Hello....I am underactive and have been for 12 yrs, 2 years ago after blood results my Levothyroxine was reduced from 100mcg down to 75mcg. I don't think I'm getting enough meds!
Can you please look at my lab results and kindly leave a comment. It says their normal but I think the T3 is low. Maybe I'm wrong.
Thank you
Kooks
The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their reference ranges, if that is where you feel well.
Your FT4 is 56% through range and your FT3 is 21% through range. Your conversion of T4 to T3 isn't good but your FT4 is rather low in range so you could do with an increase in Levo as a first step.
Did you have vitamins tested - Vit D, B12, folate and ferritin. It's important to test these as they are often low or deficiency in hypothyroid patients and they need to be optimal for thyroid hormone to work properly. If not tested then I'd get these done, post results and members can make any suggestions for improving low levels if necessary.
Once your FT4 is in the upper part of the range and your nutrient levels are optimal, you can then see where your FT3 lies to see if conversion is still poor.
Thank you. I'm due to have bloods tomorrow for a full blood count but not sure if that means ferritin, B12 etc but I'll check with nurse and request if they aren't. X
Hi if my tsh is 0.01 and t3 is 4.1 and t4 is 22 is my t3 converting ok please ?. 😊
You need the ranges for the results to work out the conversion figures.
Here goes my ranges are tsh 0
30 -5.50
....ft4 10 - 19.80 and ft3 3.50 - 6.70
I haven't done the maths as it is so obvious that you are a poor converter. Ft4 is over 100% and Ft3 is at the bottom of its range. It should be at least in the top half of the range and towards the top.
Sorry tsh 0.30 - 5.50..I know my results say I'm hyper but I'm not. But I feel a little better at this range.
Tsh is not important.
Thank you, I did think I was a poor convertor but I just wanted it confirming. I cannot get t3 on nhs any ideas please ? You can pm me
Sorry I can't help with sourcing t3 as I get mine on the NHS.
Was your conversion similar to mine or worse. Just trying to see if I could try and fight my case again. They said no because I had atrial fibrillation 4 years ago.
You may find more help if you start your own thread. X
Sorry got carried away, apologies if I offended anyone
I doubt if you have offended anyone 😉 but as you need answers your own thread will get you further. X
Thank goodness for that !😊
I live in Scotland and have a good gp and good end. It still doesn't make it easy to get it prescribed but with a convincing case you can.
Thank you, were my conversions similar to yours ?. I need to get off here not my post x
Suggest you put up post of your own and members can advise
You need vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested
Getting these optimal improves conversion
What supplements do you currently take
See you had total thyroidectomy
No thyroid. All off above levels you mentioned above are very good. Thank you
FT4 should be at similar % in range to FT3
Useful calculator
Thank you x
Hi, I had a similar experience. A new GP reduced me from 100mcg to 75mcg based solely on my TSH. I had my bloods done privately and both my T4 and T3 were in range but at the bottom. I upped my T4 back to 100mcg did the tests again and whilst my T4 was now in the upper range my T3 was still bottom of range. My original Gp is sympathetic but said I wouldn’t get T3 on NHS in our area. Instead she writes me a private prescription and I source it from Germany. I followed advice from this forum to get my T3 in upper third of range and I only need 5mcg a day of T3 to add to my T4 but it makes such a difference.
(I had RAI so have no thyroid)
We all have different personal stories in trying to get ourselves feeling well. Good luck.
R2d2c3po
Make sure to get plenty of T3 ordered in ahead of Brexit. Not at all clear if access to EU T3 will remain possible
Thanks, just about to get another 200 days worth and checked with German Pharmacy who say they can supply with no delay at the moment.
I had almost exactly the same problem! After finally getting up to 100mcg Levo, (a battle in itself!) it was obvious after a few weeks that I would need a further increase. Instead, a test showed that my TSH was 0.01, so I had to take a decrease.
At least it was only half yours - 100/75mcg on alternate days. But after about 4 months on this (having been given a "Reprieve" from having to take yet another decrease as TSH was still below range) I began to get breathlessness and swollen ankles.
Thankfully, heart tests showed no damage, and those new symptoms convinced the doctor that a return back to 100 was needed. This helped a bit, but I will need to pester the doctor again soon for a further increase.
The fact you are a poor converter means that you will need an increase of Levo, and likely T3 down the line.
If you haven't tried that, make a bullet list of your main symptoms and how they affect your life and give it to the doctor to read. It might convince that you are under, not over medicated.
all the best x
Thanks to everyone for your advice, I get my bloods taken regularly for B12, iron and Vitamin D due to also having Fibromyalgia. I asked the nurse today what my last reading for these were and she said they were normal. I will ask about getting an increase in my levothyroxine or T3 as a separate medication. Wish me luck and thanks again x
"Normal" is an opinion......not a result.
You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges
Fibromyalgia is often linked to low FT3
FT3 should be at similar % through range as FT4
Useful calculator
What are your actual results and ranges for vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Looking for vitamin D at least over 80nmol
Folate at least over ten
Serum B12 at least over 500
Active B12 over 70
Ferritin at least half way in range
Ok thanks for that. I will phone my surgery tomorrow and get a print off. Great info x
Very likely GP only tested TSH ....or TSH and FT4....completely inadequate
BLOOD RESULTS=>>>>
Thyroid check results
