You are on an insufficient dose if your results were:-
Tsh..12.50 (0 27-4.2) - too high - the aim is 1 or under.
T3..3.5 (3.1-6.8) - too low - should be nearer the top of range.
T4.4.5 (12-22) - too low - you need an increase in dose.
You must be feeling awful.
I would phone his Secretary and leave a message for the Endo of your results.
You could ask for her email address and send them that way too.
When we take replacement thyroid hormones, the aim is a TSH of 1 or lower with both Free T3 and Free T4 at towards the top of the rangs. I note your T3 and T4 are not 'free' ones but your TSH is too high, when the aim is 1 or lower.
Don't worry about 'frees'. This is an explanation that you might find helpful. Is it not amazing that members on this forum learn much more than the majority of GPs or Endos (unless they have this condition themselves.)
Explanation of 'free'with regard to thyroid hormones:-
T4 is found in the body in 2 forms: free T4 and bound T4. Free T4 travels into body tissues that use T4. Bound T4 attaches to proteins that prevent it from entering these tissues. More than 99% of T4 is bound. Because T4 is converted into another thyroid hormone called T3 (triiodothyronine), free T4 is the more important hormone to measure. Any changes show up in T4 first.
T3 and T4 help to control how your body stores and uses energy (metabolism). The thyroid hormones also help control many of your body's other processes.
I will state that few GPs know much about how hypothyroidism affects the patient and some are apt not to give an optimum dose.
I, (one of many) couldn't improve on levothyroxine only and it also gave me severe palpitations.
Thanks to Thyroiduk.org.uk I found my way forward and that was before Healthunlocked was invented and which serves many people with autoimmune diseases to recover their health.
Shaws.Thanks for that.My Doctor actually said to me he doesn't understand Hypothyroidism which I respect him for so hes been leaving up to my Endo,personally I dont think hes knows to much about it either.I must say,Healthunlocked has been a great help to me even though I'm still not there yet,but every little bit of information helps.Thank you for your reply,much appreciated.
It can be a difficult journey for some people, especially for those for whom levothyroxine doesn't appear to help.
The majority of hypo patients are prescribed levothyroxine whereas a few years ago there were 'options' which were, NDTs (natural dessicated thyroid hormones) which had been prescribed from 1895 onwards without the need for blood tests (not invented then) but withdrawn without notice some months ago and caused immense worry for the patients.. It is made from animals' thyroid glands and people could be prescribed T4/T3 or T3 alone.
Apparently the price of T3 went sky-high so this was also withdrawn by the professionals, so it seems to me that if we've got the money we can get prescribed whatever we request.
The many people who were prescribed it were horrified when it was withdrawn without any notice, but if an Endocrinolgoist prescribed T3 we would receive it. The only problem with that is that Endos rarely prescribe it, whether the hypo patient improves on it or not.
You poor thing! You were doing well on the old regime (did you feel good on it?).
Just because your FT3 was slightly over range the Endo has taken a sledgehammer to your health. Object. Insist you go back to what you were doing. When was your last dose of T3 containing medication before that earlier test? If it was too close to the blood draw you have a false high T3 reading.
Hi FancyPants 54.I was on NDT for 3 years.Id feel ok for a few weeks then start to feel horrible again.Id tweak it here and there but my levels just wont stay where they should be.When my Endo changed my meds he put me on 20mcg t/h which was far to much so i lowered them. and only 30mcg of NDT.I,ve now up my NDT slightly to get some thyroxine back into me.Im just wondering wether to cut out the NDT and go back to levothyroxine I think it will be easier for me to work it out.The last dose I took before blood test was the day before at 7.30AM I did,nt take the afternoon meds that I normally take at 4.30.Had the test at 8.45 next day
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Low TSH
High T4 and low TSH
Advice on new readings
High T3 Low T4- help !
Low TSH High T3 Normal T4 Total Thyroidectomy
