Fluctulating Thyroid levels

[sylus_911]

Hi can anyone tell me why my levels keep fluculating. I had a blood test taken back in March.

Tsh..0.02 (0.27-4.2)

T4..13.7-(12-22)

T3..4.89 (3.1-6.8)

I was,nt feeling to good so I increased my thyroxine dose by

12/1/2.

I have just had a blood test taken.

Tsh..0.01 (did,nt give the range)

T4..11.8 (7.9-20.0)

T3..5.3 (4.00-6.60)

I have been having very bad palpitations and waiting for a monitor to be fitted in July.

My levels have been up and down for a long time now.

What could be causing them to keep fluculating .

[tattybogle]

March:

FT4: 13.7 pmol/l (Range 12 - 22) 17.00%

FT3: 4.89 pmol/l (Range 3.1 - 6.8) 48.38%

Levo dose increased by 12.5mcg:

Now:

FT4: 11.8 pmol/l (Range 7.9 - 20) 32.23%

FT3: 5.3 pmol/l (Range 4 - 6.6) 50.00%

once you convert these results to a '% through range' , (calculator here thyroid.dopiaza.org/ )

..... you can see that these latest fluctuations are just increases to fT4 ad fT3 that are explained by the increase in levo dose .. and the TSH is now lower as expected when dose is increased.

What other fluctuations have you had ?

[sylus_911 in reply to tattybogle]

My levels have never really stayed the same since I was on levothyroxine and t3 .Even when I was on NDT.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Are you also taking T3 or NDT

Was test done early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Palpitations can be due to low iron/ferritin or low magnesium

Your low Ft4 and Ft3 results suggest you need further increase in levothyroxine

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

[sylus_911 in reply to SlowDragon]

I am currently on 871/2 of levothyroxine and 15mcg of t3.Thybon Henning.The last time I had my vitamins tested was in November 2021.They all come back in Range.I always have the same brand of thyroxine.The blood test is always taken before 9am and I leave my thyroxine 24 hours before test.

I am very worried about the palpitations .

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to sylus_911]

Day before test do you split your T3 into 3 smaller doses spread through the day and last 5 mcg dose approx 8-12 hours before test

Which brand of levothyroxine?

The last time I had my vitamins tested was in November 2021.They all come back in Range

Please add actual results and ranges

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

[sylus_911 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi Slowdragon I take 10mcg of t3 in the morning and 5mcg at 4 30. The brand of thyroxine is Mercury pharma. I currently take 1000 vitamin D and 500 vitamin b12.

Magnesium..0.88 (0.66-0.99)

Iron..19.66..(5.8-34.5)

Folate .7 61.(3.89)

Vitamin b12..Active.79.600-(-37.5-188)

Vitamin D..72.20 nmol/L

Total cholesterol..6.09mmol/L(0.5)

Cholesterol is low.

[sylus_911 in reply to sylus_911]

Still total gluten free

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to sylus_911]

Folate is on low side

Do you normally take a daily vitamin B complex too

[sylus_911 in reply to SlowDragon]

No,I dont take a vitamin B complex.What would be the best one to take?

I will get all my vitamins tested again.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to sylus_911]

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) may be beneficial.This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Thorne Basic B or Jarrow B Right are recommended options that contains folate, but both are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)

IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate methyl folate supplement and separate B12

If serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a B12 supplement as well as a B Complex (to balance all the B vitamins) initially for first 2-4 months.

once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.

How other member saw how effective improving low B vitamins has been

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[sylus_911 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you Slowdragon, 🤗

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to sylus_911]

Just found vitamin results here

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Probably time to retest

See if ferritin is steady and folate improved

Are you still strictly gluten free

[sylus_911 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you.

[DippyDame in reply to sylus_911]

I'd suggest you raise your levo to 100mcg

The palpitations may be undermedication

You FT4 result is still only 32.23% through the range

We aim to be closer to 75% although clearly we are all different.

Your FT3 at 50% ditto may also be too low for you

Why are you taking T3?

Was your conversion poor?

...it's hard to tell with current labs.

I'm not sure that your levo and lio are correctly balanced....

both FT4 and FT3 need to be raised but only change one of them at a time testing 6/8 weeks after dose change.

It will take time because there is no quick fix for this....

But there will be a fix.

[sylus_911 in reply to DippyDame]

Hi DippyDameI did wonder if I need 100mcg of thyroxine.Thats what I was on after I had my thyroidectomy in 2011.I was very well for 4 years then something went really wrong,I became hyper my consultant was adamant I should stay on 100mcg but I was getting worse so I went to my Doctor and he raised to 125mcg it was a living nightmare.At that time I knew nothing about thyroid conditions but thanks to this forum I have learned a lot.I have just changed my Doctor all he keeps going on about is that my TSH is far to low.I have no faith in Doctors now.

Thank you for your reply, Have a nice weekend. 🤗

[DippyDame in reply to sylus_911]

I cannot understand medic's obsession with TSH, as I see it it's just a lazy way to try to monitor blood levels with a single test...it's unreliable and it's causing misery for so many patients.TsH tests were devised to initially diagnose hypothyroidism....nothing more.

When I was first diagnosed they tested both FT4 and FT3 which made sense...until the decision makers in their lack of wisdom dropped FT3 as routine over 20 years ago

They often don't even test FT4.

You have probably already read this

thyroidpatients.ca/2021/07/...

When you increase a dose it is not unusual to feel worse before you feel better ( been there and wondered at the time what on earth was going on)

The body takes time to adjust and if levels are low there will be more adjustment until things improve.

So, you may just have to ride out the rough patches as your dose increases and one day you think...." I feel better today"

Sadly I share your opinion about medics and their ability to treat thyroid disease

Hope things start to improve soon

[sylus_911 in reply to DippyDame]

Thank you.🤗