BP spikes

[Soaping]

Good morning, since upping my levothyroxine from 100 mcg to 112mcg 3 months ago my TSH dropped to .06 but t3 is low and t4 top of range. Do you think the extra levothyroxine is causing BP spikes as Iget lightheaded and it scares me. Should i cut back slightly thyroidectomy 2 years ago thank .you xx

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

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

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

Suggest getting full thyroid and vitamin testing done via Medichecks or Blue horizon

Do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning, before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

After you get test done

You could experiment with splitting your dose levothyroxine, taking half waking and half late afternoon or bedtime

[Buddy195 Administrator]

March 22

Tsh 2.8 (0.27-4.2)

T4 19.8 (12-22)

T3 3 (3.1-6.8) low

May 22

Tsh 2

T4 22.6 high

T3 3.3

Have you had another blood test since you posted these results?

When my FT4 went over range I also felt light headed. My endocrinologist recommended reducing Levo and adding Liothyronine which definitely helped me. If I were you, I would find a practitioner willing to prescribe T3.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Before considering adding T3 you must test all four vitamins as they really need to be optimal before starting T3

Plus need full test results before booking any consultation

Roughly where in U.K. are you

Email Thyroid U.K. for list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologist and doctors who will prescribe T3

[e-mail]

[Soaping]

Thank you all for your replies. Last tests were MMH TSH 2. (0.27-4.2)T4 22.6 (12-22) T3 3.3 (3.1-6.8)

NHS TSH only on 11/7/22 0.63 (0.30-5.50).

Vits tested March 22. Ferritin low at 56(14.00-186)

Vit D 67 (50.00-125)

Folate 14.9 (3.90-20.00)

Serum total 67(50.00-125)

B12 over 2000 (223-1132)

I have stopped b12 and taking jarrow b complex. Taking D spray and trying to up my ferritin with food? Not sure if should take supplement for this?

Will get a medichecks test done after the summer for thyroid and vits as nhs wont. I take my tests in the morning 24 hours after fasting from last dose. I am a pensioner and cannot afford to go private. Thank you again.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Soaping]

Some endocrinologist on the list are NHS

You’re going to need the addition of small doses of T3 prescribed alongside (slightly reduced) levothyroxine

Private endocrinologist is £250

[pennyannie]

Hello again :

So, I can only rewrite what I wrote some years ago and I think it is evident to you, now, that you have not been able to ' make up ' that little bit of T3 that your own thyroid once gave you.

May 22 shows a T3 at 3.30 and a T4 at 22.60 :

A T3 at 3.30 n a range of 3,10 - 6,80 is around 5% whilst a T4 at 22,60 is around 103% :

Both these vital hormones need to balanced within the ranges at around a 1/4 ratio just as the ranges are stated - eg: a base of 3.10 for T3 against a base of T4 at 12 :

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

So to find your conversion you simply divide your T3 into your T4 and I'm getting yours coming in at 6.85 - so very wide from centre and showing little conversion.

When metabolism / conversion is so low you may struggle to extract your core strength nutrients from your food and no thyroid hormone replacement works well until your ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are up and maintained at optimal levels.

Conversion of T4 into T3 can also be compromised by inflammation, any physiological stress ( emotional or physical ) dieting, depression and ageing, so whilst we can't stop time, we can try and do something about some of these other salient points.

Some people can get by on T4 only :

Some people find T4 stops working as well as it once did and need the addition of a little T3 - making a T3/T4 combo :

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

Whilst other people find their health restored better by taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid which contains all the same known hormones as that of the human gland and derived from pig thyroid dried and ground down into tablets referred to as grains.

20 odd years ago all the above treatment options were readily available from your doctor but currently you will need a referral to an endocrinologist for anything other than T4 - ad your results are i range, and so you may not even be considered as it has become a postcode lottery driven more by costs than patient medical need.

Thyroid UK the charity who support this forum hold a list of patient to patient recommended endos and thyroid specialists - so this might be worth checking out as many now do visual consultations so distance not the issue it may once have been.

thyroiduk.org for all things thyroid :

[Soaping in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you Pennyannie, Im trying to get vits optimal then ill get a test done after the summer. I cannot afford to go down the private route. Im on 112mcg and dont know if to cut it down a little or up it to the 125mch given? So hard to know what to do for the best. Xx

[pennyannie in reply to Soaping]

No, I know, but it's a lottery anyway, unless yo know who to go to -

I paid an private endo once and he told me to go on the " web " and source my own thyroid hormone replacement and then I could pay him to tell me how to do it !!!

I was so shocked - but strangely enough this was where I ended up a year later after finding no help through " his " team through the only NHS hospital in the county ??

I now buy my own thyroid hormone replacement and look after myself as I wasn't going to given him the satisfaction of a return visit - as I'm retired and on a single persons pension .

[Soaping]

Thank you Pennyannie, Im trying to get vits optimal then ill get a test done after the summer. I cannot afford to go down the private route. Im on 112mcg and dont know if to cut it down a little or up it to the 125mch given? So hard to know what to do for the best. Xx

[pennyannie in reply to Soaping]

I think there is little point increasing the T4 - as you are not utilising it anyway :

If you feel these current symptoms are because you increased the T4 go back down :

The disparity between T3 and T4 is too wide for a 12.5mcg T4 to make any difference.

Maybe first ask for a trial of liquid T4 - maybe you have absorption issues ?

[Soaping in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you for your msgs, seems we are in the same boat when it comes to money and pension. I may try cutting a couple of days out the extra 12mcg for a while see how it goes then. Want to try get all my vits optimal also before paying out for more tests. Ferritin is the hardest. Xx

[pennyannie in reply to Soaping]

Yes - it took me around 18 months to build up mine :

Your NHS doctor may help you - if not you can buy OTC iron tablets -

I couldn't get on with the NHS prescribed tablets and as no alternative was offered I found Iron Bisglycinate preparations - commonly branded as a gentle iron softer and kinder on my stomach.

Also eating liver weekly is another or additional option depending on where your ferritin level now sits.

Asda sell tubs of frozen chicken livers - these are mild and very clean - and I now maintain my ferritin at around 100, with 1 little tub a week and once defrosted flash fry the chicken livers down in a little olive oil and whizz down into a pate.

I take a spoonful a day and this medicine, helped down with a dollop of Hellman's mayo :

[Soaping in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you for the tip. I will try the chicken livers as i do sometimes suffer with stomach problems and worried iron supplements may set those off. Xx

[pennyannie in reply to Soaping]

If you have stomach problems and do have absorption issues as well as liquid T4 - Levothyroxine there are also liquid iron preparations.

[Soaping in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you 😊