Help needed with recent test results

[Tyna20]

Happy new year to you all.

Could someone help me with my results please.

TSH. 0.01. Range (0.3-5.0)

Free T4 5.3 Range (7.9-16.0)

T3 4.1 Range (3.8-6.0)

Doctor wants me to see an endo as she says they are not normal.

Thank you

Tyna

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Tyna20

What thyroid meds are you taking? Results suggest T3 only.

[Tyna20 in reply to SeasideSusie]

25mg of tiromel and 25mg Levothyroxine. I am prescribed 125 of Levothyroxine but haven’t been taking it all. I cut it down when I started on tiromel.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tyna20]

Tyna20

Does your GP know that you take T3?

Why did you reduce your Levo when you started T3? What was your FT4 level before adding T3 (result and range) and how much did you reduce when you first added T3?

[Tyna20 in reply to SeasideSusie]

These are the most recent results, the ones before were a long time ago. They were 13.8 range 12-22. T3 was 3.7 range 3.9-6.7. They decided to do the T3 out of the blue this time.

I read on here that a 25mg T3 was equivalent to100mg of thyroxine so I slowly reduced it down.

Have I done wrong?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tyna20]

Not knowing if those results were on Levo only immediately prior to adding T3 I can't really comment on them.

There is only the need to reduce Levo when adding T3 if FT4 is quite high in range. Adding T3 reduces FT4 anyway, so unless FT4 is high up in the range it is best to leave Levo dose as it is, start with 1/4 tablet of T3, gradually increase the T3 over time and see what happens to both FT3 and FT4, keeping an eye on levels and symptoms. I can't see anywhere in your previous posts where you asked members for help in adding T3, but if you had read posts on here you would have seen advice given to other members about how to introduce T3, the importance of gradual tweaking and the importance of optimal nutrient levels before adding T3.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How do you feel

You have probably reduced levothyroxine dose too much

Typically dose levothyroxine is reduced a SMALL amount when T3 is added

How much …depends on where Ft4 and Ft3 were BEFORE adding T3

Eg

If Ft4 21 (12-22) ….you might reduce by 25mcg when adding T3

If Ft4 16 (12-22) unlikely to need to reduce dose levothyroxine…..rather than adding T3, could have tried increasing levothyroxine

If Ft4 13 (12-22) definitely needed dose increase in levothyroxine before considering adding T3

ESSENTIAL to regularly retest vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12, especially when on too low a dose

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

[Tyna20 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for replying. I have a B12 injection every three months. Nothing else.I feel a lot better taking the T3. I’ve been taking it for a year or so and then I ran out and had to find a new supplier. For the first time in 18 years I’ve managed to lose 10 kgs. I think you may be right about reducing it too much as I do feel cold especially in the evening.

I presume I should gradually add some Levothyroxine until the FT 4 is up a bit ?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Tyna20]

Only increase 25mcg Levothyroxine at a time

Retest again 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Come back with new post once you get next results

Always test thyroid levels as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose Levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Day before test split T3 into 3 smaller doses and take last 1/3rd of daily dose approx 8-12 hours before test

[Gingernut44]

Does your Doctor know that you’ve reduced your dose of Levo so low, especially as she’s prescribing 125 mcg. If not, perhaps you should come clean and tell her. No wonder she thinks your results are not normal.

[Tyna20 in reply to Gingernut44]

Hi Ginger nut. I told her I’d reduced it a bit but I didn’t say how much and she didn’t ask.

[Gingernut44 in reply to Tyna20]

I really think you should come clean. She’s going to feel really embarrassed if she refers you to Endocrinolgy. I’ve had some very heated exchanges with my GP but have always been honest about what I’ve been doing.