Is this what optimal looks like?

[Regenallotment]

Monitor My Health results just in. After 7 weeks on 100mcg Teva

Testing prep as per protocols. No Biotin supplements for 4 days etc.

Feeling much more myself - I think this is good news 🦋

TSH 1.11 mIU/L (0.27 - 4.2) 21.4%

Free T4 (fT4) 18.9 pmol/L (12 - 22) 69.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 4.2 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 29.7%

T4:T3 Ratio 4.500 

Stick and test in 8 weeks? Or ask for T3 trial and get that 29.7% up a bit?

[SarahJane1471]

FT4 looks good 👍. TSH good. Maybe leave it a bit longer. Your body may adjust a bit more and bring up the FT3. If you are feeling good stay as you are 🤷‍♀️. Just my opinion of course 🥹

[Regenallotment in reply to SarahJane1471]

thanks that’s super helpful x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I would agree with SarahJane1471

Wait and retest in another 6-8 weeks

[Regenallotment in reply to SlowDragon]

will do thanks both x

[DippyDame]

"Optimal" isn't just numbers, it is when one feels well because they have found their personal therapeutic dose.

This will be different for everyone.

You say you feel better.....so I'm assuming still not really well

Looking at your labs your T4 to T3 conversion appears impaired....evidenced by low FT3 compared to high FT4

To support thyroid function/ conversion have you optimised the essential nutrients vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin?

You have room to raise your T4 dose to see if it raises your FT3 to a level where you feel better....maybe increasing in 25mcg increments

But, if it doesn't and you still feel under par then the addition of a little T3 would help

The reason for first increasing T4/levo is because if this works it's easier to have T4 prescribed than it is T3.

At 29.7% through ref range your FT3 is abysmally low. Both FT4 and FT3 should be roughly approaching 75% through their respective ref ranges....we are all different

T3 is the active thyroid hormone and for good health must be available in an adequate and constant supply in order to flood almost every cell in the body.

You are making progress..keep up the good work.

Just some thoughts

[Regenallotment in reply to DippyDame]

thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, yes I thought it looked pretty good until I saw the % through range for T3.

Feeling well - not sure I’d recognise it, I think I’ve settled for feeling less shit and perhaps I should have higher standards 🤣

🦋

[DippyDame in reply to Regenallotment]

Don't just settle for feeling " less shit".....time to raise your game and expectations.

You can do this with patience and time....and optimal hormone replacement. Been there!

Your doctor will no doubt bang on with rubbish about TSH .... it is not a reliable marker. That is FT3 followed by FT4!

Your defence....

thyroidpatients.ca/2021/07/...

We need to fight against the mess thyroid patients have had dumped on them!

[Baggiesfan in reply to DippyDame]

I wish the Professor in endocrinology at Birmingham hospital I have seen would lower herself to read this. The T3 is just a "snapshot" she said, "tsh does not lie" and she is on the list of so called experts who write our NICE guidelines. What hope have we? Regenallotment I wish you all the best and glad you are feeling better.

[jgelliss in reply to DippyDame]

Love your spirit DD.

[arTistapple in reply to Regenallotment]

You made me laugh “settled for feeling less shit and perhaps I should have higher standards”. It echoed so well for me. Even your blood results look not that different from mine! Same question stick with it etc? Upping my levo has worked but at a cost. I am feeling a lot less like paying. I had a few weeks of real shit AND I kind of think the levo has done what it can for me. I don’t like the price of upping it to squeeze another little bit of T3 into my system which will probably be gone again anytime soon. Standards? You did cheer me up though.

[Aurealis]

I really agree with DippyDame that optimal is something that you feel, not see in blood test results. You’ll know when you get there, more so than anyone else will be able to tell you.

[Brightness14]

I have felt well for years with my FT3 past 6.00 It depends on you and how you feel.

[lovelab]

I am similar with bad conversion. I have been trying to improve my vitamins and minerals as suggested on forum as needed for good conversion, and have also changed how I administer vitamin D due to bad absorption. I am beginning to feel some improvement and hoping blood tests will confirm if I'm converting better. How are your vitamins etc?

[Regenallotment in reply to lovelab]

had vitamins done in Sept, work in progress but much improved from May… will keep going with it and diet changes 🦋