So I got a free test from LGT (as they said there may have been a problem with the last one but it turned out there wasn't) and my antibodies have reduced a bit, TSH has gone down, FreeT4 has gone up but Free T3 has gone down from 4.3 to 3.90 Is this normal and ok? I have been trying to study everything on here and been reading around this but does I'm still learning (and confused). Does this mean there is a conversion issue? I feel better most days than I did and I have lost some weight (which was needed). Have been sugar free (as I get hypoglycaemia) and near gluten free for about 6 weeks. Any advice or opinions appreciated. These are the latest test results - could only post 1 photo for some reason. Thank you
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msmono
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Can you tell us what the ranges are on these results
TSH at 3.0 is likely too high
FT4 15.3 ( ranges needed)
FT3 3.9 (range needed )
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).
important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 too
Hi and thanks, the Free T3 range is 3.1 to 6.8 pmol/l
Free T4 range 12 - 22 pmol/l
Am taking supplements of B12, Iron and D - my folate was high nearly at the top of the range. It was a fasting blood test and I had stopped levo for 48 hours because I didn't realise the advice was 24 hours - felt rotten quite quickly actually. I'm just wondering why the T3 has gone down from 4.3 - isn't that going in the wrong direction are am I just confusing myself? Yes the TSH still high but has come down from 3.9.
Next time only leave 24 hours gap between last dose Levothyroxine and blood tests
FT4 will be slightly higher than this test shows, but TSH and FT3 unaffected
FT4 is only about 30% through range and FT3 right at bottom of range
The aim of Levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly in 25mcg steps upwards until TSH is under 2 (many need TSH significantly under one) and most important is that FT4 in top third of range and FT3 at least half way in range
All four vitamins need to be regularly tested and frequently need supplementing to maintain optimal levels
NHS guidelines on Levothyroxine including that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine.
Hi and thanks SD but why would the T3 have dropped when other levels are going in the right direction do you think? And yes I had all those vitamins tested although GP wouldn't do vit D so I had it done privately but I'm hoping to get it on NHS next time.
Well if you imagine ....before your thyroid started playing up you were using (for example) the equivalent of 125mcg Levothyroxine a day
You get diagnosed when your own thyroid output has dropped by half, to say 75mcg .....hence the raised TSH.....pituitary is screaming at Thyroid to work
You start taking Levothyroxine.....pituitary takes a holiday ....TSH starts to drop....your thyroid starts making even less hormones...
So you are adding 50mcg Levothyroxine.....but your own thyroid is making less
Overall you can have less thyroid hormones....until Levothyroxine dose is slowly increased upwards
Levothyroxine doesn't add to your own thyroid hormone levels....it replaces them (many GP's don't understand this concept!)
So levels don't stabilise until on nearly full replacement dose ....every person is different as to what that level is
NICE Guidelines suggest typically full replacement dose is 1.6mcg per kilo of your weight (as a rough guide)
Hi SD back again (soz). Please bear with me - Im learning as fast as i can but I'm hating the idea that my thyroid will stop working 😢. Is there any value in trying to find out why I have anti-thyroid anti-bodies and trying to reduce them so that my thyroid works better again? I wasn't keen to start on meds and I’m feeling resistant to upping my dose. Maybe this is silly on my part. Do you think my T3 conversion looks ok from what you can see on my tests. Mostly I feel better but then that isn't hard given how ill i felt! Thank you.
Well obviously strictly gluten free diet is likely to help reduce symptoms....but wether it can halt Hashimoto's is another matter
An ultrasound scan of your thyroid might show the extent of damage.....
Some (mainly USA based) sites say it's possible to reverse or more likely slow "early stage" Hashimoto's ....but if your TSH was raised at diagnosis...it's usually due to attacks on thyroid and thyroid getting destroyed and it's already compromised and may not be possible to recover
Regularly testing vitamins and keeping them at optimal levels can help
Addressing all inflammatory foods.....often people start on AIP diet and then slowly reintroduce food groups.....but AIP is extremely difficult to do ...very restrictive
I certainly don't have will power to try it. Personally I find Strictly gluten free diet is enough. I have never tried dairy free. (Couldn't live without chocolate!)
Hi, thanks so much for taking the time to reply again. I'm almost winning with the gluten-free even though I am a massive bread and pasta eater - home-made wholemeal bread and soup I mean I thought I couldn't live without but I've found some acceptable replacements. Yes I see what you mean re chocolate although I've given up sugar (as in sugar added to food, sweets, cakes etc) because I get hypoglycaemic and it was becoming too regular. Don't know if I could give up dairy. I may re-consider the AIC but cheese and eggs may be an issue and I'm vegetarian too. Well I hope your GF and/or medication is all working out for you? Thanks again
So you were right- the endo looked at my results and put my levo up from 50 to 100 - ill probably go 75 then 100 though but im not turning the meds down in case i hit a procedural bump! He’s also agreed to ask my g.p. for regular vitamin tests! Also i looked at your profile-such a lot you've been through! No wonder you are so knowledgeable and I’m so grateful to you for sharing that to help others 🙏
Great that you got increase in dose and that endo recognises importance of good vitamin levels
Yes recommended to only increase in 25mcg steps.....see how you get on and either test at 75mcg after 6-8 weeks...or if feeling ok, you could increase again up to 100mcg without testing
T3 has a daily variation pattern of up to 1 from what I can see from research papers. The difference could be due to timing of tests/medication. Main issue is whether you feel ok. Numbers are small variations. Neither here nor there.
Yes i think i was so excited that the test results seemed to reflect my improved health so was a bit hooked in the T3 going down. I have become a bit obsessive possibly due to having been ill and ignored by NHS for so long.
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