My sister was diagnosed with hypothyroidism many years ago and has been on levo since then. I don’t know all the history but she has had her dose reduced and is currently on 100mcg levo daily. She has recently had heart palpitations which were frightening for her and the gp put her on beta blockers. She also suffers from aches and joint pains among other things. She got tests done but even though she asked about t3 it wasn’t tested. She lives in Australia and has to pay for copies of her results so when she was told everything was normal she didn’t think to get copies. Her latest tests result (such as they are) are
TSH 0.81 (0.4-4.0)
Free T4 13 (9-19)
She didn’t know tests should have been done early morning and fasted and she had already taken her levo that day. I’ve advised her to get private tests done including the vitamin tests advised here.
Any advice would be appreciated
Written by
Mickeydooley
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Difficult to say much with just those two results. TSH is OK, considering she had taken her Levo before the test then her FT4 is showing higher than would be the normal circulating amount, so one has to assume that the normal amount will be lower in range. She needs to retest under the right circumstances and get FT3 done at the same time, it would also be useful to do thyroid antibodies and Vit D, B12, Folate, Ferritin, get the whole lot done for a full picture. Her aches and pains could suggest low Vit D, and even though she lives in Oz with all their sunsine there's no guarantee that her Vit D level is good.
She’s had her vitamin d levels tested in the past and has been deficient so not surprising. I thought that with such low T4 (40% through range) it was quite likely that her t3 is likely to be low too? Could this account for her palpitations? Undermedicated? Thanks for your advice.
Her first step is to get full Thyroid and vitamin testing...privately if necessary and make sure she does them as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test
Yes palpitations can be due to under medication
Obviously joint pain can be low vitamin levels
How much was dose reduced from?
Does she have test results from before dose was reduced?
She will have to test TSH, FT4 and FT3 together privately ........but first ......See GP and ask for vitamin testing and thyroid antibodies, if not been done before
Cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 £29 (via NHS private service )
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
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