Thyroid function blood test results. Please help me understand these.

[JAE69]

CRP HS - 1.0 (Range 0 - 5)

Ferritin - 326 ug/L (Range 13 - 150)

Folate. - 8.4 ug/L (Range >2.9)

Vitamin B12 - Active 94 pmol/L (Range 25.1 - 165)

Vitamin D. - 95 nmol/L (Range 50 - 200)

TSH - 0.07 mlU/L (Range 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T 3 - 5.7 pmol/L (Range 3.1 - 6.8)

Free Thyroxine 14.6 pmol/L (Range 12 - 22)

Thyroglobulin Antibodies 46.3 lU/mL (Range 0 - 115)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies 11.3 lU/mL (Range 0 - 34)

How worried should I be about the Ferritin and TSH?

Thanks everyone

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

JAE69

As you are on NDT your TSH is going to be low, that's what happens, the T3 in NDT causes low, even suppressed TSH. It's the FT4 and FT3 that are important and if you feel well and they are within range there is no problem.

Your Ferritin is high. It's unlikely to be due to inflammation or infection as your CRP isn't raised (an inflammation marker). You could ask your GP about it.

[JAE69 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Seaside Suzie for your advice. I’m seeing a GP on Monday to discuss my ferritin result. I’m pleased to have your advice on the thyroid test results should she then argue against my TSH being low.

[JAE69 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi Seaside Suzie,

In March I was prescribed Nortryptaline by my gp because I was feeling ‘pants’ having not slept well for around 18 months and felt quite low. The Nortryptaline didn’t agree with me at all and I weaned myself off it.

In June, I increased my Erfa from 90 mgs to 120 mgs daily as well as started taking it in split doses am & pm.

I am feeling slightly improved now with no problems when taking my Erfa on this new twice daily regime with the increased dose. I now manage to get a a little more sleep on this regime rather than taking it all in one go at 8 am during the 18 months prior changing.

I have repeated TSH, T3 & T4 bloods with medichecks 30 July 2021. However my new T3 level is over the range. Please can you advise?

TSH

0.27 - 4.2 R

<0.01

mIU/L

FREE T3

3.1 - 6.8 R

8.2

pmol/L

FREE THYROXINE

12 - 22 R

18.2

Two quick questions, where can you obtain the calculator people use to work out the percentage of T3,T4 from your results? And finally Magnesium is supposed to help with sleep, any recommendations of where to purchase a reputable supplement.

Thank you, your help is so much appreciated.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to JAE69]

JAE69

When did you take your last dose before the test? Last dose should be 8-12 hours before blood draw. Any longer and you get a false low FT3, any closer you get a false high FT3.

Also remember no Biotin or B Complex for 7 days before the test.

As your FT3 is quite a bit over range, it does seem to suggest that you may be taking a bit too much.

Calculator here: chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

For magnesium you need to decide which form is best for you:

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

drjockers.com/best-magnesiu...

Look through them. Citrate is said to be relaxing but it's also the form to use if you suffer from constipation, so you'd have to dose carefully to avoid diarrhoea.

[JAE69 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for sharing SeasideSusie.

- I took my usual Erfa NDT (60 mgs) on the Saturday at 7 am and then a further 60 mgs at 9 pm.

- On the Sunday I split my dose into 3, taking It at 6 am, 2pm & 10 pm as recommended to avoid a false low FT3 /false T3 high result. This allowed 10 hours before having bloods taken on the Monday at 8 am with nothing to eat or drink.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to JAE69]

JAE69

OK so your result is as accurate as it can be and does suggest that you are taking too much. Maybe reduce dose by 1/4 of a grain (15mg) and see how things are in 6-8 weeks.

[JAE69 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Many thanks for your support/advice

[pennyannie]

Hello JAE :

Well your T3 has moved up the range since your last post so going in the right direction - but more to the point - how are you feeling ?

On NDT the TSH goes low suppressed and this doesn't matter, and the T4 can be much lower than when on synthetics but as long as the T3 rises, which it has that's a step forward.

There is room in the T3 range to increase your medication if still wth symptoms so think that the next step for you.

No thyroid hormone replacement works well unless ferritin, folate, B12 and vitain D are maintained at optimal levels so this might be an area to shore up.

However your ferritin does appear over range so this is a question for your doctor.

Is your NDT on the NHS as I don't understand why having been on NDT for a number of years and preferring this thyroid hormone replacement your endocrinologists thinks you should switch to T4 - Levothyroxine.

[JAE69 in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you pennyannie for your advice on my test results. I was prescribed NDT while staying in Australia with my family for 3 months because of erratic TFT’s. On return to the UK my GP continued to prescribed my Endo but wasn't happy to take responsibility of monitoring my blood results because of lack of knowledge/experience of patients on NDT. I then saw an Endo on the NHS who was happy to monitor me but wasn’t allowed to prescribe it. I have been seeing this endo for 12 years but he retired quite suddenly! My new Endo refuses to monitor me on NDT saying that research proves it causes Atrial fibrillation & oesteoporosis. I’m now trying to track down a new Endo who will take over my monitoring only. Not much lunch yet!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to JAE69]

JAE69

My new Endo refuses to monitor me on NDT saying that research proves it causes Atrial fibrillation & oesteoporosis.

As to be shown/given this research

[pennyannie in reply to JAE69]

So, buying this yourself - do you even need an endocrinologist to monitor you ?

Most likely they will be trying to put you into the ranges and guidelines that were designed and introduced to be used when Big Pharma launched synthetic T3 and T4 to compete with NDT which was already in the NHS prescription service having been used successfully for over 100 years to treat hypothyroidism.

P.S. Many of us on here self medicate NDT - me included and source Thyroid S which is from Thailand much cheaper than and US sites where you can buy NDT without a prescription and you can ask for a PM - private message - as we are not allowed to discuss supplier sources on this main forum.

[JAE69 in reply to pennyannie]

Hi pennyannie

I took your advise and increased my Erfa from 90 mgs to 120 mgs daily. I have repeated TSH, T3 & T4 bloods with medichecks 30 July 2021. I have been fine while on the 120 mgs of Erfa, however my new T3 level is over the range. Please can you advise?

TSH

0.27 - 4.2 R

<0.01

mIU/L

FREE T3

3.1 - 6.8 R

8.2

pmol/L

FREE THYROXINE

12 - 22 R

18.2

Two quick questions, where can you obtain the calculator people use to work out the percentage of T3,T4 from your results? And finally Magnesium is supposed to help with sleep, any recommendations of where to purchase a reputable supplement.

Thank you.

[pennyannie in reply to JAE69]

Hey there ;

So, how are you feeling, as NDT is dosed to the reief of symptoms and not a blood test :

Are you taking the 2 grains all at once and when was your last dose before the blood test ?

As for the Polish calculator - I haven't used one but pop those 2 words into the search bar top riht and go into Thyroid comminities as see what " pops up " :

Do I take it you are not sleeping - is this since increasing your NDT ?

I use Nutriadvanced as a brand, but not up on " all things magnesium " as I read there are several different forms of magnesuim to consider before you even check out recommended brands.

You'll probably find greater detail in the vitamis and minerals section - or try top right again and see what comes up.

[JAE69 in reply to pennyannie]

Hi pennyannie, before blood draw on the Monday 30 July at 8 am:

- I took my usual Erfa NDT (60 mgs) on the Saturday at 7 am and then a further 60 mgs at 9 pm.

- On the Sunday I split my dose into 3, taking It at 6 am, 2pm & 10 pm as recommended to avoid a FT3 false result. This allowed 10 hours before having bloods taken on the Monday at 8 am with nothing to eat or drink.

I was feeling fine with no problems when taking my Erfa on this new twice daily regime. I managed to get a slightly improved sleep on this regime rather than taking it all in one go at 8 am during the 18 months prior changing.

In March I I was prescribed Nortryptaline by my gp because I was feeling ‘pants’ with not sleeping and felt quite low. The Nortryptaline didn’t agree with me and I weaned myself off it by the beginning of June.

By the time I changed my regime of x2 doses of Erfa daily and coming off Nortryptaline I slowly started to feel better in myself and improve on a daily basis.

Your help is much appreciated.

[pennyannie in reply to JAE69]

OK - so at 10 hours from last dose to blood draw my T3 is over range as well -

I now wait 24 hours if I need a blood test for medical mainstream.

So you have no symptoms of hyperactivity - the sleep issue was already there :

and you seem happy with how you feel on this dose and continue to improve :

So I think I'd suggest you stay put as I found my symptoms continued to improve well into over 6 months on my final dose, and I guess it depends where you start from with these insideous symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Did you find the calculator and magnesium - I just had a look but it meant I had to loose this little message and thought better of it.

I can't do that cut and paste thing anyway, unless I've scissors and glue, and currently a bit restricted as having a stiff neck and referred pain shooting down my back and arm.