Not sure about new results after TT

[Feelingtired123]

I’ve just had some bloods done post op. Thyroid bloods were done over a week ago and then doc did more yesterday, my vit d is low despite being on 20,000 in a week which I took with k2 every day. My magnesium isn’t great and my ferritin is low despite being on spartone for 1 month. I’m on b12 sups so this is coming up. Regarding the new thyroid blood results since a TT they are not brilliant. I’m posting them as I’m so confused mostly about the vit d but also would live to know what people thought re ft3 levels.

My vit d is less than 50. My b12 is 332 range is 120-625

Magnesium is 8 range is .7-1.00

[Hidden]

How are you taking your vitamin D? It looks like you have absorption issues and as if you gut is not digesting your nutrients properly. Are you on proton pump inhibitors?I have found taking NOW super enzymes good for my gut health and this kind of supplement should improve your digestion.

[Feelingtired123 in reply to Hidden]

I’m taking 1 x 20,000 in tab per week but then I’m taking k2 each day. Yes I think you’re right about absorption issues. Can you tell me exactly what it is you’re taking? I’ve stopped doing all my home made kefir and kombucha as it was quite time consuming so I think I just need a good pre and probiotic. Is that what you’re taking?

I’m not on proton pump inhibitors. I have a rare thing called Gittelmans syndrome so take vast amounts of potassium throughout the day. Each tablet is loaded with sugar and icing sugar and I need 12 a day so I think this is messing with my digestion. Many thanks

[Hidden in reply to Feelingtired123]

You can get vtamin D sprays with K2 combined that you hold under your tounge for absorbtion. The supplement I suggested 'super enzymes' contain digestive enzymes. The one I take contains betaine HCA, ox bile extract,papaya fruit powder, pancreatin,bromalin from pineapple, papain from papaya and some pepsin. All of these help digestion and improve uptake of nutrients. I buy from amazon. The capsules are better as the taste of the tabs is unpleasant. As you are so soon post op it will take a while to get your hormone replacement at a good level for you. Your t3 could be improved but that depends how you feel. I would be inclined to work on your nutriants, keep a log of symptoms and let the doctors decide your hormone replacement levels for now. Most tablets do come with out a sugar coating it might be worth asking your DR if there is a non sugary potassium. It used to come as a fissy tablet to dissolve in water. I dont think that had sugar.

[SilverAvocado in reply to Feelingtired123]

20,000 in a week also isn't that big a dose. It works out as 2,857 a day, which is a substantial dose, but Vitamin D council recommended doses up to about 6,000 per day for short periods to raise levels.

I agree that this is something to look into and its a bit of a problem, but this you could just try the increased dose and retest in a month or so to see if it's successfully raising levels.

[Feelingtired123 in reply to SilverAvocado]

Yes it was a large dose, it was because I was having surgery and I have a rare potassium issue so th3y wanted me o make sure Immune system was optimal as could be. I have since been prescribed it but I think this will change and go back to 1000 iu per day. I need to increase it though as it’s not working.

I have also asked my doc re increase of Levothyroxine and he said I didn’t need to, so now I understand what everyone is talking about on here, docs don’t listen!! I think I’ll try to buy T3 online but don’t really know how to self dose.

Many thanks

[SilverAvocado in reply to Feelingtired123]

Doctors are really terrible at vitamins, too To get your levels up from 50, you really want to be taking more than 1,000 iu per day. That's more of a maintenance dose. As I was saying above, the Vitamin D council recommend up to 6,000iu per day to increase levels.

You don't have the reference range for freeT4 in your results, so we don't know how high it is, but the freeT3 is definitely pretty low. I think it's simpler to try and get your dose ideal with Levothyroxine, and only move onto T3 once you've got Levo looking optimal. You can buy Levo from most of the places you can buy T3.

For self medicating, what I did was hang around the forum for a while reading until I could understand the blood tests and had an idea how to dose. Straight away you can start taking temperature and pulse daily, as this is something you'll need to make judgements about dosing.

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In my experienced opinion you are worrying about the wrong things. According to your previous posts you are now less than a month post TT. At this stage my health was excellent on levothyroxine, but that didn't last.

I suggest that you keep a daily/weekly record of how you feel for the foreseeable future, noting any recurrences of hypothyroid type symptoms, particularly tiredness in the form of fatigue. By Christmas you should be fully aware of any remaining problems you have and a history of their appearances. Nothing happens speedily with thyroid issues.

If you then find yourself feeling "not quite right" and your doc tells you that you are fit and well according to blood tests, you can be sure that alternative medication is required, NDT, and that will certainly be unavailable for you from the NHS unless miracles do actually happen.

Suggest you then seek out sources of NDT.

[Feelingtired123 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for reply. Yes I think it’s definately 5 weeks now although I do have a problem keeping track. I’ve never had hypo symptoms pre op as I had Graves so I’m just now learning about how it can make you feel. I am interested in NDT so will look into that further down the line and also T3. Many thanks for your advice

[SilverAvocado in reply to Hidden]

Good point Panda321, I am also a TT patient, just coming up to my 6 year anniversary. I was extremely unwell already at the 5 week point, and have continued to be for the whole 6 years. Although I now self medicate with NDT and am a lot better now than I was.

But I think at this point we can still hope that Feelingtired123 will be one of the lucky ones Theoretically a good percentage of people will feel fine after their TT. Although I agree its best to be realistic and aware. Particularly to become knowledgeable about thyroid treatment, learning to read the blood tests, etc.

[SilverAvocado]

In terms of thyroid hormone, your freeT3 is rock bottom at the moment, which suggests you will need a dose increase.

You will still have a tiny bit of the thyroid hormone that was made by your own thyroid ( as T4 has a half-life of 6 days, and it takes 10 half-lives to wash out competely). Your dose will be becoming more seriously important over the next few weeks, because you'll be having to cope completely on the tablets you're taking.

I think I would push for a dose increse ASAP, and after that wait the 6 weeks for a new blood test. After my TT I was having to wait 3 months between adjustments, which is pretty ridiculous. I'm sure it maximises the chances of a good outcome to have a smooth a transition from your own homemade hormone to the tablet hormone.

[Feelingtired123]

Thank you for your reply. I agree about the sugar. It’s a worry the amount I have to consume because of tabs. I’m in the process of finding a new specialist regarding Gittelmans, as for years I’ve tried to find an alternative. Magnesium is part of the gittelmans issue so hopefully I can get that balanced better soon. Many thanks