What are your current test results (thyroid and key vitamins), can you post them along with their reference ranges, and confirm that last dose of NDT was 8-12 hours before blood draw.
Do you take HRT well away from your thyroid meds? HRT can reduce the absorption of thyroid meds.
I eat very little.
That doesn't help, eating enough of the right foods does. Low calorie diets are not the answer.
Hey, I have a hrt patch not tablets so it’s a constant transdermal method.All of my vitamins levels are good, i regular check them using thriva and due to supplements have got them all optimal.
My tsh last tested 24 hours after last armour was 0.02 so nice and low (range 0.2-4.7)
and t4 was 17.3 (range 12-22)
T3 - 8.6 (range 3.1- 6.8).
My shbg is too high at 151 (range 27-146)
My ferritin is also a bit high.
Is anything im now bordering hyper as my t3 is actually high.
Can you post your most recent thyroid results (with ranges in brackets), as it may be that your current medication is not optimal. Have you tested key vitamins (ferritin, folate, B12 and Vit D), as these are often low for those with auto immune thyroid conditions, even when eating a healthy diet. I would focus on getting your thyroid medication and key vitamins optimal and avoid dieting, just focus on eating healthily.
Have you ever tried a gluten free diet? Many members of this forum (including myself) have benefited from this. For me, it eliminated bloating and reduced my overall inflammation.
No thyroid hormone replacement works well until your core strength vitamins and minerals, especially those of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are up and maintained at optimal levels.
We need fat for thyroid hormone conversion and dieting isn't the answer as it just messes up your metabolism even further.
I too am on NDT and have dropped a couple of dress sizes but first and foremost I was wanting to feel well and not housebound which is how I was left by the NHS health service.
In the first instance we need to see some blood tests to include the above vitamins and minerals, and your TSH, T3 and T4, plus inflammation and antibodies.
There are companies on the Thyroid UK website who can run these for you and once with the results and ranges, just start a new post with all the information and you will be talked through everything.
Arrange an appointment for the beginning of the week, have an early as possible blood draw, and fast overnight just taking in water and take your daily dose after the blood has been drawn. Stop any supplements for around 7 days prior so we can see exactly what your body is holding onto and you will be advised of what it all means and how you too can have better thyroid health than currently.
If you are putting on half a pound a day, it's not fat you're dealing with, it's water retention. And no diet is going to help with that. What will help with that is optimal thyroid hormone levels and optimal nutrient levels. Can you post your blood test results, as others have asked?
My tsh last tested 24 hours after last armour was 0.02 so nice and low (range 0.2-4.7)
Doesn't matter what time you took your last dose, it won't affect your TSH because that is very slow to react. What affects TSH is the time of day. It's highest around midnight, then drops slowly through the early morning until 9 am. Then drops sharply and continues to drop until it's at its lowest around midday. So, we always recommend having the blood draw as early as you can before 9 am.
However, your FT4 and FT3 will be affect by the time of your last dose, and with NDT we recommend a gap of 8 to 12 hours between your last dose and the blood draw. If you left 24 hours, you have a flase 'low' FT3. And, as your FT3 is pretty high even after 24 hours, it's almost certain that you are over-medicated - which can also cause weight gain. Unless you have Hashi's, and were having a Hashi's 'hyper' swing. But, then your FT4 would have been raised, also. And it's only about mid-range.
When testing ferritin it's a good idea to have CRP tested at the same time. CRP is an inflammation marker, and high inflammation can cause high levels of ferritin. When the inflammation goes down, so does the ferritin. But, if your CRP is low, then your high ferritin warrents further investigation.
I'm afraid I don't know enough about iron to say. It's very complicated.
No, don't reduce your NDT yet, wait until you've had your tests done. Starting to change your dose now would delay testing because you have to be on a steady dose for six weeks or there's no point in testing.
The high dose could cause hot flushes, yes. It could also cause anxiety, bad mood and weight gain, but I don't know about the tinnitus. There are many, many causes of tinnitus, but I don't know if over-dosing is one of them. Anything is possibly, though.
HRT frequently results in needing dose increase in thyroid hormones
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after adding HRT, or any dose changes
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
When were vitamin levels last tested
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis. Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
In U.K. medics never call it Hashimoto’s, just autoimmune thyroid disease (and they usually ignore the autoimmune aspect)
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
On T3 or NDT - day before test split daily dose into 3 smaller doses, spread through the day at approx 8 hour intervals, taking last 1/3rd of daily dose 8-12 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options and money off codes
As others have mentioned, weight gain due to thyroid problems is not the same as gain due to eating too much or eating the wrong foods.
A friend of mine who has an underactive thyroid went to weight loss classes. When she followed their instructions but lost no weight she was accused of cheating - they obviously didn't understand about hypothyroidism.
I second what Greygoose said - you can put on weight when overdosed, I am living proof of that, have seemingly hypo symptoms when overdosed. Your ft3 is very high. When mine went over range recently at 113% of range, I started to get puffy, get dry skin and felt really heavy.
I am also mad irritated when overdosed.
Your HRT could also mess with your dose, if you take progesterone, you may have to reduce.
Basically when they studied the effects of low calorie diets in T4/T3 levels, they found your levels drop as you reduce calories. I see you're point that you eat very little, but it's not as helpful as you might think.
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