Hi everyoneOh the stress with these doctors. So I got my bloods done last week at 9.15 am. So I got extra done since I knew what to ask for thankfully because of your help here. Today I went back for results and honestly, it's like the light is on and no one home, the frustration.
We don't test for T3 here only TSH and T4. So I told her I Upped my levo from 150 to 200 and she just ok I ll give you prescription for 200. So these are the results I got back, now my TSH is down to 0.02 from 2.59 last private results so here is the results I will just go again in Dec for private again.
FT4 21.2 range 9-19
TSH0.02 range 0.35-4.94
B12 642 range 187-883
Folate (2.3-20) 8 range 4-18
Ferritin(17-320) 130 range 5-204
HbAIC IFCC 38.0 range 20-42
Magnesium .95 range 0.66-1.07
MCHC 34.6 range 31.5-34.5
Trigly 1.76 range 0.01-1.7
V D 86.0 no range
TPO antibodies 5.50 no range
Doctors honestly so frustrating might as well have been talking to my 3 year old granddaughter.
What's your opinion on those. Thanks so much everyone only for you all❤️
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Nicola1964
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I just want to add since adding B12, D3, K2, berberine and b complex and a bone support mix and upping my levo, the first 2.5 weeks I felt awful, fluey pains worsened, exhausted even more bad form brain fog you name it , but last week or so I am starting to feel a lot better, I have a bit to go but a lot better than I was for sure..
Did you start them all at the same time? That would make you feel groggy.
What's in the 'bone support mix'? Don't like the sound of that. I bet it's mainly calcium, isn't it? Which isn't a good thing to take. Doubtful you need any extra calcium, especially with you're taking vit D, which increases absorption of calcium from food, which is better absorbed. Too much calcium doesn't 'support' bones at all, it makes them brittle.
now my TSH is down to 0.02 from 2.59 last private results
Were both tests done at the same time of day?
And are these results before or after you increased to 200 mcg? Your FT4 is very high, which suggests a conversion problem. What were the FT4 and FT3 on the private test?
Well not all at once but different times during the day, but yes pretty much bombarded my system within a week adding them in, was fed up feeling so very unwell. Test were done same time before 9.30 in the morning. FT4 on private was 18.4 range 12-22
Bone mix is a mushroom mix with vd, k, c, calcium from (certified organic AlgaeCal), mag from same, 8 different types of mushrooms. I used it in the past.
It's usually recommended to leave about two weeks between introducing different supplements, because if one of them disagrees with you - and that does happen - then you won't know which one it is and will have to start all over again.
Do you get your calcium tested regualarly? Very important that you don't over-dose on it.
I probably need to get my results for last 2 or 3 previous results from doc but I was only getting them done yearly and last couple of times two yearly. To be honest I just taught if there was anything wrong the doc would know, I have just been so bad last 3/4 years and then I came across this group a few month back, I don't know what I would have done to be honest, I was looking up functional med doc but the price was out of my scope. So to answer your question I don't have a clue what any of my reading were, I trusted the doc knew. But now that I look back I am struggling health-wise a good few years now, so its not new to me. I think I will I am going to start from scratch and look for T3 and lower my T4 when I get the T3. Also I will come off the bone supplements and just start off again with the V D,C B12 and b complex, my body is use to them off and on. Do you mind me asking if you were in my shoes what would you do, I am so lost and frustrated with this.
I'm afraid that with thyroid - and perhaps with other things, too, I don't know - you can't just trust the doctor to know what s/he is doing, nor to have your best interests at heart. Education in med schools is sadly lacking, and the patients seems to be of little importantce, these days (if they ever were!), as long as the numbers are to their liking. They don't know anything much about hormone in general, and thyroid hormones in particular. And they know nothing at alla bout nutrients. So, we have to learn about our own disease and advocate for ourselves.
And functional doctors are all promise and no delivery! Sounds like a good idea in theory but in practice - from what I've read on here - they tend to be as useless as the others. Worst, in fact, because they have some very crazy ideas about thyroid.
FT4 on private was 18.4 range 12-22
FT3 4pmol range 3.1-6.8
It does seem like you're a poor converter, so adding T3 to a slightly reduced dose of levo would be the way to go.
If you are taking vit D, you also need to take vit K2-MK7 because, as I said, taking vit D increases absorption of calcium from food, and the K2 makes sure it goes into the bones and teeth, and doesn't build up in the soft tissues and arteries. And, you need to take magnesium because vit D and magnesium work together. Plus, magnesium is more important for bones than calcium.
I understant the feeling of being lost - been there, done that. When I realised that my endo and GP didn't have the foggiest idea how to make me well, I felt like that (it's all in my profile! ) And the only thing you can do is experiment until you find what works for you. The only thing that works for me is T3 only, but it took me a long time to find that out. A lot of ill health, lost jobs, rows with friends and family and despair. But getting hold of T3 would be a very good start.
Thank you greygoose for your response, that's exactly what I needed to hear, 23 years later and thyroid-less I am done with them, today finished me with them, sick of their incompetence. Thank you again
Your results look exactly like mine on levo only. I was also on 200 mcg daily. It was the only dose that made me feel remotely human, although my doctor warned me about osteoporosis. When I ordered private labs, I realised my FT3 was of the bottom of the range, which explained most of my persistent symptoms.
No, T4 only never worked for me so I switched to T3 + T4. I feel much better with a lower dose of T4 along with T3. I have been self-treating for years as I could never find a competent enough doctor.
I think I will have to do the same, I am fed up, being going around in circles for years. I was gonna go to Endo but you know what I will probably have to wait months and then have the same incompetence. Do you get your T3 privately, I think I should go that road and reduce my Levo and add T3. So any advice around this would be great. Maybe I should with and re do private bloods in another month and decide from there. What do you think
Can I ask if you get Levo via NHS or do you self source both? I ask because I take 200mcgs Levo and my FT4 is right at the top of the range but FT3 is still only 5.2 ( range 3.1-6.8) . Its been sugested I try T3.
I'm genuinely curious about how you manage with annual blood tests and GP's panicking about suppressed TSH. Do you have to go into bat to avoid meddlesome medics fiddling about with your dose? I guess if you self source both then you dont have worry about it however.
Sparklingsunshine is this question for me, I am in Ireland and get levo on HSE, which I think is same as your NHS, I dont have T3 yet but will have to source it privately I would say, not willing to put myself through any more stress with our very bad medical system in Ireland.
No, sorry was asking TiredThyroid about her experiences of self sourcing T3. I didnt realise Ireland was bad, healthcare wise. I guess those of us lumbered with the creaking NHS tend to look enviously at those countries with insurance based healthcare. Its interesting that you say its bad, however.
I´m not the UK, I´m in Sweden, but I now source both T3 and T4 myself now as doctors don´t like a suppressed TSH (which I get on any amount of T3). I have regular labs privately (possible where I live, you just go the lab and pay for the tests and the results will be sent to you) and don´t bother with doctors. I fought ignorant doctors for almost 20 years. They old told me my thyroid labs were "fine" and it was all just in my head. Not a single doctor ever suggested I have free T3 tested. That is why I decided to pay for the test myself. Adding T3 changed my life for the better:-).
One day, I woke up and realised: "I know more about my disease than doctors do". I know there are a few good thyroid doctors, but not where I live. The nearest ones for me would be in Norway and Finland where there are private clinics which prescribe NDT, but why pay a fortune when I can do it all on my own? Also, I don´t think the T3/T4 ratio in NDT suits me. It seems I need quite a lot of T3. For years, I was obsessed with the idea of replacing exactly what a healthy thyroid would produce; so, about 80% T4 and 20 % T3. I later realised that ratio is not right for me. Maybe I need more T3 and less T4 because I am a poor converter...?!
Are these results from private or via GP as I’m surprised the GP okayed the 200mcg based on TSH and FT4 results. Also, how long since you’ve been on 200mcg was this test taken?
This result was from Gp, last week's bloods, I was on 200 levo for about 3 weeks previous to bloods.The private ones I got were on 3 Oct and I was on 150 levo then. Are they really bad results
Yes and no. T4 is over range, TSH is under range (lots on the forum say to ignore this but medical professionals don’t, which is why I mention it). However, testing 3 weeks after a dose change is less than ideal as it takes time for the levels to stabilise. Testing after dose changes should be a lot longer. 6-8 weeks minimum.
Ok so I will test in first week of Dec to see again but I may not stick 200 til then, if it's to much and I am a bad convertor this will leave me no better if not worse and my heart is racing a bit today, although it could be the stress.
Ok I will retest privately again early Dec. I just need to get bloods done from doc as they would not provide prescription until I did. She said she was pleased with my results and then just asked me so you want 200 now on your prescription. And asked when I wanted another blood test, so I said 6 months and then she said they don't test for T3 here I would have to go to Endo..
Looking at your T4 blood result you need to reduced your levothyroxine. Maybe consider lowering to below the top of the range by checking bloods after taking your levothyroxine. You possibly could do with adding some T3 medication but that’s hard to dose if you don’t have blood results for your T3 level. You possibly are a poor converter t4 to the most important T3 hormone.
The thyroid is a major gland and responsible for full body synchronisation from your physical abilities through to your mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual well being, your inner central heating system and your metabolism - and living without a thyroid is no ' walk in the park ' .
A fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you on a daily basis with trace elements of T1, T2 and calcitonin + a measure of T3 at aound 10 mcg + a measure of T4 at around 100 mcg .
Some people can get by on T4 monotherapy.
Some people find that T4 seems to stop working as well as it once did and by adding in a little T3 to possibly a slightly reduced dose of T4 they are able to restore their thyroid hormonal balance and feel better.
Others can't tolerate T4 and need to take T3 only :
Whilst others find their health restored better taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid which contains all the ame known content as the human gland and derived from pig thyroids, dried and ground down into tablets referred to as grains.
Since you haven't a thyroid it's logical to think that you would likely feel better on a full spectrum thyroid hormone replacement and need to replace at the very least that little bit of T3 lost - after you had the medical intervention.
No thyroid hormone replcement works well until your strength vitamins and minerals are up and maintained at optimal levels - I now aim for a ferritin at around 100 - folate around 20 - actibe B12 75 ++ ( serum B12 500 ++ ) and vitamin D arond 100.
It is essential that you are dosed and monitored on your Free T3 and Free T4 readings and not on a TSH - which I am fully aware is what generally happens in primary care and why I now self monitor and self medicate and pay for my blood tests and full specrum thyroid hormone replacement.
On T4 monotherapy we generally feel best when the T4 is up in the top quadrant of the range at say around 80% with a T3 tracking behind at around 65% -
or put another way with the T3 coming in at around a 1/4 ratio to the T4 -
since T3 is the active hormone and said to be around 4 times more powrful than T4 - which is a prohormone and pretty much inert - untl it converts to T3 within our body -
The body runs on T3 and the lions share of T3 is needed for your brain and heart to function and too low a T3 for you will give you all the insidious symptoms of hypothyroidism.
In case you are unaware, you don't need to go to doctor for blood drawn from arm. In uk (and I expect Ireland too), there are companies who will do the tests you need from a finger prick blood sample that you can do yourself. Look up medichecks or blue horizon as examples and the Thyroid uk website has more firms.
They send you a tiny tube to use at home, you prick the edge of the tip of your finger and let the blood drop into the tube. Then you post it off for analysis.
Saves you being behold to what your doctor and health service will/ won't test and when.
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