Letter from Endocrinology

[Pinebunny]

Hi, asking your opinion.

Gp on last blood test had me on 100mcg levothyroxine and wouldn't increase it until I saw the Endo. I put it up myself to 125.

I got a letter today from my blood test 18/5.

At my examination I felt ill and had hypo symptoms. He believed me to be under medicated but asked me to wait a week for results which didn't arrive. After two weeks with no response, I put it up myself to 150. I think I still need a bit more.

Letter today says TSH is 4.18, free T4 is 14.1 and free T3 is 4.6 and to increase to 150 to have another blood test in 6 weeks.

I am lacking in patience since it took a month to get results and advice from the last one. I'm tempted to bump it up before then and confess. Interestingly when on natural thyroid and self medicating by instinct, my results were spot on.

[greygoose]

Taking NDT and taking levo are two completely different things. With NDT, you can increase by 1/4 grain every two weeks, but with levo, it's a bad idea to increase by more than 25 mcg every six weeks. Because that's how long it takes for the T4 to be completely absorbed and converted. So, you really do need to wait the six weeks from when you increased to 150 before you get tested, then you can see if you need to increase it again.

[Pinebunny in reply to greygoose]

Thanks. So we're three weeks in and will wait another three. How are my results looking since I don't understand them.

[greygoose in reply to Pinebunny]

I'm afraid I can't tell you without the ranges.

[Pinebunny in reply to greygoose]

I'll see if I can get a printout and repost.

[silverfox7]

Doctors don't seem to know that ranges vary from lab to lab and in a way I can understand that as all the results they are seeing are from the same lab but it's also making me think as to whether they actually get to see the ranges as I have seen members being told that asking their doctor gets a negative reply. So may be this is another reason why they don't know what to do and can only monitor individual changes i.e. You result as increased from when you were unhappy so that's good when it could still be under the range. I have a different problem in that I go elsewhere for treatment but my doctor doesn't get the ranges on her letter even though I've asked for them to be included! Being on NDT I'm only interested in FT3 and it's ranges, my GP would take that to be just under 6.8 as that's the local top of range but mine is 5.7 so very different!

[Howard39]

Hi

Whilst labs do vary yours look to be similar to mine. If you say 11-22 for free t4 yours is low. I’d say tsh far too high and t3 top if say 6.8 far too low.

Why did you swap from ndt? I am tons better on it than t3 and t4.

In the meantime take your temperature with a basal thermometer. Do 4 per day chart them, ( see Dr Rind) also the late Dr Lowe in New Zealand only ever did one first blood test, then divide by 4 for the average. You are aiming for 36.50. If there is an increase you need 8 per day for 4 days. If you have consistent readings that differ more than 0.40 degree then the adrenals are out.

Saves on blood tests ( especially if you have to pay) and you can see progress as you go along.

One of the best things I did.

Good luck