Been trying to send pix of results and keep losing whole post. So...
On March 16, on 72.5mcg t3, my readings were as below and I felt great:
Free t3= 6.2 (3.2-6.8)
Free t4= <0.5 (11.2-20.2)
TSH = <0.01 (0.27-4.2)
I know two are low but does anyone think there’s something wrong? Could sometimes hear heart when I was lying down first - up to 100bpm. So asked advice of new endo (suggested by TUK) who asked me to gradually go down to 60 and add in 25mcg. Did and started to feel heady, lethargic etc so built back up and dropped levo.
But still not back to feeling great although getting better. Results on July 13 were:
Free t3=3.2 (3.2-6.8)
Freet4=<0.5 (11.2-20.2)
TSH=<0.01 (0.27-4.2)
One thing did do was took some from early without food etc and put midday and in evening as before and heart seems more steady, around 70bpm.
Following results taken in March. None available for July.
Blood results still showing ferritin at 241 (15-150). ???
Vit D still marked as under at 65 (76-250). Dr notes ‘May be adequate or borderline’. This has been case despite taking Accrete for more than two years. ??? Please.
eGFRcreatinine 86 mL/min (90-120). Dr says’does not necessarily indicate abnormal renal
Function in the absence of albuminuria’ ??? Please. Is this relevant to thyroid?
HbA1c 44mmol/mol (20-41) Dr says ‘abnormal but consistent with consistent with patient’s age (76) and illness. Consider referral to National Diabetes Prevention Progamme’. ??? Please.
Folate and B12 nearer to top range.
Would really appreciate comments please because seeing endo onThursday.
Thank you...in advance!
Lynn
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So asked advice of new endo (suggested by TUK) who asked me to gradually go down to 60 and add in 25mcg. Did and started to feel heady, lethargic etc so built back up and dropped levo.
Presumably you meant …add in 25mcg levothyroxine
Which brand of levothyroxine did you get
It takes 6-8 weeks for any dose change to settle
How long did you try this 60mcg T3 and 25mcg levothyroxine
The levo was Teva, Slow Dragon, and has been for about over 15 years before I started on t3 and gradually reduced levo to nothing. Do you think my very low T4 is to be worried about? Does it matter when my t3 has returned to my March reading?
Quite honestly, I haven’t got six to eight weeks for a dose to settle, when I’ve already built up very gradually over nearly two and a half years to feel this good and be able to get on with my life. That includes looking after a husband who is physically and mentally disable. I can’t afford to be I’ll myself. The last few weeks have been bad enough!
Sorry, forgot. Taking bs plus biotin, magnesium, zinc, glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis, k2 and turmeric. Also Ezetimibe although cholesterol is improving now hypo has been better.
Yes, I take 25mcg of Tiromel around 7.30am, another around 12.30 and the rest around 6pm. All with water and at least an hour before food and we’ll before any other supplements or meds.
ESSENTIAL to stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before all blood tests as biotin can falsely affect test results
You need to improve low vitamin D levels by supplementing
Teva brand levothyroxine upsets many, many people
Request different brand or trial of liquid levothyroxine
Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Teva contains mannitol as a filler, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet. So if avoiding Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half
But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)
Teva, Aristo and are the only lactose free tablets.
As Tomorel has lactose in presumably you aren’t lactose intolerant
Most easily available (and often most easily tolerated) are Mercury Pharma or Accord
Mercury Pharma make 25mcg
Wockhart make 25mcg
Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots, and Northstar 50mcg and 100mcg via Lloyds ....but doesn’t make 25mcg tablets
Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).
Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after
Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime
No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.
Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away
(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)
If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
But I’m not taking Levo anymore because I wasn’t converting. That’s why I now take Tiromel because I can’t get Thybon Henning from German. It was only whenI reintroduced Teva 25mcg and reduced Tiromel that started to feel ill again. Within three weeks. Building back up to my old dose and stopping Teva has got me back to feeling pretty good. I’m not chancing another return to hell!
Optimal Vit D is important in getting thyroid meds working. Have you tried liposomal supplements that are easier to absorb?
The cause of elevated ferritin needs investigating with a full iron panel.
Ineffective meds are the same as being inadequately treated which can cause renal changes such as a slowed glomerular filtration rate & low albumin levels. Adequate thyroid hormone replacement that is working effectively will usually reverse these changes unless changes are age-related. Re Ezetimibe, lipid abnormalities can also be the result of inadequately treated hypothyroidism.
The HbA1c test measures how much haemoglobin in the blood has become glycated (chemically bonded with glucose) and your result is pre-diabetic. Blood sugar issues are common in hypothyroidism that can compromise cortisol levels that helps with blood-sugar regulation. Your referral will help you to make dietary changes such as eating regular meals & balancing anything with a high sugar content such as grapes with cheese or any protein to slow high sugar absorption. Cortisol issues should also be addressed or problems will reoccur. There are many supplements that help regulate both cortisol & blood glucose levels.
I’m glad your heart has steadied. Your previous post advised of hair loss which can be a result of elevated T3 as well as insufficient levels. Also elevated iron can have the same effect as too little.
But, as you see, I’ve never had elevated t3 - only a good level in March and low when I reduced my dose. Before that, from January 2019, it was gradually recovering on on a slowly increasing dose of Thybon Henning.
My slight concern is with the very low t4. Any comments, please?
Previous tests have said I don’t have cortisol Problems. Could that have changed?
Don’t really understand your reference to ‘ineffective meds’. I had been fine for well over a year, but from what you are saying, it hasn’t corrected my renal results or my blood sugar levels. The latter is ironic because I don’t often eat cakes, biscuits and the like. Mind you, I put on nearly 3 stone in weight (on top
Of 8!) from around 2006. Two stone has gone since starting t3 without absolutely no effort.
My hair is also growing back and nails stopped breaking using biotin, collagen and the like, plus caffeine shampoo.
But my eyes and nose are still dry, I’m a bit constipated and suddenly am desperate for a wee and can’t hold
It.
Such fun!
Asks for helpful comments so far. Lynn
The levo was for about the last five years. All is seemed to do was turn me from someone in her 60s with the bones of a 20-something to one at 70 with osteoporosis!
Re cortisol it depends on which test you have had. A 9am blood serum only gives a snap shot of levels in that moment & often members have seen cortisol levels either remain substantially elevated or dramatically plummet over the remaining hours when conducting a saliva test. It is also useful to know DHEA levels when considering cortisol issues.
Your TSH is low because you are medicating T3. Your FT4 is low because you aren’t medicating any. With reference to ‘ineffective meds’ you are medicating a substantial amount of T3 and having these issues could indicate a large percentage is bound to protein carriers instead of being “free” to work effectively, in which case it would not show in your bloods. As explained both renal & blood-sugar issues could be the result of being hypothyroid on a cellular level, ie meds aren’t working as well as they could be.
Members who medicate T3-only appear not to require any T4 so your concern re a low FT4 may be needless but you could always repost a question to T3-only medicaters for their experiences, as I am on NDT. Also both suboptimal Vit D &/or iron could be contributing or the cause of you not achieving full well-being.
I had troubles on Levo-mono therapy too just as may others have, & was diagnosed osteopenic as ineffective Levo contributed to the years of being un/misdiagnosed. It can be really difficult in finding our individual hormone ratios & sweet spot.
I was on Ezetimibe it caused me to pee blood which eventually caused anemia. I figure I must have been bleeding the entire time I used this pill (roughly 6 weeks) and yes I noticed the toilet water was pale pinkish color but I thought it was because of the recent plumbing line fix we had (residual rust) but before noticing the pinkish colored toilet water I started having heart palpitations and muscle weakness that was crazy (Im menopausal) and I was just now diagnosed with stage 1 (mild) kidney disease….. Makes me wonder.
If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.
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.
Interpretation of results needed please
Dr’s appointment - need advise re : T3
T3 taken away, looking for a new source please :)
