Have been on T3 for the last few weeks. Half a tablet a day. Plus 150 mcg levothyroxine, which was my usual levo dose before the endo added in T3.
And here are my results:
Ferritin - 10 (13-150) [LOW]
My GP says, on this result, “just out of normal range”.
TSH - 0.61 (0.27-4.2)
Before taking T3, my TSH was in the 2-3 range in general.
Free T4 - 18.1 (11-21.2)
No T3
(This was the second time I went to get my blood tested in a month. The first time I went my phlebotomist left T3 off, so the only reason I went to get these done today was =T3. The only result not to so far come back = T3. After the first time I called the GP and had at least 2 conversations with the receptionist about how to get T3 done this time. They said that instead of going to the community phlebotomist, I had to go to the hospital.I was there at 8 am this morning. The hospital seem to have again left T3 off, despite my specifically getting the very nice phleb to check she was testing T3, today. Bloods were only taken today so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt - maybe T3 will come in tomorrow. Each time I have to go / have to call the GP about it is an extra cost for the NHS that could have been averted).
Serum TIBC - 62 (50-72)
Transferrin - 22% (20-50%)
Serum iron - 13.5 (14-30) [LOW]
B12 - 391 (197-771)
Serum Folate - 12.8 (3-20)
White and red blood counts all normal
Haemoglobin 132 (115-155)
Am curious to know how the thyroid result is please. I know that without T3, it’s all very ambiguous.
thanks so much
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HowNowWhatNow
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I am taking T3 as one pill. At the same time of day as the levothyroxine.
And I took the last batch less than a day before the test, but more than 12 hours.
I am taking B Complex (a brand recommended here) but didn’t for a week or two before this test so as not to cloud results.
I sent off for a postal Vitamin D test earlier this year and my result for that was fine. Helped by the Vit D spray I was recommended here. I found it v hard to produce enough blood for that test so will not do it more than once a year.
I took OTC iron all summer that I thought was gentle but it made me very unwell… several digestive symptoms, muscle spasms, stomach acid, burning throat, etc etc.. Am going to have to go down the infusion route to get iron right. I had my first one a year ago (when my ferritin was 3) but became iron deficient again within 7 or 8 months of taking it. I eat meat. Had beef consommé for lunch and then mince, plus an orange for Vit C, for dinner. Unintentional paleo diet.
Does anyone here in my iron shoes get iron infusions on the NHS?
I sent off for a postal Vitamin D test earlier this year and my result for that was fine. Helped by the Vit D spray I was recommended here. I found it v hard to produce enough blood for that test so will not do it more than once a year.
I'm just wondering who you are using for your Vit D test. Is it a lab where you have to fill a microtainer?
There is a much easier way, a dried blood spot test which just requires 4 drops of blood on a type of absorbent paper. This test is offered by NHS lab based at City Hospital in Birmingham and is the easiest and probably the cheapest of all the postal tests at £29:
The little tube to collect blood sample. The number of drops depends on how large drops you produce, I can sometimes fill one with 14 drops, sometimes it takes 20 if the drops are smaller.
The results are good ferritin is a bit low but should come up. FT3 is a widely fluctuating marker especially if you're taking T3.
T3 is the rocket fuel that powers humans. A normal human converts T4 into T3 as it needs it. You don't know if that has just happened or is about to happen so a normal person's FT3 could be very different in two tests 4 hours apart. If you take T3 your FT3 after you've taken it will be very high and just before it will be very low.
Not sure what a blood level is going to tell you. If you feel good you're on enough. If you don't feel good you're not.
My main symptoms at the moment - those causing me trouble - don’t seem to be thyroid-related, but I’m trying to get my thyroid levels right so it’s one less thing to think about. I feel better on T3 than not. I feel like myself. Rocket fuel seems about right.
Looking back at my B12 levels over the last few years, they were way too low for too long. So I really appreciate the work of this forum in bringing its importance across to me. And if you haven’t yet started taking B12, what are you waiting for?
your TSH has come down. Most of us feel decent on a TSH of lower than 2. Doctors get really jumpy if it gets really low because they worry about heart issues but recent studies in Cardiff say it's only worrying with a very high FT4. Personally my TSH is practically nothing but my T4 is only ever 11 or 12.
With B12 below 500 you need separate B12 as well as vitamin B complex
Only stop taking vitamin B complex 5-7 days before test
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate methyl folate supplement and continue separate B12
With 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.
I’ve just found out that the hospital lab - in a major London teaching hospital - my GP practice uses for all blood tests no longer measures T3. At all.
I can hardly believe this is true but it has now been confirmed to me by several people at the practice.
They say that only a different local hospital tests T3, but my GP surgery cannot order tests from it.
when I moved house and area (on levothyroxine plus T3 prescribed on NHS) my lovely new GP was puzzled I got private blood testing done
She assured me at my first appointment at new surgery NHS would of course test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 especially as I was prescribed T3 ……and would retest vitamin D, folate and B12 as these had previously been deficient
So, to keep her sweet, I did test (stopped vitamin B complex) booked early appointment……results following week……just TSH 🤷♀️
So now GP is completely on board and supportive of my testing privately
GP completely onboard with the gut and thyroid connection. Advises all her thyroid patients to try gluten free diet now (after testing for coeliac first)
Also 2 of the practice nurses at surgery are on dairy free diet, (not for thyroid reasons) ….but again dairy is recognised as possible thyroid issue
And my only infusion has been private - paid for by medical insurance.
I have had numerous new health problems in the last two years at the same time as being iron deficient - eg. 3 days in NHS hospital with suspected heart problems and when I asked the doctors on my ward if they can order an iron infusion, they looked at me as if I was mad.
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