Investigating T3

[Dee959]

Hi all

I am new to this site - I have been taking Levothyroxine for 14 years or so, during that time my body has gone through various stages, ten years ago I managed to lose a lot of weight and kept it off for a long time but then my circumstances changed and my job changed so the weight piled on. Ever since I have been struggling to lose anything - I record what I eat every day to control how much I eat and I go the gym 5 or 6 times a week and do strength exercises as well as running, weight loss is very difficult and not just that I feel exhausted and my muscles and joints hurt all the time.

I have seen three Endo’s - the first one told me I was fat because I was lazy and eat too much!

The second one said he didn’t think I had a Thyroid problem but thought it was Addison’s disease, tests proved I didn’t have that but he didn’t offer any other explanation, the third one simply said I was old! I am 50 - so my “old age” was the reason for all my symptoms.

To be blatantly honest I am at my wits end and feel very low about all of this - my biggest issue is Energy levels and my weight, I have just ordered from T3 supplements to try, I have had numerous tests for vitamin and ferritin levels all were normal apparently. Anyway sorry for the long post - I will be reading all the posts with interest!

[Dee959]

Sorry - so the result above is T3, T4 and TSH - any comments welcome

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Dee959]

Are those results for Total T3 and Total T4 or Free T3 and Free T4?

[Dee959 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi

I am not sure - and to be honest I don’t know what the difference is?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Dee959]

Total T3/Total T4 measures the total amount of the hormones, that is bound to proteins and unbound (free).

Free T3/Free T4 measures just the unbound - free - hormone and that is what is available to be used by the cells and is the most important test. The Total tests are rather outdated now.

Those ranges make me think you're not in the UK. Our ranges vary but for FT4 they are usually something like 7-17, 9-19, 11-23, 12-22 and for FT3 they are usually 3.1-6.8 or 3.5-6.5 or very similar.

[Dee959 in reply to SeasideSusie]

No these were taken by the new centre in Saudi where I am currently- when I had my result for T4 initially I thought wow no wonder I feel

So low but then he read out their range 😏

[Nanaedake in reply to Dee959]

You say vitamin tests were all normal, apparently. Did you get a copy of test results along with the lab ranges to verify that they were optimal?

[Dee959 in reply to Nanaedake]

There was a letter sent to my home address in the UK with all the results on - I am going to check it when I go

Back in a couple weeks

[Nanaedake in reply to Dee959]

Good idea. Normal isn't always optimal!

[Dee959 in reply to Nanaedake]

I totally agree- but what can we do when the professional tells you that you results are “normal” 🤷‍♀️ I have posted my results further down the thread - would be keen to hear opinions

[Nanaedake in reply to Dee959]

Many of us have discovered we have to read and learn and buy our own supplements based on best advice on reliable websites and find out what works for us. We have to make many adjustments.

[Nanaedake in reply to Dee959]

Also, if you are female and menopausal or thereabouts you might benefit from increasing calcium rich foods as the ability to absorb and utilise calcium drops at menopause and this can cause symptoms. You need the fat in dairy products to absorb the calcium in it. Sometimes people cut out full cream milk or cheese in efforts to lose weight but it may not be best advice for women at menopause. Read up about it. You can also get calcium from nuts like almonds and some vegetables or fish with bones like tinned sardines.

For weight loss the diabetes websites have good advice on low carb diets that can be sustained without reducing calcium levels.

I make my own kefir from organic grass fed cattle and it contains good nutrients and some K2 apparently.

[Dee959 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thanks - actually I had my menopause 14 year ago I had a sub total hysterectomy but have never cut out fats I eat oily fish and have some nuts as snacks - I am allergic to many nuts however so have to be careful

[Nanaedake in reply to Dee959]

Well, I wish you luck in finding solutions.

[Dee959 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thank you

[silverfox7]

Might be useful as well to get the actual readings for vits and minerals. My first thought was may be you aren’t converting well but getting those optimal should help with that if that is part of the problem plus as thyroid patients we are often too low in those so accurate testing is also necessary with those.