Any suggestions on my recent lab results - Thyroid UK

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Any suggestions on my recent lab results

edleenia profile image
25 Replies

Gm, my recent blood work show the following: I’m still feeling shaky, stiffness of legs, joint pain. Can anyone provide some suggestions. Thank you.

Currently taking T4:100 Mg Levothyroxine / T3: 34 mg Liothyronine

FT3: 3.4 Range: 2.3-4.2

FT4: 0.9. Range: 0.8-1.8

TSH :0.01 (low) Range: 0.40-4.50

Reverse T3: 8 Range: 8-25

CRP: 7.3 (high).

Iodine /serum : 48 Range:50-100

SED RATE BY MODIFIED WESTERGREN : 28 Range: <20

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edleenia profile image
edleenia
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25 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Do you have Hashimoto’s

When were vitamin levels last tested

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. 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

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

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 half or third of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

Is this how you do your tests?

Add vitamin results and ranges if you have any

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you for your response

fuchsia-pink profile image
fuchsia-pink

Your TSH is low because you take T3 meds - that's just what happens so we can ignore that result. Your free T3 is 58% through range but your free T4 is only 10% through range. I need both to be higher than that to feel well. So assuming you took your meds as advised by SlowDragon and you nutrients are right, I'd ask for an increase in T4 meds - some will convert to T3 anyway so both levels should increase. Try and get free T4 in top third of range (making sure free T3 doesn't go over) and see how you feel then x

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply tofuchsia-pink

Ok thank you very much

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply tofuchsia-pink

So if my doctors increases meds would it do any harm or it’s ok

fuchsia-pink profile image
fuchsia-pink in reply toedleenia

Should make you feel better than you do at the mo :)

The danger is that the GP won't increase dose because of your low TSH (because s/he doesn't understand that it's just a direct result of taking T3 meds), rather than trying to get your fT4 and fT3 higher in range

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply tofuchsia-pink

Hi so my doctor has decided to increase my t4 and t3. My question is would the increase help me w my symptoms

fuchsia-pink profile image
fuchsia-pink in reply toedleenia

It should do :)

Great news that you got an increase - if it were me I'd want both free T4 and free T3 to be at least 75% through range, so worth getting bloods retested in 8 weeks and seeing where you are then x

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply tofuchsia-pink

Gm, lol yes he said he will have nor’easter both. He also said I had room to go up some. That’s exactly what you mentioned. Keep your fingers crossed I hope this works for me.

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply toedleenia

Sorry he will have both t3 and t4 increased

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply tofuchsia-pink

Hi , so my doc has increased from T4100 to 104 mg and T3 from 34 to 40 mg. Hoping the increase of meds will make me feel better

fuchsia-pink profile image
fuchsia-pink in reply toedleenia

That's a microscopic T4 increase - it's more usual to increase by 25 mcg a day rather than a week! You're sooo low in range I'm not sure you'll notice this. Hope I'm wrong x

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply tofuchsia-pink

Thank you

Loub37 profile image
Loub37

Hi Edleenia, I noticed your CRP was a bit high at 7.3. I don't know what the ranges are, but it should really be below 5. It can start to make you feel unwell if raised. It stands for C reactive Protein & is associated with inflammation in the body, so best if kept within range.

Mine rose to 16 at one point last year & I felt dreadful, although I think it was caused by a virus. I don't know if you've recently had a viral infection or a cold, but that can cause it to go up.

Lou

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply toLoub37

thank you for respond and yes I had covid in march

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply toLoub37

I noticed your CRP was a bit high at 7.3. I don't know what the ranges are, but it should really be below 5.

Ideally CRP should be below 1. But since few people know what causes it to be higher than that in their own situation it can be difficult to achieve. Sugar and a high carb diet is inflammatory. Having one or more autoimmune diseases is obviously inflammatory too.

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply tohumanbean

Thank you

Loub37 profile image
Loub37

Ah that's probably what it is.

Hope you make a full recovery.

Lou

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply toLoub37

How can I lower my CRP

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply toedleenia

Get plenty of sleep.

Exercise - not too much, not too little.

Eat a good and varied diet which includes plenty of protein and healthy fats and keeps the sugar to a minimum. Permanent starvation is not good for people.

Give yourself some time to relax every day.

Don't drink lots of alcohol and/or caffeine, although some is obviously fine.

Lots of people with thyroid disease are intolerant of gluten even if they don't have coeliac disease, so giving it up 100% to see if it helps is worth trying for three months. Go back to eating gluten if you get no benefits.

The same comment about intolerance applies to lactose (mammalian milk sugar), casein (mammalian milk proteins), and mammalian milk fats. Lots of people connect eggs and milk under the heading of "dairy" for historical reasons, but if someone is intolerant of milk it doesn't mean they have to give up eggs too.

If you want to experiment with giving up something in your diet don't give up two or more things at the same time. You could end up with a very restricted diet when you might only be intolerant of one thing.

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply tohumanbean

Thank u very much

Loub37 profile image
Loub37

Sorry Edleenia only just seen your post. It depends what's causing it. You might want to consult your gp. They may want to carry out blood tests & keep an eye on it, but hopefully it may just go away on its own.

Lou

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply toLoub37

Thank u

FerryMan profile image
FerryMan

Sorry for the delay, it has been a crazy week. My iodine like yours is low

Iodine, Serum or Plasma A, D 31.8 Low ug/L 40.0 - 92.0 0. I do have concerns about your CRP C-Reactive Protein, Cardiac and Sed rate. Although I note our labs are using different ranges and I don't have the range for you Sed. What is your diet like? Have you removed inflammatory foods......I had to remove grains, dairy, fruit, veg etc to lower my inflammation. Today I eat a high protein diet and it has done wonders for my inflammation. I still have issues with my iodine levels and ferritin. Also I have estrogen dominance with as the doctor reassuringly pointed , levels she has never seen. Ugh! This complicates things. I am still debating whether to go the supplementation route or not. I do now eat seaweed and liver to boost my iodine but some say that won't work if something else is interrupting my iodine supply. I recently found this other group on FB called Hypothyroid Advice & Support-. The moderator there Nicola Lynn is extremely knowledgeable and pointed out that something else may be at play. Its the whole pic that counts. Not sure what to do........ I return to my FMD with new blood work and new information at the end of the month and will see what she has to say first and how she interprets the iodine/ ferritin issue. I will post back here once I have a pros opinion. Everyone here says not to substitute iodine without professional guidance as you could do a lot of damage. I am going to heed advice. Keep us posted on your progress, very interested. Lastly get your Vit tested if you haven't already Vit D, Copper, Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, Ferritin and Antibodies TPO. I know a lot of testing but it is all necessary and inter related.

edleenia profile image
edleenia in reply toFerryMan

Thank u very much

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