Hi there , we’ll here I am again . Totally confused about my results and how I’m feeling . You would think I’d have got to grips with this by now.
Anyone give any advice I’d really appreciate it as always.
TSH. <0.02. Range 0.30-4.50
FT4 15.4. Range 11-22
FT3. 6.3. Range 3.1 -6.8
Ferritin. 69. Range 23-400
Serum B12. 573 Range 197-771
Folate. 13.2. Range > 2.5
Haemaglobin 126. Unsure of range
I am having racing heart , breathless on exertion or sometimes just talking . My heart seems to flutter a lot . My pulse was racing even while laying in bed . My weight is still rising . I am cycling a couple of times a week weather permitting . I take 125 mcg of Levothyroxine and
20mcg of liothyronine sodium split into 2 , 1 x 10 in am and 1 x10 in pm
It’s so confusing I’m worried about AF (I had RI treatment for hyper and am now hypo and have graves)
Thank you in advance regards
Lesley
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Sixties123
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These results are what you'd expect to see when on combination hormone replacement, i.e. low or suppressed TSH, lowish in range FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of it's range. Where we need our FT4 and FT3 is very individual when on combination therapy, some are fine with a low FT4 as long as FT3 is in upper part of range, some of us need FT4 and FT3 both in the upper part of their ranges, personally I seem to need FT4 and FT3 reasonably well balanced at around 60-70% through range.
Given the symptoms you have mentioned, it just may be possible that the FT3 is a little high for you. Looking at your previous post, am I right in thinking that you were started on 20mcg straight away rather than starting on a lower dose and gradually increasing? If so that's not really the best idea but this is what endos tend to do. It's much better to start with 5mcg, give it 2 weeks to see if you react adversely, if everything is fine then add a second 5mcg, give it another 2 weeks before adding another 5mcg. That way you build up slowly and you might find that you optimal dose is actually lower than the 20mcg that the endo thinks you need. I self source T3, NHS not involved in any way, and it's taken me a few years of tweaking Levo and T3 doses to find what is best for me, I got all the way up to 31.25mcg T3 but now find that I actually am fine with 18.75mcg.
Ferritin. 69. Range 23-400
Ferritin is recommended to be half way through range but I have seen it said that for females 100-130 is a good level and for males 150. Some experts suggest that the optimal ferritin level for thyroid function is between 90-110 ng/ml.
It might be worth you trying to improve your level and you can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet
What is the unit of measurement for this? pmol/L or ng/L or pg/ml?
Folate. 13.2. Range > 2.5
This is a good level.
Haemaglobin 126. Unsure of range
It might be useful to find out the range as these can differ between male and female, age, ethnic origin, but generally normal levels for females seem to be between 120 g/L to 160 g/L.
You can check out Labtestsonline here and click on "What does the result mean?"
Serum B12: 573ng/L (197-771) - ng/L and pg/ml are the same
This isn't bad but according to an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:
"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".
"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
If that was my result I'd be supplementing with a good quality, bioavailable B complex such as Thorne Basic B x 1 capsule.
Yes I was given 20mcg of t3 and did take 10 for a couple of weeks and then went onto 20 .
That's still too much too soon, 20mcg 2 weeks from starting T3, it's a potent hormone best started low and increase slowly by 5mcg at a time.
So from my results you wouldn’t do anything with my levothyroxine ? Just decrease the t3 and build it up again?
No, that's not what I've suggested.
Nobody except you will know where you need your FT4 level, this is why it takes a long time to gradually tweak doses to find the optimal dose for our own individual needs.
If those were my results that FT4 level would be too low, I need it balanced with FT3 around 60-70% through range, so first of all I would be reducing T3 by 5mcg then a couple of weeks later I would increase Levo, probably by 12.5mcg. Then I would retest in 8 weeks (however, I don't answer to a doctor or endo where my T3 is concerned so I do my own thing). Small, gradual changes are best so that you don't miss your sweet spot. The reason I would reduce T3 first is because when you add extra Levo this will increase your FT4 level but it will very likely increase your FT3 level as well depending on how much natural conversion of T4 to T3 you have. Leaving your T3 at it's current dose and increasing your Levo will probably take your FT3 level over range.
I posted with similar symptoms a couple of months ago and believe it was related to my T4 being high (in my case). I cut back slightly on Levo and then reintroduced in small increments. I would try same with approach with Lio as your T3 is high in range. I reduced from 125 mcg Levo plus 10 T3 to 112.5 mcg Levo plus 10 T3 and the ‘hyper’ like symptoms passed.
I would follow advice offered by SS & SD as this is what I did & their advice worked for me!
Hi Poppyrocks, I'm probably going to say different to most people here, but I can only go by my personal experience. I would personally reduce the thyroxine. Why did the Endo put you on Liothyronine? maybe you are not converting T4 to T3 properly, in which case if you have too much thyroxine in your blood it isn't doing anything but causing your heart and pulse racing. Your body needs T3, whether it is from converting T4 to T3 or in your case they are giving you T3 - liothyronine. If you are being given T3 then you won't need as much T4. When I was on 125 mcg and even on 100mcg thyroxine alone, I had the racing heart and pulse, it was pushing up my blood pressure, I thought I would have a heart attack. Now I have 20mcg of Liothyronine and 75mcg thyroxine, that is all the thyroxine my body will take. When I get my bloods taken,the T4 figure is at the bottom of the range, but that is right for me. I have heard of many people getting side effects from thyroxine, but not many from liothyronine. My TSH is 0.004, the doctors will say it is bad for your TSH to be suppressed, but if you are taking T3 it will be. Some don't really understand how it works. Sorry I can't say very much about the weight gain, but taking more medication won't usually work.Kind regards
Hi there , this sounds like me to a tee 👍 I am currently reducing levo thyroxine down by 12.5mcg to see if things change …. It’s a long process really isn’t it xx. Thank you for your help on this regardsLesley
Dear Lesley, I read online - (somewhere?) - that Fluoride in drinking water negatively affects the Thyroid gland. I have been drinking Fluoride-free water for a long time now & my Thyroxine dosage has come down from 150micrograms each morning to 100micrograms, as my TSH levels dropped. Your TSH results indicate the need to lower the dosage of Thyroxine. Try going from 125 to 100 for say 3x months & see what kind of blood-test results you get.
Thank you so much for your advice Bruce . It’s very much appreciated . I have reduced my thyroxine to 112.5 so a slight reduction and see what happens and if no joy I’ll try taking it down another 12.5 mcg . I filter my water but we are in a fluoridated area so might be worth looking at this also . You take care regards Lesley
You are correct in taking smaller steps than I suggested - having looked at "Slow Dragon's" - ( HealthUnlocked Administrator); also she/he suggests having another blood test 4-6x weeks after a brand and/or dosage change. Drinking-water filters that eliminate Fluoride are VERY expensive, so I find it economical to buy 10L "bag-in-a-box" every 5-7x days. I use the natural spring water to cook with too...
BTW: Few people are aware that, in the 1930's, the Nazi scientists discovered that Fluoride affects the part of the human brain involved in Dominance / submissiveness.... They then Fluoridated the drinking-water in the Jewish ghettos...
We who live in Fluoridated areas, are overdosed with Fluoride - it is in almost all drinks; 'fizzy' & 'still'; & all foods cooked in Fluoridated water... Also, the "Dental Argument" for Fluoride is bad science, as - although topical toothpaste is less absorbed...[don't ever 'gargle' though! > Thyroid gland!] ...it & the drinking-water is usually sourced from Unnatural Fluoride-based chemicals from the Aluminium or Fertiliser factories - that find it a VERY difficult by-product to safely get rid of, as it is so toxic. The original science for Fluoride & it's affect on teeth, was also in the 1930's - I think? - where American scientists found that people who drank Natural spring water - with Natural fluoride in it - had harder enamel on their teeth & were less prone to tooth-decay.
The TSH will always be supressed if someone is taking T3 (liothyronine). My TSH is 0.004, but I am only taking 75mcg thyroxine,but am taking 20mcg liothyronine as well.
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