New test results

[Leviteron]

I have some new test results. At the moment i am taking 100 mg of levothyroxine. Looks like im over medicated. Lately i had been having the feeling of heart fluttering but recently the last few weeks i was feeling ok. Im wondering if the very low tsh levels have helped me feel better.

I also have a question...how long does it really take to get your levo dose right? During pregnancy 50 mg was sufficient but i have been taking 100 for 6 months now and was wondering if my low tsh is a sign of fluctuating or if it means my hormones are returning to their previous state

Also how much do you recommend i reduce it by? My dr. Appointment isnt till monday so should i start reducing it earlier?

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

I wouldn't be inclined to reduce as your results are...

TSH 0.205 mIU/L (.34 - 5.6) -2.6%

Free T4 (fT4) 1.09 pmol/L (0.61 - 1.24) 76.2%

Would be great if you had a fT3 result to see how well you are converting... as low fT3 can cause heart flutters

Have you had your iron levels tested as heart flutters are often a sign of low iron?

[Leviteron in reply to TiggerMe]

I am suffering from low ferritin but high iron saturation. My results 5 months ago tsh was 1.34 and t3 was 2.90, t4 0.98 so i assume my conversion is ok. Do i need a t3 test every time i test my tsh? And how much would you recomend i reduce? 75 and 100 on alternate days? -i started on this thyroid disease journey 9 months ago and have been testing every 3 months. My tsh results were fine the last 2 tests but now i have a drop. I really appreciate all the feedback, support and help this forum has provided so far.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Leviteron]

I think the others have said it all rather brilliantly!🤗

[GlowCoach Administrator]

It's best not to rely on TSH as it can be unreliable especially if your vitamins are not optimal.

There is no result for FT3 which is very important to be able to assess your levels.

Did you remember to take last dose of Levo 24hrs before this test and not sooner?

What time of day was this test taken?

Its highly unlikely that you are overmedicated with an FT4 of just 76% of the range, you may even need a tiny bit more.

How do you feel?

Its unlikely your hormones wil return to their previous state. Normally in pregnancy we need a little more hormone and then less after delivery. It look like your condition has progressed since then if you now need more.

Vitamin D should be around 100 - 150. Buy one that includes vit K2 to help it go to your bones. Some are available in oil or you can take it with an oily meal for better absorption. Many members like the ‘Better You’ range of mouth sprays that contain both bit D & K2. Use this calculator to work out how much to take to get your level to 100-150. wildatlantichealth.com/vita...

How are your other vitamins - ferritin, folate, B12?

[Leviteron in reply to GlowCoach]

I have low ferritin but high iron saturation. (Ferritin 29 and iron saturation 48) I didnt test for folate and i was taking 1000units of b12 but i stopped when i ran out a couple of weeks back.

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Leviteron]

As soon as you stop supplementing a vitamin your level will be dropping. Hypo people need to continuously supplement to maintain OPTIMAL levels. Suggest you buy some more B12.

If your iron is already high but ferritin low then boosting by increasing iron in foods is the best way forward. Chicken livers or pate a few times a week.

Folate needs testing as you may need a B complex.

[Leviteron in reply to GlowCoach]

Thanks for the advice. I will get t3 folate and b12 tested and start my b12 suplaments again. What dose do you recomend?

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Leviteron]

I would go back on the 1000iu dose. You may even need a little more. Best to take it right up until the day before the blood test to see where your level is at.

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Leviteron]

Vitamin D should be around 40- 60ng/mL

(U.K. units 100-150nmol )

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to GlowCoach]

Vitamin D units on Leviteron results are ng/mL

So 59ng/mL is perfect

[greygoose]

Looks like im over medicated

No it doesn't. not at all. A low TSH doesn't automatically mean over-medication. In fact, once it gets below 1, it doesn't mean very much at all, so you shouldn't be dosing by it. Your FT4 is still within range, so I very much doubt you're over-medicated.

Im wondering if the very low tsh levels have helped me feel better.

TSH doesn't make you feel anything. It doesn't cause symptoms. It is just a vague reflexion of thyroid hormone levels - TSH is a pituitary hormone, a messenger from the pituitary to the thyroid to tell it when to make more hormone.

It's T3 that causes symptoms when it's too high or too low. So, if you're feeling better, one would imagine that the FT3 is rising.

[Leviteron in reply to greygoose]

Interesting...Why do dr's only judge on the tsh and t4 results then? I go to an endo and these are the tests she prescribed.

[greygoose in reply to Leviteron]

Because doctors know nothing about thyroid - not even endos - especially not endos! They have no idea what T3 is, nor what it does, and only a vague idea about TSH and FT4, come to that. They've been taught that the TSH has to be kept within the range at all costs, but they have no idea why, and it isn't even true. They were taught that the TSH tells them 'all they have to know'. But, that is assuming that everyone's pituitary works perfectly. It doesn't. It's only a gland, after all. So, if they thyroid can go wonky, why wouldn't the pituitary? Or the hypothalamus? But, they have no idea about that. You'll get far better advice on here than you ever will from any endo.

[Leviteron in reply to greygoose]

I agree 👍 all dr. Could say about my heart flutterings was that its anxiety and that i should meditate.The flutterings were making me anxious and still do but it was reassuring to find others on the forum who had the same symptoms. Still not sure how to stop them or why i have some weeks where i have non but some weeks where its severe.

[greygoose in reply to Leviteron]

That was his considered medical opinion, was it? Meditate. I didn't know they covered meditation in med school. Tells this ignoramous that it's more likely to be due to low T3 and that he should test it! What a waste of tax-payers money!

[Leviteron in reply to greygoose]

When 3 doctors told me to reduce my anxiety (which i wasnt aware i had) i came to 2 conclusions. 1. Either i have anxiety and didnt know about it or 2. All doctors resort to be calm, eat healthy, exercise when they don't know how to solve your issue...

[greygoose in reply to Leviteron]

I really, really don't think you can have anxiety and not know it! Anxiety is a hypo symptom. It's the first symptom I get when I'm under-medicated. And I know about it!

I think your second conclusion is the right one, and it's called: patient blaming. Although another solution for them is to 'diagnose' you with fibro, CFS/ME, conditions with symptoms just like hypo symptoms (probably are hypo symptoms!) and no blood tests to prove you do or you don't have it. That way, you can't argue!