Got my tsh result at last

[Goldengirl01]

Here is the latest blood results and my tsh is low as predicted. I am on Levo 100mcg still as refused to go down to 75mcg. T3 has gone lower I assume this is normal or should it be higher if t3 low. I have to say this morning I felt better than I have for a long time but I don’t want to talk too soon. I am still taking my supplements to try and get them up by the time I see one endo in November unless the other one my gp referred me to gets in touch first.

[DippyDame]

Your FT3 is very low suggesting poor conversion of T4 to T3. This is possibly the result of your low nutrient levels. If raising those doesn' t increase FT3 then that suggests you do have poor conversion and it may be worth having a thyroid genetic test....you may have a genetic polymorphism which impairs conversion.. In that case adding some T3 may be beneficial.

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/D...

But...one step at a time work on the nutrients first then retest again.

I'm not a medic, just another patient who has been on a long convoluted thyroid journey!

Good luck

DD

[SlowDragon Administrator]

As you have had thyroidectomy it's likely you need the addition of small dose of T3

But work on getting all four vitamins optimal and then retesting BEFORE seeing endocrinologist

Is either of these endocrinologists from the recommended thyroid specialist list from Thyroid UK?

Email Dionne at Thyroid Uk for list if you don't have it yet

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/About_...

Vast majority of endocrinologists are Diabetes specialists

20% Patients with no thyroid can not regain full health on just Levothyroxine

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

The most important results are FT3 and FT4

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water . 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).

is this how you did this test?

Your FT3 is far too low at only 21% through range

FT4 only 69% through range

vitamin D needs improving probably to at least 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better

[Goldengirl01 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi there, yes I am a very poor converter. I use the sprays recommended on here regarding vitamins, Iv doubled up on vit d. I have the test early about 8/8.30am. The endo I was referred to was on the list but when I asked for another updated one later I found his name not there. He does still practice because his name is still on his particular hospital site but he may not prescribe t3 now. I’m struggling to get the Vits up, I managed b12 because gp said I could have one injection but at first she said I didn’t need it as I was in range, ferritin is better than before, it’s the pesky vit d that is sluggish. Gp won’t give t3 nor will endo at my local hospital so I’m relying on the endo whose not now on list. It’s outrageous for all of us trying to get some quality of life back. Oh I also use the igennus super B complex vitamins with folate 2x daily

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Goldengirl01]

Yes utterly outrageous

Took me 26 years....more on my profile

[Goldengirl01 in reply to SlowDragon]

Good grief what a terrible journey you had. I also take my Levo at night but if I have my bloods done early morning I have to leave the night before off as the last dose has to be 24hrs before. I’ve wondered about going up 25mcg but then worry it may make me feel worse. I understand no matter how much I take it won’t make any difference to conversion.

[Hidden in reply to Goldengirl01]

Almost sure I read on here that sometimes a larger dose of Levo - even if it sends T4 a bit over range - will sometimes help someone with poor conversion. Worth a try if you can't get T3?

[Hidden in reply to Goldengirl01]

How much vit D are you on? The doctor prescribed me a ridiculously low amount that seems to be standard, of only 800 units a day (I think that's 25mcg). It also contained calcium that means it was impossible to take enough because of calcium overdose (which I don't need anyway). On advice on here and from a friend who knows about such things, I began taking 4,000 to 8,000 units (4,000 didn't raise the levels enough). Last time of testing (private, as I asked the surgery to do it a few times and was ignored) it was in the middle of the range, so I cut back down again. At levels higher than 1,000 units you need Vitamin K and magnesium as well

[Goldengirl01 in reply to Hidden]

Hi I’m on the betteryou spray but I now take 2 sprays amounting to 6000 units altogether I also take vit K plus 7 , a multi B complex twice a day and a spray magnesium ( not oral) as well so I’m doing all I can but I know I definitely need t3 but it’s getting an endo that will prescribe, so I. The meantime they moan about tsh being out of range and we just suffer.

[DippyDame in reply to Goldengirl01]

This extract is from the paper linked below, it might help

The paper also refers to problems involved re use of TSH....

"Poor T3 converters with persisting symptoms may thus be the most suitable candidates for trials of T3/T4 combinations. T3 addition may also avoid LT4 dose escalation resulting in T4 excess,"

bmcendocrdisord.biomedcentr...

[Goldengirl01 in reply to DippyDame]

It’s absolutely right and what people have consistently said on here but nothing much is done by the medical profession. Thank you for that and I will be taking some of this to my endo appt.

[DippyDame in reply to Goldengirl01]

You may already know of the co-authors...

Dr John Midgley

A TUK advisor aka Diogenes, a biochemist and eminent thyroid researcher

Dr Toft...

President of British Thyroid Association 1996-2009

Past President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

Physician to the Queen in Scotland

Consultant of Endocrinology, specialising in thyroid disease, at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh 1978-2009.

So.....people and a paper not to be viewed lightly!

Good luck with the endo

[Goldengirl01 in reply to DippyDame]

Thanks Hun

[Lora7again]

You could try NDT (Thyroid S) I have taken it in the past and it suited me. I purchased it from Thailand it came though the post and arrived in 10 days ... it wasn't held up in customs either. I believe people without a thyroid sometimes need to add T3 to their T4 to feel well.

[Sarahlouise1980]

Hi Dustpan,

Please could you let me know which supplements you used to get your vitamin b12 and folate levels up?

[Goldengirl01]

Hi Hun, I take super B complex by iggenus, you can get it on amazon and my B12 went up because my dr allowed me to have one injection, the rest I use BetterYou vitamin mouth sprays. Hope that helps.