Greybeard

Standard advice is to rested 6 to 8 weeks after a dose change. The endocrine system is very complex with lots of checks and balances built in, things taketime to settle when you alter your dose. Blood draw should be as early as possible, before 9 am is good, do not take your levo till after your blood draw, many of us do not eat and drink anything but water before the test.

SeasideSusieAdministrator

No point testing 2 weeks after a dose change. You need to wait 6-8 weeks as Greybeard has said.

And you can't be overmedicated with those results anyway. The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo, if that is where you feel well. Your FT4 is well within range and your FT3 is very low, and it's the FT3 result which is the most important.

Dr Toft states in Pulse Magazine, "The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

Dr Toft is past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist.

**

By the way, did you know that your raised antibodies confirm autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's which is where the antibodies attack the thyroid and gradually destroy it. The antibody attacks cause fluctuations in test results and symptoms.

You can help reduce the antibodies by adopting a strict gluten free diet which has helped many members here. Gluten contains gliadin (a protein) which is thought to trigger autoimmune attacks so eliminating gluten can help reduce these attacks. You don't need to be gluten sensitive or have Coeliac disease for a gluten free diet to help.

Supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.

Gluten/thyroid connection: chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

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

Hashi's and gut/absorption problems tend to go hand in hand and very often the result is poor nutrient levels.

It would be a good idea to test

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

4scooby in reply to SeasideSusie

Thank you SeasideSusie & Greybeard63. I’ve been hypothyroid for 12years plus , previously was hyperthyroid . Always have blood test 8.30am & on empty stomach.Take levo after bloods done As for Hashimoto I’ve never been told that but I have wondered if I was that due to flare ups . It was only through locum doctor who agreed to increase after TSH was 4.1. The reason I got this test done was just to see if levels were coming down but not too quickly. When I was hyperthyroid it was horrendous and extermley frightening which I don’t wish to experience those symptoms again

Thank you 😊

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