Help in reading blood results

[Swoozie1]

Currently taking 150mg of Levothyroxine

Blood results as follow:

FREE T3 4.09 pmol/L (4.0 - 8.3)

FREE T4 1.99 ng/dl (0.8 - 2.0)

TSH <0.1 mIU/l (0.3 - 4.0)

Can anyone advise me on the above?

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Swoozie1 Your TSH and FT4 are good, your FT3 is just creeping into the bottom of the range and indicates that you're not converting T4 to T3 at all well, you need the addition of some T3 to your Levo.

[Swoozie1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi and thanks.

The Endoc I saw has suggested I drop my dose to 125mg, hence why I am on here asking for advice. I used to take T3 (5mg daily I think, cannot remember) but took myself off it as I was always still so tired etc. I was then diagnosed with ME (CFS)

If I am reading my TSH correctly, I am slightly hyper?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Swoozie1]

No Swoozie, you're not slightly hyper. You have an underactive thyroid, it can't possibly go overactive. You can be overmedicated though. But a below range or suppressed TSH doesn't mean you are overmedicated. The only test that tells you if you are overmedicated is FT3. If FT3 is in range then you're not overmedicated.

The reason why you were always still so tired on 5mcg T3 (by the way, it's micrograms (mcg) not milligrams (mg) that thyroid hormone replacement comes in) was because you weren't on a high enough dose. When taking T3, TSH generally lowers or becomes suppressed and FT4 can also lower, and FT3 would be in the upper part of it's range if you were optimally dosed. What were your results when taking T3?

If your endo reduces your Levo to 125mcg then you should have some T3 given to you. Lowering your Levo will have the effect of lowering your FT4. Your conversion is almost non-existent at the moment, so your FT3 is probably going to lower even more with a lower dose of Levo.

[Swoozie1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks again for the help.

I live in the UK and the NHS Endoc has discharged me, I was never even told this. They say the doctor can deal with me.

I have 'use' of private health insurance but not in the UK, so I took the liberty of getting the blood tests done, as at least I know they do FT3/4 etc

Unfortunately, the Endoc abroad cannot prescribe me T3 and I may have a fight on my hands getting the UK doctors to give me it again as they only see the TSH and nothing else.

I used to take 10mcg (thanks for the correction) but one Endoc I had reduced it. It was either reduce it or they stopped it fully. So at the time I took the reduced (5mcg) rather than stop. Once I was diagnosed with ME I presumed it was that that kept me so darn tired.

I am struggling terribly with weight gain, and I eat very very well (no processed food, no juices etc basically fish, veg and fruit) and while I may not live in a gym, I do go on a treadmill daily.

In the UK no doctor or Endoc would do my FT3

The only thing that worked for me was ERFA, I cannot remember my readings but the Endoc I saw at he time was amazed at my results while on them, but once I moved back to the UK no one would prescribe me it. I knew from past experience I didn't do well on Levo, but unfortunately the NHS don't listen nor want to help.

I guess I can try get the T3 off the doctor, failing that I will have to try find another source....

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Swoozie1]

If you did well on Erfa, why not go back on NDT. It doesn't have to be prescribed, there are non-prescription ones you can get. There are Thai NDT which people do well on, Thyroid-S and Thiroyd. There was also TR Man but I think I saw that it was now discontinued.

You can check ingredients here to see how they compare with Erfa stopthethyroidmadness.com/a...

[shaws Administrator in reply to Swoozie1]

CFS, ME and Fibro were only named about ten years after the introduction of levothyroxine and blood tests.

There had been no such diagnosis when people were diagnosed upon clinical symptoms alone and given NDT and they took sufficient until they felt well with no clinical symptoms.

[Swoozie1]

Thank you, I will certainly look into that!