Newbie

[Rosia]

Hi I have been on 25mcg levo since August 2017. I was diagnosed hypothyroid 2013. Wouldn't I need a dose increase? I feel really unwell.

Thanks

TSH 6.5 (0.2 - 4.2)

FREE T4 13.8 (12 - 22)

FREE T3 2.8 (3.1 - 6.8)

[Rosia]

TSH 6.5 (0.2 - 4.2)

FREE T4 13.8 (12 - 22)

[greygoose in reply to Rosia]

Did your doctor not tell you to go back for a retest after six weeks? If not, go back now and ask to be tested.

When you go for the blood draw, make sure it's early in the morning - before 9 am - after fasting over-night. Take your levo after the blood draw.

You really do need an increase in dose.

[Rosia in reply to greygoose]

Hi yes the results above are from the retest, I had my dose reduced from 150mcg levo to 25mcg levo. All blood tests done early morning and fasting and I leave 24 hours between levo and blood draw.

Thanks

[greygoose in reply to Rosia]

Oh, sorry, I thought you'd just been put on 25 mcg for the first time.

Why did your doctor slash your dose like that? That's madness! Reductions in dose should be done by 25 mcg every six weeks. You are now very under-medicated.

[Rosia in reply to greygoose]

Sorry I should have explained it in my post before I submitted it. The GP and endo said I had thyrotoxic results on the 150mcg levo.

TSH 0.03 (0.2 - 4.2)

FREE T4 20.9 (12 - 22)

FREE T3 4.1 (3.1 - 6.8)

[greygoose in reply to Rosia]

Yes, I saw that, below, and replied. You also need a new doctors of some sort!

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Rosia]

Well, you didn't: your free T4 and Free t3 were well within range and your Free T3 could do with being higher. You need a new GP with a clue. Aks [e-mail] for a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP - it says that you need TSH under 1 or whatever it ends up as in order to get your free T4 at the top of the range and that slightly over range Free T4 and suppressed TSH is OK as long as T3 is in range.

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum Rosia and I think you should change your doctor. He/she has no knowledge or very basic and that's why you feel awful.

25mcg is nothing at all in dosage and is apt to make you more unwell.

Once we are diagnosed the aim is a TSH of 1 or lower. Most doctors wrongly believe that a low TSH will give us a heart attack but that's untrue.

Phone and speak to your doctor or make an appointment and say you've taken advice from the NHS Choices for information and advice and have been told your dose is too low. Your TSH is too high at 6.5 and the aim is 1 or lower. Your FT4 is too low and should be towards the upper part of the range. Also the most important FT3 hasn't been taken, and it is T3 that is the only active thyroid needed in our T3 receptor cells. T4 (levothyroxine) is inactive and its job is to convert to T3 but you need an optimum dose. At the same time ask for B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as we are usually deficient. Everything has to be optimal - not somewhere in range.

If you didn't have the earliest appointment for your last test, make a new appointment and it has to be the very earliest possible, fasting and allow a gap of 24 hours from your last dose and the test and take afterwards.

Get a print-out from the surgery and put on a new Post for comments.

[Rosia in reply to shaws]

Oh sorry T3 is 2.8 (3.1 - 6.8)

[shaws Administrator in reply to Rosia]

Below the bottom of the range. It should be towards the top not below.

[Rosia]

Endo and GP say I was thyrotoxic on 150mcg levo?

TSH 0.03 (0.2 - 4.2)

FREE T4 20.9 (12 - 22)

FREE T3 4.1 (3.1 - 6.8)

[greygoose in reply to Rosia]

Your endo and GP know nothing about thyroid!

Yes, you had a very low TSH, but that is irrelevant. Once you are on thyroid hormone replacement, it doesn't matter how low the TSH goes, it's the FT3 that is important. And yours was much too low. You actually have a conversion problem, but doctors just don't seem to understand that. What you need is some T3 added to your levo.

[Rosia in reply to greygoose]

Thanks

When I went to my last endo appointment the endo was confused as to why my TSH went from 3.87 and Free T4 18.3 in Nov last year to TSH 1.64 and Free T4 15.9 in Jan this year on the same dose. He said the TSH shouldn't jump around like that. I thought it was his job to know.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Rosia]

Sounds like the endo wasn't a thyroid expert either. You probably have autoimuune thyroiditis which means your results will jump around until either your thyroid is dead or the antibodies are deactivated (usually by a gluten-free diet and suppressed TSH)

[Rosia in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 271 (<34)

Thyroglobulin antibodies 355.3 (<115) I am guessing this is autoimmune thyroiditis? Thankyou

[shaws Administrator in reply to Rosia]

Yes antibodies prove you have Hashimoto's (Autoimmune Thyroid Disease). They attack your thyroid gland and wax and wane, sometimes you have too much and at other times lower but eventually you will be hypothyroid. .

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[greygoose in reply to Rosia]

I think endos are easily confused. lol

[Greybeard]

Hi Rosia, have you had your thyroid antibodies tested?

[Rosia in reply to Greybeard]

Thankyou yes not sure what they mean.

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 271 (<34)

Thyroglobulin antibodies 355.3 (<115)

[Greybeard in reply to Rosia]

I will leave it to some one more knowledgeable but the antibodies are most likely the reason your results are erratic.