I’ve been on T3 since April , latest dose 20mg T3 and 100mcg levo. Bloods due again in a couple weeks before endo review.
In the last year I have slowly gained a stone and cannot shift it. I exercise 3 times a week , 2 HIIT classes and x 1 weight session. I have returned to work so don’t walk at all really - I used to do 50miles + a week but no other exercise.
Any advice? Do I need to increase T3? Prior to April I was on 150mcg of T4 and felt like a zombie. I feel better with more energy etc ( could be better but I have 2 young kids so I guess it could be worse).
It wouldn't be wise to increase your T3 at this point. Wait and see what your labs say. You could skew the results if you increase now.
Thanks GG. I wasn’t planning on doing it, plus my GP strictly controls the prescription so couldn’t anyway lol.
I guess was more wondering why my weight was less on just T4 when I wasn’t converting 🤔
I couldn't venture an opinion without seeing blood test results from that time and now. Do you have Hashi's?
As far as I am aware I don’t. I have just had an MRI as they are querying if I have Ankylosing Spondyltis. Full lot of bloods FBC, CRP, inflammatory panels , liver bloods all within normal limots
None of that will tell you if you have Hashi's. You either need your antibodies tested, or an ultrasound on your thyroid.
I had antibody tests done earlier in the year which were negative . I think they are in my profile.
Can't find them. But, you can't rule out Hashi's with a single negative test on one type of antibody, anyway.
Found them 😊
TPO 25.8 (0-34)
Thyroglobulin AB <10 (-115)
I’ve just seen this article which has optimal reference ranges for thyroid bloods. Seems she feels TPO should be less than 2.
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
Antibody tests are notorious for having very different ranges. In that link, it talks about her having 2000 and optimum being less than 2, and mentions a "less than 35" as the official top of range. So the article does appear to be based on results with a similar range to your test.
But be careful about applying those numbers to any other results around that could be on very different ranges.
Your TPO isn't far from the top of the range. Given that antibodies fluctuate a lot, it's more than possible that, tested another time, the result would be well over-range. I think you should assume that you have Hashi's, and act accordingly. Can't do any harm, and might do some good.
You’ve really got me thinking GG. How is Hashi’s different to non Hashi’s thyroid disease? Symptoms wise I mean
I don't think there is any difference during the hypo phases. It's just that sometimes, your levels are going to reach hyper levels, and then you might have some hyper-like symptoms. Unless, of course, your thyroid has already been destroyed, and then you would be just plain hypo.
You are a veritable fountain of knowledge GG. Thanks for the info. Now I have to seriously contemplate the whole gf thing 😣
Gluten-free is a good thing to try. You could be gluten-sensitive, in which case, it will make you feel better. But, gluten-free is not a cure for Hashi's. Even if it lowers antibodies - which has never been proved to my satisfaction - the Hashi's will still be there, because the antibodies are not the disease, they are the result of the disease.
I had basically ruled it out due to the negative Coealiac test. It seems a daunting prospect.
Are you gf yourself?
Those Coeliac tests are notoriously unreliable. The only way to find out if gluten-free helps is to try it.
I tried gluten-free for several months, and it did nothing for me. I didn't feel any better. So, then I tried eating it again, and I didn't feel any worse, so I continued eating it.