Another dr i met before xmas gave me t3 when my results were not as bad as this. Prob because they havet been tested in the mornig. I have tested posotive on the antibodies as well. I started taking the t3 medication this week before i got these results. Sick of my hair pouring out and feeling freezing. Am i right to take the t3 or ahould i stop and wait for 6 months time. I am getting more distraight by all this. My hair really is disaapearing. 2 years and its more than 70 percent gone and what is left is so fine and falling. Am i right to continue to take the t3? My ft3 previouslt has been middle of range
They also tested my liver eveeything within range except serum gamma gt level it is 42 range is 5 to 36. Why would this be out of range
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Have you had any tests to check your Adrenal function?
You could ask your doctor to also test some nutrients levels:
Vitamin D; Calcium; B12; Folate & Ferritin.
With Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroiditis & Hypothyroidism your T4 needs some improvement but your TSH should be under 2 (although I read on here that it should be under 1) so yours is too high.
It appears you need to start Levothyroxine with your T3 and be retested in 6 weeks time. Ideally TSH, FreeT3, FreeT4, T3 & T4.
If your doctor won't give you Levothyroxine then I'm not sure how you will achieve this. Is there another Doctor you could see? You could also ask for an urgent referal to an Endocrinologist because of your symptoms and these results. But I would be wanting to have Adrenals checked out before starting Levothyroxine. That's what my Endocrinologist arranged for me.
I am changing drs tomorrow. I have been gettig worse for 2 years and rhey ignore my synptoms. All my vitamins and minerals are good. I had cortisol tested ages ago it was fine. My gps will do.nothing. i feel heartbroken by this. I had to sneakily ask the nurse to test this as gp said i was fine 6 months ago. I am on no medication but the t3 that i startes rhis week that was given to me by a provate gp. My own nhs gp does not know about it. I saw an endo privately before xmas and he said i was dine and hairloss not caused by it maybe i need to arrange another appt with him.and tell him my new results.
If you have thyroid antibodies in your blood the doctor should prescribe levothyroxine and email Dionne at TUK: tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
and ask for a copy of the Pulse Online article by Dr Toft.
Highlight the part that says if antibodies are present we should be prescribed.
Unfortunately, in the UK it seems that it must be the only country in the world that don't prescribe until the TSH reaches 10. In other countries it is 3+ with symptoms.
The normal prescription for hypothyroidism is levothyroxine (T4) and it has to convert to T3 (liothyronine). T4 is inactive and has to convert and T3 is the active hormone.
It is up to you to decide what you want to do or ask GP to prescribe T4 for you when you show her Dr Toft's article and highlight the part that states 'should be prescribed'.
The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower and FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of the ranges. These are rarely tested.
You should also test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as everything has to be optimal.
All blood tests have to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of levo and test and take it afterwards.
Thanks i am changig gps tomorrow. I dont know how log that process will take. But will say all this to the new gp. I am distraught by this. I a 0.1 away from their range and they still so nothing.
They lack any knowledge in diseases of the thyroid gland. It is most unfortunate for us patientsts who haven't a clue that the professionals know less than the members on this forum. It is due to being undiagnosed/underdosed etc that we have so many.
Before the blood tests were introduced, we were diagnosed upon our clinical symptoms alone and given NDT (natural dessicated thyroid hormones). If we improved we were hypo - if not they looked for another reason.
In UK they've been instructed that we cannot be given a prescription until the TSH is 10. Appalling when they ignore symptoms.
I am distraughy by it. I dont know how much longer i can continue pretending i am okay about my hair disappearing. Will the t3 help me at all do u think?
Thank you. I will continue taking the t3. At moment it is a 20mcg tab of thybon i have been taking it in the morning. I will ask my new gp if they will prescribe t4e. I dont know how long i have to wait to be registered. Registration is tomorrow. I will put on the form that i would like to meet with the gp to discuss getting t4 as symptoms getting 100 times worse. They dont know about my t3 medication. I only started taking it on Tuesday. The dr wasnt even testing my thyroid i asked the nurse to do it and she believed me when i said it was to be testsd. They have never tested t3. It normally is around the middle of range when tested previously provately
If you take T3 it will lower your TSH and you won't get a NHS diagnosis. If you intend asking your new GP to test thyroid then stop taking the T3 until after your thyroid test.
If the new GP won't diagnose hypothyroidism you will have to decide whether to wait until TSH is higher and you can get a diagnosis or whether to self medicate with the T3.
Either way, if your hairloss is due to hypothyroidism it will take months for it to start to regrow as hair isn't essential for survival and the body won't put energy into restoring hair growth until the rest of your metabolism is improved.
Are you strictly gluten free? If not you need to try this
Your antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's
Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Always get actual results and ranges. Post results when you have them, members can advise
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is very poorly understood
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
Really you need to get vitamins sorted FIRST and give strictly gluten free diet a good go
Also you will find it impossible to get a diagnosis from another GP if you are self medicating
But if you are determined to jump the gun and start, suggest you only take 10mcg T3 per day (split into 5mcg dose waking and mid afternoon) for first 6-8 weeks. Retesting before considering if it needs increased
Your FT3 wasn't very low, before starting on Thybon Henning
Ferritin 71 vitamin 70 folate veey high qas told that whatever i was takin for it i should stop for a while. I was taking floradix. What would the active b12 being low signify when the b12 is high? I did have h pylori. It has been treated and gastritis. Diag in september and successfully treated. My body feels warmer taking the t3 and i have more enrgy and i am not falling asleep at 9pm. I need to do so ething i cant go for years like this until i crash. My hair is a fgggging disaster. I am swelling in my face hands and ankles. I have been like this for 2 years now. If i didnt do that sneaky test the gp would bever retest me again with the belief that the results od tsh over 2 was fine. Never mind my symptoms or previous readings of 5 and antibodies raised. I have to do something. The dr that gave me the medication was the first one to admit that my thyroid was failing
I have just ordered methylmalonic acid test urine test. Inread if under 70 you would in.a hospital in London be sent for this test. I think its a 3 day turn around on it so hopefully by wed i will have a result on this
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