How to work out if you are a poor converter from T4 to T3

[McPammy]

Hi. 2 months ago I switched from Levothyroxine to NDT Erfa. Recently I am feeling much better,not back to myself but much better. I now have to self fund and pay for a private Dr in order to obtain NDT

I have recently received all my medical records with lots of blood test results. Is there a rule of thumb I need to apply to see if I was not converting from T4 to T3 proper or poorly. My GP and Endocrinologist are reluctant to help re all the controversy here in the UK on the cost of T3 on NHS. They want me to pay now. I have just lost my job as been off work for 5 months as I was in a real bad way. I’m thinking that if I could prove I was not converting from T4 to T3 that I may have a case for NHS to pay for T3 as I am much much better on NDT which I now have to pay several hundred pounds a year for.

Any help with what ones TSH, T4 and T3 figures from bloods should be ideally, would really help me right now if possible. And how I can recognise poor conversion within my tests. Mostly here Drs will not check your T3 do I do not have many T3 checks just T4 and TSH unfortunately

Examples I have are:

T3 3.90 (3.7 to 6.0)

T4 13.6 (7.86 to 14.41)

TSH 0.22 (0.35 to 5.50) !

Or

T4 15.4 !

TSH 1.45

T3 they would not check.

Many thanks and kindest regards

Pam

[diogenes Remembering]

You cannot assess conversion with NDT, only with T4 itself. The FT4 and FT3 you have with NDT is a combination of the T4 and T3 in the NDT and whatever additional T4 conversion has occurred in your body.

[McPammy in reply to diogenes]

Hi thanks for your reply. Yes NDT contains both T4 and T3 so it’ll be difficult to assess now I’m on it. I agree. I’ll have to try and get my Dr to see my past results on Levothyroxine. I’m convinced I’m better from now being on NDT.

Thanks again. 👍

[EbonyEvans]

Hello McPammy, you do not need a private doctor to buy NDT. It’s readily available over the internet. You could use the money to get your T3 checked via Medichecks or Blue Horizon. The primary are doing 20% tests this months as it’s Thyroid awareness week 20-26th. I believe at least one of them give you doctors advise with your results. Go via tinyurl.com/ya3rs5x6 so that the thyroiduk website benefits from the referral.

[McPammy in reply to EbonyEvans]

Wow. I don’t know that I thought you had to get it via a private Dr and prescription. I will look into this today as my stocks are stating to run low. Excellent. Thank you. It beggars belief thought that if you need something to help you get better the NHS are not willing to give it to you because their own procurement teams have let the price escalate so high now patients are suffering. I know you can get T3 for about $40in the US not sure of price in Germany I believe it’s cheaper there also. How come they managed the costs and NHS has not!? No wonder the NHS is in meltdown the way it’s sll managed.

There doesn’t seem to be any proper planning and supply chain efficiency. Rant over sorry 👍😀

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

McPammy

To see if you were converting well enough or not, you would need FT4 and FT3 tested at the same time. If FT4 was high and FT3 low that would suggest poor conversion.

Looking back at your previous post, it would seem that in May this year on Levo only your results were

T3 3.90 (3.7 to 6.0)

T4 13.6 (7.86 to 14.41)

TSH 0.22 (0.35 to 5.50) !

Your FT4 was 87% through range, your FT3 was 8.7% through range. You can see from those figures that your conversion was poor. Whether you can use that to persuade your doctor to prescribe T3 on the NHS is another question.

As Ebony says, there are alternatives to Erfa. Many members get on well with NDT from Thailand which is very much cheaper. You may want to consider that.

[McPammy in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for explaining. I’ll tske this information to my Dr on Monday. Just drives me crazy all this lack of support from GPs and Endocrinologist with people who have or may have T3 conversion issues. It’s so wrong of the NHS. Maybe I will call my MP to see what they have to say about all this as the NHS belongs to the people who pay in. I’ve paid in for 44 years. Now I need help I get none unless I pay. Only one drug Levothyroxine for so many sufferers. It’s outrageous. Cheap and not always good or the answer for many.

Thank you. I’m going to look into buying from internet too today in the meantime.

👍😀

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to McPammy]

McPammy

If you do want to buy over the internet, I would suggest you put a new post on the forum asking for members to recommend a reliable supplier. One member has used a Thai source for NDT many years with no problems and I'm sure if she sees your new post she will be happy to send you details in a PM.

[humanbean in reply to SeasideSusie]

SeasideSusie FT3 was 8.7% through the range. You forgot to multiply by 100 at the end of your calculation. It doesn't change any of your conclusions though.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to humanbean]

Thanks HB, seems my brain's affected as well as my back

McPammy I have edited my previous post, as Humanbean says, I didn't finish the calculation correctly and your FT3 is actually 8.7% through range. Just letting you know so that you use correct information when discussing your poor conversion with the doctor.

[MaisieGray]

"I may have a case for NHS to pay for T3 as I am much much better on NDT which I now have to pay several hundred pounds a year for." Just a point to be aware of - you can't necessarily assume that if you do well on NDT you will do well on synthetic T3, or vice versa. They are different animals.

Also, if your GP won't prescribe an NDT against an NHS prescription, he could nevertheless give you a private prescription if he wanted, which would save expensive trips to see a Dr privately. Have you asked him?

[McPammy in reply to MaisieGray]

Oh OK. I’m new to this T3 situation. Only 2 months on NDT after many problems for 11 years on Levothyroxine. I didn’t realise NDT and T3 May have differing results. My GP says he doesn’t know enough about it and my Endocrinologist hadn’t responded to 2 letters sent by my GP for help either. I am having another attempt with my GP on Monday. I thought that maybe T3 with a little T4 May help. I’ve not trialed T3, which is what my GP is trying to ask my Endocrinologist in his letters.

Thank you for your response 👍😀

[McPammy in reply to MaisieGray]

I’m going to enquire about the GP doing NDT privately also.