Follow up to 'gaslighting myself' post last week-I got tested

[RickGrimes]

Thank you to those who responded to me last week sharing stories of how to listen to yourself when feeling 'off'

I'm still struggling, irritable, been so cold the last couple of days and mood very low although the fatigue has been sightly better and I've managed some exercise yesterday and today. Had bloods taken yesterday 24 hours after my T4 dose and 10 hours after my last T3 dose.

TSH 0.05 (0.2-4)

FT4 8.2 (10-20)

Total T3 1.9 (0.9-2.5)

My NHS Trust doesn't do FT3.

I take 50mcg T4 and 20mcg T3 then 10mcg T3 and have been for about 8 weeks (added an extra 5mcg T3 in Nov).

Bloods at the end of September on same levo dose but 5mcg less of T3 were as follows but these were only 3 or 4 hours after my morning dose.

TSH 0.05 (0.2-4)

FT4 10.6 (10-20)

Total T3 2.3 (0.9-2.5)

I think I need to alter my dose. I would be so grateful for people's options of where I should go with this.

You are all wonderful. And I certainly feel so much less alone, knowing this community is here x

[tattybogle]

1st Billy goat gruff arrives at the bridge .....

"my instinct would be to say put Levo up by a full 25mcg to 75mcg . since it is so very low . but i know bugger all about using T3 ,.... so you should wait for the next goat to come along , they will be much bigger and cleverer than me ....

Trot .. trot trot.

[RickGrimes in reply to tattybogle]

Thank you! This was my instinct too x

[tattybogle in reply to RickGrimes]

trot trot trot .... ( comes back )

"but i'm an indecisive goat ~ so my second instinct would be to back pedal and say put it up by 12.5mcg and see what happens "

trot trot trot (goes away again)

[RickGrimes in reply to tattybogle]

Hehe

[Lalatoot]

Trip trap trip trap the 2nd billy goat gruff has arrived. For me your ft4 level would be too low. I would be looking to increase levo.

BUT as they have not measured ft3 you have no way of knowing how much t3 you have available in the blood or what effect an increase in levo might do to ft3 levels. It might be that you need to reduce your t3 dose in response to increasing your levo dose.

My NHS trust always does ft3. If you are being prescribed t3 by the NHS then I would argue that they need to monitor your levels appropriately.

[RickGrimes in reply to Lalatoot]

Yep, you'd think. It's always a no when I ask about FT3.

Thank you for flagging this though and so appreciate I'd be going in somewhat blind. I probably need to do my own finger prick test again

[Litatamon in reply to Lalatoot]

Curiosity. If the goal of T4 is to become an active thyroid hormone (T3) what is the reason to need more of it in cases like this?

Genuinely curious. There must be something I am not understanding.

[Lalatoot in reply to Litatamon]

Litatmoon, it is an individual thing. Some folks who are on t3 only feel well with very very low ft4. Some folks on combo t3 t4 feel well with high ft3 and low ft4. Others on combo only feel well if both ft3 and ft4 are at least halfway through range and maybe even higher. You don't know which you will be until you try.

[Litatamon in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you Lalatoot, I appreciate it.

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

I've started on T3 5 months ago and kept my T4 at 100mcg whilst adding in the T3, my T4 levels have gradually dropped from 90% to 30% since adding in the T3 which is currently 18.25mcg

I was wondering if I still needed to take T4 but as it has dropped I am getting foggier and memory is slipping, I did increase my T3 to compensate but no change... think I shall be upping my dose of T4 to get back to nearer 70% which I felt good at along with T3 at 80%

Once I've jumped through some hoops to train up the Endo about low TSH (0.05) 😉

You have to try these things don't you? Somewhere I might bump into myself

[tattybogle in reply to TiggerMe]

are donkeys allowed on this bridge ?

[Delgor in reply to tattybogle]

😂😂😂

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Delgor]

Don't encourage her!... you know what she's like when she get's on a roll 🐐(Tatty goat) It's going to be one of those zany rainy weekends 🤣(OTFL) Tatty abbreviation

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Delgor]

Your response got the chop... you can't go around calling people that! 🤣

[Delgor in reply to TiggerMe]

Ha Ha - suddenly realised that an ass was a donkey so I deleted it🙃

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to tattybogle]

Who's a donkey??? I'm an Eyesore without a cause... notice I didn't Trip Trap or Trot as I don't know yet how to enter as an Eyesore.... should I waft or clatter oooh or maybe grind or flounce.... having an identity crisis here!!

[tattybogle in reply to TiggerMe]

.... wiv a bag on yer 'ed ?