I just wanted to check in as my endo has scheduled an 'urgent' call with me after seeing these results. Should I be worried? TIA all you beautiful people!
When was your last dose of Levo & T3 before this test?
Assuming you allowed 24hrs for Levo & 8-12 hours for T3.
Free T4 (fT4) 18.3 pmol/L (12 - 22) 63.0%
Free T3 (fT3) 5.3 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 59.5%
How do you feel?
These are pretty good results. You might benefit from a slightly higher Levo dose. Many people do well aiming for 70% both FT4 & FT3.
He's likely panicking about your low TSH. You can take responsibilty for your results according to NICE guidelines.
The first paragraph in the NICE (NHS) Thyroid Disease, Assessment and Management guidelines says :
nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145
"Your responsibility”
The recommendations in this guideline represent the view of NICE, arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence available. When exercising their judgement, professionals and practitioners are expected to take this guideline fully into account, alongside the individual needs, preferences and values of their patients or the people using their service. It is not mandatory to apply the recommendations, and the guideline does not override the responsibility to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual, in consultation with them and their families and carers or guardian. “
Thank you! I did wait the allotted time before taking the sample. I am on 75mcg Levo + 15mcg T3. I didn't lower my dose of Levo when I started taking the T3 4 months ago because I'm stubborn and only wanted to change one thing at a time! I didn't have any side effects.
I'm not feeling fab, but certainly am loads better than before getting T3. I think you're probably right in that he's panicking, but he's a pretty good guy and has listened to me thus far, so hopefully our call on Wednesday will go well.
I did following the specs for taking the blood as you mentioned, but still had to use all 3 lancets! Boy, did my fingers bruise this time! This is the second time that folate had a sample error, so am not surprised.
I'd say stick with what you are on as the improvements on T3 keep on coming as your cells start to get the benefit..... as the others have said say that you are happy to be treated based on your free levels and low TSH doesn't concern you 🤗
It looks like your TSH level is very low! That needs to be raised. I think optimum level is 1.5. Do you feel jittery/have heart palpitations?
Also looks like you have high antibodies and without googling those types of antibodies,I think they must be related to your autoimmunity (Hashimotos) - this can cause symptoms in itself even if your TSH and T3 is in a good range. Lifestyle factors can help!
I have enough T3 because I supplement it... therefore, the TSH (signaling hormone) is not necessary and I have no side effects. I do have Hashimotos... have had it for decades, nothing I do changes those levels unfortunately. The antibodies have dropped from 600 four months ago, so I call that a win. Hahaha
The TSH doesn't need to be raise - and 1.5 certainly isn't optimal. Most hypos need it well below 1. In fact, there is no such things as an 'optimal' TSH. The level is dictated by the thyroid hormone levels. And if it's low, it's because the pituitary considers you don't need it anymore. You cannot raise it without lowering the thyroid hormone levels, and making people ill. This is the mistake doctors make all the time and why so many hypos are suffering needlessly.
TPO antibodies are indicative of Autoimmune Thyroiditis, yes, either Hashi's or Ord's. Whether or not one should try and lower, and whether that is even possible, is a matter of debate. But, they do have a job to do, so I think trying to lower them can be countre-productive. And there is no proof that they cause symptoms. They do their job and go away.
Thanks grey goose, happy to have found this community!
Thanks for your insight too but not sure I agree with you. From what I know we need TSH and it can be too low, which indicates hyperthyroidism, but I’m curious to dig some more around this! Im more confident about the antibodies from what I know about autoimmune disease, their presence creates inflammatory responses so much so that it creates these inflammatory symptoms and impacts our health (ie. Sometimes resulting in autoimmune diseases) if they stay rising and unchecked. Lowering them can help reduce this chronic inflammation. But I do realise the research is still developing and there’s much more needed. 😊
When you've read as many blood test results sheets as I have, you will realise that the TSH can be entirely suppressed but thyroid hormone levels still too low to make the person well. The only way you can raise it is to reduce the thyroid hormone levels and make the person sick again.
Hyperthyroidism is when the the FT4 and FT3 - especially the FT3 - are high over-range. The OP's Frees are not even near the top of the range:
Free T3 5.3 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8) 59.5%
Free Thyroxine 18.3 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22) 63.0%
So, no way could she be 'hyper' - quite apart from the fact that she's hypo and therefore can never become hyper. She could be over-medicated but she isn't.
As for the antibodies, we're talking about TPO and Tg antibodies, here, and they don't act in quite the same way as antibodies in other autoimmune diseases. They don't attack anything, they don't do any damage. What they do is clean up the blood after an immune system attack on the thyroid, marking traces of TPO and Tg that have leaked from the thyroid, to be collected and carried away to be destroyed. So, the antibodies are high during/just after the attack, but then reduce considerably. So, they do not 'stay rising'. They fluctuate all the time. And they certainly don't cause other autoimmune diseases.
A hypothyroid person cannot have hyperthyoidism (overactive thyroid). S/he can be overmedicated, but such symptoms seem to correlate more with T3 levels.
The TSH is designed to react to tiny changes in the thyroid gland`s own output throughout the day, not a whole day`s supply of thyroid hormone in one go. I think it is bound to end up low when your own thyroid does not provides hormones the way it is supposed to.
As for thyroid antibodies, some doctors and naturopaths claim you should lower them (often using supplements they sell). I have yet to see convincing evidence that lowering antibodies will do anything to slow down the progression of the disease.
UPDATE: The call went well and I've been written a new prescription. 👏 I have, however, been asked to do 75/50mcg of Levo every other day. Since I've run out of T3 (should be getting it in a day or 2) I thought I'd state that my sleep since last Thursday has been horrid! I had been taking 5mcg T3 in the morning and 10 at night and sleeping better. Fingers crossed that this little holiday is the lesson of sleep learned!
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