Help please :(

[Amberpaige]

I was diagnosed with Hashimotos last year, and im on levothyroxine 100mc but I’m feeling absolutely horrible. I don’t think my doctor believes me! He said my levels are normal and this last round of tests he said they’re a little bit high, but I’m barely functioning. I’m so exhausted I feel like I’m running off of two hours of sleep everyday, school and work feels impossible. My blood work says:

T4 free - 1.97 ng/dL

Thyroxine 11.2

TSH- 6.490

I guess he didn’t test my t3.... which is the most important part right? I’m hoping to see an endocrinologist soon. If anyone has any idea what the issue might be from their own experience I would love your advice!

[greygoose]

You don't need an FT3 test to see that your TSH is much, much too high and you are still hypo. No wonder you're barely functioning!

When he said 'they’re a little bit high' didn't you ask him what was high? The TSH being high is wrong, it should be one or under. I don't think your doctor knows what he's doing.

I can't comment on the FT4 because you haven't put the range - please, always put the ranges - and the thyroxine doesn't give you much useful information.

[Amberpaige in reply to greygoose]

I’ll put the range when I grab my lab report again, but yeah he told me that my TSH level was a little high but my free T4 was still a little low. He literally told me that he was confused and didn’t know why it was like that. Thanks for the reply, I’ll add those ranges once I see my report!

[greygoose in reply to Amberpaige]

Well, that's the way it's supposed to be. When the Frees are low, the TSH is high to stimulate the thyroid to make more hormone. When the Frees are high, the pituitary knows there's a good amount of thyroid hormone circulating in the blood, and stops producing so much TSH, and the level goes down.

The aim of thyroid hormone replacement is to reduce the TSH to one or below, and raise the Frees to the upper half of the range, wherever makes you feel well. Even a GP should know that. And he should increase your dose by 25 mcg every six weeks until your TSH is 1 or under.

[silverfox7]

Gosh he really doesn't know what he was doing! Frightening! So sounding more like undermedicated if he is saying FT4 low. Meds increase should raise FT4 and lower TSH but needs to be titrated not just guessed at. The next thing to look out for is bad conversion if FT4 is in top of range and you don't feel well. That suggested that the FT4 is high because it's not being converted into enough T3 for your body to feel good so then you really need a FT3 reading to check where it is.

Have you have Vit D, B12, folate and ferritin tested recently, add to your post or start a new one if you have. These four help your thyroid to work better and also help with conversion issues and also get rid of some symptoms. The readings though need to be optimal, not just in range and improvements. An take time depending how low you are. If you search for SeasideSusie's post you will find loads of useful info re dosing and optimal levels.