advice please

[Sailing14]

My thyroid results from 2.5 weeks ago were:

TSH 0.78 (0.4 to 4.9) previously 0.21 in Feb 23

T4 16.8 (9 to 19) previously Feb 23 - 15.7 (9.0 to 19.0)

T3 3.9 (2.4 to 6) previously Feb 23 - 4.4 (2.4 to 6.0)

Could anyone advise on the percentages and if they are okay?

Feeling underactive at present but have suffered bereavement in summer and had to have steroid injections 5 weeks ago for shoulder arthritis. Also, what feels like an ongoing versus since June with tiredness and feeling generally unwell. GP said could be cortisone injection adding to things due to possible suppressed immune system.

I did have test early am before thyroine but I had a cup of tea an hour before and took 10 mgs propranolol. I forgot this time to not take medication or eat or drink before test.

Not sure this would affect results?

Thank you

[greygoose]

TSH 78 (0.4 to 4.9) previously 0.21 in Feb 23

Is that a typo? That's a very high TSH, and a tremendous jump since February! And it doesn't correspond to your thyroid hormone levels, which are low-ish, but not that low.

[Sailing14 in reply to greygoose]

Sorry, the result was 0.78. Also, my recent cholesterol was 6.3.

[greygoose in reply to Sailing14]

Ouf! lol

T4 16.8 (9 to 19) previously Feb 23 - 15.7 (9.0 to 19.0) 78.00%

T3 3.9 (2.4 to 6) previously Feb 23 - 4.4 (2.4 to 6.0) 41.67%

So, Your FT4 is a decent level, but your FT3 is too low. This shows that you are a poor converter. But in February your FT4 was 67.00% and your FT3 55.56%, so your conversion was better then. Given the problems and stress you've had since then, it's not really surprising that your conversion has suffered. So maybe just give yourself time to recover and recuperate before testing again to see if things have improved.

On the other hand propranolol is known for reducing conversion of T4 to T3, so that might have something to do with it.

The cup of tea you had before the blood draw might have reduced your TSH very slightly, but won't have affected the other results.

[Sailing14 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for your help and advice. Do you know if it can affect sleep and also be similar to being overactive anxiety wise. I have been overactive before and suffered the rise in anxiety and seem to be now. I seem hungry a lot too.

Also, I take two co codamol a day 500/50 mgs Could this affect conversion? I only take propranolol intermittently and not often.

[greygoose in reply to Sailing14]

Being hypo - i.e. low T3 - can affect sleep and cause anxiety, yes. And appetite varies a lot with hypos. But there's no way you are over-active/over-medicated with those results.

I don't know anything about co codamol, sorry.

[Sailing14 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for your reply. Would it be best to increase the T4? I take alternate days of 75/100. Although, my T4 is not low as you explained previously. My TSH has gone up but not by too much also.

[greygoose in reply to Sailing14]

Your TSH has risen because your FT3 has reduced. But I don't think increasing levo would help much. You could try taking 100 every day, but that might take FT4 too high in range which wouldn't increase your FT3, might even make conversion worse.

[Sailing14 in reply to greygoose]

I think you are right regarding increasing the T4. I am going to try and reduce the co codamol and see if it helps. Also, the stress needs to be reduced but it is difficult at present.

Thank you for your advice.

[greygoose in reply to Sailing14]

You're welcome.

[pennyannie]

Hey there again :

Considering you are post RAI thyroid ablation for Graves and likely with no thyroid function of your own you will probably do best on a full spectrum thyroid hormone replacement - either a synthetic T3 / T4 combo or by taking NDT which contains all the same known hormones as that of the thyroid gland - namely trace elements of T1.T2, calcitonin and a measure of T3 and T4 in each grain.

I did explain all of this to you some months ago in one of your first post/questions -

You can read all your previous posts and replies by pressing the Profile icon top right on this page.

You can also read anybody's Profile and all they have ever written by pressing the icon alongside their named reply.

[Sailing14 in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you for all your advice. I have been quite well in the past on T4 so I am not sure about changing to NDT or adding T3 at present.

[pennyannie]

Ok then - pleased to read you have made some progress :