I have just received a phone call from my doctor. I had a neck scan that showed the swelling on each side of my neck was just fat. They had scanned all my neck a d said that my thyroid had shrunk due to using T3. I recently went T3 only. I’ve not taken T4 for a long time due to very bad reactions. I used to be on Thyroid S.
I don’t have any test results at the moment as I’ve been due to have one but doctor has been telling me to cut back on meds then wait 8 weeks and I haven’t yet had 8 weeks on the same dose. I tried cutting back but when I am under medicated, I get cellulitis under my eyes.
I had a cortisol test done a month ago and I asked about those results and was told it was “fine”.
I have always felt well on all non T4 only meds, I tried metavive as well. My only problem is my weight, just can’t shift it. Because of that, I upped my T3 from 50mg to 75mg with no difference.
Please can anyone shed any light on the shrunken thyroid before I speak to the doctor again? I would appreciate your better knowledge.
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Misstee2
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Thyroid shrinks due to autoimmune thyroid disease (Ord’s thyroiditis) …..not due to medication
Have you had thyroid antibodies tested in past
Your thyroid would have been under attack and the reason you were started on levothyroxine
Absolutely essential to regularly retest vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
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 at least annually
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
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)
When on T3, day before test, split dose into three smaller doses roughly equal 8 hour intervals. Taking last dose T3 at roughly 8-12 hours before test
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
I didn’t think it would be meds related. I finally got the doctor to agree to test vitamins but like I said, waiting for a test once I’ve been on same meds for eight weeks.
I only got tested for autoimmune at the very start of my hypothyroid diagnosis. I will ask for that to be repeated now that I know that is a more likely cause of the shrinkage.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Now I have something to request and knowledge to back it up.
Also known as Ord’s disease, this autoimmune condition is characterized by atrophy of the thyroid gland and hypothyroidism. It is very similar to Hashimoto’s disease, apart from the shrinking of the thyroid gland instead of the development of a goiter. Ord’s disease and Hashimoto’s disease have historically been classified as separate disorders, but research suggests that they may instead be different manifestations of autoimmune thyroiditis, with some medical practitioners calling for the combined term Ord-Hashimoto’s disease to be used.
European population apparently has higher incidence of Ord’s
Thanks for all that info SlowDragon, that’s really useful. I was negative when first tested. I’m going to read all those links so that I know what I’m talking about when the doctor calls back.
They do come out with some rubbish, dont they! A person with a healthy thyroid has T3 circulating, so if T3 was to blame, no one would have a full size thyroid!
Next it will be "I have a cut on my finger" - oh that is your T3!
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