Hello, I'd be really grateful if those of you who understand blood results could take a look at my recent results attached and advise if I have any scope for increasing T3. I am on 75mcg Levo and 5mcg Liothyronine per day. I have put on 10lb in weight over the last year, have a lot of aches and pains right hip, right shoulder, migraine, dry skin, my energy becomes depleted so quickly, I have no strength at all in my muscles. I must have looked a sight at Costco last night when an elderly gentleman asked if I needed any help lifting water into my trolley.. My symptoms improved when I started on T3 ( energy levels improved from having none to having a little/ teeth and gum problems cleared up.Private health care through work won't pay for me to see endo for "routine checkup" so am hoping I can get good advice on here, and then pay for a one off visit to him if need be to see if he will increase my meds/advise my GP to up my script. It was through private endo I got the T3 trial initially,I paid for a private prescription and then my GP agreed for me to have it on NHS. I am worried if I ask to see the NHS endo they might stop my T3. Now I am just wondering if there is scope to increase T3 from 5 mcg?. When at the doctors last week for sore throat he looked at my results and said the creatinine was high so I had another test for this yesterday. I don't know what high creatinine means.
Thank you for your patience and time reading this, regards mcooper
Serum TSH level 0.29 mIU/L Range 0.27 - 4.20 mIU/L
Serum Free T3 level 4 pmol/L Range 3.10 - 6.80 pmol/L
Serum Sodium 143 mmol /L Range 133.00 - 146.00
Serum Potassium 3.9 mmol/L Range 3.50 - 5.30
Serum Urea Level 6.9 mmol/L Range 2.50 - 7.8
Serum Creatinine high consider early repeat - 88 umol/l Range 44.00 - 80.00 umol
Serum folate normal 4.6 ug/L Range 3.90 - 20.oo ug/L
Serum Ferritin normal 53 ug/L Range 13.00 - 150.00 ug/L
Serum Vit B 12 374 ng/l Range 197.00 - 771.00 ng/l
Serum Albumin 43 g/l Range 35.00 - 50.00 g/l
Serum Calcium 2.21 mmol/L Range 2.15 - 2.55 mmol/l
Vit B12 and VitD need to be quite a lot higher. TSH looks OK but T3 is still low and can't see T4 level. Are you taking any supplements for B12 and VitD, how much per day? What were your results like before adding T3. Your symptoms certainly suggest you are under medicated.
Morning Crimple sorry I did not even answer your questions last night For info my t4 was at 4.65 prior to starting on T3, down to 2.2 in March 2016, at that time vit d result 77 range 50-150. vitamin B12 within range sorry don't have the results to hand, i believe it was at about 969. I was supplementing B12 at the time. Now I supplement Vit D3 daily solgar 1000, and Solgar vit b12 sublingual; chewable 5 x 1000 ug per day about twice a week when I remember. I can see I need to be more sensible with this and set alarms to remind me to take regularly.
Your FT3 is lower now than before. For someone taking T3 it is very low at 4 (3.1-6.8) and you should increase to 10mcg, and possibly even more eventually if you are still symptomatic, as long as you stay within range.
Also, your nutrient levels aren't optimal and some of your symptoms may be due to this. They should be
I agree that you could do with an increase, but I must echo that until you're optimal on B12 and D3 you're still extremely likely to have little energy and lots of symptoms, even with more T3. You need to address those too even if your GP says they're fine. I'm talking from personal experience: that one pill, while making a huge difference, doesn't sort out every symptom for me, it's always a pill-juggling act. Best of luck; at least you have a GP who'll do the prescription.
Thanks Dandy, it is shocking that the doctor says they were ok, I will definitely ensure I keep an eye on these results now. thank you for getting back to me.
Doctors or Endocrinologists prescribe too low a dose. If you go to page 80 you will read that studies found the best T3/T4 combination was on a 1 to 3 basis.
Hi, my test results reflect I need thryoid help, however my Dr. (Usa) went from 60mg to 50 mg armour, which I get compounded. I've gotten great help, here. Clearly I'm not being medicated correctly. Do you, as an administrator have available a study, or documented info I could get mailed to me as what exactly the prime bloodwork aim as a dr., would want for a patient. My hospital is #1 in my state ,#3 in the country, USA. There is no excuse why it's taking months/years to correct my thryoid, or refer me to a specialist. I need to be prepared, with documented proof to show her. Clearly my personal complaints I'm telling her are loud/clear. I'm struggling, living alone, severe aches any help?
The pity is, that in this modern time doctors only take notice of the TSH. TSH means thyroid stimulating hormone and rises if thyroid gland is struggling. We used to be diagnosed upon clinical symptoms alone and given NDT (natural dessicated thyroid hormones) as no blood tests were invented then. I think Big Pharma make lots of money through these blood tests.
I shall give you a list of clinical symptoms and also a link from our deceased Adviser who hated the modern method of diagnosing/treating and would never prescribe levothyroxine for his patients, only NDT or T3 for thyroid hormone resistance.
I am not medically qualified like the majority on this forum but many have recovered following advice/support from other members.
Blood tests for thyroid hormones have to be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and if you were taking thyroid hormones you'd allow a 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards.
Request TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.
Get a print-out of the results with the ranges and put on a new post for comments. Ranges are important as labs differ and it makes it easier to comment.
Good Morning and thank you so much , I will print off and bring with me, my head is so fuzzy a lot of the time I cant seem to gather my thoughts and remember to say everything I need to say to the GP
Don't worry too much as probably the doctor is less knowledgeable than you are at present. I hope he is kind and treats according to clinical symptoms but I think they are now forced to follow their guidelines, i.e. only diagnose if TSH reaches 10 (in UK). Some may prescribe when it is above the top (usually around 5) with symptoms.
Great article thanks for the link. So would you say that as my 100mcg of Levo over last few years leaves me a bit below mid range for FT3 but at the top of FT4, when adding T3 supplementation 1:3 ratio 25mcg T3 to 75mcg T4 would be most likely solution?
Hi Shaws you gave me some good advice recently on doctors prescribing too low a dose T3 - I'm on 75mgc levo and 5 mcg T3. I went back to the doctors today expecting to have to beg for a letter to go back to the endocrinologist to ask for an increase in T3. Surprisingly my GP agreed to up it to 10mcg T3 to go with my existing 75mcg T4 and just said to come back in two months for a blood test. I couldn't believe it. Can you advise me how best to take this extra 5mcg should I take the full 10mcg with my 75 mcg levo
or should I take 5mcg morning and 5 in the evening? I'd be grateful for your opinion , thanks for taking the time to read Mcooper
Take both together. I always found that best as it is easier to find a 'window' for our stomach to be without food which is usually when we get up (with one full glass of water) but wait an hour before eating.
Some prefer bedtime dose - in that case you'd allow a 3 hour gap between last meal and dose. The reason I prefer an a.m. dose is that if having a blood test, you just miss dose until after the test.
With p.m. dose you miss night dose if having a blood test a.m. and take after test but night dose as usual the same day.
So, that's the reason I find a.m. dosing more suitable for me.
I can't thank you enough! I agree, a person should go with how you are feeling, and respond. This is exactly what I needed to bring to next appointment.
I’d say you take too little T3. I take 75 mcg Levo and 20mcg T3 divided in 2 doses.
One question: had you taken your T3 before taking blood samples for this test? Because the T3 peaks some hours after taking, this is why the results might look Ok when actually you don’t feel this way.
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