Hi All,
I've had some test results back today (privately done as GP uninterested). Any advice/feedback would be gratefully received. I'm currently taking 37.5mcg T3 and 50mcg T4. I am gluten free, taking supplements (weekly) B12 5000mcg, (and daily) Magnesium 266mg (& Zinc 10mg in the same tablet), VitD/K2 (drops and I do forget to use them - any suggestions on how to take/remember?), Selenium 200Ug.
Thank you.
craftyang Thyroid results are as expected when on combination, TSH suppressed, FT4 low although maybe FT3 could be higher in range but how do you feel? If you feel well then it's in a good place for you, of not maybe a touch more T3.
Reverse T3 is good, should be low, ratio is good.
TPO antibodies over range but you are gluten free and taking selenium and zinc so not a lot more you can do.
Folate could be a little higher, at least half way through range is recommended so that's 26.5 plus. Are you taking a B Complex containing methylfolate. When taking B12 we need a good B Complex to balance all the B vitamins. If you're not taking one then look at Thorne Basic B which is highly recommended here.
You could reduce your B12 as it's quite a way over range, come down to a maintenance dose so if you've got 5000mcg strength sublingual lozenges, maybe take them once a fortnight for now.
Ferritin too low, needs to be at least 70 for thyroid hormone to work properly, half way through range is recommended. You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...
As for remembering to take whatever supplements you're forgetting, leave them out on the worktop, write yourself a note, if you have a smartphone programme a reminder or use an alarm clock or something, make a spreadsheet of all supplements and tick them off as you take them and check it daily.
Thank you, I am feeling far better than I have in years. I have been self medicating the T3 as GP not interested since November 2016. No doubt when I have a blood test for him there will be consequences as I didn't consult him as I was quickly fobbed off whenever I tried to discuss it so he thinks I am still on T4 only.
The antibodies have decreased from >1000 so I know i've improved significantly! 
I hope continuing good habits will continue to help.
I am taking the exact B12 you mention, so will reduce the regularity of taking them. I am not taking a B complex, so will look into that now.
Ferritin has always been low. I am eating so many iron rich foods but not improving enough. I have trouble taking supplements as it binds me (tmi) and the liquid form i've used in the past have had no impact. I tried liver but couldn't stomach it. Thank you for the link, I will certainly read and review what I am eating.
An alarm clock is a great idea for remembering - it is only the Vit D I forget as I need to add it to something fresh. I've tried the other methods and still seem to over look it!
Thank you for your thoughts and advice, it is very helpful and reassuring to see what others can read from these results.
Just a thought on iron supplements as you don't want to eat liver. I am experimenting at the moment. I couldn't use iron tablets due to already being constipated and they made it worse, I tried Gentle Iron 20mcg and Ferritin 5mg, just couldn't take them. I raised my ferritin from 35 to 91 by eating liver.
Someone recently mentioned Megafoods Blood Builder which contains 26mg iron in a vegetable based tablet. I am cautiously including this, up to now have had only 1 tablet and it didn't constipate me. However, I do use magnesium citrate daily which has kept me regular since I started using it. My meal of liver every week would be about 120-140g which would give around 10-12mg iron. So 1 Blood Builder is giving me twice that amount. I am going to take 1 Blood Builder a week and eat liver once a fortnight then I will do an iron panel in about 3 months and see what my ferritin level is like.
Thank you SeasideSusie. I will look them up too. I was just looking at the link you sent me and might give heart a try. It might end the same way, but I recall eating it once a long time ago and liking it. I will certainly look up the tablet you've mentioned too.
I've found the B complex you suggested and the capsules look large and I know I wouldn't be able to swallow them. Do you know if they do smaller ones? I am looking but haven't found any yet.
Thank you again for your help. It is very much appreciated.
I've tried 2 brands of B Complex and the capsules have been the same size. I did contact Thorne and asked if I could open their capsules and mix the powder with orange juice and they said it was fine.
I also tried a good liquid B complex which is made by Metabolics but in comparison to capsules it is quite expensive so I've gone back to capsules.
The Blood Builder tablets are large so I don't know if you'd manage them. I find swallowing tablets easier than capsules, for some reason the capsules seem to 'stick', perhaps the shell gets sticky, but tablets having a hard coating are fine for me. If you can manage tablets but think the Blood Builder would be too large, you cold cut them in half, just take the two halves instead of one large tablet.
There is an OTC iron medication that at one time you could only get through a doctor. It’s called SLOW FE. It is a very gentle formulation that is easy on the digestive system. I live in the US so I’m not sure if it’s available in the U.K.
Thank you. Certainly lots to consider. Good to know that the B Complex is good in OJ too.
Personally looking at your results I would increase T4 a bit. TT4 is pretty low and FT4 is below range. Perhaps up T4 by 12.5 or 25mcg
Vitamin D definitely needs to increase. You could try Better You vitamin D mouth spray, comes in various strengths. 3000iu or 5000iu daily probably best
is there a page or link which shows what optimum levels should be? Since I've been taking T3 my T4 has been down & doc constantly trying to get me to take more but I feel ok-ish & know the dangers of too much T4 (for me anyway)
would love to reference a page to remind me what i should be aiming for
Jacs There is no optimal level that suits everyone. We each have our own individual 'best place' where we feel well.
When taking Levo only, generally the aim 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, if that is where you feel well.
Add T3 into the mix and TSH can be lower or suppressed, FT4 is generally lower and one would expect to see FT3 higher in the range. But where those levels are optimal is very individual.
If you feel well on your dose and FT3 is in range then don't mess around with changing the dose.
Thanks Susie. It was the potentially lower T4 which I wasn't completely sure about but have resisted further thryroxine in any case 😊
When I restarted NDT I was told TSH would be zero or near too it. FT4 can drop to halfway but FT3 should be high in range.
So your results TSH suppressed so fine. But FT3 not high in range so if you up the FT 3 slightly then you may well find that FT4 will raise a little as well. I suspect that at the moment some of your FT4 is still being used to try to bring your FT3 up more.
starting T3
Ikaros T3 and test results 
Starting T3 
