Advice please

[Lara_H]

Hi I am new and I have been told my thyroid results are normal. I take 50mcg levothyroxine but felt better with T3 added. Symptoms are increased hunger, pins and needles, tiredness, bone pain, dry skin, hair loss, constipation, weight gain, feeling cold, periods getting heavier. Diagnosed 2011. Advice welcome.

[wowserclo]

Have you asked what your results are? I got told my results were healthy and in range at TSH 4.8 which is absolutely disgraceful! I had all the symptoms and felt awful. Your tsh should be below 3. In the U.K. It seems like the doctors are way out in their estimations of "normal"!!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to wowserclo]

On Levo TSH should be below one for most people

copy of Dr Toft's article from Pulse online

Dr Toft was president of BTF ( British Thyroid Foundation)

6 What is the correct dose of thyroxine and is there any rationale for adding in tri-iodothyronine?

The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range – 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This ‘exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism’ is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l).

[Lara_H1 in reply to wowserclo]

Lost my login I will post results now

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome. Can we have a bit more info.

How much and how long were you also taking T3. Was it prescribed by NHS endo. What dose of Levo were you on before T3 was added. Do you have blood test results from when on T3.

And also blood tests now.

How long since T3 stopped and why

What about vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Have you had these tested recently or ever

Do you know if you have Hashimoto's- high thyroid antibodies. Also called autoimmune thyroid disease

[Lara_H1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Lost my login I will post results now

[Lara_H1 in reply to SlowDragon]

I was taking 10mcg T3 for 2 years and was doing well on it. I was taking 5mcg 2 times a day but I felt more well taking it once a day as one dose. I was on 175mcg levothyroxine before T3 was added and T3 was stopped 3 months ago because endo said there is no evidence to say T3 is a medication that would help me.

Results below on 75mcg levothyroxine and 5mcg T3 2 times a day

TSH <0.02 (0.2 - 4.2)

FREE T4 20.3 (12 - 22)

FREE T3 5.6 (3.1 - 6.8)

On 175mcg levothyroxine only

TSH 1.20 (0.2 - 4.2)

FREE T4 19.2 (12 - 22)

FREE T3 3.9 (3.1 - 6.8)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Lara_H1]

Presumably a different endo from the one that started you on it?

Your results on T3 look pretty much perfect.

And T3 too low on 175mcg T4

Why have you been left on 50mcg - and have you had a test on this dose. Likely to be dire.

The endo who took you off T3 either knows little about thyroid (many are only diabetes trained) or is under pressure to get patients off it.

Ask GP for full Thyroid and vitamin tests asap. Or if they are unhelpful can you consider private testing

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, (T3 when on it 12 hours) delay and take straight after.

[Abi-Abster in reply to Lara_H1]

Agh, that Endo taking you off T3 has infuriated me!

I wish you all the best.