Has anybody with low TSH and not converting a T4 actually increased their T4?

[Catseyes235]

According to Patient Access my TSH has been exceedingly low for 20 years apart from a little blip when it came into range about 2003/4. My doctor used to do full bloods and because T3 and T4 were okay he wasn’t worried but other docs who only do TSH (in fact testing centres only do TSH, insisted I decrease Thyroxine which I’d done so eventually had hypo symptoms . What I found from NHS records is that I used to be on 150 mcg Thyroxine and felt fine. Recently an endo has given T3 but I get palpitations so halved the dose. However the results ....better circulation, no more constipation, no hair fall, skin not so dry have been great. Why can I not go back to 150mcg when I felt good. Doc always said I could have heart probs and osteoporosis from high dose but as obviously wasn’t converting this was a false prediction. In fact when I tried to reduce my Thyroxine further 2 years ago I had a stroke so so much for predictions. So of course now on blood thinners, statins and pills to reduce blood pressure. I didn’t have hypo symptoms on 150 mcg but neither did I have Hyper symptoms. Do you think I should discuss the possibilities with my doc (the reasonable one who goes by symptoms not TSH. Sorry this has been long and rambling..just want to get back to not worrying about doses, palpitations etc.

[fuchsia-pink]

Yes!

It is SO annoying that so many GPs (and endos who def should know better) get so little training about thyroid that they cannot see that there is a world of difference between (a) no thyroid meds + suppressed TSH + waaay over-range free T3 (which is dangerous, but not because of the low TSH but because of the high free T3) and (b) being on thyroid meds + suppressed TSH + in-range free T3 (which isn't dangerous at all ... because free T3 isn't too high)

Instead they condense it down into TSH is all-powerful and too low is bad

If you look at some of diogenes posts you will see some of the latest research papers ... - he is a proper research scientist - if the good GP needs something to back it up beyond the eminently sensible dosing by symptoms and actual thyroid hormones

And it may be worth having a dexa one scan so you have a benchmark of your bone health to reassure everyone.

Good luck x