Latest bloods, concerned about Haemolysed sample

[Obvs]

Just received my latest results whilst on 100mcg, no improvement from 75mcg.

TSH. 0.93 (0.27-4.2mlU/L)

FT4. 15.3 (12 - 22pmol/L)

FT3. 3.5. (3.1 - 6.8pmol/L)

Vitamin D. 110. (75 - 175nmol/L)

Ferritin. 126. (13 - 150ug/L)

Iron, UIBC, TIBC and Transferrin Saturation HAEMOLYSED

This was the second test I did about 2 weeks apart and the first one was not analysed due to being HAEMOLYSED.

I have done many of these tests now and I know how to do them without squeezing etc.

I had a telephone consultation and the doctor agreed to increase dosage to 125mcg. But I’m concerned that firstly I’m not absorbing enough T4 and secondly that something else is affecting my blood.

Thank you in advance for any experience shared, thoughts and knowledge.

[greygoose]

How do you take your levo? Do you take it on an empty stomach, leaving at least an hour before eating or drinking anything other than water? Do you take any other medication/supplements with your levo?

100 mcg is only a small dose, so you wouldn't expect your levels to go to high on that. But, what do you mean by something else is affecting my blood? Like what?

[Obvs in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for your reply.

Since starting Levothyroxine, I have been gluten and dairy free, and I take it at 6am, 3-4 hrs before food and 5hrs before coffee or tea. I have even stopped having any alcohol, (only used to have the occasional gluten free lager. )

Just was concerned it was autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) or something like that?

[greygoose in reply to Obvs]

Just was concerned it was autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) or something like that?

Oh, I see. I don't know anything about that. But surely there are tests that can be done to tell you if you have that.

[Obvs in reply to greygoose]

Yes I’ll look into it. Thank you

[greygoose in reply to Obvs]

You're welcome.

[jrbarnes]

I envy your Vit D and Ferritin levels. My Ferritin was 47 and Vit D 33 last time checked. I'm female and 40 years, partial thyroidectomy due to a hurthle cell adenoma. Also, my FT4 was 16 and my FT3 was only 2.6 so I really envy your T3 levels. If only I could get mine back to 3.5 to 3.8 range I'd be doing a lot better.

Has it been six weeks since you've been taking 100mcg? It really does take that long for a new dose to reflect in your lab values. I was on 88mcg for ten years and seven years into it my T3 levels started to fall. I've read that most people on T4 only therapy will usually have higher levels of T4 and lower to mid levels of T3. I'm sorry I don't have references to that but from my personal experience I've found this to be true. I tried moving from 88mcg to 100mcg and it only made me feel terrible. So the question here is that if you go to the next T4 dose is that really going to help your T3 levels or is it going to make you feel like it's simply too much T4 at that point. You won't know unless you try it but I would wait until you've been on a dose for at least 6 weeks to go up to the next dose, if you haven't already. If your T4 levels start to go past 20 and you're still feeling tired then I would explore finding a Dr to add T3 medication to your therapy. Personally, I don't feel that you have a problem absorbing the T4 medication, after looking at your results.

I'm currently trying natural desiccated thyroid, although I don't want to, but I needed the extra T3 and I'm not too partial on the synthetic T3 meds. My T4 and T3 levels were exactly like yours in the beginning of my therapy. You may need a little T3 added to your therapy to give you a boost. I'm in the US (I like the UK and Canadian forums better) and from what I understand it's difficult to get T3 medication prescribed in the UK. Hope this helps.

[Obvs in reply to jrbarnes]

Thank you for your reply. And sorry to hear you struggled to get the T3 levels up.

Yes, it’s been over 8 weeks at 100 mcg. I’ll see how it goes with 125mcg.

And I have been making sure I have a bit of liver or red meat regularly in addition to Iron oral spray, but I wanted to check my iron levels so I wasn’t overdoing it. I also take a vit D and K oral spray, which along with a bit of summer sunshine, seems to be doing the trick.

I’m in my late 40s, so other things are also changing. We will see.

[jrbarnes in reply to Obvs]

Seems giving 125 mcg a go if you're still suffering from symptoms isn't unreasonable. I may start taking a little iron even though my Dr said my iron was "normal. " Good luck on the increase!

[Obvs in reply to jrbarnes]

Thank you, and yes some symptoms are unfortunately persisting.

I understand from this forum that keeping iron, vit Bs, D and a few other elements at the top end of the range, help with conversion of T4 to T3, so well worth trying the iron oral spray.

Good luck to you too, hope you make progress with your desiccated thyroid.

[NIKEGIRL in reply to jrbarnes]

I was told if iron was ok then not to supplement as it will add more stress to the liver.

[Obvs in reply to NIKEGIRL]

Thank you, yes I think I’ll stop the iron spray for now. I only took it because I have such heavy periods and my hair falls out intermittently, but hopefully once my Levothyroxine dose is correct or sufficient those symptoms will subside.

[NIKEGIRL in reply to Obvs]

Sorry I’m not that up on the periods and hair relating to iron supplementation. Talking to a health supplement store would be helpful fir advice on pro’s and con’s of continuing supplementation. No harm in asking. It’s a shit deal all round really

[Meanbeannyc]

Hemolysis does not affect thyroid testing

[Obvs]

Thank you for your reply.

Yes it only affected the analysis of iron levels etc. I think I’ll try a different lab next time.

[silverfox7]

I had issues with Ferritin about a year ago -haemolysed! Never found out why!

[Obvs in reply to silverfox7]

Thank you, it was when it happened twice that I started to question it. Perhaps something happens to the structure of the cells whilst taking Levo?

[silverfox7]

Couldn’t work it out and thinking about it I think it may have been folate rather than Ferritin but I do remember at the time a lot were having the same issue. Plus I take NDT!