Blood results! Please help!

[Tiredtash]

Hello. Finally have had some bloods taken. The results are attached in the photo. My T4 is not on the print out but I’ve been told it is 6.4. My b12 is 1267 so very over range. The GP wants me to redo bloods as they are ‘not making sense’ he says. Are you able to advise??! GP states I need to stop supplementing as everything is too big ie iron, b12 etc!

I have not told him I am taking T3. Currently (last two weeks) I am taking T4 125 & T3 50 daily. As you will see from my last post I have reintroduced T4 due to the difficulty in sourcing T3.

I still have hypo symptoms - weight has not dropped, hair falling out and some brain fog! So fed up of this battle!

Grateful for some views re my results x

[Greybeard]

Hi, you won't get any meaningful results untill you have been on a steady dose for at least 6 weeks.

[greygoose]

You're FT3 is under-range! Hardly surprising you don't feel well. I really don't see how you can have under-range FT3 when you take 50 mcg T3. How do you take it?

Do you have a range for that FT4?

Can't say much about your iron because I can't see a CRP result. If that is high, then your ferritin result isn't accurate.

What supplements are you taking?

[Tiredtash in reply to greygoose]

Thanks Greygoose. I take both 2x 25 of tiromel and 125 thyroxine at 7am on an empty stomach. I don’t have breakfast inc coffee until 9:30/10:00 when I’m at work. I have only recently re introduced thyroxine and have been taking the 125 for a few weeks. When first starting back I was taking 75 as the starting dose for about 6 weeks.

I take my b12 and adrenal support supplements at 12:30 (lunch) and all of my other vitamins inc iron, vitamin C etc at 5:30pm.

The supplements I am taking are listed on my previous post. They are the ones recommended on this site by other members. I did stop the b12 and iron a couple weeks before blood tests as suggested by other members. I also didn’t take my tiromel on the morning of the blood test.

Re the T4 I was told this over the phone and just informed it was 6.4. However, I can get this hopefully tonight as I have an appointment with GP about my hair falling out.

Do you think my vitamin D could be higher? I take a high strength one but will prob switch to the spray.

Really appreciate any feedback as can’t go on feeling like this x

[Marz in reply to Tiredtash]

Stopping B12 only a couple of weeks before testing will show skewed results. You will need to be off supps for at least 6 months. Not worth the risk - so just save the NHS some dosh and keep on supplementing without testing

[greygoose in reply to Tiredtash]

Well, without the range, that FT4 looks very low. But we don't really know. It shouldn't be low on 125 mcg.

You would appear to have a bad absorption problem. Have you been tested for coeliac? Are you gluten-free? Your doctor ought to be investigating why you absorb so poorly. But, you're obviously going to feel bad with such a low T3, so something needs to be done. Have you ever seen a haematologist? Maybe one could help.

Your vit D certainly could be higher. But, as I said, without a CRP result, which show the level of inflammation, we can't know if that ferritin is really that high. Inflammation causes ferritin levels to be higher. If I were you, I would stop the iron supplements - although, to be honest, you won't have absorbed that much, because iron should be taken on its own - except for vit C - at least two hours away from everything else. You won't have absorbed much of the anything else, either.

Have you ever tried taking vit C with your levo/T3? That could improve your absorption. Do you know if you have low stomach acid? It does look rather likely.

[Tiredtash in reply to greygoose]

Thanks Greygoose. I’ve never been tested for coeliac and I don’t have a gluten free diet. I have never seen a haematologist. I will look at this further and query this with my gp and ask for more tests.

Do you think I should continue with 125 thyroxine and the T3 (lesser dose) for the time being? GP wants me to have bloods again so maybe I should see if there is any change in a few weeks as now I am wondering if the poor T3 level is due to not having any T3 in the 24 hours prior to the blood test as slow dragon said a dose should have been taken sooner ie 12hrs beforehand.

What would be an ideal T3 level?

[greygoose in reply to Tiredtash]

Ahhhh ok. That would explain it. Yes, 24 hours is too long. But, although just leaving 12 hours max, would probably take your FT3 into the range, I think it would probably still be too low. But, carry on until the next test before changing anything, and see what happens when you leave the correct amount of time. Why are you decreasing your dose of T3?

[Tiredtash in reply to greygoose]

Thanks. I will leave T4 dose as it is now until the next test. I reintroduced T4 and lowered the T3 to 50 due to finding it harder and harder to find a reliable source of T3. The last two orders have not arrived and my GP won’t entertain it. Basically I’m worried about becoming too reliant on T3 and the supply being unreliable. Also, I thought if it is a conversion problem then the supplements I’ve now added (last few months) may resolve this or help with it. When I was previously on T4 before adding T3 I didn’t take any vitamins or minerals, and now think I was deficient and not converting and that is why I felt terrible and as if I was hypo. I am hoping if my b12, iron,vit d etc are good then maybe T4 maybe better this time around! I’m prob grasping on straws now... Re the T3 is 50 per day too much to take with 125 T4?? Should I leave T3 at 50 until the next bloods??

I’ve just seen the GP who now thinks I am possibly peri menopausal (due to hair loss) so is going to test for that also when I have my next bloods done! I think if all this fails to change then I will need to look at gluten, gut issues and absorbtion.

[greygoose in reply to Tiredtash]

Yes, leave your dose as it is, because you don't know your true levels, yet.

Hair loss can be due to so many things. If your iron/ferritin is low, that could have something to do with it, too.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How long before blood test was your last dose of T3?

Do you take all 50mcg in one dose or split into 2 or 3 smaller doses?

No point running futher blood tests until 6-8 weeks on constant unchanging dose of Levothyroxine and T3

[Tiredtash in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon. It would have been just over 24hrs since my last dose of T3 before bloods. My dose is in one go at 7am.

Do you think my vitamin D is too low?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Tiredtash]

24 hours is too long. Should be 12 hours maximum

Next time, split your T3 dose on day before test so that last T3 dose is 12 hours before test

Many of us find it much better to take T3 in divided dose every 8 hours.

Now you have added Levothyroxine back in, you will need to reduce T3 dose. 50mcg is a high dose.

Typically on 125mcg an endocrinologist would add 20mcg or possibly increase to 25mcg or 30mcg, if after many weeks, bloods still showed low FT3.

Your can't just stop or start Levothyroxine and T3 at such high doses. It often needs extremely fine tuning.

Vitamin D needs to be at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better

Your ferritin is above range, why are you taking iron? Has GP done recent iron panel. Iron is toxic in excess

No folate or B12 test results

Do you have Hashimoto's? Have you had both TPO and TG antibodies tested ever?

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Are you on strictly gluten free diet

[Tiredtash in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks slowdragon. B12 is on page 2 but I could upload two photos on my post. It is 1267 and the range is up to 900.

It is hashis I have. I have always been anaemic on and off and started taking iron due to that but also because I read it aids t3 conversion.

I will take your advice the T3 and when I next get tested. The gp wants this done soon but I may delay it another few weeks to see what my results will be on 125 thyroxine as then I would have given it a good six to seven weeks on that dose.

[fibrolinda]

Yes your vit d is too low 🙂 Keep your iron well away from anything except vit c as it will block absorption of everything else you are taking with it 😮 oh and should just be a 8 - 12 hour gap from last t3 dose to blood test, 24 hour gap is for Levo only.

X

[Tiredtash in reply to fibrolinda]

Thanks fibrolinda. I take my iron and vit c together at bedtime away from all the other supplement last I take. I was taking lindens high strength vit d and had been for a long time but have just ordered the better you spray vitamin d so will start taking that. Do you think vitamin d is causing my brain fog?

Do you think the long gap from the last dose is why the T3 result is showing as low?

Just to give me an idea -What is the ideal T3 level from a blood test?

Sorry for all the questions xx

[fibrolinda]

When you get the spray do 2 sprays a day for a month to give a boost,.. Advice us 1000 for each 25kg weight to maintain d when reached a good level. I'm assuming you got the 3000 each spray, spray. You need the co factors, k2mk7 and magnesium, 🙂

T3 is.... Well where you feel most well haha.,, usual recommended top third of range. Oh and yes your free t3 would have been higher if you had left less of a gap. Hmm greygoose is great at working it out as is SeasideSusie so hopefully they will help you when they can

[greygoose in reply to fibrolinda]

Greygoose's comments are above. But I don't think Tiredtash has read the last one.

[fibrolinda in reply to greygoose]

Oops sorry Gg 😊

[greygoose in reply to fibrolinda]

No problem.

[Tiredtash in reply to fibrolinda]

Thanks. Re the two sprays I will definitely do that. It is the 3000 one and it has now arrived from amazon but I will wait until tomorrow to take as I’ve read it can keep you awake if taken at night. I will order the magnesium and K2 also. I am going to try taking my vit C with my thyroxine and T3 also as grey goose has suggested. Fingers crossed this helps. Thanks so much xx

[Tiredtash]

Thanks all for your advice! I think I would have lost hope, be so lost and be feeling so powerless without this site and your responses xoxo

[Ggplusthree]

Your T4 is too high not getting enough hormone. I would be bald at 6.4. I take armour thyroid and works great and my Endo doc has me on a small dose of T4 levothyroxine as well. Yes, stop all the vitamins a week before testing. Be sure your doc tests for D levels too. Been on meds for 25 years now. My weight is good, hair good, etc. If I get too much or too little I have small things that give me clues like Bms will be off, thumb nail crease, hair growth, eyes water. Pay attention to your body. Best to see an Endo doc for Endo issues.