Thyroid results

[printer]

Please can somebody help with my latest results I went to gp with lower leg and feet pain and tingling it was an afternoon and unexpectedly she took a thyroid blood test...I normally have a morning blood test. I currently take 100mg of Levo at night and 25mg of T3 3 times a day at 5, 10 and 3 o clock with this dose I am able to work 30 hrs per week and exercise, i still have lack of concentration and muscle aches mainly in legs and swelling of eyes hands and feet and some days anxiety the gp said I have a hormone imbalance which is the cause of leg tingling.

TSH 0.02 RANGE 0.30 = 4.50

T4 7.7 RANGE 10.0 = 22.0

T3 12.1 RANGE 3.1 = 6.8

[greygoose]

So, presumably, you'd taken your 3 o'clock dose just before the blood draw. Which explains your high FT3. Does your doctor know what and how you're dosing? If so, it was very stupid of her to do a test at that time. There should be a 24 hour gap between the last dose of levo and the blood draw, and 8 - 12 hours for T3. Plus, being the afternoon, the TSH would be lower than in the morning. Those bloods are worthless, I'm afraid.

[Aurealis]

Hi printer, is that free T3? I assume your doses are in micrograms, not milligrams

- your T3 looks much too high and is consistent with difficulties with concentration, anxiety and aching muscles

- the measured level of T3 may just be so high because the test has measured the dose you’d just taken

- your T4 is below range and surprisingly so as you’re taking Levo

- I don’t know your history, how you’ve come to be taking T3 T4 combo. If Levo doesn’t work well for you there is no point in increasing it

- your symptoms suggest you’re either not on the correct dose of T3 for you yet, or, you haven’t got the dose of T3 divided optimally

- it isn’t wise to adjust dose based on a test result, especially one taken so soon after a dose

- can you get another test taken at the usual time?

- what has your gp suggested?

[printer in reply to Aurealis]

Thankyou for your reply the GP doesn't know I take T3 i am worried she will refuse to treat me if she knew but when i was taking levo only i was a walking zombie and gained a lot of weight which is why i sourced my own T3, she has asked me to stop taking all vitamins for 6 weeks (which i am reluctant to do) and retest as this could be causing the high T3 when it gets near to 5 hours between doses my heart starts pounding i get a pulsing in my thyroid area and I feel totally drained.

[Aurealis in reply to printer]

It’s possible that you’re taking a bit too much T3 and once it’s absorbed is causing the heart pounding and weakness. If you tried reducing one dose slightly you could see if symptoms reduced. If successful, reduce others one at a time. There’s lots of individual variation but 60mcg T3 is sometimes said to be a full replacement, but you’re taking more than that as well as Levo. So you’re on a very high dose there with symptoms of overtreatment.

[printer in reply to Aurealis]

Thank You I appreciate your help

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to printer]

If you were taking B vitamins or any supplement containing biotin, the test is invalid anyway for most labs, as biotin in the vitamins affects the biotin used in the assay.

[printer in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Hi thank you for your reply yes I had taken b12 and b complex aswell can you please explain what you mean

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to printer]

Many labs use a method of testing the bloods (called an assay) that uses biotin. If you take biotin as a supplement within 3 or 4 days of the bloods being taken, you can get false results which usually make you look overactive when you are not, but sometimes it goes the other way. Don't expect GP to know whether the lab uses an assay that is affected by biotin. Blue Horizon, for example, tells you not to take biotin before the test in its T&Cs

[printer in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thank you, my results are probably no good at all when all meds and vitamins had been taken before testing.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to printer]

It might have made no difference, but I get the tests redone in the recommended way (fasting, early am etc) and stop B vits etc about 3 days before test.

[printer in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thankyou for your help.

[silverfox7]

You may well have to come clean about taking T3 as results are always different and she should spot that. I was told that TSH will be suppressed, FT4 can drop down in its range and FT3 should be high in its range but never over though yours looks it I suspect it's because the spike after your recent dose.

[printer in reply to silverfox7]

Thankyou I appreciate your help

[Angel_of_the_North]

Have you had your B12, vitamin D and folate tested? Low B12 is a very common cause of tingling in low limbs and brain fog - far more likely than a hormone imbalance (whatever that is) - and low Vit D is a common cause of muscle and bone pain.

However, it looks as though you might be taking too much T3 (unless you had taken it just before the test). But that blood test isn't worth the paper it would take to print it out as it's probably showing either your 10am T3 or your 3pm dose and TSH will be lower anyway because of time of day AND the GP probably only knows how to read blood tests for those on levo only.

[printer in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thanyou i used to supplement vit d but last test I had showed too high and doctor told me to stop and only take in the winter, as i take vit d3 with k2 mixed i havent restarted the vit d only do you think I should?

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to printer]

Get another test. It's only 29 quid with City Assays and remember that your vit D needs to be at least in the high 90s. Pref between 100 and 150.

[MountainMel]

My doctor has tweaked my meds several times to get the right dosage. I still am always low on vitamin D. I wouldn't be hiding meds from my doctor. It takes time to calibrate the proper dosage. My doctor told me it takes two years to get the body fully adjusted to the meds; and that is about what it has taken. Jumping leg nerves and difficulty walking were what finally got me to the doctor for the low thyroid diagnosis.

[printer in reply to MountainMel]

Thank you I was taking 25 levo only and doctor would not increase it that was for 2 years even though I told him I could not think and I was like a zombie and my work was affected I had severe anxiety and he gave me antidepressants I took for 1 month and stopped them as I felt dreadful I was advised by a friend to try a small dose of t3 and I immediately felt better than I had but ever since taking levo my lower legs have been swollen and painful with a strange tingling sensation, I have my legs massaged once a fortnight for relief, do you think this is caused by thyroid meds not been optimal?

[jgelliss]

It would be very beneficial to have adrenal Cortisol DHEA levels measured . It's via 24 hour saliva test .

[printer in reply to jgelliss]

Thank you I have often wondered if I have adrenal problems where can I get this test from Please?

[jgelliss in reply to printer]

Are you in UK ? Some wonderful kind members might be able to help you where you can do it .

I'm in US and my Endo does it .There are also private labs that specialize with these tests but you pay out of pocket . But it's worth it .

I hope you get help soon . It makes a huge difference

[printer in reply to jgelliss]

Thankyou yes I am in the UK.