Which results to show endo? Urgent please appointment this afternoon

[Salphy]

Hi have had 2 lots of bloods done as last week I took my Levo before the test.

I still don't feel 100% (though do feel better) but I'd like to be considered for some t3 to see if it could get me back to myself.

Right now I feel able to do the minimum. I still need to sleep when I get home from work most days. I still have really dry skin, feeling of lump in throat/post nasal drip (ultrasound showed only small thyroid), difficulty losing weight, cold etc

But I just want to feel like I can live and do everything I want to rather than just getting through it.

Which results do you think are more likely for him to consider t3? The last thing I want is him to reduce my meds but my t4 is raised on one and tsh low on the other which he won't like.

I'm seeing him privately if it makes any difference.

Should I just accept that this is the best it's going to get?

All vits are optimum apart from folate is on the low end of normal.

Top one is most recent without taking any meds beforehand. Week 7 since increased to 100mcg. Bottom one was done last week with Levo taken before it.

Thanks for any advice.

[Salphy]

Thanks,

I'm just worried as that's the lowest tsh and highest t3

[greygoose]

I know this reply is going to be too late for you, but I'm going to write it, anyway.

Taking the levo before the test has not totally skewed your results. It's just given you a false high FT4. It hasn't affected your TSH. And your TSH is in-range. So, that might be the best one to show him, to avoid arguments. It also shows a bigger gap between the FT4 and the FT3 - you don't need to mention taking the levo before the test, he wouldn't understand, anyway.

Nor, I'm afraid, would he understand about reduced conversion when your FT4 is so high and your FT3 not quite high enough. So, I very much doubt if this will be an argument for prescribing T3 - especially in the present political climate. Doctors don't know enough about thyroid to understand the subtileties of conversion, rT3, etc. And your FT3 is quite high in range, so not a glaringly obvious need. So, I'm afraid your chances of getting T3 from him are pretty low.

Have you considered buying your own?

[Salphy in reply to greygoose]

Thank you greygoose

Not too late at all my appointment is at 4pm

It's what I was thinking also I just wanted to go down the route of less likely to want to reduce my meds and possibly add t3.

I am considering buying it. I wanted to exhaust all options before going it alone which is why I'm seeing him privately.

He's one off the thyroid UK list known for prescribing ndt and considering t4 & t3 and antibody results. So we'll see.

I also have details of a private gp who only prescribes NDT as my next option.

I think I'll definitely be cancelling my nhs referral regardless as I know they would want to reduce it straight away x

[greygoose in reply to Salphy]

Well, good luck! Let us know how you get on.

[Salphy in reply to greygoose]

Thanks I will do. 1 last question what confuses me,

When I was started on Levo my tsh was 6.5, t4 12 and t3 5.3

My tsh has come right down with levo and t4 raised. But my t3 has never really got any higher? It has fluctuated below 5 3 but that's the highest it's ever got.

I just don't really understand why my tsh has altered so much but t3 not if that's what our bodies use?

[greygoose in reply to Salphy]

Probably because your FT4 is now too high, and converting to more rT3 than T3. When your TSH was high, it was driving conversion. But, your FT4 has risen and your TSH has gone so low it no-longer drives conversion. Was there never a point where your FT3 was higher?

[Salphy in reply to greygoose]

Once when I started 75mcg it got up to 5.4 (which sorry was what it was when I started Levo not 5.3 got it wrong)

But since starting Levo it's been 5.4, 4.96, 4.9, 4.18, 4.34, 5.41, 4.5, 3.78 now back up to 5.3 x

[greygoose in reply to Salphy]

OK So, it would seem that adding a little T3 to a reduced dose of levo, might help.

You could try NDT, but personally, I think trying T3 + T4 first would be the best idea.

[Salphy in reply to greygoose]

greygoose he's increased my t4 12.5mcg.

Not sure how I feel about it. Told me to get cortisol and rt3 tested aswell as tsh, t4, t3 in 4 weeks x

[greygoose in reply to Salphy]

Oh dear. That's really not what you wanted, is it. He doesn't know much about thyroid does he. Your rT3 is going to be high, he doesn't need a test to know that. And retesting in 4 weeks is too soon. Silly man.

[Salphy in reply to greygoose]

It's better than him reducing it I suppose. I'm really not sure what to do! X