Elderly mothers blood results

[jacobite33]

Evening everyone hope you are all well!

Be extremely grateful on any advice in these new blood results

There my wee elderly mothers as she is back in hospital

Thanks in advance!

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Does she currently take any replacement hormone?

[jacobite33 in reply to PurpleNails]

No nothing PurpleNails

[shaws Administrator]

I am sorry your mother is in hospital and it will also be a worrying time for the whole family,

The fact that her Free T3 is too low and that, in itself, will cause symptoms because our brain and heart have the most T3 receptor cells and it enables our whole body to function as normal, when we have an optimum dose.

Has your Mum been diagnosed as having hypothyroidism? If so, she has an autoimmune disease and should be given regular blood tests once she's on levothyroxine.

The aim, once we're diagnosed and prescribed levothyroxine is to have a TSH of around 1 and both FT4 and FT3 should be in the upper part of the ranges. FT3, being the 'Active Thyroid Hormone' as it runs our whole metabolism but your Mother's is too low so should be prescribed T3 added to T4 - although some doctors mayl not as it is expensive.

I hope the doctors at the hospital will treat your Mum sympathetically and do their best to alleviate her clinical symptoms.

Request GP to test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate too.

When we have new blood tests we do not take thyroid hormones before blood draw but afterwards and also we have to have the very earliest appointment. It is a fasting test (she can drink water) and take thyroid hormones after the blood test. She has the commonest form of hypothyroidism and it is called hashimoto's as she has antibodies.

[jacobite33 in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws!She hasn’t been diagnosed with hypothyroid and those vitamins all seem ok in the results

[jacobite33 in reply to shaws]

Just a question Shaws

When your unwell and your vitamins are low they supplement you

Question is when unwell and your T3 gets to low can you supplement with T3 to help you heal?

[shaws Administrator in reply to jacobite33]

I get B12 injections every month because I also have Pernicious Anaemia. I used to get them every 3 months but GP said I could have as many as I want. My other vitamins are good as I have a varied diet.

I cannot take levothyroxine - I also tried T3/T4 - but didn't have much effect but take dose of T3 only when I get up in the morning with one glass of water and wait an hour before I have breakfast.

T3 alone resolved any clinical symptoms that were left. I take one daily dose of T3 daily and I am symptom-free and feel well and energetic.

[Imaaan]

I remember briefly reading in the past that illness can significantly reduce t3 levels in the body. From just looking at the results, I thought she was on t4 meds only but you have informed us that she isnt on any thyroid meds at all. If her free t3 is normally low and isnt really affected by illness then she is really a poor converter.

My heart goes out to your mom. My free t3 was below range for several months and I was really in bad shape. I couldn't tolerate an increase of my t3 meds so my doctor switched me up to ndt and t4. This brought me back in to the range, all thanks belong to God. I'm not sure if ndt would be of help to her since her t4 is already at the high end of the range but she definitely needs t3 unless her low levels are transient due to ill health.

Edit to add: I read her vit d3 levels wrong. I thought the 75 was at the beginning of the range.

Hope her health improves.

[jacobite33 in reply to Imaaan]

Thanks so much Imaaan!She hasn’t been diagnosed with hypothyroidism but she has been very

[shaws Administrator]

There was a brilliant and beloved doctor by his patients and who consulted in Glasgow and Birmingham and who saved lives and this woman's life was one of them:-

dailyrecord.co.uk/news/real...

She took her case to the Glasgow Court and it was agreed after debates that people who needed more or options to levothyroxine should be prescribed.

parliament.scot/chamber-and...

I believe that Lorraine has her own site now - maybe contact her:-

uk.linkedin.com/in/lorraine...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Has she been taking any vitamin supplements

Like many elderly people, her B12 and folate are low

She might benefit from a daily vitamin B complex

Her vitamin D and ferritin levels are pretty good

Ft3 can be low due to chronic illness

Her Ft4 is high …..so suggests her thyroid is working and may be this is low Ft3 syndrome

chriskresser.com/low-t3-syn...

[Imaaan in reply to SlowDragon]

Just edited my d3 comment after seeing your comment

[jacobite33 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon and thanks for replying!

She is on Vit D and B12 supplements

She is on fluids only and can’t keep anything down and asleep all the time

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to jacobite33]

Very tough time….for you and for your Mum