Can anyone give me advice on new blood results. TSH 6.70 (0.35-4.0). Total T3 89 (80-178). Free T3 2.60 (2.4-4.2). Free T4 0.90 (0.6-1.7)

[JaclynB]

Please anyone give advice on what I should do next I’m on 88 mcg of synthroid daily after a thyroid ablation in 2011. Feel weak pains all over and so tired.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

JaclynB

You are clearly undermedicated with those results. Why on earth would your doctor leave you with your TSH over range.

The aim of a hypo patient generally, when on Levo, 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.

You need an increase in dose of synthroid immediately, here in the UK we go in 25mcg increments in tablets, so whatever is the nearest to a 25mcg increase for you. Retest in 6-8 weeks time, further increase if necessary, repeat every 6-8 weeks until your levels are where they need to be for you to feel well.

If you can get Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin tested that would be good, they need to be at optimal levels for thyroid hormone to work properly and we Hypos often find we have low levels or deficiencies.

[JaclynB in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much for your reply. I feel so bad like I have the flu. My whole spine feels like it’s burning and I hurt to even move my joints. I was taking 100 mcg of synthroid everyday for 8 months and I kept running a fever had diarreah 10 times a day and I got very very weak in my arms and legs with bad shooting pains. And a very rapid heart rate when I would try to stand up or do anything. At that dose my tsh was 2.41. Free t3 was 3.3 and when I lowered my dosage the diarreah and fever went away and so did the tremors. But I’m in so much pain it hurts to walk. I keep thinking maybe I’m fighting an infection or a virus and that all this cannot be from thyroid. Have you ever felt like that. My doc just said I had subclinical hypothyroid and he would recheck in three months. Ow and my B12 was 251 (200-900). And ferritin 100.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to JaclynB]

Your B12 is very low in range, many people with B12 level in the 300s have been found to need B12 injections. Have a look to see if you have any signs and symptoms of B12 deficiency here:

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

If you have you should list them and ask your doctor to test for B12 deficiency and pernicious anaemia.

If you don't have any signs then you could benefit from sublingual methylcobalamin, I'd suggest 1000mcg lozenges, use one bottle and also take a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins. Once the methylcobalamin is finished, then just carry on with the B Complex. Make sure the B Complex is a good, bioavailable one like Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B.

[pennyannie]

Hello Jaclyn

I'm with Graves Disease post thyroid ablation in 2005, becoming very unwell some 8 years after this treatment.

What was your diagnosis, and why did you have thyroid ablation ?

Your results show a high TSH and low T3 and T4 - and the immediate first answer is that you need your dose of thyroid hormone supplement increased, thereby bringing your TSH down and your hormone levels up. This needs to happen at 25 mcg increments and blood tests after a 6 week increase to ultimately bring your TSH down to under around 1 and your T3 and T4 up into the upper quadrants of their ranges.

Thyroid ablation can be a slow process as the RAI burns out your thyroid in situ.

RAI is also known to " trash " vitamins and mineral levels so I would suggest you get these checked out and your core strength will need to be maintained especially in relation to ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D.

Synthroid is T4 and is an inactive hormone, and it needs your body to convert the Synthroid into T3 which is the active hormone that the body runs on. Your ability to convert the T4 into T3 will be compromised if your vitamins and minerals are not optimal in their ranges, and just being anywhere " in range " is not good an option.

It is very important that you are dosed and monitored on T3 and T4 blood tests, as since RAI treatment, your feedback loop is broken, and placing reliance on only a TSH misplaced.

T3 and T4 need monitoring and dosing to bring up your T3 and T4 readings to a level of wellness acceptable to you, the patient, which generally sees both these vital hormones in the upper quadrants of the ranges.

The thyroid is a major gland responsible for full body synchronisation, your mental, physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual wellbeing, your inner central heating system and your metabolism.

A fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you on a daily basis with approximately 100 T4 + 10 T3 . T3 is said to be about four times more powerful than T4 and most healthy people need to function on about 50 T3 a day. So, staying on monotherapy with T4 you have effectively been down regulated by 1/5th of your potential wellbeing,

and overtime, yes, of course, this can be debilitating and causing other, possibly thought unrelated health issues.

As your thyroid slowly burnt itself out over the years rendering you hypothyroid, you were supplemented with T4 - Synthroid - and as you thyroid production dropped off so your T4 should have been increased.

I was where you are, but thanks to this amazing site and a couple of books, I've managed to get back on track. I am self medicating and buying my own thyroid hormone supplements as I've received no help or understanding with my health issues since RAI for Graves Disease in 2005.

[JaclynB in reply to pennyannie]

I had to have an ablation because I had two hyper functioning nodules in my thyroid. I do not have Graves’ disease. Will a low thyroid make me hurt all over like I have the flu

[pennyannie in reply to JaclynB]

As I understand things, having Graves Disease can " confuse medics " as our TSH reads are " confusing " - though this fact doesn't seem to warrant a full T3 and T4 blood test ??

Anyway, I don't know how much RAI you drank down, or took in tablet form, but I would imagine that it's done it's job if your original symptoms have been eradicated, and just think that there maybe some collateral damage done as your blood tests show you now as hypothyroid, and probably on thyroid hormone replacement for life.

For the most part everything I've written, I believe, still stands, irrespective of if you had Graves Disease or not.

[JaclynB in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you very much for the info. I just am having a hard time believing that I could physically feel so bad and have so much achiness from just hypothyroid. Did you ever have this much pain

[pennyannie in reply to JaclynB]

Yes, I felt as though I had " constant flu " - it's because you are undermedicated.

Your TSH is shouting out to have some more hormones, and your T3 and T4 confirm that you are undermedicated.

It is very likely that your vitamins and minerals are " on the floor " and this alone will give you symptoms of unwellness let alone compounded by the issues of low thyroid hormone levels.

Is there a different doctor at the surgery who might be better able than the doctor who left you to manage on these results ????

[JaclynB in reply to pennyannie]

I’m gonna ask to see someone else. I’m desperate for any kind of help. I’m 38 years old and Im 100. I just so confused as to why I run a low grade temp and have to go to the bathroom so many times a day on a higher dosage.

[pennyannie in reply to JaclynB]

Have your initial symptoms been eradicated ?

How long have you been feeling like this - I appreciate the symptoms of hypothyroid are insidious and can just creep up on you - a loose bowel is generally associated with overactivity of the thyroid, if the bowel issue is thyroid related ???

[JaclynB in reply to pennyannie]

Yes after my ablation my heart rate slowed down and I felt better for awhile. But on 88mcg my tsh is 6.70 and on 100 mcg it’s 2.41 and I’m having severe diarrhea and tremors with fever On 88mcg I’m very constipated and exhausted and feel like I have flu I’ve had these symptoms ever since my ablation off and on

[pennyannie in reply to JaclynB]

I don't know what to suggest other than what I've previously written.

Your TSH on 100 mcg is still too high, but a TSH alone, doesn't tell us enough.

Some people can't tolerate T4 - maybe there's a option for a different brand or T3 ?

Maybe a referral back to hospital, since you have been dealing with all this since RAI ablation ?

I'm clutching at straws as I don't know enough, but would definitely start with a different doctor.

[JaclynB in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you for your advice. I appreciate it

[Wetsuiter in reply to JaclynB]

yep. that s what a lot of us are dealing with. not that you should have to, it isnt right. i just mean its not that unusual

[JaclynB in reply to Wetsuiter]

Well at least it makes me feel better to know I’m not alone in this battle

[humanbean]

You might find this link useful :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Title : TSH levels in healthy people with no known thyroid disease

[MichelleHarris in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanbean, Why cant I read this article when I’m a member of Thyroid UK and Health Unlocked please? What am I doing wrong?

[humanbean in reply to MichelleHarris]

I don't know. I've never heard of someone having a problem accessing that particular link before. You are clicking on the blue link, I assume?

If you continue to have problems, email Healthunlocked Support, telling them your username and describing the problem you are having. Their email address is :

[e-mail]

[MichelleHarris in reply to humanbean]

Thank you for the email address I’ll message them.

[JaclynB]

Thank you