Blood work Results : Help - Please

[Arlenka]

So, after quite some commotion I’ve finally got my blood results. As previously stated the doctor has advised me to stop taking my levothyroxine.

Value Units Range

Free T4 33.9 pmol/L (9-24 U)

TSH <0.1 (0.3-6 U)

Free T3 5.4 pmol/L (3.5-6.5 U)

Thanks for any advice.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Arlenka

You mentioned in your previous post that you take a B Complex which contains Biotin. If you didn't leave this off for 3-5 days before your test then there is the likelihood that results are inaccurate. In that case, explain to your GP that the Biotin can affect results and ask to be retested.

If you did leave off your B Complex for the appropriate amount of time, you are overmedicated on Levo and need it reduced. However, taking into account your FT4 and FT3 then it looks like you have poor T4 to T3 conversion and may benefit from the addition of T3 to a lower amount of Levo. But before any decision is made about that you need retesting without the B Complex being taken if you did take it before this test.

[Arlenka in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi, no I didn’t fast or stop taking my B complex before my bloods were done. So, I am hoping on July 17 that with fasting and not taking my B complex my results will be better.

Cheers

[greygoose in reply to Arlenka]

So, you took your levo just before the test? That would explain the high FT4. If I've understood correctly, you take 200 mcg levo - although I can't understand why you split the dose… You should leave a gap of 24 hours between your last dose and the blood draw.

[Arlenka in reply to greygoose]

In Canada it was one pill @ 200mg, but I am unable to get that here, therefore it is 100 mg x 2 a day.

Yes, I will be leaving a gap of 24 hours when I have my next bloods on July 17. I am also fasting before the test. Cheers

[greygoose in reply to Arlenka]

Yes, but you take them both at the same time, don't you? So, you just need to say you're taking 200 mcg a day - mcg, not mg.

So, did you take your levo before the last test? If so, all you tested was the dose you last took, not what is normally circulating in your blood.

[Arlenka in reply to greygoose]

I take my levothyroxine in the morning. My blood test was at 4pm.

[greygoose in reply to Arlenka]

Well, that explains why your TSH was so low. So, you only left about 8 - 9 hours between your last dose and the test? So, your FT4 would probably still have been over-range even if you'd left the 24 hours. So, that means your not really converting very well.

[Arlenka in reply to SeasideSusie]

Sorry, but what is T3 here? In Canada it is a pain reliever.

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Arlenka]

Arlenka

T3 is a thyroid hormone, like T4. Your results show Free T3 and Free T4. Where T4 is a pro-hormone, a storage hormone, it has to be converted to T3 which is the active hormone. Your FT3 - Free T3 - shows how much unbound T3 you have circulating.

When supplementing T4 is levothyroxine and T3 is liothyronine.

[Arlenka in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for clarifying.

[Nanaedake]

Your results are very strange as FT3 is in range but FT4 is way over. Often FT4 is a little over to achieve a high-in-range FT3 but your FT3/ FT4 ratio is way out of sync. Something is stopping your body from utilising thyroid hormone effectively. Do you have thyroid antibodies? Have you got coexisting conditions? What type of thyroid hormone are you taking?

[Arlenka in reply to Nanaedake]

I am taking 100 micrograms x 2 daily of levothyroxine and I was taking 25 micrograms of levothyroxine Sodium every other day. I had Graves Disease and had all of my thyroid gland removed 40 years ago.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

As previously suggested, either insist GP tests vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 plus BOTH TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. As well as retesting thyroid TSH, FT4 and FT3

Or get full testing privately.

Your FT3 is NOT over range. So you are poor converter, likely due to low vitamins.

Essential to do thyroid tests as early as possible in morning and fasting and no Levo for 24 hours prior to blood draw.

Stop vitamin B complex 3-5 days previously

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

[Arlenka in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for the information. The doctor just wants me to stop taking my levothyroxine, but since I have no thyroid gland at all and have been taking levothyroxine for 40 years I am terrified to do this. I am having another blood test on July 17 - fasting this time, but yes I will not take my b complex 3-5 days prior ... cheers

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Arlenka]

Point blank refuse to do this, you could become extremely unwell

[Benji19]

Thank you. See private message x