Help with interpreting my latest blood results - Thyroid UK

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Help with interpreting my latest blood results

Meadowsmom profile image
17 Replies

Can someone help me with interpreting my latest blood work results?

TSH 0.167 (0.450-4.500)

T3 3.1 (2.0-4.4)

T4 1.12 (0.82-1.77)

Reverse T3 17 (9.2-24.1)

Thyroglobulin antibodies <1 (0.0-0.9)

Thyroid peroxidase an antibodies 17 (0-34)

Vitamin D 46.0 (30.0-100)

Magnesium 5.0 (4.2-6.8)

Vitamin B12 1245 (232-1245)

Folate>20 (>3.0)

Ferritin 76 (15-150)

Iron 98 (27-159)

Iron TIBC 325 (240-450)

Iron UIBC 227 (131-425)

Iron Saturation 30% (15-55%)

Thank you!

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Meadowsmom profile image
Meadowsmom
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17 Replies
greygoose profile image
greygoose

Your FT4/3 and vit D are a bit low, but apart from that they look good. You could probably do with an increase in levo. :)

Meadowsmom profile image
Meadowsmom in reply togreygoose

I am on 50mcg Sythroid. I will discuss increase with my doctor. She originally told me that increase in medicine would probably cause my reverse T3 to increase. My reverse t3 has been increasing over the last few months. My husband is ill and I have been under a great deal of stress. I am hoping that increased reverse t3 in result of stress and not conversion issues. Thanks for your response!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toMeadowsmom

Well, that's a silly thing to say. It depends a lot on the level of your FT4. Your FT4 isn't even mid-range, so if your rT3 increases - which I doubt, it won't be due to your increase in levo. On the other hand, keeping you under-medicated could negatively affect the real cause of your high rT3. I don't think she really understands what rT3 is.

50 mcg levo is only a starter dose.

So, what is your rT3 level?

Meadowsmom profile image
Meadowsmom in reply togreygoose

Reverse T3 17 (9.2-24.1) in December 2018 (T4 1.12, range : 0.82-1.77)

Rt3 12.5 in August 2018 (T4 was 1.04, samecrange as above)

Rt3 12.5 October(t4 was .99, same range as above)

Rt3 14.9 November 2018 (t4 was 1.05, same range as above)

Extreme stress started June 1 and did not start abate until late October.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toMeadowsmom

Your rT3 is not high. It's well within range. It may be rising slightly, but it's in no way high. Your doctor should stop making silly excuses and increase your levo, you are undermedicated.

Meadowsmom profile image
Meadowsmom in reply togreygoose

Even with my TSH level being 0.167 (0.450-4.500), I am under medicated? Hope this question is not silly but I am still educating myself about what various blood levels mean in relation to my thyroid issues. Thank you so much for your response and help.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toMeadowsmom

TSH is a very bad indicator of thyroid status at the best of times, but even more so once on thyroid hormone replacement. The most important number is the FT3. You don't have that results so we have to look at the FT4. Your FT4 is 1.12, not even mid-range, with is approx. 1.3. Most hypos need their FT4 at least over mid-range.

And, if you can't convert that T4 to T3, then your FT3 is going to be even lower in-range, meaning that you would still be hypo.

The only way to know how well you convert is to test the FT4 and the FT3 at the same time and compare the results. The NHS refuses to do this, for the most part, presumably because they don't want people to know how well they convert. If they knew they were poor converters, they would be asking for T3, and the NHS does not want to prescribe T3. :(

Meadowsmom profile image
Meadowsmom in reply togreygoose

My T3 results are above in the original posts. My prior t3 results were:

August 2018–3.2 (2.0-4.4)

October 2018–2.8

November 2018–2.63

December 2018– 3.1

Thank you for your reply,

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toMeadowsmom

Oh, sorry! How did I miss that? Well, your latest FT3 is not quite mid-range. Most hypos need it higher than that. But, when compared to your FT4, it shows you are converting very well. So, no worries about rT3. You just need an increase in dose. :)

Meadowsmom profile image
Meadowsmom in reply togreygoose

Not sure if this makes a difference but I have only been medicating for about 4 months, Thyrogold from October- December (3 months) when discontinued and started Synthroid in January 2019 - present. Will see what my bloods labs reveal at the end of February. Should help reveal how I am doing on Synthroid medication. Thanks so much for your replies. Much appreciated.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toMeadowsmom

Ah, yes, that does make a difference, because Thyrogold contains T3. You can't tell how well you convert when taking T3. As you said, labs in February will give a better idea. Why did you change to Synthroid? Weren't you doing well on Thyrogold?

Meadowsmom profile image
Meadowsmom in reply togreygoose

Found dosing with Thyrogold too difficult, and I didn’t like the idea of breaking a pill open and measuring out amount needed when appeared that I needed more than 1 pill to alleviate my symptoms. Just couldn’t see myself doing that long term even though Thyrogold helped to eliminate many of my symptoms.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toMeadowsmom

Yes, that is a problem. But, you might not do so well on T4 only. However, it will give you an idea who well you convert. Then you can take it from there. :)

Meadowsmom profile image
Meadowsmom in reply togreygoose

Yes, I am now seeing an intragrative doctor who is willing to prescribe t3 for me, if necessary. She wants to see what next blood labs reveal to determine the amount of t3, if any, and whether it should be cytomel or compounded time released t3. Thanks!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toMeadowsmom

She shouldn't be deciding how much T3 to give you on the basis of a blood test. The blood test will tell her if you convert poorly, and need the T3, yes. But, as with all hormones, she should start it on a small dose and work up slowly. Not jump in with the expected total dose.

I wouldn't recommend time released T3. I've never taken it myself, but reading comments on here, people don't seem to do that well on it. Depending on your transit, it could be excreted before it's fully absorbed. And, in any case, a blood test won't tell her that! Goodness! All a blood test will tell her is how much T3 is in your blood at the time of the blood draw, and how well you convert.

Meadowsmom profile image
Meadowsmom in reply togreygoose

Yes, that’s what I mean she wants to know if I am able to convert t4 to t3, and if t3 is needed. She already said that if needed must start out low because t3 dumps into body quickly and must be introduced slowly. Thanks for the heads up on the time released t3 (didn’t know about its problems) as I will reject that option and only do straight t3 if it is needed. Honestly I am praying that t4 alone will work for me. All this is so complicated 🙁. Thank you so much for your help!!!!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toMeadowsmom

Well, it seems complicated at the moment, because you're not used to it. But, you'll soon get the hang of it. :)

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