T3 and T4 results.... completely fed up now.... - Thyroid UK

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T3 and T4 results.... completely fed up now....

Bell100 profile image
11 Replies

Hi I posted a while ago to say my T3 was at 3.9 which was the low point of the result and my T4 was in the 12's again towards the bottom of the range.

A lot of you told me I needed to see my GP and get him to sort something....

Well I have just after 3 months managed to get the NHS to test my levels again.

I sadly don't have a range to work on though so I'm completely lost as to is it's low.

My results say with in normal range. I have not started you on any intervention at this current time.

TSH 0.973 FREE T3 3.8 FREE T4 12.1 PMOL/I

CAN any won't tell me what I'm looking at I'm completely confused. Why would it be classed as normal if it's low ?? 😣

Help please

Thanks x

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Bell100 profile image
Bell100
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11 Replies
greygoose profile image
greygoose

Because, presumably, the results are still in range, even if they're low in range. And that's all that 'normal' means. It doesn't mean 'optimal'.

Bell100 profile image
Bell100 in reply to greygoose

Ok. So this sounds good then although there at the low end I don't need to do anything x

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Bell100

Well, that depends how you feel. Most people would feel pretty bad with an FT3 that low. My guess is that you have Central Hypothyroidism. However, most GPs have never even heard of that!

Heloise profile image
Heloise

Hi Bell, these are the ranges you posted last time so assume the ranges are the same as well. FT4 12.9 ref range 11.0 . 26.0 should be around 20.0

TSH 1.14 ref range 0.35 . 4.50 not bad

FT3 3.9 ref range 3.9 . 6.8 should be around well over 5.0

Doctors don't care as long as you fall somewhere in the range. But you are definitely hypothyroid and the FT3 is the main indicator because it is the active part of thyroid hormone which has the possibility of entering receptors and raising metabolism. Again, doctors don't care if you have antibodies but it would help to know if you do because that would be easier to determine if this is an autoimmune condition. Did you just give birth or are you menopausal? Sometimes these will cause a change. How are your adrenals? When your thyroid is NOT putting out enough thyroid (as in your case) your pituitary gland sends out more TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) but actually yours hasn't done that for some reason. I'm not sure why. But when your numbers get as low as yours it affects your digestion as collateral damage and now you start becoming deficient especially in minerals which you are showing.

Can you do more testing? If you have an autoimmune problem, the number one trigger is gluten. Dairy and Corn can also be included. You definitely have a problem.

Bell100 profile image
Bell100 in reply to Heloise

Thanks for your reply. Nope not given birth for 9 years. Menopausal don't think so yet although I and 46 so could start any time. Liking at the last time results it's all gone down.

I have had a lactose intolerance test done before, but that came back fine.

Problem is my doctor won't do a thing because normal means normal.

I do have an appointment with my nurse next week. She's great it was her that agreed to 're test my t3 and t4.

Heloise profile image
Heloise in reply to Bell100

Those may be normal for someone but obviously if you have symptoms they aren't normal for you. They know when there is a top in the range, that some people need to be THERE to be normal. Where is the sense in common sense? Sorry I've read thousands of posts and see the negligence that women are tolerating and it is disturbing. Many have decided to go on their own, we know how to do it as far as taking thyroid hormones but your diet has to be addressed as well. Often insulin resistance is probably at work here which I just discovered affects the brain. I often post Dr. Bergman's videos since he seems to know everything. youtube.com/watch?v=F1rxW9I...

Bell100 profile image
Bell100 in reply to Heloise

I'm glad I joined this forum. Get better answers off people on here. It's clear by my results that all 3 elements have dropped. What do I have to have for them to take notice. If there dropping now in 6 months when my diabetic team see me again there gonna be worse. Guess you have to be seriously ill for them to take notice.

I don't know what issues I have that are related to this problem to be fair.

I can't lose weight. I'm cold all the time. My sleep is effected. My hands are never warm. My eye sight keeps changing. I have hypos which I'm told on metformin I shouldn't get.

Heloise profile image
Heloise in reply to Bell100

I think we can assume this is autoimmune. Izabella Wentz promotes an Autoimmune Immune Protocol diet you could try. Oh, I think diabetes and Hashimoto do seem to go together. Hormones work together so they impact each other. When your thyroid gland isn't producing enough hormone your adrenal gland is forced to pick up the slack so it sends out cortisol or adrenaline. High cortisol on a constant basis is not good. After a while that brings on adrenal fatigue.

I don't understand why the medical profession does not take this more seriously as it affects every part of your body and they blame the patient for some of those symptoms which are out of your control. Since this is the way things are we have to educate ourselves and some people end up treating themselves as well, so start learning and know you can do a lot for yourself. The video explains so much.

Bell100 profile image
Bell100 in reply to Heloise

My daughter has CMPI does milk protein intolerance. And when she was 14 months old they excludes wheat from her diet, treated her as a celiac until she was 6. (She has loads of indicators to say she was a celiac) as she's become older she's been more able to eat wheat and gluten. But NO dairy

Does it run in family's?

I was diagnosed with IBS some 20 years ago and always used high pain killers for it. (So did my father ) and now my son (14) has a few problems with IBS.

Luckily my sleeve stopped mine

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

As per my reply to you previous post, having had gastric sleeve you are extremely likely to have very low vitamin levels

Ask for B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D to be tested, plus thyroid antibodies

Low vitamins stop thyroid hormones working

Bell100 profile image
Bell100 in reply to SlowDragon

Hi. Thanks for reply. I do have regular blood test for vitamins and stiff like that, due to the gastric sleeve.

My B12 is fine well within normal range.

I do suffer with love vitamin D but only on the winter months as not enough sun light. During summer always comes back normal. So I take for D 6 months of the year.

Ferritin was very low last year so I have been put on iron tablets for life.

I also take a multi vitamin every day as instucted by my consultant after my operation.

All other vitamins appear to be ok.

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