Taking T3 only T4 low: Hi everyone ❤️ I've... - Thyroid UK

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Taking T3 only T4 low

birkie profile image
10 Replies

Hi everyone ❤️

I've received a letter from an endo in regards to my hyperparathiyroidism, she's talking a load of crap in saying my calcium is OK... Calcium in March 2021 was 2.68...ranges.. 2.10...2.60)..it went back to 2.35 in April 2021) had a blood test in june 2021 it's now 2.53..) pth went from 4.4 in March 2021...range1.60..6.90..to..5.3..in June 2021).. Pth.. Was 8.1 in June 2020...then 9.5 in Aug 2020)...ok something is going on in relation to pth and calcium, but that's not what this is about I have all the symptoms of hyperparathiyroidism, urinating loads, very thirsty, bone pain feeling very sick no appetite, very bad headaches... Any way she has wrote that the other endo she put me over to says in the letter.. "furthermore he had discharged ms whitehead as she wished to remain on T3 treatment despite the advise from Mr....... Regarding the risks of T3 treatment without T4... when I was on T4 for nearly 8 months my bloods bar one never showed hypo I had a lot of trouble on T4 and the endo who wrote me this letter was the one who recommended I go on T3 only as I appeared not to be doing well on the T4.. That was true.. I have been doing well on the T3 meds my last results in April 2022..

T3...... 5.9....ranges... 3.10..6.80

T4.....2....ranges.. 11.00...22.00

TSH...0.05...ranges.. 0.30...4.50

Being on T3 only will lower the TSH and T4.... Mr...... Said I should come off T3 as it is not working for me.. 🤷‍♀️.. Obviously the symptoms I'm having are not related to over medication, as I'm sure having server thirst and urinating constantly are not symptoms of low TSH and T4.. I'm totally confused by both of these endos I'm I in danger with these latest results in April...?? I'm due to have another thyroid pannle as the last bloods I had done in June they popped a full thyroid pannle in without letting me know so I took my thyroid meds, also it was at 3.35 in the afternoon I'd drank and had a small amount of food.. so all those bloods can be egnored, they have now both discharged me from there clinics.. 🙄

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tattybogle profile image
tattybogle

"OK had the draw on Tuesday 15th June.

TSH.... 0.04...range.. 0.30...4.50

T3...11.3...range.. 3.10..6.80

No T4 done. I took my thyroid meds as normal, 10mg at 8am..10mg at 2pm..also this draw was at 3.35 in the afternoon and I know its best... A... NOT to take your meds 24 hours prior to a thyroid blood draw."

24 hrs is a very long a gap for testing T3, 8-12 hs is better

"Bloods taken on March 29th) please note these bloods were taken late afternoon I'd taken my T3 medication at 8am and 2pm as the gp did not say he was doing a full thyroid panel,

T3.. 16.5...range.. 3.10...6.80

T4...2.5...range... 11.00...22.00

TSH... 0.1..range... 0.30..4.50...results after taking T3 meds!! "

I do realise you'd taken your T3 dose before both these tests, but i can't help wondering if the results might still suggest 'too high' a level of T3 on your current dose.

" my last results in April 2022..

T3...... 5.9....ranges... 3.10..6.80

T4.....2....ranges.. 11.00...22.00

TSH...0.05...ranges.. 0.30...4.50 "

How long a gap did you leave from last dose T3 till this blood draw ?.. was it the recommended 8-12hrs, or was it 24 ?

"Obviously the symptoms I'm having are not related to over medication, as I'm sure having server thirst and urinating constantly are not symptoms of low TSH and T4.. I'm totally confused by both of these endos, am I in danger with these latest results in April...?? "

I wouldn't completely rule out overmedication as a possible cause of frequent urination.. it was a symptom (for me) of slight overmedication on Levo.

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to tattybogle

Hi tattybogle❤️Thanks for the reply, I take my last T3 5mg at 8pm....my usual blood draws are about 9 to 9.15 am, I've been doing great on T3, bowles are OK no pain in them as the last lot of tables contained lactose we solved that!! All was OK until march/April 2020 when I noticed my body pain went up a big notch, (diagnosed with cfs/fibro/me in 2005) then i

started weeing loads and couldn't quench my thirst..( Are still like this) I was sent to hospital with a resting heart rate of 133 the A&E doctor said I was over medicated (was on 35mg of T3) I came home and dropped my T3 by 5mg making it 30mg.. i still continued to have these symptoms weeing, thirst, bad body pain, I dropped again by 5mg I'm now on 25mg T3.. No improvement in symptoms, obviously my calcium has been bouncing about for years ( evidence in my records) I will be getting the thyroid pannle done in the next 2 weeks so I will see how that looks, but there are plenty on her who are on T3 only, and there T4 and TSH will probably be low and they seem to be OK.. 🤷‍♀️

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to tattybogle

Hi tattybogle❤️

Should note the June 15th bloods were sprung on me as the gp didn't inform me he was doing a full thyroid pannle, I'd taken my meds at 8am and 2pm, and drank and eaten a small amount of food, I've actually not got a good appetite at the moment either, feeling sick quite a lot, the April bloods were the ones done at around 9.15am with last meds at 8pm the night before the draw.. So they are correct on 25mg T3.. ❤️

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to birkie

Oh ..that does seem to rule out my easy answer of "is it too much T3" then. I was just checking ,as i did raise an eyebrow at the 11 and 16 fT3 results. but if you've already tried a reduced dose and are happy that you normally test correctly then maybe it's not too much, and 25mcg is not a big dose for someone on T3 only..

however the 11 and 16 results done shortly after taking your 10mcg T3 dose at 2pm , do show that your fT3 is significantly over range for several hours twice a day. so i can see why Endo's would jump on that as overmedication.

Not sure what else you can do about the PTH concerns until your Calcium and PTH both go out of range again.

Sorry you're at a dead end with the Endo's. So frustrating when you know something's wrong but can't find what.

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to tattybogle

Hi tattybogle❤️Yeah I just want my endo to clarify it's not over medication I split my dose any way 3 times 10mg 10mg and 5mg....but calcium in the normal range is much like T3, T4, TSH in that in rang does not always mean optimal, my base line for calcium is around 2.35.....so even a jump of 2.53 is bad for me.. My calcium as Been 2.76,2.67,2.89,2.61,above the range.. I think the raise calcium is making me feel ill... I'm contacting PALs tomorrow with a veiw to getting this sorted, as I'm bedridden again, and after full thyroidectomy (2019) I thought I'd be on my way to having no more health issues, 🤦‍♀️

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to birkie

" I just want my endo to clarify it's not over medication...." Honestly, i don't think there is any chance you will get them to agree with that, statement now they've got evidence of 2 very over range fT3 results .. the time of last dose won't change their point of view .. they mostly WANT to see tests done shortly after taking last dose ... precisely so they can see how high it goes. at it highest point.... they would probably say we are 'cheating' by doing it 8-12 hrs after.. especially if we only took 5mcg as the 'last dose'.

Hate to say it , but maybe you should save your energy for a fight you are more likely to win rather than fighting some endos' over something you are unlikely to convince them of. Those high fT3 test's give them all the evidence they need to dismiss any argument you make about not being overmedicted..

i'm not saying i think they are right.. I just don't know how you'd go about convincing them that some people are Ok with over range fT3 for several hours a day.

Hedgeree profile image
Hedgeree

Hi birkie,

I'm not a medic in any form, just another forum member but with you saying you were very thirsty and peeing a lot, have you been checked for diabetes?

Not saying you have this just think it may be a good idea to rule it out.

Best wishes.

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to Hedgeree

Hi hedgeree❤️Yeah I have a diabetes tester, also they checked that, so not diabetes, I reckon it's hyperparathyroidism, both endos wrote to me last year after 2 over range calcium and 2 over range pth, saying I probably have primary hyperparathyroidism, it was impossible to see the endo face to face because of covid, I had the bone scan which showed ostiopeania in my spine, and I've passed kidney stones for years and now have gal stones, all linked to untreated primary hyperparathyroidism. (I was diagnosed in 2004 with early onset of primary hyperparathyroidism with elevated PTH, calcium, calcium oxalate crystals in urine, then they got a normal test bk and left me,) feel they are doing the same here.. AGAIN!!! 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Hedgeree profile image
Hedgeree in reply to birkie

Hi birkie,

You've got a lot of health issues going on; it must be very frustrating for you.

There is also diabetes insipidus. I'd not heard of it before until the other day as I was reading around diabetes when I came across it so I know very little other than what I'd just read online.

It's not connected to blood sugar issues as it is caused by a problem with the hypothalamus or pituitary gland; it might be good to ask your gp about it.

Take care.

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to Hedgeree

Hi Hedgeree❤️You know something... My gp wouldn't listen anyway I've begged him to send me to see an endocrinologist, but covid scuppered that, he did send me bk to the surgeon who removed my thyroid.. The surgeon said "if I needed parathyroid surgery he would not do it" NICE.... and it took my gp 12 months to Diagnose me with hyperthyroidism (graves) hence me loosing my thyroid after going into thyroid storm.. I have no faith in my gps ability to Diagnose anything, I think my only recourse is PALs.. I'm getting nowhere and everyday I'm getting worse, 😢😢😢

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