Low T3 and Below TSH???

[ASkepticalConsumer]

Greetings dear folks.

Hope everyone is doing ok given the complexities of the thyroid.

I am totally perplexed with my blood results. I have an encrinologist here in Ottawa, Canada, but she is focused on diabetes..............

I am on 100 mg of Synthroid and 5mcg of Cytomel. I have to say I feel totally awful with all the hypo symptoms; super dry skin, major fatigue, major brain fog, outer eyebrows gone, hoarse voice, belly roll, poor breathing, bad teeth and gums.... I have confirmed candida and am suffering from mold exposure (organic urine test confirmed) - bad stomach with gas etc. However, I do get periods with shaking, rapid heart beat etc

I have already tested positive for Hashi's in the past.

What do you think - I find the below range TSH and the very low free T3 perplexing!

TSH 0.31 (0.35-5.0) Below range

Free T4 17 (11-23)

Free T3 3.8 (3.4-5.9) Low in range

Kindest Regards To Each Of You

Thank you for your public service.

😘😘😘😘😘

[Lalatoot]

Taking oral t3 tends to suppress TSH so it being under range is no surprise.Your low t3 and symptoms suggest that you need to increase your cytomel.

It takes time and trial and error to find doses that suit. It took me 2 years of slow and gradual adjustments of oral t4 and oral t3, one change at a time, to settle on doses and a dosing schedule that I felt I wanted to stay on long term.

It is better for us to base our doses on our symptoms and levels of ft4 and ft3 rather than TSH. This is because our body no longer works normally. Our body has had to adapt to receiving thyroid hormones differently. A normal body does not absorb thyroid hormones from the gut. A normal thyroid will pulse out t4 and t3 all day according to need while our body has to make do with what we have put in our system. Our body may not run as efficiently either so we may need higher levels of thyroid hormone circulating to make up for this inefficient use.

[Gingernut44]

I agree with Lalatoot, you need an increase of 5mcg Cytomel, whether you take it all at once or split the dose 5mcg am and 5mcg approximately 12 hours later depends on how you feel. Your FT4 is only 50% through the range which would be too low for some/most hypos and your FT3 is only 16% (usually best 50 - 60% but you could need it higher). You have a way to go and you’ll maybe have to increase your Levothyroxine as well. Leave at least 6/8 weeks on a stable dose before retesting to see where your numbers are and how you feel. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix.

[ASkepticalConsumer in reply to Gingernut44]

Dear Lalatoot, Gingernut44:

Thanks so very much!

I suspected this. Like many of us, it is how to deal with incompetent medical professionals!!!!!!!!!

I will request an increase in T3, fingers crossed.

My stomach is very bad and conversion is no doubt an issue using T4. And I will ensure I follow your protocol of timing indeed.

Hugs!

[Gingernut44]

wishing you good luck with an increase