I would like to know am I converting ok?

[Breena]

Since my last blood tests I have seen a new edo who said I was converting ok but I should reduce my levo from 100mcg to 75 /100 on alternate days.My symptons have just got worse cannot stay on my feet for more than 30 mins feel rubbish,planta faciilitus.? and really heavy legs,cracking joints and pain, so hot at night bad sleep max 3hrs keep waking up,foggy brain cant concentrate,.my test results in sept were,

TSH 0.786 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20

free thyroxine 22.500 pmoI/L 12.00 - 22.00

FT3 4.36 pmoI/L 3.10 - 6.80

thyroglobulin antibody ^10 IU/mL 0.00 - 115.00

thyroid peroxidase antibodies 12.4 IU/mL 0.00 - 34.00

any help appreciated.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Breena

FT4: 22.500 (12.00 - 22.00) - 105% of range

FT3: 4.36 (3.10 - 6.80) - 34% of range

Look where you are compared with the range, that's how you know if you re converting well. FT4 and FT3 should be in balance, and when optimally medicated most people need them to be in the upper part of their ranges.

Your FT4 is over range, your FT3 is very low in range, you are not converting well and would benefit from a lower dose of Levo and the addition of T3.

Another way of knowing how well you convert is to look at the FT4:FT3 ratio. When converting well this would be around 3:1 but no more than 4:1. Yours is 22.5 : 4.36 = 5.16 : 1 so again shows poor conversion.

It would also help to know your current nutrient levels, these all need to be optimal for any thyroid hormone to work properly. You need:

Vit D - 125nmol/L

B12 - top of range

Folate - at least half way through range

Ferritin - half way through range (minimum 70)

[Breena in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes nutrients are ok took your advice on those but will check when next tested before xmas.I did wonder why this endo said I was converting ok when I am not?

thanks.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Breena]

I did wonder why this endo said I was converting ok when I am not?

I think the sad fact is that as most are diabetes specialists then they are pretty clueless when it comes to thyroid

[Breena in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi Please can you tell me how to get list of T3 friendly endos

Who do I contact .thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Breena]

Email Thyroid UK for list of recommended thyroid specialists

please email Dionne at

[e-mail]

This endo clearly is only looking in a crystal ball and hasn't got a clue

Your conversion is poor

You likely need addition of small dose of T3

Are you on strictly gluten free diet? Or tried it?

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Breena]

Because he's not very good at maths ...

[Frances0008]

Looks like you don’t convert properly.

Aim should be to get t4 around half range, and t3 in top quarter of range.

On t4 only, the only way I felt well was with t4 twice the range! I have similar conversion rate to you. But docs won’t allow that.

Basically, you need t3. You could lower your t4 a bit, but only if you begin adding in t3.

You won’t feel well till you get higher t3, either directly through t3 or spamming your system with t4 (which probably isn’t a good thing to do as you end up with a lot of RT3).

[Angel_of_the_North]

Those results show poor conversion. FT4 105% through range and FT3 only 34.05%. Your endo is obviously mathematically challenged. You might want to give him a copy of the Dr Toft article that states that some people need over range free T4 in order to convert enough T3 (and you aren't doing that yet) If you reduce levo your free T3 will drop even further and you'll feel worse. What you need is a reduction in levo and the addition of T3.