Stick or raise?? Latest TFT results

[NatChap]

Hi All! Advice wanted please. Brief recap on this last year; was doing really well on naturethroid, all symptoms alleviated (on 4 grains). Beginning of 2018 symptoms began returning and by July my FT3 had dropped down to 3.54 (3.1-6.8), despite increasing my dose to 4.5 grains so I switched to Thai Thiroyd (4.5 grains) in July.

In October my FT3 had increased to 4.1 (3.1-6.8), just had my thyroid review at the doctors and my results are: FT3 4.8 (3.5-6.5).

I am feeling quite tired on and off again recently. Really suffering with a shoulder injury that just won't improve (maybe not improving due to low T3 levels?) and don't know whether to stay on my current dose or whether to go up to 5 grains...that seems a lot! It had taken around 6 months for my levels to drop so I knew it would take a while for them to get back up again and I don't want to increase my dose too much and overshoot. Any other advice welcome too!!

Sept 2017 FT3- 5.43 (3.1-6.8) naturethroid pre distribution issues FT4- 15.2 (12-22) TSH- 0.005 (0.27-4.2)

April 2018 FT3- 4,7 (3.5-6.5) naturethroid 4 months post distribution issues FT4- 14 (10-20) TSH- 0.02 (0.5-4.4)

July 2018 FT3- 3.54 (3.1-6.8) naturethroid 7 months post distribution issues FT4- 8.89 (12-22)

Oct 2018 FT3-4.1 (3.1-6.8) Thai Thiroyd for 3 months FT4- 11.1 (12-22) TSH- 0.31 (0.27-4.2)

Feb 2019 FT3- 4.8 (3.5-6.5) FT4- 10.6 (10-20) TSH- 0.03 (0.5-4.4)

Sorry for long post, thanks in advance!!

Nat xx

[fibrolinda]

It sometimes feels like a juggling act heh? Personally I would increase by a 1/4 and see how that works out. I have found a very small increase/decrease can have a big effect. As for your dose being a lot... Well you need what you need 😀

[Hashi-Monster]

Hi Nat,

Did you change your dose of thiroyd between the October and February test? I remember you saying to me that you started thiroyd at 4 grains initially. So if you are now on 4.5 that would explain your latest improvement. If so I would say you still have room for another increase.

Good luck

[NatChap in reply to Hashi-Monster]

Yes I did, forgot to put that in. It's just that when I first switched to thiroyd, my ft3 increased quite a lot quite quickly but since then it's slowed down 😕 I guess I'm just being impatient. It's so frustrating to have to do this again after feeling so well. My painful shoulder is really getting me down and I just wonder if it's taking so long to heal because my levels are too low.

[Hashi-Monster in reply to NatChap]

I have read that frozen shoulders are common when hypo ( i am not sure what causes it exactly).

If it was me I would increase half a grain ( the thiroyd tablets are too fiddly to cut into quarters) and I doubt that it would take you over range.

[NatChap in reply to Hashi-Monster]

Yes, I read recently that shoulder problems in general are common when hypo. I did fall on it and have damaged the rotator cuff and bicep tendons but physio just isn't working and I've been having it for months (accident happened in July) 🙁

[Hashi-Monster in reply to NatChap]

Well as you said before, your levels were at their lowest in July so maybe there is a link to why its not healing normally. I don’t have any experience with shoulder problems but hopefully other members can offer some good advice.

[NatChap in reply to Hashi-Monster]

Thanks I think I will increase to 5 grains and see where it gets me. I feel ok really other than a bit more tired than I'd like and my shoulder which is why I'm surprised my levels haven't increased more than they have. Maybe thiroyd is a bit less potent than naturethroid (when naturethroid worked!)?

[Hashi-Monster in reply to NatChap]

It is slightly less potent it only has 35 T4 and 8.3 T3 compared to NT which had 38 T4 and 9 T3.

But given it is so much cheaper I wouldn’t worry about going up to 5 grains

[MaisieGray in reply to Hashi-Monster]

Yes, there's definitely a well known connection. A 2016 US study concluded "The prevalence of hypothyroidism was significantly higher in Frozen Shoulder patients than in controls. The results suggest that higher serum TSH levels are associated with bilateral and severe cases of FS."

If you do have a frozen shoulder, there are some exercises here ouh.nhs.uk/shoulderandelbow...

[NatChap in reply to MaisieGray]

Thanks x It's not frozen shoulder, it's more in my bicep. I have exercises to do but some days, like today, it's just too painful. I have work this afternoon and driving there is going to be agony 😩

[MaisieGray in reply to NatChap]

Oh no, arm pain can be so incapacitating, whatever the cause, can't it. At its worst, I had to move out of my double bed into a single because I couldn't manage stripping and making the double, nor manipulating the weight of a wet duvet cover out of the washing machine. Because of restricted movement and strength, even turning over, under the weight of the double quilt was impossible lol. Without power assisted steering though, we'd be really stuck, driving the car with a dicky arm. Hope you see some progress with it soon.

[NatChap in reply to MaisieGray]

Yeah, it's interrupting my sleep for sure and changing gear in the car really hurts. Worst thing is is I'm a carer for a teenage boy who I have to change and dress and I'm really struggling, seriously thinking about getting a different job but I've been looking after him for nearly 10 years...such a hard decision.