Help with blood tests needed pls

[Crazydave]

Hi..Any advise on my latest blood test pls.. I had test a few months ago and since then I've tried to lower free T4 by reducing Levothyroxine but it has gone up from 20.9 two months ago to 21.8. Free T3 has gone a little higher from 4.98 to 5.3 but I did start supplementing with Selenium. TSH has gone down from 0.33 to 0.15, also Thyroglobulin Antibodies increased from 397 to 432 with no Iron supplementing at all.. I purchased T3 medication but not yet started yet as I'm not sure my levels are ok?? ...Hope this makes sense.. Many thanks in advance xx

[radd]

Crazydave,

You definitely don’t need to add any extra T3 meds at this stage as your levels are 60% through range with high FT4. FT4 is fine as most need is high when medicating T4 mono-therapy.

If you wanted to try adding T3 meds you would need to reduce T4 quite considerably more but you appear to be a good converter so I were you I would be looking at why adequate levels of thyroid hormones aren’t working. You have good nutrient and we must assume iron levels.

You are already gluten free & supplementing selenium but what about about assessing cortisol levels. Have you done a saliva test?

And the other thing is sex hormones. If you are menopausal or taking contraception pills it can alter the amounts of ‘free’ thyroid hormone available for use. This would mean you have adequate in your blood and good test results but still felt the symptoms that come with hypothyroidism.

[Crazydave in reply to radd]

Thank you for replying.. I have not done a saliva test yet as not able to buy them due to covid at moment but will ASAP .. I went through menopause 10 year ago.. Since my first test I have reduced T4 meds from 150 mg to 125 but still too high and levels gone up and Medichecks advise reducing again so started on 100mg today, I do feel a little better for taking less as was experiencing heart palpitations, anxiety, sweating and at times feeling faint.. Good job a year ago I didn't up meds to 175 on Dr's advise.. I gave up on Dr's and was trying to sort out myself but it is mind blowing..

[tattybogle in reply to Crazydave]

A note of caution ... when fT4 /3 levels indicate you are somewhere near the full dose, be careful of making 25mcg adjustments.. sometimes it's too big a hammer to crack the nut. It's only done that way because that happens to be the size the tablets come in , but very often the dose that makes you feel best will be some awkward interval between 100mcg and 125mcg. like 112.5 mcg (or between 125 and 150, like 137.5 mcg )Achieved by alternate dosing ,125 one day 100 the next, or by splitting a 25mcg every day, sometimes even finer adjustments like 5 days 100mcg/ 2 days 125mcg etc.

Eg...... in my case... 125mcg became too much , reduced to 112.5mcg . sort of OK, but blood still said 'too much', so GP reduced to 100mcg ... chronic constipation and brain fade and achy all over, put back to 112.5mcg... symptoms resolved .. and oddly, blood's then said OK. so GP left at 112.5mcg

[Crazydave in reply to tattybogle]

OK thanks..I suppose i could try 112.5mcg instead of dropping to 100mcg straight away...

[pennyannie]

Hello Crazydave :

Looking back at previous posts I see your ferritin is still running high - has this been investigated ?

I also see your antibodies are high and that you have already been advised that you most likely have Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroid disease.

Have you ever experienced " swings ' in symptoms - like possibly feeling overmedicated and a bit " hyper " followed by periods of undermedication and more " hypo " type symptoms ?

This is typical of Hashimoto's disease and as your thyroid hormone production becomes more erratic with every attack from your immune system response to certain triggers your thyroid becomes more disabled and ultimately you will need to be increasing your thyroid hormone production to compensate accordingly.

I read of many people referring to Dr Isabella Wentz's research as it is as much about healing the gut wall and identify certain food intolerances, like, gluten, what, dairy and processed foods that could be triggering and fueling the auto immune component of this disease.

I'm with Graves post RAI thyroid ablation in 2005 and now manage lingering Graves, thyroid eye disease and hypothyroidism.

[Crazydave in reply to pennyannie]

I do sometimes have swings like over active ie heart palpitations like my heart is beating out of my chest then episodes where I'm in so much pain all over but mostly legs feet that I have just go to bed.. I've ask Dr for Hashimoto test but was offered antidepressants as I cried in frustration at my appointment and he told me I was just depressed.. About 14 years ago my Doctor sent me to Marie Curie unit at my local Hospital to have test for cancer due to high Antibodies, said it was something to do with my liver and too many white or red cells in my blood, but that was after he asked if how many units I drank a week like I was some kind of alcoholic.. I had to give up work 3 years ago as unable to function properly..

[pennyannie in reply to Crazydave]

Well I think it in your best interest to read up about Hashimoto's autoimmune disease so at least you can get understanding on your own health condition and become your own best advocate.

There is plenty of information on the Thyroid uk website who are the charity who support this forum and once you know what you are dealing with you will be better prepared to deal with these erratic swings in your thyroid hormones.

I read that people with Hashimoto's knowing they are going, or are in, a hyper swing, stop their thyroid hormone replacement medication for a few days to try and offset the severity of these symptoms during the autoimmune attacks on their thyroid.

Do we have any answers on the high ferritin ?

[Crazydave in reply to pennyannie]

I've sent a copy of my blood test (as suggested by Medichecks) to my Doctors so will wait see what that brings! I do subscribe to Thyroid UK so have read a lot of there information but will look at the Hashimoto's info again and have just purchased Hashimoto's Taming the beast Janue Bowmore book... Thank you for you help and time it means a lot..