reducing TSH

[maria223]

just had a phone call from doctor, she is concerned about my TSH . 0.02 (0.27 - 4.2)

she is asking me to reduce NDT by 0.5 tablet, which will take me down to 3 tablets. she is concerned about heart failure

T4 is low 11.1 (12.0 - 22.0)

T3 5.13 (3.10 - 6.80)

please advise

thank you

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Maria

Does your docor prescribe the NDT?

If so, does she understand how it works? That it generally suppesses TSH and lowers FT4?

Your FT3 is well within range, you are not overmedicated.

If she is insistent that a low TSH is going to cause heart failure, ask her do all thyroid cancer patients, who have their TSH kept suppressed, succumb to heart failure.

[maria223 in reply to SeasideSusie]

No , i purchase from Thailand, and because of thyroid and weight gain, they are now monitoring me for pre diabetes, was told to go away and loose weight.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to maria223]

Maria

Does your GP know anything about NDT? If she is monitoring you for your thyroid then she ought to.

How do you actually feel on the dose that produced those results? They're typical of someone taking NDT although there is room to increase your dose due to your mid-range FT3.

Weight gain is a symptom of hypothyroidism, could you be undermedicated? Do you have any other Hypo symptoms?

[maria223 in reply to SeasideSusie]

hi

i have no other symptoms, if i increase anymore will i become hyperthyroid, i have tried additional T3 1/4 grain and i crashed with fatigue,

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to maria223]

Maria

If you feel well on your current dose then if you do as your GP says and lower by 1/2 grain then that will lower your FT3 and you will become symptomatic. If you don't want to reduce your dose then you don't have to.

[maria223 in reply to SeasideSusie]

thank you, i will stay as i am, if i take more ndt what happens to TSH level and T4?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to maria223]

Maria

If you increase your NDT dose, your FT3 will rise, your TSH will possibly become suppressed (at the moment it's low but not suppressed, I believe suppressed is <0.01) and FT4 may or may not change as you will be taking T4 in your NDT.

[silverfox7]

I would leave things as they are at the moment. She has no idea of how you read results when taking any form on T3-TSH should be suppressed, FT4 can drop and FT3 should be high in the rang. What I would do is test Vit D, B12, folate and ferritin. They all help the Thyroid to work better, help with conversion and can rid you of some symptoms as well.

So I would concentrate on getting any low ones optimal and that should help increase FT3.

[maria223 in reply to silverfox7]

thank you

[fortunata in reply to maria223]

Maria, I’ve been on 60mcgs a day of Liothyronine for the past three years. My tsh is always around 0.02. My endo was worried so I had a Dexa bone scan that showed my bone mineral levels are above average for my age (58 and do a lot of exercise) and I had my heart checked and was told it’s fine and healthy. Your T3 levels are towards the top of the range, just as mine always are. An optimal dose of thyroid hormone will usually suppress tsh levels. I’m not worried about mine at all and I feel fine and healthy. X

[Angel_of_the_North]

Ignore her if you feel well. You free T3 is well within range and free T4 is under range (as is common for someone on NDT). Low TSH just means that either the pituitary isn't functioning in a text book fashion, or, more likely, it senses that you have enough T3 so there is no need to signal the thyroid to make any more. There are no studies that show that low TSH in the absence of high free T4 and free T3 cause heart failure or osteoporosis.