so much for your response it is much appreciated, I have not taken any armour for over 2 weeks and feel better, but I am definitely slower I am interested to see what the results will show, anyway I checked my records which they have allowed me to see on line took several visits to get access! and I can see why (or perhaps they just don't care, I have below range ferritin folates and my blood is low in mcv but high in rbc and they are all out of range and have been many time before! so I am rightly or wrongly taking a good quality multivitamin now with an additional multi b and I feel absolutely amazing I think the symptoms I have had for 25 years are improved or I am completely mad because I actually feel I went mental, I am also improving my diet which was already good but eating things I don't necessary like but needs must, thank you once again I really appreciate your help if was only you that understood and took the time to help me kxxx
thank you I did have some tests done with blue horizon but they came back with suppressed tsh, I feel abit conned by gp as I wasn't told about test was told it was magnesium only, I think she wants to try and stop the armour there is no way I'm going back to thyroxine the migraines were the worst, in fact before they got hold of me I was fine! I had abit of constipation what would happen if I stopped all meds and just got an idea of what its like with anything and have abit of control back, I have tried to discuss this and she said this isn't a conversation she will engage with! what would really happen and how long would it take to get this the meds out of me! would I really die! or are they trying to scare me!
Do you need the GP at all if you are on Armour?
its the Drs that prescibe it
If the doctor is going to stop it, you might just as well buy your own - or try to find a more sympathetic doctor
I thought it a prescription item, where would I buy it from? I previously went to Dr skinner wish he was still alive, probably wouldn't be feeling so desperate,
If you ask where you can buy it without prescription in a NEW THREAD, or ask for advce about where to get a private prescription from a more sympathetic doctor, I'm sure someone will PM you.
Why not try to stop the levo then see how you do?
Yes, you should reduce your dose some. The flickering is from too much T3. It's all signs of hyperthyroidism.
When you take NDT it is expected that your TSH will suppress, your T4 will lower and T3 should be top of the range but it seems that some people need it over range. I would advise against stopping it altogether but maybe reduce by small amounts. It is unusual for someone to be on NDT and levo, did Dr Skinner recommend? It is also unusual for a GP to prescribe NDT especailly recently. Is it a private prescription? Armour is usually very expensive and has bee changed several times by manufacturer causing problems for its users. There are other NDT that are very reliable.I use nature thyroid to treat myself and have not heard of anyone else having a problem with it. Is the flickering eyes the only symptom that led to neuro refferal. I am wondering if you could do with some B12 supplements. I dont know why your doctor is confused your results are consistant with NDT. Taking your NDT before blood test will have effected the result.. It maybe worth monitoring symptoms for a while, charting dizzyness, nausea and taking temperature and pulse. Also might be worth doing a cortisol saliva test to see of you need an adrenal supplement.The shock of your dads death may have knocked your adrenals. I have found a glass of slightly salty water is great for nausea and if you use a good sea saltgood for magnesium and other minerals.
I was already on NDT before seeing skinner but couldnt get the dose right, he got the dose up, I get it on the NHS as thyroxine as a whole dose gives me migraines everyday and to be honest I would have stopped taking it as the side effects were worse than the benefits, I had a ct scan due to dizziness, problems with sight, failing some tests ie not being able to put one foot infront of the other, the Dr thinks the symptoms are actually not thyroid but fibromalygia, I have had my B12 checked it was ok so was magnesium but I wonder what the doctor will say on tuesday. I feel bad but I have another cough, last year I had 6 chest infections my lungs are over expanded and I think this isnt helping. thank you so much for your reply I actually think I am under treated, I have dizziness, breathlessness, putting on weight (3 stone in 18 months) and tired all the time, will look at adrenal function, my dog has cushings and she has had brilliant treatment, shame I cant get the vet to treat me think I would be sorted by now, ha ha kx
Dear Groaten,
Ignore any B12 test they are not worth bothering with. Even the NHS choices site states that treatment should be based on symptoms not blood results. Has you GP done your ferritin, vit d and folate. It would seem to me that your dose of thyroid meds might be ok but you are not able to absorb the medication or your body is not able to use it. Any neurological symptoms should be tried with some B12 but I wonder if your iron is low hence the extra breathlessness. You maybe able to persaude your GP to give you a course of B12 if you show them the NHS choices info. It sounds like you have a good GP despite lack of knowlegede. My doctors would let me die before they would prescribe NDT let alone give me some to stop migranes.
Vets apparently can treat humans but good luck on finding one willing. Animals do tend to get better treatment because their treatment is decided by the vet not the government. If you think under medicated you could increase to see if it helps. Are you getting palpitations.
Sorry for late reply computer playing up yes my ferritin and folates are all below range, RBC was actually high but that was back in june, I have taken supplements and they have increased slighty but they didnt do rbc, odd I feel better without medication than I have for years I was already on supplements, I know I am not normal, even my gp calls me the emigna, feeling positive and thank you and bless you for taking the time to help me kx
Still Clueless
Can total TSH labs change without dosage change?
First results after switching to NDT. Help pls ... 
GP wants to reduce my dose
