Blood count thyroid and depression

[Margaret]

I had blood test done yesterday and the TSH level has come back at 0.17 my normal range has always been 0.01 could this be the answer to why I am depressed and not feeling well if so do I need to decrease my dosage.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Margaret

Just testing TSH alone isn't enough, it's a pituitary hormone not a thyroid hormone. FT4 and FT3 are the tests needed to tell us our thyroid status. You can't adjust dose just based on TSH. Your TSH is slightly higher than last time so doesn't suggest a dose reduction but you won't know until TSH, FT4 and FT3 are all tested at the same time.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You really need to wait 6 weeks after any changes

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

If not tested vitamin levels for a while ideally include these if getting private test

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[tattybogle]

hi Margaret . some more details would help people advise you better.

eg. you now take 50mcg Levo and 20mcg T3 .. you said in a previous post that you used to take 30mcg T3 but that you had stopped taking the extra 10mcg as you no longer felt you needed it..

How long ago did you reduce from 30 to 20mcg T3 ?

[Margaret in reply to tattybogle]

I think it is at least 6 weeks the dr did say that is the one thing I did need sometime back as I don’t convert properly but didn’t feel 100% on T3 alone so that is why he introduced 50 liothyronine

[tattybogle in reply to Margaret]

(i assume that's a typo and you meant "50 levothyroxine ? ")

So is this right ?

Dr Skinner originally put you on T3 , then he later added some Levo to that.

.....................................................................................................................................................................................

but then some months ago your GP said to stop the Levo and just take 30mcg T3,

then reduced the T3 to 20mcg .

21st June 2021. TSH 0.01 , free T4 5.15

and then after that test you got him to put it back to 50mcg Levo +30mcg T3

and then about 6 weeks ago you reduced to 50mcg Levo + 20mcg T3

Now TSH 0.17

...................................................................................................................................................................................

Do you feel better or worse so far, on the 20mcg dose of T3 (liothyronine) ? ,

[Margaret in reply to tattybogle]

My T4 is 9 and my T3 is 3.7 and B12 328. sorry yes 50 levothyroxine

[tattybogle in reply to Margaret]

So your TSH is a bit higher than you usual ... this might be because you've reduced your T3 . ( If you lower your dose then TSH goes UP , if you increase dose then TSH goes DOWN )

I'm guessing a bit without knowing the lab ranges for fT4 and fT3

... but your fT4 is still pretty low (even though it's obviously higher since you 've added some Levo back)

and your fT3 also looks pretty low now . (assuming the fT3 result is also from yesterday)

All of this indicates that reducing your dose further would probably not be a good idea.

( If you lowered your dose of T3 Your fT3 would go lower and your TSH might go up a bit more. If you lowered your dose of Levo , your fT4 would go lower and your TSH might go up )

Do you have the lab ranges for the fT4 and f3 tests ?

they are usually in brackets after the result ...... might be something like [12-22] or [7.9-14] for fT4 .

And might be something like [3.1 -6.8] for fT3