Dosage and results don’t make sense

[Beata_s]

Hey guys , every time I think we got hypo under control - results make no sense ! I learnt so much last few months and yet another surprise from results and don’t know if to increases or decrease dose ??? I’m lost ! Or wait for another retest ??

TSH is high normal ( elevated but not over the range) - should TSH be lower if fT4 is almost perfect at 25 ( range 7-40)

FT4 in the upper half of normal ( that’s good right ?)

FT3 was not done despite me begging for it but T3 is 1.16 (0.9-2.7)

Do I wait 6 weeks for retest ? Shouldn’t TSH be nearer the bottom normal rather that top of reference for fT4 being ideal ?

Thank you - I have no hope from clinician explaining this so I’m asking here thank you again

[Beata_s]

Total T4 was 54 ( 13-51) and TSH 0.33 ( 0.03-0.5)

I thoUgh current those for this test was too high so was expected totally different results

[greygoose in reply to Beata_s]

The Total T4 is the wrong test. It doesn't give you much useful information - probably why it's confusing you. You need the FT4 test.

fT4 is almost perfect at 25 ( range 7-40)

That's not an FT4 range, far too wide, so that's probably a TT4 as well. But, what makes you think the result is almost perfect?

TSH 0.33 ( 0.03-0.5).

And that range is weird, too. Where were these tests done?

Shouldn’t TSH be nearer the bottom normal rather that top of reference for fT4 being ideal ?

Well, not necessarily. It all depends what the FT3 is.

[Beata_s in reply to greygoose]

Those are the ranges I was always given by all labs ( tested through few ) - but it makes sense - range is huge and trying to achieve top end was unrealistic and we could never get there ! Possibly overmedicated ?

[Beata_s in reply to Beata_s]

This is all in U.K. but I have considered using Hemopet. Org lab in US

[crimple]

Have you been tested for antibodies and what are your vitamin levels like?

[ShootingStars]

Hi Beat_s. Which country are you in? These are some interesting laboratory ranges. You've got two thyroid hormones that work together, T3 and T4, so they always have to be tested together. The correct tests are the "free" tests. Total tests are the wrong ones, as greygoose reflects. FT4 is not perfect in absence of testing FT3, if TSH is so high in the range, and if you have symptoms.

Which medication are you taking and what is the dosage?

[Beata_s]

Please don’t hate me guys or please don’t ban me - these are for dogs ! Thanks you knowledge I got here I discovered that my young boy probably was never hypothyroid nor was his mother -both taken off the Levo now - and when we tested iron status we discovered problems in all 3 tested dogs out of 4 !

I have a vet who listens and tries to help but doesn’t know very much

The old girl been unstable hypo for 2 years almost and every test is totally different and we don’t know why or why the treatment isn’t working

I may not be hypo but I am living with this disease just like you guys and I see what it does to dogs !

Since I came here and learnt so much I started suspect nutritional deficiencies as 6 dogs on the same food started to have same problems with hair and skin and all had similar hematology abnormalities consistent with iron / B12/ folate problems . The one who is really hypo ( she had zero T4 at the time of testing ) doesn’t stand a chance to be well medicated and control the symptoms if these nutritional problems aren’t sorted - and vets don’t see the link - and deficiencies have been proven to cause same problems in dogs as they do in humans - much research has been done

One has been anemic for 2 years and nobody is doing anything about it - that’s the severe hypo one that we cannot stabilise ! And I got to a point where I would rather out her down than seeing her miserable with symptoms

I am not asking any of you guys to help a dog - just help with information ( when I did post that it’s about dog - I was told to go to the vet - I understand ) and I do apologise if anybody feels deceived that was not my intention - you already helped so much I feel like there is life at the end of the tunnel ! Hypo/ Hashi works the same way in dogs symptoms are identical !

I will be asking for selenium , vitamin d test today when I see the vet - they are supposed to receive correct nutrition from complete dog food and theybclearly aren’t if they are iron deficient .

It’s a big a big problem to test fT3 ( not available in U.K. but can be sent to Holland but many labs won’t do it - and vets won’t test because they don’t know how FT3 fits into thyroid treatment management or diagnostic

I am in tears , spending thousands on treatment and testing to get my dogs sorted and to taking toll on my ( I am waiting for my own well woman medichecks result )

Thank you for your understanding xxx

Here is a picture of my old girl who’s hypo we are trying to control - left photo taken 2 years ago just before diagnosis and now - she looks much better but still has symptoms - please helps us x thank you

[greygoose in reply to Beata_s]

I didn't tell you to see a vet. I know the problems, I have a hypo dog myself. And a lot of confusion would have been saved if you'd said that this was also a dog. I've posted on here about my hypo dog and people were very helpful. And, also, I think, on your last post, SeasudeSusie gave you a link to a forum for hypo dogs - I used to have one but deleted it because I seem to have solved the problem myself.

But, even so, I'm confused by your labs. I'm not in the UK, but even so, from what I've understood, the test to do is the FT4. They don't do FT3 for dogs because it's more complicated. And here, they don't even do the TSH. The vet said it's not important. But I've heard that UK vets like the FT4 to be slightly over-range, not in the middle. The middle is never perfect for any hypo. So, as I have problems with vets over here - they're even worse than in the UK - I top up my dog's levo myself. He takes 1000 mcg levo - half in the morning and half in the evening. I feed him liver pâté for his iron, and give him B12, and vit D when he can't get out in the sun.

I also give him a variety of food. Never just a bowl of kibble, or whatever they call it in the UK. I think that's a terrible way to feed a dog. He loves eggs - shell and all! - so I sometimes give him an egg. He loves bananas and tomatoes and apples. I believe in a varied and interesting diet. And in your last thread, I asked you if there was soy in their dog food but you didn't answer. Never give a dog soy because that will cause a heap of problems.

Your old lady is gorgeous. If you want to talk hypo dogs, PM me, and let's see if we can work out what's going on.

[Beata_s in reply to greygoose]

Thank you grey goose for your reply - I have been to Hypo dogs FB page but left as I didn’t feel welcome and nobody could help with answers

I never give soy based kibble - I always fed premium food plus leftovers for variety - never had problems in Orijen but it didn’t agree with my boys so changed ( I had 4 big dogs to feed ) and that’s when the problems stared

The ranges are far too big as someone else pointed out and I think it was unreasonable to try to achieve high or just slightly over ranges with meds - I had never seen two good results in a row - they just flactuated too much and doses kept changing !

Thanks to this forum I realised that maybe something else was also going on and finally I am back with my good vet who listens ( but doesn’t know enough but happy who work with me ) and he will run bloods on all 4 of my dogs for selenium , vit D , ferritin and copper and I already had B12 and folate done . What I learnt here probably saved 3 of my dogs to end up all life pointlessly on thyroid meds ( their thyroid levels dropped drastically due to iron deficiency - which isn’t meant to happen because iron is added to all dog food - so no one suspected it ! ) and this probably explains why we couldn’t control my one hashi dog ( old girl above )

Next week we do all the bloods and sort out the deficiencies ( 3 tested already have high TIBC )

Dog forum people do not look at these like you guys - but if it all this works for dogs just as well as it does for humans ( vit levels and iron ) then I will share the knowledge and hopefully it will help others .

I can tout into words how much help and knowledge I got here and how forever grateful I am xxx

Thank you all again

[greygoose in reply to Beata_s]

I don't rate Facebook groups very highly. I did find one very good thyroid Facebook group and learnt a lot from them. But then they got a new admin who was a rude little bitch and it all went to pot. A friend and I tried to start our own, but it never really got off the ground. It was dismal, to say the least! Despite all our efforts.

But I think I can speak for a lot of people when I say, if you have questions, just ask them here, just say from the start it's for a dog. People don't have to read it, and those who are interested might learn something. There are several people on here who have, or have had, hypo dogs.,

[Beata_s in reply to greygoose]

Wonder if it was the same Fb page as I had a similar feeling about the admin ( I think it was admin )

I will do of course and thank you again