Test results

[Carlax]

Hi Everyone,

I had a Full blood count and Thyroid tests last week. I did the blood test following the guidance of SlowDragon and did not had supplements for over a week and no Levo for 24hrs and Lio for 8hrs. Time for the test 8 am and fasting.

My tests results are as follow:

Serum TSH: <0.01 mU/L (normal range 0.30-4.20)

Serum Free T4: 11.3 pmol/L (normal range: 9.0-19.0)

Serum Free T3: 6.1 pmol/L (normal range: 3-5.4)

Serum Iron level: 17.5 micro mol/L (normal range 11-30)

Serum ferritin: 24.4 micro/L (normal range: 10-200)

Serum transferrin: 2.62 g/L (normal range: 1.8-3.6)

My temperature is 36.6 typically and since I started with T3 I have not been cold all the time anymore. Also, I feel more energetic and have got a better quality of sleep.

I am taking 100mcgrs of T4 at bedtime and 15-20 of T3 throughout the day. Because of my work and the fact that I have been on T3 for just a year, I am finding quite challenging taking T3 without food or drink and sometimes I can only fit 15mcgrs. Normally though, I take 10mcgrs in the am when I wake up, 5 mcgrs 5 hours after that and another 5mcrs after that last intake. I hope it makes sense.

However, the latest results show that I may be taking too much? I am worried about the potential impact to the heart. I feel no palpitations yet but I am monitoring my blood pressure from today.

What do you think based on your experience? Am I taken too much T3? Should I keep T3 and reduce T4? should I reduce both?

I am reluctant to change things too much since I am feeling marginally than before T3, although I know that I have not yet found my optimal dosage....I am also finding quite difficult to make changes to my intakes. I have read a lot about it (Mr. Robinson's books and Sarah Myhill's), however, I still do not find it easy to interpret or follow, hence stuck on the same dosage for the last 9 months.

Your views will be very much appreciated, since it is thanks to you all that I am feeling better and in more control of my destiny.

Carla

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

You need to take exactly same dose T3 everyday

Suggest you try 15mcg as 3 x 5mcg everyday

5mcg waking, 5mcg mid afternoon and 5mcg bedtime

Or …..if T3 at bedtime keeps you awake

5mcg waking, noon and 6pm

Save the spare 1/4 tablet for next day

You might need to increase levothyroxine a little eventually

But only change one thing at a time

Ferritin is very low and definitely needs improvement

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

Looking at previous posts

Are you now getting same brand levothyroxine and same brand T3 at each prescription

Are you still splitting levothyroxine as well as T3

Are you on gluten free diet or dairy free diet

[Carlax in reply to SlowDragon]

Are you now getting same brand levothyroxine and same brand T3 at each prescription - Yes

Are you still splitting levothyroxine as well as T3? I am not splitting Levothyroxine anymore, just taking the 100 at night time.

Are you on gluten free diet or dairy free diet? Started to reduce significantly the carbohydrates and milk two months ago. When I say significantly I mean I The aim is to follow the Paleo-Ketogenic diet on the book from Sarah Myhill and other books.

I reduced the amount of coke to one can a week and I am taking supplements for B12, Vitamin C, and D3+K and magnesium and B Complex, and folate.

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Carlax]

So if you are now taking Levo at bedtime…..did you adjust dose before test so that last dose levothyroxine was 24 hours before test

Don’t cut carbs totally as that can reduce conversion rate of Ft4 to Ft3

Cutting beige carbs (pasta, cakes, bread etc) rather than vegetables and fruits etc

Suggest you try gluten free first ……

Supplements

you don’t need Folate AND vitamin B complex. Just vitamin B complex will be enough …..and in week before test when stop vitamin B complex, replace with folate

[Carlax in reply to SlowDragon]

So if you are now taking Levo at bedtime…..did you adjust dose before test so that last dose levothyroxine was 24 hours before test? - Yes, I changed it to morning so that there was 24 hrs gap.

I am cutting beige carbohydrates not all carbohydrates.

I did not know about folate, thanks for mentioning it. I was not aware of it. It is attached just to give and idea as to how much I am taking in case it is too much anyway

Folate

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Carlax]

That’s a large dose folate

Definitely don’t need that on top of vitamin B complex

And only take every other day during week you stop B complex

[Carlax in reply to SlowDragon]

Understood. So the suggestion for my consideration is then to reduce T3 rather than Levothyroxine?

I am not clear, sorry

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Carlax]

Yes …..reduce morning T3 to 5mcg

So reduce to be taking 3 x 5mcg per day

Retest again in 6-8 weeks

Which brand of T3 are you taking

20mcg tablet?

Easy to cut into 1/4’s with sharp craft scalpel

If anything Ft4 is a bit low

….after next test Levo might need to go up a very little

[Carlax in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks Slowdragon. I was under the impression that you do only really need T4 as a way to convert it into T3...why will I perhaps need to raise T4 for? Sorry if very obvious but the more I read, the complex I find things....hopefully soon enough things will click for me in my head...

My T3 is Roma in 5mcgs capsules

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Carlax]

On levothyroxine plus small dose T3…..we mainly still use levothyroxine……it’s storage hormone

But need a low level background addition of T3

Many people on levothyroxine plus small doses of T3 find they need both Ft4 and Ft3 at least 50-60% through range

FT4: 11.3 pmol/l (Range 9 - 19)

Currently your Ft4 is only 23% through range

[Carlax in reply to SlowDragon]

My concern is that my GP has just asked me to reduce levothyroxine to 75mcgrs!! Because my TSH was too low

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Carlax]

Suggest you say to GP not going to reduce Levothyroxine

Going to try small 5mcg reduction in T3

Though …,Taking any T3 is almost always suppresses or lowers TSH

[Imaaan]

Hi,

Your ferratin is in dire shape

[Carlax in reply to Imaaan]

What do you mean? How much should I aim for in the results what number? Other than with food, what other supplements can I have?

The doc did not say anything about my iron levels

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Carlax]

Carlax

Serum ferritin: 24.4 micro/L (normal range: 10-200)

Here in the UK NICE guidelines suggest that ferritin below 30 = iron deficiency. It may or may not be iron deficiency, you will need a full iron panel to determine that so please ask your GP to do one which includes serum iron, saturation percentage, total iron binding capacity and ferritin. You can quote NICE re low ferritin:

From: cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.

A full blood count should also be done to see if you have anaemia. You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia. You can have low ferritin but not have iron deficiency. If just low ferritin and no iron deficiency or anaemia then you can try improving ferritin level through diet by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet

bda.uk.com/resource/iron-ri...

everydayhealth.com/pictures...

I have read in one article that females who brought their ferritin level above 100 saw their persistent hypothyroid symptoms relieved, and another article suggests that a level of 100-130 is good for females.

Some experts say that the optimal ferritin level for thyroid function is between 90-110 ng/ml.

[Imaaan in reply to Carlax]

I have a hard time functioning when my ferratin gets to midway. Regarding your doctor, many are just happy if you're in range but that doesn't mean optimal.