Blood was drawn 2hrs after medication (100T4 & 2.5mcg twice day so total 5mcg altogether.. Endo asked me to do as I normally get taken prior). Endo has increased T3 to 7.5mcg /day for trial since mid June due to my symptoms however ive had hardly slept all this week (3weeks into trial. Could i be running too high?
Previous tests were
TSH <0.05
FT3 3.9
FT4 15.9
prior to meds. I was on 100T4 and 10mcgT3
Thank you
Written by
SuD7
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I really do wonder if endos are just too stupid to know that if you take your thyroid hormone before a test you're going to get false high results. Or if they do it deliberately so as to have an excuse to lower your dose - because they really do love lowering doses! If you take your levo less than 24 hours before the blood draw, all you will be measuring is the dose you just took. Which is of no help. What we need to know is the normal circulating levels.
However, if that's your false 'high' FT3, then you really do need an increase. So, good job he's put it up to 7.5 mcg.
Could i be running too high?
Highly unlikely. Given that had you not taken your last dose of T3 2 hours before the blood draw, your FT3 would probably have been under-range, an increase of 2.5 mcg is not going to raise it to the top of the range - or even to mid-range, I shouldn't think.
Why was your T3 reduced from 10 mcg? Even on that you were under-medicated.
Was that BOTH 100mcg levothyroxine and 2.5mcg T3 two hours before blood test ?
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/when also on T3, make sure to take last third or half of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test
Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking ?
Yes that was T3 & T4 meds taken at 7:30am test undertaken at 9:30. I take VitB, Folate & VitD.. last test they were good apart from folate which was 4.7 (i had stopped vitamins for period time). Last year when i didnt take meds prior to blood draw my TSH was also <0.05, FT3 4.1, FT4 15.
If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results
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