Advice please re: latest results

[AnneEvo]

Hi, I'd like some advice after receiving my latest Medichecks results. I know the T3 is woefully low and I think T4 is too high. I'm currently taking 75mg levo, off my own bat and have done for 6 weeks. I was on 50 prior to that.

I don't feel ill, I have said this before, but I wanted to feel more awake in the morning and able to get up earlier. Even though I don't feel ill I feel it's important for me to get my T3 higher. I was going to contact my doctor and ask for a raise in levo but with these results I don't think I stand a chance. Last time they didn't even test T4, solely TSH!

Is it possible a higher dose of levo could bring my T4 down and T3 up?

TIA. Anne

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

AnneEvo

I know the T3 is woefully low and I think T4 is too high.

What makes you say your FT4 is too high?

FT4: 18.9 (12-22 = 69% through range.

FT3: 4.65 (3.1-6.8) = 41.89% through range

The aim of a treated Hypo patient on Levo, generally, is for TSH to be 1 or below with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their ranges.

Is it possible a higher dose of levo could bring my T4 down and T3 up?

No. Increasing Levo will increase your FT4 and will, due to conversion of T4 to T3, also increase your FT3.

Your conversion could be better. Nutrient levels need to be optimal for thyroid hormone to work properly and good conversion to take place. Optimal levels are:

Vit D - 100-150nmol/L

B12 - top of range for Total B12, and for Active B12 at least 70 and around 100+ would be good.

Folate - at least half way through range

Ferritin - half way through range.

So your Vit D could do with improving, but where's your ferritin result?

Supplementing with selenium is also said to help conversion of T4 to T3.

[AnneEvo in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you. I'm still not completely au fait with levels, I thought if T3 needed to be higher T4 needed to be lower

Sorry missed off Ferritin: 158 (13-150) I was taking Better You vitamin D but when I was running out I was unable to get it. I got a different brand that is 3000iu and says to take one spray a day. Should I increase it to 2 sprays?

I stopped selenium supplement as I think it gave me heartburn, I find that with zinc too, so I'm thinking it may be the shell of the capsule. I do eat 2 brazil nuts every day though.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to AnneEvo]

AnneEvo

I thought if T3 needed to be higher T4 needed to be lower

No. When on Levo only then FT4 and FT3 should be roughly in balance, or maybe FT4 a bit higher than FT3. Of course, we're all individuals so we have our own personal best levels but generally, when on Levo, FT4 and FT3 would be fairly well balanced in the upper part of their ranges.

If on NDT or a combination of Levo plus T3, then it's usual for FT4 to be lower in range as taking T3 (and theT3 in NDT) tends to lower FT4.

Sorry missed off Ferritin: 158 (13-150)

Are you supplementing? Did you eat iron rich food such as liver, liver pate, black pudding, etc, in the week before this test? This is quite a high result if not supplementing as it's recommended for ferritin to be half way through range.

I was taking Better You vitamin D but when I was running out I was unable to get it. I got a different brand that is 3000iu and says to take one spray a day. Should I increase it to 2 sprays?

It might be worth increasing a bit, say take 2 sprays on 3 days a week, one spray on four days a week, see if that helps increase your level.

Are you also taking magnesium as one of D3's important cofactors? Magnesium is needed for the body to convert D3 into it's usable form.

And Vit K2-MK7, another important cofactor, are you also taking that? D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it's needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.

I stopped selenium supplement as I think it gave me heartburn, I find that with zinc too, so I'm thinking it may be the shell of the capsule. I do eat 2 brazil nuts every day though.

Brazil nuts only contain selenium if they are grown in selenium rich soil and this needs to be stated on the packaging. If this isn't stated then there is very likely little to no selenium in the nuts.

Eastern Amazon and Central Brazil seem to have the highest amount :

honey-guide.com/2012/11/19/...

I remember one of our members saying that M&S Natural Brazil Nuts stated the country of origin and it had good selenium content so it may be worth checking them out.

[fuchsia-pink]

That's what I' do - your TSH is still higher than I would like and there's room for both T3 and T4 to increase. It's the T3 that matters most, so if an increase in levo takes you right to the top of the T4 range, that shouldn't be a concern. Good luck x

[greygoose in reply to fuchsia-pink]

Except that taking the FT4 to the top of the range will mean that more gets converted to rT3 than T3, so her FT3 could actually drop.

[AnneEvo in reply to greygoose]

Would you suggest increasing levo in the first instance and test again in 6 weeks?

[greygoose in reply to AnneEvo]

I think I'd be inclined to work on my nutrients first, to see if it improves my conversion.

[AnneEvo in reply to greygoose]

Thank you

[greygoose in reply to AnneEvo]

You're welcome.

[AnneEvo in reply to fuchsia-pink]

So bite the bullet and take on the doctor! haha

[fuchsia-pink in reply to AnneEvo]

And if your free T3 does drop, I'd then ask the GP to refer you to an endo for a trial of T3 - email Dionne at Thyroid UK - [e-mail] - for a list of T3-friendly endo's. You don't have to see the nearest person to you - but it needs to be reasonably convenient to get to for appointments.

[AnneEvo in reply to fuchsia-pink]

Thank you