Need help with test results

[dragonfly76]

I am new here and I have Hashimoto's, I take 2 grains of desiccated thyroid from Erfa at 6:00 am and half a grain at 11:00 am.

My TSH is 0.01 Reference Range is 0.32-4.00 Free T4 is 13 Reference range is 9-19 Free T3 is 5.8 Reference range is 2.6-5.8 The Free T3 ranges got changed last November from 3.1-6.2 to 2.6 -5.8. I am confused now because with the range changes makes it look like I am taking too much medication. I took my last dose at 12:00 pm and did the blood work at 7:00 am the next day. I still don't feel well so I don't know what to do. Thank you everyone that answers.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

As you have Hashimoto's, low vitamin levels are extremely common

Have you had vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested recently?

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

[dragonfly76 in reply to SlowDragon]

Sorry I replied somewhere else. My ferritin is 31 range 5-272, I don't absorb what I eat. I am on B12 injections my B12 was 200 range 138-652. need to test vitamin D and folate. Yes I am on a gluten free diet and I take selenium. I have been taking desiccated thyroid for over 6 years and I still don't feel well. Doctors left me at a very low dose going only by the TSH. I am seeing a naturopath but she doesn't look at deficiencies. What do you think about my test results? Thank you for taking the time to help me.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to dragonfly76]

Well with Hashimoto's we always need to improve vitamins to optimal to enable good thyroid function

Ferritin is low

Have you had full iron panel?

You can have low ferritin and high iron, so full panel testing needed

If on B12 injections do you also supplement a good quality daily vitamin B complex to keep all B vitamins optimal?

Supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in not folic acid may be beneficial.

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

B vitamins best taken in the morning after breakfast

Recommended brands on here are Igennus Super B complex. (Often only need one tablet per day, not two). Or Jarrow B-right

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Vitamin D needs testing twice yearly if on vitamin D supplements

[dragonfly76 in reply to SlowDragon]

I didn't have a full iron panel done, but I always had very low iron. When I was pregnant I had severe anemia and was supposed to get iron infusions. The reason I didn't was because I was too ahead in my pregnancy and they were scared if something happened. So when I was giving birth they gave me an injection for me not to bleed too much. I am severely constipated and iron just kills my gut. I wish I could just take it everyday but I can't because of the pain from constipation. I already take almost 2 tsp of magnesium citrate everyday. I am not taking any B-complex right now, I'll get them after I do the folate test.

[dragonfly76 in reply to SlowDragon]

Doctor refuses to do a full iron panel. He said there is no need. I will continue taking my iron everyday to increase my ferritin.

[dragonfly76]

My ferritin is 31 the range is 5-272. I eat a lot of meat and take iron supplements. I don't seem tp absorb what I eat. I am on B12 injections, my b12 was 200 with ranges 138-652. I need to test my vitamin D and folate. Yes, I am on gluten free diet. I have been takin desiccated thyroid for over 6 years, but was on a very low dose, so now I see a Naturopath. What do you think about my test results? Thanks for taking the time to help me.

[Maggie0652]

Hi. You need to leave 12 hours between your last dose of NDT and the blood test. You only left 7 hours, so that could explain why your fT3 is high.

Did you split your whole daily dose and take half of it at midnight or did you just take the half grain that you usually take at 11am?

[dragonfly76 in reply to Maggie0652]

12:00 noon, I left 17 hours. Had my 2 grains at 6:00 am and had my last dose half a grain at12:00 noon.

[Maggie0652 in reply to dragonfly76]

So that was too long a gap between the last dose and the test. Have you considered splitting the dose in half? It might give a better balance of hormones.

I’m on 2 1/2 grains of thyroid S. I take 1 1/4 in the morning when I wake up and the other 1 1/4 at 3pm usually but when I’m doing a blood test I take the second dose at 8pm and do test at 8am.