My MD finally agreed on testing me for FT3.Pls. help me with your interpretation and advise me on the overall recent #s.Thanks

[sunsetssr]

I'm on 88mcg of Levothyroxine daily. I still have some symptoms like IBS, losing hair, dry skin, heart palpitation, anxiety after taking levothyroxine, etc. etc. My Md finally agreed to test me for FT3. This is the only test since 1993. I'm hoping you look at my recent results and advise me on the next step. Thanks

ComponentYour ValueStandard RangeFlag

TSH0.63 uIU/mL

0.27 - 4.20 uIU/mL

ComponentYour ValueStandard RangeFlag

Triiodothyronine, Free2.7 pg/mL

2.5 - 4.3 pg/mL

Free T41.51 ng/dL

0.93 - 1.70 ng/dL

Folate19.6 ng/mL

ng/mL

Normal: 4.6- 34.8 ng/mL

Borderline deficient: 2.2- 3.0 ng/mL

Deficient: < 2.2 ng/mL

Magnesium2.3 mg/dL

1.6 - 2.4 mg/dL

Vitamin B121,367 pg/mL

232 - 1,245 pg/mLH

Hgb14.0 gm/dL .Didn't test me for Feritein???

11.2 - 15.7 gm/dL

Hct42.7 %

34.0 - 45.0 %

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you have Hashimoto’s, diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies?

IBS is frequently linked to gluten intolerance, extremely common with hashimoto’s

Ft4 is at 75% through range

But

Your Ft3 is far too low

Only 11% through range

Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

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 .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

If you took levothyroxine before blood test this would explain very high Ft4 in relation to very low Ft3

Trying 25mcg dose increase in levothyroxine

B12 is extremely high. Presumably you have injections?

Folate average

No vitamin D test

No ferritin

Need to improve conversion of Ft4 to Ft3

Getting all four vitamins optimal first step

Trying strictly gluten free diet may help too

Retest Thyroid in 2-3 months

[sunsetssr in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for the detail. I really appreciated your time.I did follow the recomendation of this group and had my blood test at 8:00 AM with no levothyroxine on the day of blood test(the last dose was 24hr. before) so I believe the result is accurate.Not sure about any thyroid antibody at the time of diagnosis, to tell you whether I was diagnosed as Hashimoto or not. Being originally from Middle East ,I'm sure I might be accurately labeled as Hashimoto. Love your recomendation of a 25mcg increase of levothyroxine tablet although when my dose was increased a little higher previously,I did experienced palpitation.I have stopped taking the B12 sublingual after the recent test. Again thanks for your help.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to sunsetssr]

Important to test vitamin D and ferritin

If you have darker skin and no longer live in sunny country or don’t spend long time outside in sunshine, vitamin D likely low ....especially with hashimoto’s

[sunsetssr in reply to SlowDragon]

Great point. Fortunately or unfortunately,I'm very light skin person. Live in South part of Californina.Having a good exposure to sun. Thanks again for your great ideas.

[Marz in reply to sunsetssr]

Your B12 result was high and skewed as you were supplementing ... Be careful it doesn't fall like a stone - keep around 500 ++

[Lora7again]

That is quite a low dose my elderly Dad is on 100mcg a day because he is 78 and that suits him. Are you elderly?

[sunsetssr in reply to Lora7again]

Great analogy.I'm 72 1/2 year old and 149 lbs. If i'm not wrong the dose is calculated mainly based on weight not age as such. Thanks for your replay.