New test results

[Kimkat]

Recently had bloods done prior to endo appointment. I should be able to read them by now now but my brain fog is still an issue and I’m still finding it hard to concentrate and absorb info.

[Kimkat]

Also have my other results which I can’t add to above.

Black and white

[Kimkat in reply to Kimkat]

And lastly..

Black and white

[pennyannie]

Hey there again :

The accepted conversion ratio when on T4 - Levothyroxine only is said to be 1 / 3.50 - 4.50 T3 / T4 with most people feeling at their best when their conversion comes in at around 4 or under :

So to find your conversion ratio simply divide your T3 into your T4 and I'm getting yours coming in at around 4.82 showing you slightly wide of where you may well feel better.

Your ferritin is too low at around 28 and everywhere I researched for exactly the same issue suggested ferritin needs to be over 70 for T4 conversion.

I now know that I feel at my best with a ferritin at around 100 : folate at 20 : B12 75 ++ and vitamin D at around 100 :

Your folate also needs to be improved :

Are you taking any supplements ?

[Kimkat in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you pennyannie, I have stopped taking B12 as those levels are good and also vit D as that was creeping up too. My iron levels last time were quite high so I stopped taking iron but I’m really struggling with ferritin, I try to eat liver, pate, dark green veggies etc but it just doesn’t seem to be working for me.

[pennyannie in reply to Kimkat]

Since you likely have Graves and have had both surgery and RAI thyroid ablation I would suggest you ask for a trial of T3/T4 or Natural Desiccated Thyroid.

Sadly your conversion isn't awful enough to maybe be seen as a ' dire case ' and needing T3 - Liothyronine through the NHS.

I struggled along with T3 in the 4's and once i managed a T3 of 5.50 thought I was sorted but this was short lived as my T4 was reduced :

On T4 only I was around the same results as you and thought I was dealing with permanent flu and ultimately dementia.

Do you have the Thyroid UK list of sympathetic doctors and specialists ?

Conversely many of us have been forced to self medicate, is this something to consider ?

[Kimkat in reply to pennyannie]

Thanks again pennyannie, yes I do have the list. I have been dealing with a few family problems this year and do intend to go down that route but as yet haven’t managed to sort it fit myself. I was never diagnosed with graves but then again my endo doesn’t have too much to say at the best of times.

[pennyannie in reply to Kimkat]

Oh, I just assumed - apologies - but Graves apart, you likely have no thyroid function left and the thyroid gland produces trace elements of T1. T2 and calcitonin plus a measure of T3 at around 10 mcg plus a measure of T4 at around 100 mcg daily.

T3 is said to be around 4 times more powerful than T4 and that is a substantial measure :

Some people can get by on T4 only :

Some people find T4 seems to stop working as well as it once did and need the addition of little T3 - making a T3 ? T4 combo :

Some people can't tolerate T4 and need to take T3 only :

Whist other people feel at their best on Natural Desiccated Thyroid which contains all the same known hormones as that o the human gland.

[Kimkat in reply to pennyannie]

Yes I may be one of those that T4 isn’t enough, my zest for day to day stuff has completely gone, brain fog seems very slightly better since my last increase but nothing major but the tiredness and weight is still a problem. I have been on a 2 shakes a day plus one balanced meal for 2 months and I have only lost 4lbs, my husband on the other hand has lost almost a stone, we go to the gym five days a week too, he feels much fitter with lots of energy while I feel worse, my muscles just don’t seem to be getting any stronger, in fact they appear to be weaker, which makes me think it’s thyroid, or lack of it, connected.

[pennyannie in reply to Kimkat]

You need to stop dieting and going to the gym - as these will have a negative effect on you as your thyroid isn't being supported enough to do these ' hobbies ' :

Your T3 is too low to equip you to do these " extras " :

Your metabolism isn't good and these extras are simply confusing your body and compounding your health issues.

Your thyroid is your body's engine and realistically you haven't an engine :

You are reliant to filling up your tank everyday with thyroid hormone replacement and you are not running on an optimum intake of fuel - you are with that kangaroo petrol and spluttering about, never go into cruise control, and never sure you are able to finish anything and anxious you'll not recover enough for the next day to start to function all over again.

Apart from optimal levels of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D conversion of the T4 into T3 can be compromised by inflammation, any physiological stress ( emotional or physical ) depression, dieting and ageing.

We need good fats for thyroid hormone conversion ;

We need balanced, cooked from fresh, clean meals and no substitute, synthetic replacements.

If you must go to the gym - try swimming - but don't overdo anything as you haven't the reserves to replace that spent additional energy and you are at risk of running yourself down even further and running on empty.

[Kimkat in reply to pennyannie]

I don’t go mad at the gym, I mainly go just to keep my joints moving, otherwise every joint in my body hurts. I use very light weights, I walk fast on the treadmill and the cross trainer, I also make sure that I do my stretches. But I do agree with you about the shakes, it’s just something that I decided to try as an exercise really and it obviously doesn’t work for me .

[pennyannie in reply to Kimkat]

You can't compare yourself to anyone else and going to the gym at this point in time futile and depressing, even if just doing this and that:

Your core strength vitamins and minerals need to be optimal and you need to work on building up ferritin and folate.

Then you may find you have a little more energy :

There is room for a dose increase in T4 and when i managed a T3 of 5.50 around 65% through the range i felt so much better again - but this meant my T4 was slightly over range and my dose of T4 cut back and my T3 came back at 4 so just 25% through and told i was vey lucky to have any at all ????

I saw ' red ' - drew away and started self medicating.

Once optimally medicated everything resolves like a clock being reset :

The brain fog, exhausting, aches and pains and in my experience the weight will resolve but it's pointless looking for these sort of results while still so poorly.:

[Kimkat in reply to pennyannie]

Trust me I don’t go mad exercise wise, I literally need to keep moving or I get so much joint pain and muscle aches, always do ‘senior’ exercise. I do eat well normally, fresh veggies, pulses, lean meats, I just thought I would give the shakes a go but even the organic ones are pretty uninspiring.

[pennyannie in reply to Kimkat]

The joint and muscle aches are common hypothyroid symptoms along with the crippling brain fog - the brain needs an awful lot of T3 to function well as does the heart to keep blood pumping and circulating throughout your body.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Kimkat

First of all it's important that we know if you took your last dose of Levo as advised, ie 24 hours before the test in order to avoid a false high or false low FT4 level?

Also, if taking a B Complex or biotin in any supplement did you leave this off for 3-7 days before the test?

If so then your results are as accurate as can be and will be showing a measure of your normal circulating hormone and suggests poor conversion of T4 to T3.

We need optimal nutrient levels for good conversion to take place, particularly ferritin which some experts say should be 90-110ug/L for thyroid function.

Your ferritin level, according to NICE, shows iron deficiency:

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.

Discuss your ferritin result with your GP and ask him/her to do an iron panel consisting of Serum Iron, Transferrin Saturation Percentage, Total Iron Binding Capacity plus Ferritin. Also ask for a full blood count to see if you have anaemia. You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia.

Don't consider taking an iron supplement unless you do an iron panel, if you already have a decent level of serum iron and a good saturation percentage then taking iron tablets can push your iron level even higher, too much iron is as bad as too little.

Folate would be better in double figures.

Active B12 is higher than they can measure on their equipment. Do you supplement B12? If so are you also taking a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins?

[Kimkat in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi SSS and thank you for your reply. Yes I always make sure that I leave off my Levo for a few hours prior to testing, I take a collagen supplement that has Biotin in and I stopped that 6 days prior to testing and I only drink water beforehand . As I have said to pennyannie I try my hardest to eat enough to push up my ferritin but to no avail. I actually noticed that my gums are quite pale so maybe a trip to the gp will be my next job. I don’t take iron anymore as it was high last time and I haven’t taken B12 for months as that is high too.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Kimkat]

Kimkat

OK, so in that case your folate results suggests that you need to improve that and a good quality, bioavailable B Complex containing methylfolate (not folic acid) and methylcobalamin (not cyanocobalamin) should help, along with folate rich foods. You wont find a B Complex without B12 but excess when supplementing is excreted in urine so it's not a problem.

Pale gums can suggest anaemia so definitely push for GP to do an iron panel and full blood count.

[Kimkat in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks again for the advise, I need to go over my old posts, someone did mention a good B complex to take. I’ll try the GP tomorrow, no good today as it’s Monday, no chance of getting through 😐

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Kimkat]

Thorne Basic B is the recommended vitamin B complex

Has GP done full iron panel test for anaemia yet?

[Kimkat in reply to SlowDragon]

No my GP has never done a full iron panel but I have an appointment next week so I’ll mention it to him.