I am going to retest my thyroid and vitamin levels in a couple of weeks after 6 weeks of a dose increase from 125 to 150 mcg of levo. I'm anticipating my t4 being high in range and my t3 levels being low as I still have many unresolved symptoms. My previous post a month ago showed that I'm a poor converter, although I didn't follow the correct testing protocol so not 100% accurate. So I think I will probably need some t3 at some point. Since my levo dose increase I actually feel worse; my muscles ache, sleep has really deteriorated etc. I'm hanging on for another week to see what my numbers say.
If my numbers are as I predict am I just better off self medicating with t3 rather than bothering with the hassle of seeing a private endocrinologist to then transfer to an nhs one? Some people have mentioned rosewater labs. What are peoples experience of endos? Are they actually useful 😅? Or is it really just up to us to monitor the effect of our medication?
Thanks 😊
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Cassav
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I thought you might have done! In that case, your thyroid results show results which are ‘false lows’ (especially in FT3). Whilst one can have a good guess at conversion status, I’m afraid that you must repeat blood tests under the correct conditions for any real conclusions to be reached.
Vitamin D is low.
Grasp the nettle and have them done again so that we can help 😉
Thanks yes I'm going to test everything again next week following the proper protocol. I've been supplementing vitamin d3 with k2 and magnesium so I hope that my vitamin d has improved. And surely the hot summer helped!
I started on 100mcg and my sleep improved and random anxiety improved straight away. But with the further increases to 125mcg and 150mcg I feel worse! My sleep has been awful the last week 😞.I know it can take a while for the dose to settle and it will be 6 weeks since my increased dose next week so I'll be able to test
Possibly going too fast? Maybe you need to hold longer or have more gradual increases? It’s a tough balancing act. In my experience, I do know random symptoms appear and dissipate and others persist.
I hope you figure it out. Maybe T3 would be better.
I’m in the same position. And, I’m very wary of my increasing age while this treatment actually starts to improve things! And, my levels are fine to conceive now but I’m simply not well enough which is more important.
They’d accept begrudgingly one would hope but some may even refuse to treat. It’s a tricky one. Some endo’s think they are gods and dislike self informed treaters. It complicates their world view over the control they should have over us.
I think you need to be mindful that the numbers are a guide (and mostly a crappy one at that on the path to correct treatment, and you’ll just have to trial and error things mostly) much more important to go with how you feel. You just don’t know where in the ranges your happy state is. And, it is likely to change over time and other influencing factors (age, sex, stress etc) anyway.
It is even more important to be mindful of this when on such forums or reading research.
The muscle aches and poor sleep are classic symptoms of poor vitamin d level. 51 is scraping at the bottom of the range. Aim for 100, and unfortunately the hot summer won't really help us hypos where vit d is concerned. You will need to supplement all year round.
Yes I did think the muscle aches could be linked to low vitamin d but wasn't aware that it could affect sleep too. I have been supplementing but I know it can take a while to improve low levels.
The effect on sleep, I believe is due to vitamin d affecting the hormone melatonin which regulates the sleep wake cycle. Low vitamin d levels adversely affect this hormone. Vitamins and hormones are all interrelated so getting everything working optimally through diet and supplements is difficult as we're all unique in what works for us.
Thank you for explaining the link between vitamin d and melatonin. Previously I didn't have a a problem dropping off and slept from about 9pm for 6 hours. But now I don't feel properly sleepy and it's light, unrefreshing sleep with random dreams.
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