Low Temperature

[Summer64]

As advised on another post about low temperature these are my results in September. TSH 0.06, ft4 13.9, ft3 3.5, Vit D 67.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Summer64

It looks as though you added youroriginal query on another member's thread.

Perhaps you can put your details here in your own thread so that members can answer you and not detract from the other member's question.

Can you please give us the reference ranges for your results, ranges vary from lab to lab so we can't interpret your results unless we have the ranges that come with them. From what we know of most FT3 ranges posted here your FT3 level seems to be low, unfortunately there are so many ranges for FT4 that we can't know if it's low, middling or near the upper end (which it would be with my surgery's range which is 7-17)

[Summer64 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Sorry, I thought I had started a new post. I'm not very good at these things. I have no idea what the lab ranges are.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Summer64]

Summer64

You have started a new post here with your results, but the original information about your query is within that other member's thread so you need to put that information here for members to know why you have posted your results so that they can comment.

Your results can't be interpreted without the ranges. If the test was done with your GP then just ring and ask the receptionist (not the doctor) to arrange a print out of your results and say you'll pick it up at their convenience. The reference ranges will be on the print out, usually next to the result.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

TSH 0.06,

ft4 13.9,

ft3 3.5,

Vit D 67

Looking at previous posts, it looks as if you’re taking levothyroxine plus T3

How much levothyroxine and do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

How much T3 ….which brand

Do you typically split the T3 into 2 or 3 smaller doses through the day?

Was test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

On day before blood test, always split T3 into 3 smaller doses, at roughly equal 8 hour intervals, taking last 1/3rd of daily dose approx 8-12 hours before test

Please add ranges on Ft4 and Ft3

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Vitamin D is too low

Needs improving to at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol maybe better

When were folate, B12 and ferritin last tested

Do you have autoimmune thyroid disease (hashimoto’s)….are you on strictly gluten free diet

[Summer64 in reply to SlowDragon]

I am on 75mcg levo and always Mercy Pharma and 10mcg T3 and again Mercury Pharma. I don't split the T3. Before tests I don't take anything. My vitamin D is up to what it was. I take 1000mcg a day. I am under the endo at the hospital and get seen every six months so I will ask for the ranges then.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Summer64]

So how long before test was last dose levothyroxine and T3

If last dose levothyroxine was 24 hours before test, Ft4 looks low (please add range on Ft4)

If last dose T3 was 24 hours before test, result is inaccurate and false low result

Day before test…..Last 5mcg dose T3 should be maximum of approx 8-12 hours before test

Or split into 3 doses ……5mcg waking, 2.5mcg 2pm and last 2.5mcg T3 about 9pm

Testing 9am

Suggest you increase vitamin D to 2000iu

Get TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested in 2-3 months

[Summer64 in reply to SlowDragon]

I will follow that when the next test is being done which is February. I don't understand the reference ranges being different in different places. Surely there should only be one.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Summer64]

Recommend testing yourself via private testing now

Different labs have very different ranges ….

[tattybogle in reply to Summer64]

The ranges are different in different labs because they use machines made by different companies, that are calibrated to a set range based on how their machine works. (and then that 'factory setting' range is sometimes very slightly adjusted to account for local variations in the population near the lab it is used in).

This doesn't mean if you moved labs you'd be over or under range though .. because if you had your blood done at a different lab ,with a different range .. your 'result' (the number) would also be different . (but importantly .. the 'meaning' of the result would be the same)

eg.

If your blood had a high level of fT4 ( as high as the highest level 95% of 'healthy' people normally have)

Then at

lab 1) using range [12-22] your result would be 22[12-22]

but at :

lab 2 using range [7.9-14] your result would be 14 [7.9 -14]

Both these results are actually saying the same thing... 95% of the healthy population have fT4 between the top and bottom number on the range (it doesn't matter what the numbers on the range actually are). and in this example the result , both the 14 and the 22 is at the same level as 'healthy' people with the highest levels.

( ranges deliberately do not include the 'healthy' people with the very highest and very lowest results .. so they remove those 2.5% of people from the top ,and 2.5% from the bottom of the range and what is left is the "95% lab reference range" .. which is commonly referred to as 'normal range' ...

Obviously it would be much better to have a standard range across the county and all labs ..they've been trying to sort this out for decades .. but it's a bit technical , and they are not trying very hard ..... so don't hold your breath.

[Summer64 in reply to tattybogle]

Thanks. I'll copy this and take it to my next appointment.