T3 panic!

[EleanorM-G]

I haven’t been on here for a while as I have been well, with my blood tests showing everything is fine. However, today, I got these results back & I’m pretty shocked about my T3. In the last 8 yrs, it’s never been higher than 6.

I self medicate, taking NDT & extra T3.

I take a quarter of a grain of NDT which is 20mcgs of T4 & 5mcgs of T3

I take an extra 20mcgs of T3.

Over the years I have increased or decreased this slightly, according to blood tests, but never a significant change, just a bit of tweaking.

Any advice would be gratefully received as I am trying for a baby. I can now see why I haven’t got pregnant yet....

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

I self medicate, taking T4 & T3. 40mgs of T4/half a grain. 19mcgs of T3

I can't make sense of that.

T4 as levothyroxine comes as micrograms (mcg) not milligrams (mg).

NDT comes in grains and 1 grain = 60mg and contains approx 38mcg T4 and 9mcg T3.

What exactly are you taking?

[EleanorM-G in reply to SeasideSusie]

Sorry, I could have been clearer.

On my Nature Throid (t4 and T3/NDT) it says 2 grain (130mg) & I take a quarter of a tablet.

On my liothyronine sodium tablets it says 50mcg per tablet & I take just under a half.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to EleanorM-G]

I take a quarter of a grain of NDT which is 20mcgs of T4 & 5mcgs of T3

On my Nature Throid (t4 and T3/NDT) it says 2 grain (130mg) & I take a quarter of a tablet

So you're taking 1/4 of a 130mg NatureThroid tablet which is 19mcg T4 and 4.5mcg T3.

Plus approx 20mcg T3.

So in total it looks like you're taking 19mcg T4 and 24.5mcg T3.

So questions to answer, which Maisie and Greygoose have asked

1) When was your last dose of NDT and T3

2) Did you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin in the 7 days before the test?

If you took your last dose of NDT and T3 the recommended time before the blood draw - 8-12 hours, and didn't take Biotin/B Complex in the 7 days before the test, then it would appear that you are taking too much T3 and not enough T4.

[EleanorM-G in reply to SeasideSusie]

I have edited the post.

[MaisieGray in reply to EleanorM-G]

It still doesn't make sense though. You have written "I take a quarter of a grain of NDT which is 20mcgs of T4 & 5mcgs of T3" - but a quarter of a grain has approx 9.5 mcg T4 and 2.25 mcg T3.

At the time of your test, were you taking any supplement that contains Biotin, which may have skewed the results?

[EleanorM-G in reply to MaisieGray]

Not according to my bottle!

No biotin.

[greygoose]

How long a gap between your last dose of hormone and the blood draw?

[EleanorM-G in reply to greygoose]

I must admit, I think I forgot to NOT take my T4 & T3 before the test.

The test would have been done 90mins after I took them...

[greygoose in reply to EleanorM-G]

I think that would be the answer, then. So, don't panic, just remember to leave an 8 to 12 hour gap, next time.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you take any vitamin B complex or biotin?

Biotin can falsely affect test results and any supplements with biotin in should be stopped a week before any blood testing