Reduce t4??

[janiebell]

I get my own bloods done at Blue Horizon so i can see what my t3 and t4 are up too. My t3 is mid range and my t4 just slightly above range. My gp saw the results and thinks i should reduce my levo from 150 mcg to 125 mcg. What do others think? Idid try it for a few days and actually slept better but am worried if gp reduces it i wont get it back up again if needed. I am taking 125mcg some days and the full 150 mcg on other days depending on how i feel. Maybe this is silly? Also, worried my t3 may drop which i really dont want although maybe it doesnt work like that? Would have to swap brands too as activas dont do 25 mcg.

I dont get responses sent to my email anymore or alerts. Is there something i need to do in settings or the like? Sorry for so many questions!

[Kes8]

Might be good to post your actual results.

[greygoose]

What reason did your doctor give for wanting to reduce your dose if your Frees are only around mid-range? There's no logic to that. What was your TSH? Was he perhaps just looking at that?

You're right, if you drop your levo, both your FT4 and your FT3 will reduce. And, as your FT3 is a bit low, anyway, that would not be good. I doubt the man knows very much about thyroid!

[janiebell in reply to greygoose]

Myt4 was 24.50 range 12-22. He saw that and felt i was over medicated. Its been like that for around a year. Could be because im on bio identical hormones for meno. Annoying as they only ever test tsh at gps which was 1.39 - range 0.27- 4.20. so none of this would have happened if my gynae hadnt sent the gp the results!

Thanks for letting me know that my t3 could drop which i really dont want. Gp said now im older my metabolism has slowed so i dont need so much t4??

[greygoose in reply to janiebell]

Your GP has no idea what he's talking about.

So, your FT4 is actually quite a bit over-range. You haven't given me the FT3, but it it's only mid-range, then you have a conversion problem. But, GPs do not understand conversion problems at all! Yes, your FT4 is too high and your levo therefore needs reducing. But, you do need some T3 added in, or you will continue to be hypo and have symptoms. There's no other way around that. So, you need to ask your GP to refer you to an endo, because a GP can't prescribe T3. And it's really the luck of the draw whether the endo will prescribe it.

The other solution, if you can persuade your GP that you need T3, is to buy your own and ask him to monitor you. But, of course, he will have to test the FT3, not much point in testing the FT4 or TSH. So, you need to have a long chat with him.

[Marz in reply to janiebell]

Surely if your metabolism has slowed you need more ! Or is he thinking we all should be in Nursing Homes at 70 - drooling and not remembering what we did yesterday