Well, I guess I’m not optimal in thyroid thats for sure
Labs 2 of 2 : Well, I guess I’m not optimal in... - Thyroid UK
Labs 2 of 2
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JennaShi
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SeasideSusieRemembering
JennaShi
You're not exactly making much FT3 are you, and you have Hashi's.
No its doesnt look like it. I do take 5 mcg of t3 but i guess I need to up the dose. And yes, I do have hashi.
If I up to 10mcg t3, will that help with my not so optimal tsh? Or should I request to up my levo medicine?
Also, do you know, is common for the different blood cells to be at 0?
JennaShi
If those were my results, I wouldn't increase Levo but would increase the T3, 5mcg is a very small dose and you probably need to get your FT3 up in the upper part of the range. Taking T3 generally lowers, even suppressed TSH, can't be helped, that's what it does. Just taking Levo suppressed my TSH, now I take both Levo and T3 it doesn't stand a chance!!!!
Also, do you know, is common for the different blood cells to be at 0?
Not sure I know what you mean there.
Oh ok, I think I see what you mean. So tye t3 will be more beneficial and will lower the tsh.
Is the t3 helping you, do you notice more of a difference? Also, it didnt make up more aggitated, did it?
I guess Im curious about my eosinophils and basophils being at a 0. And wonder if you have had the same experience or know why they get to 0?
JennaShi
Yes, T3 is helping me. My FT4 was over range, no help from GP, found out myself about poor conversion, started T3 after lowering dose of Levo, have been tweaking doses of both and now have found the doses which seem to suit me best. No, it didn't make me agitated at all, I expect that would happen if you were taking to much. I test regularly to make sure my levels are within range and where they need to be for me.
As for your eosinophils and basophils, the range starts at 0 so you are technically within range. You could look them up on Labtestsonline to find out more about them.
Thats unfortunate that your gp didnt help at all. They could do so much if they wanted to and people would be feeling better. I wish this were the case. However, that is wonderful that you were able to figure out your optimal doses! How did you do it?
I’m encouraged by learning your story and how much of a difference t3 makes. Do you order your own labs online or does your gp allow you to order them?
My gp ordered these fortunately with my begging lol. I hope to be optimal soon. I was taking 10mcg previously however after a little while was starting to get alot more agitated and went back down. But maybe after working on fixing the gut, and now that its low, I can up the dose. I was beeting dried beets and it seemed to improve my mood so I guess this confirms it.
Its almost like we are our own best scientists because of all the work we put into studying and learning from others. I guess we have to be with the way allopathic medicine is today.
Yeah, I’m looking into it, it does help when other people have experience as well.
JennaShi
It was a long and frustrating time tweaking doses. There were other issues that needed sorting so it wasn't going to work at the beginning, but once nutrient levels were optimal then it was just a case of changing the doses little by little, testing, assessing how I felt, etc. I've been doing private testing with the ThyroidUK recommended labs, fortunately I can manage fingerprick samples. So I keep my eye on my nutrient levels and keep them optimal, and I think I've now found the right doses of Levo and T3. I still have to sort my adrenals, I overdid the adaptogens - was supposed to be lowering high cortisol but left it too long before retesting and now the levels are at the bottom so have to work on raising them. But I am in a much better place than I was when I first tested 3 years ago.
I don't discuss with my GP. They're not interested, TSH is king, nutrient levels - no we wont test those, there's just no point in bothering with them at all.
Fortunately I don't have Hashi's or gut problems so that's made it easier.
JennaShi, it doesn't really matter where the TSH is, technically, because it doesn't make you feel anything. It's just an indicator of thyroid status - and a very poor indicator, at that. It's T3 that causes symptoms if it is too high, or too low. Your FT3 is too low, so that will be causing any symptoms you have. 
Thank you Grey goose! Do you think its possible that the thyroid can heal itself if a person were to heal their gut?
No, the thyroid cannot heal itself. I suppose there's a possibility that healing the gut might 'cure' the Hashi's - although I have never seen proof-positive that anyone has done that - but the damage done to the thyroid is there for life. It cannot heal.
That would be interesting to meet someone who this has happened too. I have heard of people’s antibodies go down but do not know anyone personally. I do wonder if they die or go into remission. I havent looked into it yet. Do you have hashimotos? Have you looked into healing the gut?
Someone who what has happened to? Getting your antibodies down is not the same as getting rid of the Hashi's. The antibodies are not the disease. Get your antibodies down to zero, but you will still have Hashi's.
Yes, I have Hashi's. But, there is nothing wrong with my gut.
In general meeting someone who has both antidodies down and gut healed.
I guess I dont understand fully abut hashimotos. Wow thats wonderful! Was your gut fine to begin with? What are you hoping to achieve after knowing that your gut is fine and you still have hashi? It seems that in order to get the diagnosis, you have to get antibodies tested.
Getting the antibodies tested is one way. The other way is having an ultrasound.
But, as I said, the antibodies are not the disease. There are Hashi's people that never have high antibodies. Healing the gut might help, but I'm not convinced it will get rid of an autoimmune disease.
I don't know what you mean by what do I hope to achieve. Just staying alive, I suppose.
Is Hashimotos where the immune system attacks the thyroid, slowly burning it out?
My thought was that if the antibodies were decreased that it would no longer attack the thyroid?
Do you still find that although your gut is healed that you do not feel well? It seems as though there are alot of people working to become optimal and or healing their gut with the thought that it would make them feel better or healed , or remission (myself included) so I was curious what you are now hoping to achieve since your gut is healed. Do you feel optimal/ content or are you digging deeper to see if there are other health issues need to be adressed?
Yes, Hashimoto's is where the immune system attacks and slowly destroys the thyroid. But it's not the antibodies you see in blood tests that do the attacking.
As antibodies can cause symptoms, it's always a good idea to try and decrease them. But, the best way to slow down the attacks is to keep your TSH at zero. The less the gland tries to work, the less the immune system will be stimulated to attack.
My gut is not healed, because there was nothing ever wrong with it. But, that in no way means that my health is perfect. I have to keep digging try and improve it, experimenting with different doses and different combinations of thyroid hormone, and making sure my nutrients are optimal. I don't have a thyroid anymore - destroyed by the Hashi's almost before I was diagnosed - so I don't think things are ever going to be perfect. But, because the thyroid has gone, the antibodies have gone.
I’m sorry to hear that. Finding out must’ve been upsetting. How long was it that you noticed something was wrong and then got diagnosed? How did you find out that your thyroid is completely destroyed?
I thought that that the antibodies are the ones doing the attacking and have never heard of keeping the tsh at 0 in order to stop the immune system. It sounds like it would make sense. I wish there was a way to supress immune system better. I think tyats the plan with the AIP diet, to eliminate the foods that could stimulate or make things worse.
You mentioned that you constantly finding different doses and combinations, is this in order to feel better or more optimal?
No, not upsetting, just par for the course.
I've known something was wrong for most of my life, just didn't know what it was.
I was diagnosed by accident, at 55, because my GP had a thing about fat women - not that I was particularly fat at that time. He sent me to what he thought was a dietician. She turned out to be an endo and did the right tests. My GP was an idiot.
A hormone specialist told me my thyroid was dead when I was 61.
The point of the AIP diet is to discover what triggers the immune system.
You mentioned that you constantly finding different doses and combinations, is this in order to feel better or more optimal?
Both. But, not 'finding', experimenting with.
Wow he sounds like an idiot! So sad, he claimed to be a doctor yet, only seemed to give doctors a bad name. I’m sorry you have gone through all of this. But thats wonderful that you were able to find out through the endo that he accidentily sent you too. How did the hormone specialist figure that your thyroid was dead? Did they preform any special tests?
Did you have it removed afterwards?
Ah yes, what if you eliminate these foods/ triggers and or do an allergy test and find out that none of them actually trigger your immune system (gluten allergy vs gluten celiac)? I guess its a few steps in the right direction.
Thats wonderful though that you do not have anymore antibodies. Have they then died or gone somewhere else? Also that wonderful that you are experimenting to see what works for you, it sounds like you are in good spirits.
No, no special tests. Real hormone specialists can tell just by looking at you.
Why would I have it removed?
I don't know what would happen. I suppose it would mean that your problem doesn't lie with your food. But, I've never tried the AIP diet, so I don't know.
I think it's more a case of antibodies not being produced, rather than them dying. I don't know, I've never thought about that. In any case, they are not in the blood in excessive numbers anymore.
I try not to brood about my health, it doesn't help. I try to think about it calmly. There are far too many other things in life that can get you down, like family and relationships, and money! If all's going well with them, then I count myself blessed, even if I do feel ill.
Oh wow, I didn’t know that. I guess it would make sense since their expertise is hormones.
If your thyroid is dead, is it ok to have it sit there? It wont decay or fall out of position?
Yes, I agree. There may be other triggers. Did you find it helpful to eliminate gluten? It does seem that its beneficial, that gluten tears up the gut.
Hey that is wonderful, so glad they are not in excess for you anymore. It sounds like decreasing numbers of antibodies could also be an indication of something hopefully good like you’ve cleared up your triggers as well. Or indicator of the thyroid no longer in service.
I like your perspective, that is a good point. I do hope you feel better though, it would be wonderful for all of these things to be going well including health. I dont know if you believenin God or not but just wanted to say that He loves you :).
All hormones present physical aspects whether they too high or too low. But that is not taught in med schools. This particular doctor knows all this because he continued learning after med school.
No, I found it of absolutely no use whatsoever to eliminate gluten. It did nothing for me. Didn't make me feel well, or lose weight, or anything. So, I started eating it again, and didn't feel any worse. So, I still eat it.
Decreasing number of antibodies indicates nothing at all. They fluctuate all the time. And now they've gone because I don't have a thyroid anymore. That's all. If I were to have a thyroid transplant - if that were possible - I'd still have Hashi's, and it would destroy the new thyroid.
Sounds a great doctor, glad to gear that you are in Good hands with him. I agree, our body send out warning signals to let us know something is wrong.
Lucky you, make sure to enjoy a slice pizza for me !
Ah ok, thank you for explaining it to me. That makes sense, Have a blessed rest of the week!
Oh, I haven't seen him for years! I can't afford him. 
I am sorry to hear that . I wish doctors weren’t so expensive! I dont think they would run out of business (the good ones anyway).
Grey goose, i my case with the labs that I shared, I was not taking levo at that time, I was taking methimazole. In my case, my doctor said that I was hyperthyroid. This is why I thought Hattie was hyperthyroid, and had missed the other information somehow
Well, without seeing your labs when you were diagnosed hyper, I can't comment. But, there's certainly nothing hyper about an FT4 at mid-range. How did he diagnose you?
My first lab was TSH: 0.007 Range: 0.358-3.740
FT4: 0.97 range 0.76-1.46
FT3: 3.19 range 2.30- 4.20
There's nothing hyper about those labs, either. In fact, they look more like Central hypo. Your Frees weren't even mid-range. To be hyper, they would have to be well over-range. And, the only way to diagnose hyper with any certitude, is to test the Grave's antibodies - TRAB or TSI.
Your doctor should never have put you on carbi with those results!
Well she did, and didn’t even stabilize it 😄.
I dont think I understand what you mean.
She never tested me for tsi. I did just request for the tsi test and results came on Monday.
My TSI currently is at a 20.50 range: <0.55
I did ended up getting the Rai treatment because kept pushing for it and Got diagnosed with a 44 tsh two years ago.
I can say thought through all the labs I had previously, they stayed on the left side of the range. I never dipped to the right.
Also don’t recall ever having sever depression and other things I have been dealing with now. Except feeling brain fogged.
And the goiter did go down, with the medicine. And brain fog improved as well as being able to function.
Which bit don't you understand? You weren't hyper in those results you gave above. Your TSH was suppressed, but your Frees were under mid-range. You weren't hyper.
They might have gone higher at a later date, but at that time, they were euthyroid.
I am confused because because I was not on medication so I do not know how it was surpressed. Also according the lab range t says low. Isnt tye taking of methimazole supposed to surpress it in order to become more normal range?
Yes, it was low. But it's not the TSH the most important. And methimazole doesn't suppress TSH, your TSH was already suppressed. It's supposed to raise it to get it into the 'normal' range. But, the TSH alone doesn't make you hyper. It's the Frees that make you hyper, and high FT3 that causes symptoms. Your Frees were under mid-range, so not hyper.
Thats interesting, I wonder what was supressing my tsh.
I think the endo may have put pieces together by my symptoms (rapid weight loss, shaky hands, weak, spqced out, and goiter) as well as my results. I looked again through it and looks like she gave me a pregnancy test in 2010 and this test was done in 2011, this might not be my first test.. dang well I guess I couldve been misdiagnosed. All I have to show for it is old labs, a burned thyroid and my current tsi test.
I still am curious. I did show having tsi antibodies 20.50 range <0.55 just recently. I read somewhere this can also be and indicator of hashimotos.
No, as it turns out, you didn't have a misdiagnosis, because you've just tested positive for TSI, so it was the Grave's antibodies suppressing your TSH. But, given how low your Frees were, I believe it was wrong of her to start the treatment at that point.
No, TSI cannot be an indicator of Hashi's. You did/do have Grave's. But, she should - or your doctor at that time - should have done the antibody test straight away, not just assumed it was Grave's.
I guess its not always good to beleive everything you online 😄. Yeah, she didnt do alot of things right I think but its a relief to know it wasn’t a mis diagnosis. I also didnt understand what was going and didnt care to learn at the time.
I still have the antibodies.. however I rarely have palps or racing heart and have been on the right side of range going towards 1 so I dont think its affecting me anymore. Thank you for your help .
Well, you had RAI, didn't you? But, the Grave's antibodies will always be there, even if the thyroid is removed.
Yes I did have RAI. That was a mistake, I think the situation couldve been handled better with more knowledge on my part and her part. She was an endo and only one close by. I wish she had more answers other than the radio active treatment. on a positive note, atleast theres proof that she correctly diagnosed instead misdiagnosed.
They always want the RAI because they think it will be easier for them! They're not particularly worried about the patients.
I agree, that was the first thing out of her mouth 😄. The fact that you dont have to get a blood test every 6 weeks or so. It so sad that they dont realize what comes with burning the thyroid for the patient. It was interesting to say the least when we performed the treatment, she put me on synthroid and tested later and was shocked to find out that it didnt work as fast as she hoped. I was still hyper until close to 3 years ago.
It's not so much that they don't realise, they just don't care. They don't know enough about anything to do with thyroid to be alert to what they're doing to the patients.
Wow, amazing how far you have come from the beginning and learning so much about yourself. I can see why you have chosen private testing over going to gp. I was just going to ask if you have hashi. Im assuming you already tested for it too. So glad to hear you are in a better place and feeling better than you did previously. I have heard good things about adaptogens and hope that your adrenals get sorted out very soon! Thank you for sharing with me Susie!
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