Latest test results

[pinktea]

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with Graves disease in 2007 and received Radioiodine in 2015. I've been hypo ever since and gained over 10kg even though I've always eaten healthy and been very active. I've been taking 75mcg levothyroxine and my doctor increased to 100mcg today after getting my test results back.

My latest results

TSH 6,936

mIU/L (range 0.27 - 4.2)

T3 5,07

pmol/L (range 3.1 -6.8)

T4 14,93

pmol/L (range 12-22)

I'm getting B12, D3, folate, and ferritin tested later this week (I've been taking B12, D3, and iron so hopefully those are fine).

Do you think the increase of 25mcg is high enough? I'm also thinking about adding T3 since a lot of people seem to feel better on both T4 and T3 (my doctor is willing to help me with dosage). Could adding T3 help me feel more energetic and lose some weight, even though T3 is well in range?

Thanks!

[fuchsia-pink]

Hi there Pinktea

Your TSH is much too high and your freeT4 is very low - 29.3% through range. Your freeT3 is actually much better - 53.24% through range, suggesting that

a) you are under-medicated and an increase in levo should help but

b) you are a pretty good converter, so you shouldn't need the hassle/cost of T3 meds, once you get onto the right dose of levo

In my experience, it's really tricky to lose weight until both freeT4 and freeT3 are nice and high in range, so the levo increase will definitely help here too. You may need more than the extra 25 mcg ultimately, but small steady increases are exactly the right way to go.

Do you have any nutrients results?

[pinktea in reply to fuchsia-pink]

Thanks! I'm getting nutrients tested next week and I'll make another post then.

[pennyannie]

Hello Pinktea

Welcome to the forum :

I too am with Graves Disease and now manage lingering Graves, thyroid eye disease and hypothyroidism

Once on any form of thyroid hormone replacement we would expect to see a TSH much lower in the range, and probably down at 2 or under.

This level of TSH will reduce as you increase your thyroid hormone replacement and currently your T4 is just 30% through the range whilst your T3 is coming in at around 54% .

It would therefore to better to have these two vital hormones balanced and in range and think in the first instance an increase, or two, in Levothyroxine your best option.

Increases should only be by 25mcg a day and a blood test actioned after around 6 - 8 weeks and then a discussion of the results and your symptom relief from having the increase in T4.

Ideally, most of us seem at our best when both our T3 and T4 are balanced with both vital hormones in the upper quadrants of their relevant ranges.

You might like to dip into the Elaine Moore Graves Disease Foundation website, if you do not already know of her.

Levothyroxine is a prohormone and needs to be converted into T3 the active hormone by your body. Your conversion can be compromised if your vitamins and minerals are not maintained at optimal levels and once you have these further results, it will be another piece of the puzzle and hopefully fit in without too much trouble.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Getting thyroid levels retested 6-8 weeks after this dose increase to 100mcg

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine?

We should only increase by 25mcg at any one time

Come back with new post once you get vitamin results

And again in few weeks when thyroid levels are retested

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)

[pinktea]

Yes I've always been taking Euthyrox. And I did get tested in the morning, without taking levo or eating anything.

I've just been looking at my blood tests from 3 years ago, and my TSH was much lower than now (around 3), but my T3 and T4 were lower than now. How is it possible that my TSH results were better, but T3 and T4 were worse compared to now?