High T3: Hi further to my recent post I wonder if... - Thyroid UK

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High T3

Pebbles33 profile image
16 Replies

Hi further to my recent post I wonder if anyone can give me their view regarding these results. Thank you.

TSH 2.86, Free T3 4.1, Free Thyroxine 20

Thyroid Stim. Hormone 2.53 0.270 - 4.2 mIU/L

Free T3 3.6 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

Free Thyroxine (FT4) 16.9 12 - 22 pmol/L

Thyroglobulin Antibodies H 464.7 0 - 115 kIU/L Method: Roche Cobas Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies H 144.6 0 - 34 kIU/L Method: Roche Cobas

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Pebbles33
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SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

TSH 2.86,

Free T3 4.1,

Free Thyroxine 20

What’s the ranges on these results

Were both tests done early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

How much levothyroxine were you taking at each test

High thyroid antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

Are you on gluten free/dairy free diet

What are most recent vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 results

What vitamin supplements are you taking

We need GOOD vitamin levels for good conversion of Ft4 to Ft3

Pebbles33 profile image
Pebbles33 in reply toSlowDragon

Hi thanks for your reply. Yes Levo taken 24 hours before. I’m taking 75mg and feel well enough. However saw private Dr who wants to raise to 100 mg. Tried this already with GP and was too much on 75mg and 100 mg alternate days. Also think it’s going to cost a fortune in the long run which is worrying me! Only went because I thought may need TSH below 1 and GP won’t do this or give me T3 if needed so I’m at a loss now.

25 OH Vitamin D 78 50 - 250 nmol/L

Ferritin 31 30 - 150 ug/L

Please note change in ref range for females in line with NICE recommendations. Total Vit B12 511 145 - 569 pmol/L

Folate (serum) ** 44.4 8.83 - 60.8 nmol/L

I’m aware I need to increase ferritin so going to try a supplement which will hopefully raise this. Not on a gluten diet can changing this help?

Any advice which be much appreciated thank you.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toPebbles33

Tried this already with GP and was too much on 75mg and 100 mg alternate days

What were results on this dose

Which brand of levothyroxine were you taking

Ferritin is terrible

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron 

Medichecks iron panel test 

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet 

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

An article that explains why Low ferritin and low thyroid levels are often linked 

preventmiscarriage.com/iron...

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin 

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Effective supplement 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Excellent article on iron and thyroid 

cambridge.org/core/journals...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Shellfish and Mussels are excellent source of iron 

healthline.com/nutrition/he...

Heme iron v non heme

hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...

Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Great research article discussing similar…..ferritin over 100 often necessary 

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ferritin range on Medichecks 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

We have received further information the lab about ferritin reference ranges. They confirm that they are sex dependent up to the age of 60, then beyond the age of 60 the reference range is the same for both sexes: 

Males 16-60: 30-400 ug/L

Female's: 16-60: 30-150

Both >60: 30-650 

The lower limit of 30 ug/L is in accordance with the updated NICE guidance and the upper limits are in accordance with guidance from the Association of Clinical Biochemists. ‘

Pebbles33 profile image
Pebbles33 in reply toSlowDragon

Hi thanks Slow Dragon. The private GP has told me to supplement with SpaTone. Here’s my lastest liver results.

Liver function tests

Serum total protein level 67 g/L [60.0 - 80.0]

Serum albumin level 42 g/L [35.0 - 50.0]

Serum alkaline phosphatase level 57 |U/L 30.0 - 130.01

Serum alanine aminotransferase level 16 IU/L [0.0 - 55.0]

Serum total bilirubin level 9 umol/L [< 21.01

Haven’t a clue what they mean. GP has never mentioned me having anemia only know about low ferritin through private tests

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toPebbles33

These are not anything to do with iron/ferritin results

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle

TSH: 2.86 [0.27 - 4.2]

fT3: 4.1 [3.1 - 6.8]

fT4: 20 [12 - 22]

These results are from Dec healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... and your GP didn't want to increase your dose AT THAT TIME ,because your fT4 was pretty near top of range at that time .

You wanted to try some added T3 to get fT3 level up and TSH lower, but GP isn't interested in helping you get T3 , and so you went private .

i'm assuming the private one then gets these results :

TSH: 2.53 [0.270 - 4.2]

FT3: 3.6 [3.1 - 6.8]

FT4: 16.9 [12 - 22] and from these result it's logical to try increasing the levo dose first ,, BECAUSE on THIS test , your fT4 is lower at 16.9 so there is NOW room to increase levo dose . which there didn't seem to be in Dec

So, since there is room to increase levo and TSH is relatively high , it would have been a bit irresponsible of the private one to consider adding T3 at this point until they had first tried to increase levo to see if that would lower TSH and improve symptoms .

You can't compare their two decisions , because the decisions were made at different times and while looking at different results.

if the NHS GP sees the current results, they may well agree to increase your levo now even though they wouldn't in Dec.

if the private one had been asked in Dec , they may well have agreed that T3 was worth a try. whereas now there is room to try a levo dose increase first.

The right thing to do at this point is increase levo first, and wait and see how that goes . it doesn't matter who prescribes it , that is what needs doing.

you need to know clearly if the private one would EVER be wiling to consider prescribing T3 if / when results showed it is needed.... if not, there's no point continuing to pay to see them. .. if they would consider it , then you may as well continue with them for now , because your GP has already shown they are not willing to help you get it .

Pebbles33 profile image
Pebbles33 in reply totattybogle

Thank you so much for your really helpful reply and taking the time to help me sort out my ranges. I feel better about continuing with the private GP now for a little while longer as she will provide T3 if required.

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply toPebbles33

You're welcome . perhaps a good idea to edit this post title , because your T3 is not the thing that's high . it's your TSH . otherwise you'll get replies all day saying "your endo's an idiot /are they blind , your T3 is not high"

To edit a post look at the end of the post (before the replies start)

Reply ... Like ... Save Post ... Report ... More

Click on more to edit a post .

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toPebbles33

Agree absolutely with tattybogle

Your private thyroid consultant is correct to NOW increase levothyroxine

Meanwhile work on improving low ferritin

Pebbles33 profile image
Pebbles33 in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you Slow Dragon. Won’t increasing the dose raise my T4 too much again? Don’t really understand how that works?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toPebbles33

Was last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

TSH 2.53 0.270 - 4.2 mIU/L

FT4: 16.9 pmol/l (Range 12 - 22)

Ft4 only 49.00% through range

FT3: 3.6 pmol/l (Range 3.1 - 6.8)

Ft3 only 13.51% through range

Most people when adequately treated will have Ft4 at least 60-70% through range

And Ft3 at least 50-60% through range

Pebbles33 profile image
Pebbles33 in reply toSlowDragon

Yes it was that’s what I always do. Sorry meant to say these are the most recent results. It’s getting very confusing now!

TSH: 2.86 [0.27 - 4.2]fT3: 4.1 [3.1 - 6.8]fT4: 20 [12 - 22]

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toPebbles33

TSH: 2.86 [0.27 - 4.2]

fT3: 4.1 [3.1 - 6.8]

fT4: 20 [12 - 22]

These results were in Dec as tattybogle said

As confirmed by your post 3 months ago

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

The most recent results are here

TSH 2.53 0.270 - 4.2 mIU/L 

FT4: 16.9 pmol/l (Range 12 - 22) 

Ft4 only 49.00% through range 

FT3: 3.6 pmol/l (Range 3.1 - 6.8)

Ft3 only 13.51% through range

These show you are NOW ready for next dose increase in levothyroxine

This is extremely common ……as you get use to higher dose …..after few months often then ready for next increase in levothyroxine

Pebbles33 profile image
Pebbles33 in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you I really appreciate your replies. The private results aren’t very clear. Sorry I am getting confused with it all now.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toPebbles33

TSH 2.53 0.270 - 4.2 mIU/L 

FT4: 16.9 pmol/l (Range 12 - 22) 

FT3: 3.6 pmol/l (Range 3.1 - 6.8)

When were these tests done

Are they the most recent private tests

They show that Ft4 is only 49% through range and therefore plenty of room to increase dose levothyroxine……..which is what endocrinologist has recommended

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply toPebbles33

Those are Dec results (TSH: 2.86 / T3: 4.1/ T4: 20 )

When were these other results from ? (TSH 2.53 / T3: 3.6 / T4 16.9 )

I had assumed they were more recent .

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