Latest results are in,.... Round 2 coming up, I think

[MMaud]

Following my own error with the timing of my last set of bloods, earlier in the month, I redid them, with about 2 weeks in between. The results rolled in this morning.

The MonitorMyHealth results are as follows:

TSH - 0.3 (normal range 0.27 - 4.2 mU/L)

FT4 9.2 (normal range 12 - 22 pmol/L)

FT3 3.6 (normal range 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)

Prior to beginning dual therapy, I was on 150mcgr T4, with the following results :

TSH - 0.79 (normal range 0.27 - 4.2 mU/L)

FT4 16.5 (normal range 12 - 22 pmol/L)

FT3 3.52 (normal range 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)

They haven't shown any huge improvement, based on the correct timings (thank you again for pointing that out).

I am trying very hard to be very compliant on my 6-month T3 trial, and am already slightly non-compliant with my dosing and timing. My doses (100mcgr T4 + 40mcgr T3 a day), but I am splitting my T3 into three doses, as opposed to the prescribed 2 doses.

I am not due to see the Endo until late March, which will actually become April, as we are away on my current clinic date, so my intent is to trundle back to my GP and request the T4 increase back to at least 125mcgr, hoping that'll nudge up the FT4 again, and maybe even allow the T3 to be a little more effective.

The T3 readings are curious 40mcgr a day only lifting from 2.52 to 3.6. I sort of expected more, and probably still feeds into my belief I need a little bit more of both T4 and T3.

Next round, I'll go back to Medichecks for the full test + Vits.

Any comments, please? feel free to rubbish my theories. I'm still new to this in relative terms.

Thanks, as ever, my thyroid educators.

(Amended to add newest and previous results more clearly.)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Difficult to read .......What's the FT4 result?

[MMaud in reply to SlowDragon]

Apologies, I'll edit my post shortly to note the last results, in isolation.

FT4 = a magnificent 9.2. (Yes, that would be screaming irony there.)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to MMaud]

So....like many of us ....Levothyroxine dose was reduced too much .....is now too low and you need 25mcg Levothyroxine dose increase

Yes, it should help push FT3 levels up a bit too

Retesting again in 6-8 weeks

Just wondering.....Are you lactose intolerant?

[MMaud in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks, Slow Dragon. I'm glad my thinking isn't too far off kilter.

I'm strictly gluten-free, on the Endo's instruction ( some time ago, when I saw the same chap, privately), but thus far, I have clung onto dairy.

I don't believe I'm lacto-intolerant, but then again, I didn't believe I had issues with gluten either! Oh heck.

I feel in a real cleft stick at the moment. I'm loathed to call the Endo, to ask for the T4 increase, in case I give his the opportunity to discontinue the trial, but on the other hand, beining in mind whichever GP I see, they will never have had a thyroid discussion with me in the past (the usual GP moved away a few months ago). On that basis, I feel they will not want to alter anything prescribed by the Consultant.

I have thought about asking to see the Endo early (I would go privately, but he does infrequent private session, and his next would be 18th December, and I'm due to go to Asia for about 3 months, immediately after the holidays), but doubt that can be fitted in with other factors.

So flippin' frustrating!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to MMaud]

Your FT4 was only 45% through range on 150mcg so it was ludicrous to have reduced Levothyroxine by 50mcg.....you likely need Levothyroxine to go back up to 150mcg eventually

Standard way of working out dose of Levothyroxine needed for most people is 1.6mcg per kilo of your weight ......if 150mcg is significantly more than that for you .....it tells you you have a gut absorption issue.....could be lactose intolerance or gut infections like SIBO, H Pylori or Candida.

You don't have any extra Levothyroxine tucked away you could add from when on higher dose in past?

Like you I was astonished I was gluten intolerant. And like you .....I haven't tried dairy free....but I was always on approx right dose for my weight.....

[MMaud in reply to SlowDragon]

I'm only a tiddler, weighing in at 48.5 kilos- so my dose, based on that calculation should be 77.6mcgr.

I have never had a positive antibodies test, nor a scan. My last hs-CRP was 0.28, so there isn't/wasn't much inflammation going on with me.

I may have to just get myself prepared to say cheerio to dairy.

I do have a decent stash of T4 around, but am keen to be able to look the guy squarely in the eye and talk about compliance. My feeling is he'll be looking for ways to discontinue, so I'm trying really hard not to effer him anything on a plate.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to MMaud]

So perhaps look him in the eye and suggest perhaps "dairy intolerance" too

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you ever had ultrasound scan of thyroid ?

I know your antibodies are negative.....have you ever had positive antibodies test?

[MMaud in reply to SlowDragon]

No. No scan.

I'm now sitting here working out how I get my nutrition on a low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free way of eating. Of course it's doable. It just isn't a convenient, and will make in-flight fasting even more likely!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to MMaud]

Food on planes is always a nightmare.....bag of nuts and raisins usually comes to the rescue