Underactive thyroid

[snugglebum21]

HELP!!

I have had an underactive thyroid for many years, I started on 25mcg levothyroxine and until recently was on 125mcg.

I am constantly tried, depressed, with no drive, put on so much weight, lost lots of hair, headaches, neck ache, my arms hurt and I feel like I have a constant lump in my throat. Too many things to mention really...

After, yrs of visits to doctors and being told it’s my age and my thyroid probably and nothing can be done. I finally had a doctor that listened... Results showed my T3 levels to be lower than the normal range, I was given 25mcg more of levothyroxine and I was referred to a specialist.... my appointment is June.

I take a muti vitamin and mineral daily

I now take 150mcg of levothyroxine

[Marz]

Sorry cannot read those results - and I am on a PC

[greygoose]

Unfortunately, they haven't done the FT3, this time. But, your FT4 is slightly over-range at 23.3. I'm afraid that if you aren't converting properly, and it would appear you aren't, the solution is not to just keep increasing the levo, because the higher the FT4 goes, the less you convert. Do you know what your FT4 was at the time your FT3 was found to be under-range?

What should happen in those cases, is that your levo is reduced and is replaced by a small amount of T3. But, that is getting harder and harder to get prescribed in the UK, these days.

You are absolutely wasting your time and money with a multivit. The presence of minerals in with the vitamins means that you will not be able to absorb any of the vitamins. Plus, if it contains iron and calcium, they will bind together, and you won't be able to absorbed either of those, either. You'll just have expensive urine! I see you had your folate and B12 tested, and whilst the folate wasn't too bad, the vit B12 was rather low. It should be at least over mid-range. But, you also need your ferritin and vit D tested, and if they are low, they should be supplemented separately, not in a multivit/mineral.

Plus multivits usually contain copper, iodine and calcium, and it's doubtful you need any of those, and too much could be dangerous.

[snugglebum21 in reply to greygoose]

Total 25-hydroxyvitamin D level - (rs) - 101

[greygoose in reply to snugglebum21]

OK, that's fine, I should imagine.

[snugglebum21 in reply to greygoose]

Serum free T3 level is 3.6

[snugglebum21 in reply to greygoose]

FT4 is 23.3

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

Very true. Many vitamins and minerals ( and meds) need to have as much attention given re best time to take them as we give to dosages and even where we purchase them. A simple example comes to mind that, in my experience, few doctors remind the patient about. So many of us are on levothyroxine and many of us are also taking iron. For full effectiveness of the levo there needs to be as much space between that and the iron med as possible. Iron limits the absorption of levo and since it may not be the best drug for us albeit the only one the doctor will provide we need all the help absorbing it as possible. Taking my levo in the am and the iron in the evening is in my opinion- a good plan. I've seen a recommendation to space them several hours apart but who can measure how fast we absorb the levo. Give it every chance to help.

[Ari3]

Could you re take the picture I think people will have difficulty to read them and comment

[snugglebum21]

Thankyou, so very much for your time...

I have ordered, 50mcg tablets of T3

And was going to try seeing how that made me feel..... what do you think?

I had read that increasing levothyroxine would not help... which is what they have done.

From what l have read and what your telling me, it can make things much worse...

Doctor said I need T3 but, that she was not able to prescribe it and referred to specialist as they can?

I have read that Both should be running at the higher end of the range for optimum results?

[greygoose in reply to snugglebum21]

I didn't know you could get 50 mcg tablets. But, that is much too high to start on. Normally, one starts by quartering a 25 mcg tablet, to give 6.25 mcg. but you can't really reduce 50 mcg to 6.25! So, as all hormones should be started low and increased slowly, start with 12.5 mcg, and increase by 12.5 mcg in two weeks. And, at the same time as the increase, reduce your levo by 25 mcg.

Both FT4 and FT3 should be at the higher end of the range when you are on T4 only. When you reduce the T4 add in T3, the FT4 will find its own level - perhaps around mid-range, but it doesn't matter, it's the FT3 the important number, and most people need it up the top of the range to feel well. But, it's all trial and error.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to snugglebum21]

I doubt that those are T3, since T3 (liothyronine) comes as 20mcg or 25mcg tablets, or 75mcg capsules - what brand are they? I suspect you bought thyroxine or something like Bitiron the combined tablet.. You just need a quarter of a 25mcg tablet to start with. More is not better.

[snugglebum21 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

It’s 25mcg my mistake

Thanks sharon

[snugglebum21]

FT4 is 23.3

[snugglebum21]

Serum ferritin - (rs) - a satisfactory 21 ug/L 12.00 - 300.00ug/L

[greygoose in reply to snugglebum21]

That is not satisfactory at all! It needs to be at least over 70 for your body to be able to use thyroid hormone. But, half-way through the range would be better.

[snugglebum21 in reply to greygoose]

Thankyou

Am I right in saying normal range for woman is 20 to 200?

And your saying 110 is optimum for me

[snugglebum21 in reply to snugglebum21]

Also, the T3 I have is 25mcg

[greygoose in reply to snugglebum21]

We're not talking about women or men, we're talking about hypos, and what is necessary for hypos. Besides, a range of 20 to 200 is ludicrous. You cannot possibly feel the same with a level of 21 as you would with a level of 199.

[snugglebum21 in reply to greygoose]

I agree, the ranges are ludicrous. I know your right just by looking at the range... I have suffered from low iron a number of times in the past but, every time I ask they just do blood test and tell me I’m normal... I really feel like I’m not.

Your being so very helpful and I am grateful

[greygoose in reply to snugglebum21]

You're welcome.

[humanbean]

You should re-take your picture, remove the current one and replace it. Make sure that your personal details are NOT included in the picture.

Once you have a new picture, click on the v beneath your post with the picture, click on Edit, make your changes then Post again.

[snugglebum21 in reply to humanbean]

I’ve done it thankyou

[Muffy]

T3 levels look too low.

You can read 'Thyroid hormone replacement - a counterblast to guidelines.' by Dr. A Toft.

[snugglebum21 in reply to Muffy]

Thankyou, an informative read... confirming the need for T3