Finally FT3 is up again but could FT4 do with a nudge upwards

[Noelnoel]

I’m really happy with latest labs and overall I’m feeling good but wonder if there’d be anything to be gained by taking just one more low dose glandular and take the risk that FT3 will go over range

Might I sleep that bit better and have that bit more energy, be that bit more motivated and focused and a bit more memory capacity …

I know it’s not necessarily a bad thing but it might lower FT4, right? Not necessarily a bad thing either but I often read on here that some need both hormones at least mid-range. Why is that? If it’s just a storage hormone and there’s some in store which is also being replenished each day with whatever hormone replacement is being taken, why do we/some need FT4 to be high? I’d really like to understand that

I know I can’t calculate how well I convert (because I get a dose of both hormones daily) but can I presume that SOME of the T4 I get will be converted and added to my daily dose of T3 and therefore take FT3 really high and will a rising FT3 impact on FT4 and lower it further. Complex!

I realise I won’t know what will happen until I try but it would be useful to know what the possibilities are. This will help me take a decision on keeping the status quo (as much as any of us can with this condition) or taking a risk. I have to admit to feeling inclined to taking a risk but this time it’s taken so long to get here and a little voice is saying why jeopardise wasting all the hard work

[Noelnoel]

I’ve just realised that my last labs on less than half the glandulars I’m now on,gave me a similar FT4 but a very low FT3

Will have to check exact figures

[Lalatoot]

thyroidpatients.ca/2019/12/... above explains how t4 and T3 get into the cells.

Some folks manage fine with low ft4 when on combo or t3 only while others need ft4 higher in range. It is a person thing that you find out by trial and error.

As you'll read in the article t4 and T3 are transported into cells. Some of the transporters prefer t4 to t3. This may be why some folks need that ft4 level higher.

[Noelnoel in reply to Lalatoot]

Hi Lalatoot and thank you

Have opened link and found a short article but it’s not about T4 and T3 getting into cells

[Lalatoot in reply to Noelnoel]

thyroidpatients.ca/2019/12/...

Noel Im on the computer this time so hopefully this is the link. I'm blaming my phone for the other post!

[Noelnoel in reply to Lalatoot]

Funny, my phone does strange things too 🫤

Ok, there’s a lot of information there, thank you very much. I’ll take my time to read carefully but what I think I’m going to do is rather than increase my dose I’m going to try to streamline what I take. At the moment it’s two different kinds of bovine and a porcine; it would be nice to work out which is best and try to cut out one of them at least. Perfect if I manage to end up on just bovine or just porcine. That would simplify things significantly

Thank you for your time in providing what looks to be a very promising read

[healthkiwi in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you for this - it's an excellent read. Fills in a lot of my mental gaps in understanding. Should be required reading for GPs!