T3 Result Advise

[Gemmadoo]

I got a T3 test through Medicheck.

FunctionTRIIODOTHYRONINE

Result 1.5. Range 1.3 - 3.1

Is this a normal result?

[shaws Administrator]

It is low 'normal' whereas we feel better when it is higher.

[Gemmadoo in reply to shaws]

Thank you Shaws.

[greygoose]

An FT3 test on its own doesn't tell you much. You need it done with an FT4, and that will tell you how well you are converting. It's very low, but how much levo are you taking?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Gemmadoo

I think you may have ordered just the "T3 Test" rather than the "FreeT3 Test". Am I right? If so then unfortunately that is Total T3 and tells us very little. Total T3 is all the T3, bound and unbound. You need to know the unbound T3 - Free T3 - which is available for our cells to use. It's important to know the difference and make sure it's Free T4 and Free T3 that are tested.

And as Greygoose has said, FT4 and FT3 should be tested at the same time.

Also, in your lalst post you said your GP will test for antibodies. This may or may not be done at GP level, but if they are done it will only be Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) and not Thyroglobulin (TG). Both really need testing.

If I were you I would do a Medichecks Thyroid Check Plus which tests TSH, FT4, FT4, TPO and TG antibodies.

If you have not had all the following vitamins and minerals tested - Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin, then I would order the Thyroid Check UltraVit which tests all those plus all the thyroid tests. Then you will have a complete picture.

[Gemmadoo]

I have just received my thyroid result from Dr today, want to increase me levothroxine to 50mg as reading is still high, however when I spoke to Dr today, he advised me that I have borderline high blood pressure and I have chronic kidney disease stage 3, I asked since when,we his reply April 2013 and he only told me today. Dr suggested a scan, blood test, urine test etc, I am appalled that I am only being told about this today and now I'm questioning whether to continue taking levothydoxine as that can damage kidneys. Totally confused and anxious.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Gemmadoo]

now I'm questioning whether to continue taking levothydoxine as that can damage kidneys

But that doesn't mean to say it will damage kidneys.

I've been taking Levo for 43 years and I definitely don't have kidney damage.

If your thyroid isn't producing enough thyroid hormone naturally, it needs to be replaced. It's a life giving hormone and without it things will only get worse, eventually everything will slow down, organs wont be able to work properly, myxodema coma being the end result.

You might want to look through this study

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

which says

Conclusion:

Thyroid hormone therapy not only preserved renal function better, but was also an independent predictor of renal outcome in chronic kidney disease patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.

I can't see kidney damage listed as a side effect of taking Levo on my patient information leaflet. I think there is more chance of damage to kidneys if hypothyroidism is left untreated.

[Gemmadoo in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much SeasideSusie, your reassurance helps a lot.