Thyroid?

[activelazy]

Normal Ranges:

TSH 0.3-4.5

FT3 3.1-6.8

FT4 11-22

My FT3 never changes. I have managed to bring my TSH below 1 (at last) as a general guide and also as an actual known point where I was before illness (Subacute Thyroiditis).

I will write my latest results (19/10/2017) in a bit below. During 2 years of illness, there have been two phases of my TSH coming down.

First, without treatment. From 6.3 in March 2016 to 2.5 in October 2016 which then rose to 3.2 in February 2017. During all this time my FT3 remained between 5.1 and 5.3. FT4 ranged from 18.5 to 20.2.

Then, with treatment. (I am thankful to my GP for holding my hand despite a refusal by two endos to prescribe levothyroxine).

Because I was failing to regain my normal strength and suffering from generalised pains on and off, the objective was to have a trial of levothyroxine, bring the TSH down to about 1, as it used to be – to see if it makes any difference. I started on 25 MCG in March 2017 and after 6 weeks my results in MAY 2017 were:

TSH 2.3

FT3 5.3

FT4 18.5

Then increased the dose to 50 MCG and after 13 weeks, my results on 03/08/2017 were:

TSH 1.4

FT3 5.4

FT4 20.1

I continued with 50 MCG for another 3 weeks. So, after a total of 16 weeks on 50 MCG, I further increased the dose to 75 MCG. My strength improved a bit, pains were a bit less too until I entered the 5th week. At this time a lot of my pains came back. These were a lot more than the usual on and off betrayal. I asked here for advice and a couple of people suggested to hang in there until blood tests which was 2 weeks away, still. The pains were too much, including in my knees which otherwise also suffer from a separate issue which I am trying to sort out through exercises.

I did make a mistake, I think, in starting a new supplement for my knees (consisting of calcium, magnesium and zinc). Since I was found to be vitamin D deficient even before subacute thyroiditis, I was prescribed vitamin D but never been given magnesium or k2. Although, I supplemented K2 after sometime when I learned about it here but failed to supplement magnesium at the same time.

When these pains increased so much at the beginning of 5th week at 75 MCG levo, I had started taking the above supplement for about 3-4 days. So, I am not sure which thing to blame. I should have probably waited a bit more before adding this new supplement. I only intended to take it for a short time and then revert back to a magnesium only which I started some time ago. Anyhow, as the pains increased, and the suggestions came in, I carried on with 75 MCG till the end of week 5 and then got tested, could not wait for 6 weeks to end because I wanted to reduce the dose, just in case I was going over. I had immediately reduced the other supplement mentioned when I experienced fresh bout of pains. So, I only took that supplement for max 3 days. It had 1000 mg calcium, 10 mg zinc, 350 mg magnesium and 1000 iu vitamin D. Serving size 3 per day. I only took 2 per day to begin with.

After discontinuing this and reducing my levo to 50 mcg immediately after blood tests (results below), my pains eased, not disappeared. My suspicion is that pains in my hands had started building up before I started the new supplement and around the end of 3rd week on 75 mcg of levo but can’t be totally sure as to what caused it. The pains might have just come for none of these reasons too (as they like to attack me every few days anyway).

Blood test results of 19th October 2017 after being on 75 MCG are:

TSH 0.66

FT3 5.2

FT4 21.2

I did not realise that GP repeated Vit D and Ferritin as well:

Vitamin D3 90

Ferritin 92

I am already supplementing B12 and its above 1500. Never supplemented folate but it was at top of the range a couple of months ago. I am a good eater of lentils.

Questions:

1. Looking at my FT3, did I even achieve anything by taking levothyroxine in the first place. My FT3 is same at TSH 0.66 as it was at TSH 6.3.

2. Should I increase my dose again to see what happens to my strength as well as pains. If so, should I go 50/75 alternate days!!! Or should I just stay at 50 for now.

I think there is some improvement from initial period of illness but not as much as I had hoped, sadly.

Please note that my both antibodies are negative. I don't have Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

[cazlooks]

this is very complicated, and I don't really understand your whole issue tbh, I suspect you have an underlying issue apart from your thyroid. However from experience I would advise to take magnesium at a different time to the rest of your meds as sometimes (only with some people) it has a flush through effect; plus when your thyroid medication is reduced you will find an increase in pain as your ligaments are possibly too stretchy/not stretchy enough (people dependent). Try using levotape on your knees/hands etc (see youtube) to support them, and getting a referral to physio until they are stronger and the pain may reduce. As I said this is just from experience, as I don't have your full story. Hope some of this helps.