How to increase T4 and not decrease TSH

[Niklew]

Hi

I have posted some questions on here before and have some fab advice.

I’m on 50mg levo which brings my tsh from 6-7 ( 0.2-4.2) down to 0.9.

However my T4 goes from 10 (11-25) to only 14

The same results happened on both set of bloods. When I started levo originally my tsh was 4.7 and dropped to 0.8 and T4 was 12 and went to 14.

Long story but GP removed me off the levo after 8 weeks and thus the results of Tsh 6.6 and T4 10’occured.

All my vitamins, ferritin etc are all really good ( I tested with blue horizon and medichecks).

Soy question really is there a way of raising my T4 without lowering my TSH? I’m concerned if I go to 75mg levo that my tsh will

Lower too much . Hi

My main symptom is still drastic hairloss ( 18 months ...)

Thank you for any help in advance

[marsaday]

You can’t alter your brains signalling system

An ft4 of 14 could be perfectly fine for many people

What you need to get tested is the ft3

Is this very high in your system indicating what thyroid you make or supplement is being turned into T3 but it isn’t being absorbed. So the ft3 stays high floating in the blood and the brain senses this and so switches off the demand signal which is tsh.

You are actually low in the t3 at cell level but the body doesn’t recognise this.

A low ft3 indicates a faulty feedback system and it can be helped to reset a bit better with time.

Lots of variables to think about but def need ft3 first

[Niklew in reply to marsaday]

Thank you for your quick reply!

I tested my FT3 when I was first on levo at 8 weeks and it was 4.6, I have no idea what it was pre levo as it was never tested previously

[marsaday in reply to Niklew]

So this is mid range and not excessively low. Nice to be a little higher in the 5’s but it should come up as you increase.

So tsh is very sensitive. Try go by how you feel over the tsh. The tsh is not the way to treat thyroid. You want ft4 from 15 upto 20. This is a typical score for someone not on thyroid meds.

Ft3 wants to be in the 5’s ideally.

See how more t4 goes. Your tsh may well become suppressed but don’t use this as a guide.

[Niklew in reply to marsaday]

Thank you for replying. Do you think I should try an increase of levo to 75mg or alternate days? My gp wants me to stay on 50mg but I wasn’t sure whether to try 75mg but to alternate until my next blood test which is in 8 weeks...

Any advice welcome!

[marsaday in reply to Niklew]

Alternate days is a good idea. Smaller increases are better if struggling to adjust. I have found a 12.5 mcg difference between my long term normal dose to be a big change for the better. In my case it was Less T4 instead of an increase but it shows how a small dose change of t4 can have big effects.