reverse t3

[Happy121]

hi I had a total thyroidectomy after cancer.

I’m on 150mg thyroxine

And 50 lioytheronine

here are my latest results…..

could someone tell me why the t3 in my blood is at 6, within range but why do I have so much reverse t3? And what does this mean my buddy is doing to the t3 medication?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Welcome to the forum Happy121

That looks like a Blue Horizon test, is that right?

How long ago was it done?

When did you take your last dose of Levo and T3 before the test? Last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before and T3 should be split the day before into 2 or 3 doses and last dose should be 8-12 hours before the test.

[greygoose]

High rT3 doesn't mean your body is doing anything to your T3. It's doing it to your T4.

When your FT4 and/or FT3 are too high, the body converts more T4 to rT3 than T3 to stop you going 'hyper'. It's a safety mechanism. Reduce your doses and the rT3 might go down.

However, there are many, many causes of rT3 that have nothing to do with thyroid:

* Chronic fatigue

* Acute illness and injury

* Chronic disease

* Increased cortisol (stress)

* Low cortisol (adrenal fatigue)

* Low iron

* Lyme disease

* Chronic inflammation

* Selenium deficiency

* Excess physical, mental and environmental stresses

* Beta-blocker long-term use such as propranolol, metoprolol, etc.

* Physical injury is a common cause of increased RT3

* Viruses, such as flu

* Starvation/severe calorie restriction

* Mistreated diabetes

* Cirrhosis of the liver

* Fatty liver disease

* Renal Failure.

* Fever of unknown cause

* Detoxing high heavy metals levels

* Etc. etc. etc.

And, testing will tell you if your rT3 is high, but it won't tell you why. So, not really much point in testing it.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

B12, folate and vitamin D are deficient

You need testing for Pernicious Anaemia before starting on B12 and folic acid

Highly likely to need loading B12 injections initially. Then B12 injection every 2-3 months

GP should prescribe folic acid, but this shouldn’t start until 48 hours after first B12 injection

Vitamin D is deficient

Again GP should prescribe loading dose vitamin

NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required

ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...

GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol. Some CCG areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Test vitamin D again at end of loading dose prescribed by GP

Once you Improve level, you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing

vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.

There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.

One spray = 1000iu

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

Another member recommended this one recently

Vitamin D with k2

amazon.co.uk/Strength-Subli...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average

Vitamin D and thyroid disease

grassrootshealth.net/blog/t...

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease

newscientist.com/article/23...

You also need iron and ferritin levels tested

[SlowDragon Administrator]

If you took last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test, these results suggest you are on slightly too high a dose of levothyroxine

Discuss possible reduction in levothyroxine with your endocrinologist. Perhaps to 137.5mcg daily and retest in 6-8 weeks

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Which brand T3

Do you always get same brand at each prescription

Are you vegetarian or vegan?

Are you on strictly gluten free diet or dairy free diet