Bloods

[Carriebaby]

Really annoyed went to GP To get blood test as on NDT 150mg a day but he omitted to test my T3 so only got my TSH 0.1 and T4 11.9 Range 9 - 24 I used to be on 200mg a day but said my results were on the high side but I felt great !, can someone give me advice and does anyone think like me that my T4 is too low

[SlowDragon Administrator]

NHS refuses to do FT3 in majority of cases

One of the many reasons so many of us are forced to get private tests

On NDT FT4 is often low, the only important test is FT3

For full evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, TPO and TG antibodies, plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested

If you can't get full thyroid and vitamin testing from GP

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results

Not sure on length of time to delay for NDT

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Agree with SlowDragon. You need FT3 testing when on NDT so do a private test.

Is your NDT prescribed? If so, I don't understand why they don't test FT3. If they are prescribing NDT then surely they understand how it works and that FT3 is important!

Timing for leaving off meds before blood draw is:

Levo - 24 hours

T3 or NDT (as it contains T3) - 12 hours

[Carriebaby in reply to SeasideSusie]

No I get my meds’ form America and don’t think they like the fact that I self medicate

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Carriebaby]

I'm surprised they're doing your thyroid tests then. Best thing is to get your own private tests and ensure that FT3 is included.

[shaws Administrator]

If you feel great on your 200mcg he has no right in reducing dose according to the TSH.

The fact is, also, that the blood tests were invented along with levothyroxine alone, so if we add T3 or take NDT which contains all of the hormones they cannot possibly equate.

It should be how you feel on a particular dose which is the priority. Not adjusting dose to 'fit the TSH into a range. Anyway your T4 is low so would assume T3 is also.

[Carriebaby in reply to shaws]

I was high on T3 at the time that’s why I reduced

[Carriebaby]

Hi thanks for the info I was told to reduce my T3 as it was on the high range but felt great! That was a way back in May when the last Doc took the full range that showed up my T3 but this idiot GP only took my TSH and T4 .......I think I will just go back to taking 200mg as I wasn’t getting any jittery reactions or heart palpitations

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Carriebaby]

You may need to swop over slowly, not just change in one go or you will get drop in T3 and then vitamins may crash out too

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Carriebaby]

Over range or just high in range? And how long since your last dose?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Carriebaby]

The blood tests were invented for levo alone. So if we add T3 or take NDT the blood tests cannot possibly correlate. Follow your instinct.

[Angel_of_the_North]

Those results are pretty useless, as you said, as on NDT as the important one is free T3. It is usually recommended that Free t4 is not over half way up the range for those taking NDT or T3 so it's fine, but not very informative. How do you feel?

[Carriebaby in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

I feel fine but think I have put on more weight since reducing from 200 to 150. I didn’t feel overmedicated but my T3 was in the high range

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Carriebaby]

High in range or over range? If high in range that's good. Over range not so good. Perhaps 175 is the sweet spot