LAB RESULTS - OVERMEDICATED?

[melodypond]

Hello there

My lab results (taken at 7am before 1.5 grains of NDT) show that my Free T3 is normal but my Free T4 is low. Usually my Free T3 is higher (around 5-6) and my Free T4 is around 12. Never had out of range like this before since being on NDT.

My Ferritin, Vit D and Active B12 are all in range but not optimal, I will increase supplements. My folate is just in the normal range but only just. I have felt awful but my ferritin was 8 - clinically iron deficient - so I have been taking more to get those numbers up and thought the fatigue, palpitations, headaches and dizziness was down to the low Ferritin and/or may be a reaction to supplementing. I've put on weight rather than lost any (typical!). Could it be, now that my iron is increased, my NDT is working better and I am overmedicated (though my Ferritin is still not particularly high). Or could I be pooling? Had a lot of stress lately so my cortisol is probably quite high.

In any instance I guess I should reduce my NDT? Then retest in a few weeks. But worried my Free T3 will drop into the low range. Mmmmmn. Anyone else had a similar situation?

[greygoose]

Why on earth would you reduce your NDT? Your blood test results say that you're under-medicated, not over-medicated. And if your ferritin was 8, there's no way it could have risen enough to have any effect on your NDT. What did your doctor say about such a low ferritin? Did he do a full iron panel?

There's no such thing as 'pooling', it doesn't exist. If you mean that your thyroid hormone isn't getting into the cells, that's perfectly possible, but frankly, at the moment, there just isn't enough to do much good if it does get in. You need an increase in dose.

[Lalatoot]

show that my Free T3 is normal but my Free T4 is low. Usually my Free T3 is higher (around 5-6) If your free t3 is usually 5 or 6 then this lower ft3 level is not normal for you. An ft3 level of 5 to 6 is normal so your current result is too low for you. There is a difference between a result being in range and being optimal for an individual.

If you reduce your dose you will make things worse by reducing the already low for you ft3.

What you need is an increase in hormones.

When on NDT TSH tends to be under range or suppressed so it is not a good indicator of status.