Levels good but still have symptoms.

[LilLily]

Hi, I've been on the increase from 137 to 150mcg for 30 days. It's been a very tough month with increased fatigue, anxiety and depression even more than before. I'm barely functional. Below are my new labs. Shouldn't I be feeling tons better by now since my levels are so good? Or is it just too soon to expect this at 4 weeks? All vitamins, iron, B12, ferritin, electrolytes, and CBC are optimal. (I'll get another lab at 6-8 weeks.)

TSH - 1.210 (0.45-450)

T4 - 8 (4.5-12)

T3 - 89 (71-180)

FT4 - 2.2 (1.2-4.9)

FT3 - 2.9 (2.0-4.4)

Thank you!

[fuchsia-pink]

Hi LilyLily

Not sure why you say your levels are "so good". Your free T4 is 46.7% through range and your free T3 is only 37.5% through range. That's why you don't feel great. You will feel better when both are in the top third - or perhaps the top quartile of the range rather than less than half-way.

At the moment your TSH is still relatively high too for someone on thyroid meds, so if US doctors are as paranoid about a suppressed TSH as they are in the UK, you still have some "space" in the TSH range to allow it to go down without scaring the horses when you next increase your levo.

You've not been on the new dose for long, but if your bloods are still this low when you've been on the current dose for 8 weeks, I suggest you are looking at another increase in levo then - and a further test 8 weeks after that.

Suggest you also post your nutrients when you next re-post.

[Lalatoot]

Was just about to say that your levels aren't great - it is the FT4 and FT3 levels you need - but fuchsia-pink has said it all.

[DippyDame]

Your levels are poor...FT4 and FT3 should both be close to 75% through their respective ranges..... fuchsia-pink has given you the percentages

Your FT3 is far too low as is your FT4

Your TSH has room to decrease a little...for good health it needs to be 1 or even slightly below

Therefore, you appear to be undermedicated according to those results

The body needs 6 -8 weeks to adapt to any change of dose, so yes 4 weeks is a bit too soon to expect improvement

Optimal nutrients will support good conversion of the storage hormone T4 to the active hormoneT3, essential to every cell in the body

The next labs will also indicate the status of your conversion

Stick with current protocol until your next test then post those results for comment

Hope you feel better soon

Best....

DD