blood test timings

[Jodypody]

just a quickie. As I’m on NDT I believe my blood test needs to be 12 hours after my dose. If the blood test came back a third through the range was I right to increase? I did this test on a non training day for worst case scenario.

[pennyannie]

Hello Jodypody :

With NDT you dose to the relief of symptoms - the blood test is just guide and tends to run some weeks behind symptoms anyway.

I monitored my progress by taking my blood pressure, pulse and body temperature twice daily - and whilst my blood pressure and pulse remained stable i was able to track my temperature rising from 35.4 to 36.6 where it tends to be now - some 5 years on.

On NDT when optimally medicated you will likely have a low suppressed TSH and a T3 proportionately higher with a T4 proportionately lower than when on T4 monotherapy, with T3 being the most important blood test result to track on.

The blood test and ranges were introduced to be used with Big Pharmas T3 and T4 thyroid hormone treatment options and not NDT - as NDT was used successfully for over 100 years and long before we knew of the ' science ' of blood tests or even the existence of T3 and T4.

Are you splitting your dose or taking it all at once ?

I take just 1 dose and if i needed to get my T3 into the NHS reference range I'd need to wait around 10/12 hours or eaten beforehand.

[Jodypody in reply to pennyannie]

hi. Thanks for taking time to respond. I’ve been on NDT for 9 years so my bank of knowledge thanks to the admins on this site is good. It was just an answer to that specific question I was after.

[pennyannie in reply to Jodypody]

Oh, I'm sorry - I'm confused -

Which blood test came back around 1/3rd through the range - your T3 ?

and what is a non training day and the worst possible scenario ?

[Jodypody in reply to pennyannie]

Yes to all. I just wondered whether a low T3 reading after 12 hours was to be expected or an indication I wasn’t quite there. I took it as the latter and ended up titrations till I settled on 3 grains where I was stable for about 12 months and now bam I’m overdosed so have had to start again. ☹️. Currently at 2.5. It’s so tricky I assume a different batch that was more potent

[pennyannie in reply to Jodypody]

Are you splitting your dose ?

Could be different batch -

When metabolism runs too fast or too slow there is a risk that your core strength vitamins and minerals, nose dive through the ranges and we need optimal levels of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D to assist in the conversion of T4 into T3.

Do you need to supplement any of these to maintain them at optimal levels ?

[Jodypody in reply to pennyannie]

Hi Penny

I do all of the above. I can only assume this batch is potent. I always take one dose as per the much revered Dr Lowe’s recommendation . As I said it was just trying to get an answer as to whether I should expect a low reading 12 hours after dose

[pennyannie in reply to Jodypody]

If you have eaten and used up a lot of energy more likely a lower T3 than if you fasted and taken it easy before the blood tests :

Maybe check your pulse and temperature ?

[Jodypody]

yes 😊