TSH of 0.05

[sheila747]

I have been taking 40 mgms of Liothyronine and 150 of T4 for many years and my routine results have just come back as 10.5 T4 and 0.05 TSH. My doctor has requested a phone appointment which I have in 3 days. Before I started taking T3 I was very unwell and wondering if she will want me to stop taking it. Will that be necessary to stop my TSH getting lower.

[greygoose]

If you take enough T3, your pituitary will stop making TSH. Why? Because you don't need it. TSH serves to stimulate the thyroid to make more hormone, and to convert T4 to T3. You are taking a largish dose of exogenous thyroid hormone, so you don't need to stimulate your thyroid - it probably couldn't respond, anyway. And, you are taking T3 ready made, so you don't need to rely on conversion of T4. You don't need TSH, so why should the pituitary knock itself out producing it?

If you are taking T3, your doctor should be testing FT3, to makes sure you're not over-dosing on it. If she doesn't, don't let her try and tell you that you are over-medicated, because she has no idea. The TSH does not tell you if you are over-medicated, it just tells you that you are taking sufficient thyroid hormone to shut down pituitary production of TSH. For further details, doctors should be testing FT3.

Do you buy your own T3? If so, then the doctor can say what she likes, and you can just ignore her. She doesn't know much about it, anyway, from the sound of it. So, go with your feelings. If you feel well on T4+T3, carry on taking it.

[sheila747 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you greygoose, you are always helpful. I don't buy my T3 but I am going to France next week and may be able to buy some over the counter, just in case. However I saw doctor today because I have a swollen lymph on left side and so she has done blood test to rule out infection and given me anti-biotic in case and arranging for scan and endo referral. I have a feeling that when I speak to the doctor on Monday regarding (different doc to today) the blood test results she is going to try and tell me to stop taking my T3. I can never get a T3 blood test, doc requests it but lab never does it. I have to have it done privately. Can't afford that on a regular basis. Will see what she says on Monday.

[greygoose in reply to sheila747]

T3 is prescription only in France.

I think that if your doctor says that you are taking T3, the lab is supposed to test it. Has she tried communicating with them?

[sheila747 in reply to greygoose]

Hi thank you I will ask her on Monday to do that. All she ever does is write on the form to do a T3 test as not converting but the lab just ignores it.

[greygoose in reply to sheila747]

Yes, I think it's best to write something like 'FT3 needed as taking T4+T3', something like that. I don't know how doctors can bear to have their powers taken away from them like that, and just sit there and be dictated to by lab technicians. If that happened here in France, the doctors would take to the streets in protest!

[sheila747 in reply to greygoose]

Hi greygoose I had forgotten you are in France. Will I be able to get T3 over the counter there. My GP did phone me today to try and "tweak" my medication. When I said I would rather wait for the appointment to see endo he said "well I'll just get on with my day then and speak to other patients" and hung up on me!!

[greygoose in reply to sheila747]

T3 - and T4 - are prescription only in France. It's possible, that some people do manage to get the odd box if they find a compassionate pharmacists that will take pity on a stupid tourist that has forgotten/lost her medication. But, you wouldn't be able to get a consistant supply. And, in my experience, compassionate pharmacists are very few and far apart over here! lol

[SlowDragon Administrator]

2 years ago you said you were taking 20mcg

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

You need FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing

It's always essential to test FT3 alongside FT4 and TSH

Almost always that needs to be tested privately

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

If/when also on T3, make sure to take last dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

[sheila747 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you SlowDragon. My doc is arranging to see endo so hopefully will get full blood test. Although my doc always requests T3 test alongside T4 and TSH lab never does it. Doc is also arranging for a scan as have a swollen gland left side of neck.