Need guidance with new results

[link11]

I've been on levothyroxine now for 11 months and feel as lifeless now as i did before taking meds. I now take 75mcg a day but would like to make the jump to ndt or even just add in some t3 in the hope of feeling better. I am 19, a male and also have low testosterone, which i think the t3 could help with. I don't know if this could be caused by my thyroid or not, but i am currenly suffering from terrible memory loss, depersonalization/derealization, and anhedonia. I've literally lost all my emotions and have debilitating fatigue to boot.

Here are my latest results

TSH 3.49 (0.27-4.2)

FT4 20.4 (12.0-22.0)

FT3 4.9 (3.1-6.8)

Serum testosterone 12 (8.40-28.70)

Serum b12 453 (246.00-911.00)

Serum folate 1.4 (3.40-20.00)

Serum iron level 16 (6.00-25.00)

Saturation iron binding capac 71 (44.00-71.00)

Percentage iron saturation 23% (13.00-45.00)

Vitamin D was 84 in March and has not been tested since.

Do you think I should go on ndt or t3? Thanks

[Nanaedake]

I think you should get onto the right dose of levothyroxine before you decide whether to add in T3. Your TSH is too high for someone with thyroid disease who is on levothryoxine. Most people don't feel well until their TSH is around 1.0 or a little lower. You need a dose increase and then retest in 6 weeks time and so on until you reach TSH 1.0 or thereabouts, keeping your FT4 and FT3 in range.

YOur folate is terribly low and your doctor should provide supplements as you are below range. Take a good B complex after speaking to the doctor to keep the B's balanced. B12 is alright but is better high in range so you could supplement until you reach nearer to the top end of the lab range. Make sure it is methylcobalamin rather than cyanocobalamin form of B12.

Your levothyroxine will probably work better once you've optimised your vitamin levels. You could go gluten free which many have found helps if they have thyroid antibodies. Taking some selenium may help conversion of T4 to T3 as your FT3 level is lowish.

[link11 in reply to Nanaedake]

My TSH has been below 1 on quite a few tests but i still don't feel any different for some reason. I am now taking 5 mg folate a day from my gp and i take 4mg methylcobalamin for b12.

[Nanaedake in reply to link11]

When were these results taken, before or after supplementing folic acid and if after, how long after? What kind of folic acid are you taking? Methylfolate is the most absorpable. What has your doctor said about your folate being so low when supplementing?

Low folate will make you feel ill.

[link11 in reply to Nanaedake]

The thyroid results are from 2 days ago and the vitamins are from 22nd August 2017. I've been taking folic acid for about a week now but been on methylcobalamin over 6 months to correct b12 deficiency. He just said that folate is low and i need to take the 5mg pills 1 a day. I forgot that he'd prescribed the pills and that is why it took me so long to take them.

[greygoose]

I think you're right about needing T3. I can't see any point in increasing your levo, it will just convert to rT3. Obviously, you need to optimise your nutrients, for so many reasons, but there's no guarantee that that will improve your conversion. Why wait to get worse? Add the T3 now. I'm not sure I would recommend NDT, because that contains a lot of T4 and a tiny amount of T3. Might not be enough T3 for you.

[link11 in reply to greygoose]

Thanks. I shall try to get on some t3 then if i can find somewhere to purchase it.

[greygoose in reply to link11]

Write a new post, asking people to share their trusted sources, by PM.