TSH in range, FT4 above range and feeling Hypothyroid

[Shivvers]

I’ve had hypothyrtsince 2004 and for the first 9 years was taking 100 mcg/day with an annual blood test. The last 6 years my tsh levels have been up and down with the gp altering my doses.

Recently, saw an endochronologist - tsh 0.5, FT4 26. He would not check FT3 or antibodies. I have symptoms of hypothyroidism all the time (tired, constipated, heart rate 46, dry skin, brain fog, etc). He suggested I reduce my dose (currently 100 for 5 days plus 112.5 for 2 days = 725/week) by 12.5 mcg per week. I worry that my tsh will increase. I thought taking too much Levothyroxine would make me hyper not hypo? He has checked vitamins, full blood count, liver function test, B12, Vit D, coeliac disease, diabetes and all normal. I mentioned about checking my FT3 but he said it’s not in the NHS guidelines.

My GP checked my FT3 in January and it was 4, tsh 0.5, FT4 18 on a dose of 750 mcg Levothyroxine per week - still felt hypo. Any advice would be welcome.

[greygoose]

We really need the ranges to make any sense of that. But, it looks to me as if you have a conversion problem. It's low T3 that gives you hypo symptoms. The FT4 can be at the top of the range, but if you can't convert it to T3 then you will still be hypo. I imagine that endo was a diabetes specialist and was playing 'hypo by numbers', unable to think for himself. True the NHS doesn't like testing FT3, but that doesn't make it right.

[Shivvers in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for your reply. The endo is a diabetes specialist so you were right! I don’t have the ranges as the endo was reluctant to provide the information when I asked. I think I will get a full thyroid panel taken privately and see where I go from there. Clearly, this endo is hopeless.

[greygoose in reply to Shivvers]

do you live in the UK? If so, he is breaking the law. You are legally entitled to a copy of your blood test results. And that includes the ranges. Tell him there are steps you can take to force him to give them to you - and I don't think he'd like that!

[SkyBelle]

My new Dr suggested that T3 is only related to Hyperthyroidism