No thyroid

[Sleepyasf--k]

Hi, all the posts are about thyroid problems and taking levo for underactive thyroid, I'm taking levo 50mg and 75mg on alternate days. Can anyone tell me if taking tiromel or the unipharma tablets would be any use fo r someone who has had a total thyroidectomy. At the moment I feel as though I'm sleeping my life away. Thanks

[humanbean]

The active ingredient in Levothyroxine is usually called T4.

Tiromel and Unipharma tablets have T3 as the active ingredient.

Everyone needs T3 whether they have a thyroid or not. Some people can convert T4 (Levo) to T3 but some can't or they do it poorly.

If your T3 is low in range or under the range then you would benefit from taking T3 in addition to T4 (Levo).

[Sleepyasf--k in reply to humanbean]

Thank you, I'm so glad I've found this forum. I think, after being in the dark for years, I'm going to learn a lot then finally get my life back. Thanks for replying..

[pennyannie]

Hello Sleepyasf-k and welcome to the forum :

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 around 10 mcg + a measure of T4 at around 100 mcg - with T3 said to be around 4 x more powerful than T4.

Some people can get by on T4 only .

Others find T4 seems to stop working at some point in time and that by adding in a little T3 - likely at a similar dose to that their thyroid once supported them with - their health and well being improved with their T3/T4 hormonal levels restored.

Some can't tolerate T4 and need to take T3 only - as you can live without T4 but you can't live without T3.

Whilst others take Natural Desiccated Thyroid which contains all the same known hormones as that of the human gland and derived from pig thyroids dried and ground down into tablets referred to as grains.

T4 - Levothyroxine is a pro-hormone and needs to be converted in the body into T3 the active hormone that runs the body - much like fuel runs a car - and to get you there and back in a day you likely need more than 50/75 mcg of T4 a day - and likely tired with little get up and go - and likely under or wrongly medicated.

We generally feel best when our T4 is in the top quadrant of its range with our T3 tracking just behind at around 60/70 % through it's range and at around a 1/4 ratio T3/T4 :

No thyroid hormone replacement works well until the core strength vitamins and minerals of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are up and maintained at optimal levels -which we can advise on.

So in order to help you better we do need to see a current blood test detailing TSH + Free T3 + Free T4 + antibodies, inflammation, and ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D.

If your doctor isn't able to arrange these blood tests for you there are Private companies - listed within the Thyroid UK website - which is the charity who supports this patient to patient open forum. thyroiduk.org

When taking a blood test - it should be an early morning fasting blood test and just take in water over night and take your T4 for that day after the blood draw - so having left around a 24 hour window since your last dose of thyroid hormone replacement.

This is where we all start off - and just start a new post with the blood test results and ranges and you will be talked through your next best steps back to better health.

[Sleepyasf--k in reply to pennyannie]

Thankyou pennyannie, that explains a lot, I've been looking into t3 as none of the drs I've seen have mentioned it. The last time I saw a Dr, I asked about it, and when she looked back through my results, I hadn't had a t3 level test. So she has sent a blood test for t3 t4 ferritin and vitamin d. I had the blood draws today, but they were not a fasting test, so they may not be much good. I'll send the results to you when I get them, but I'm probably going to have to go through a private firm. Thankyou for your speedy reply.

[pennyannie in reply to Sleepyasf--k]

Okey doke - start a new post with any new information so all forum members can read and offer help.

I now just run a yearly private full thyroid panel - sometimes referred to as an ' advanced ' / ultra thyroid panel and around 10/11 different blood tests to include the vitamins and minerals.

I think between them Medichecks and Blue Horizon offer a nurse home visit through most of England - it costs a bit more - but it takes the stress out of things if living out in the sticks and needing to rush to get somewhere first thing in the morning.

So - basic ground rules - always take your T4 on an empty stomach with water and wait around an hour before you eat or drink anything.

If taking any supplements these need to be taken well away from T4 - and iron tablets 4 hours away from anything else.

Day of fasting blood test - arrange an early morning appointment - fast over night just taking in water so leaving around a 24 hour window from your last dose of T4 and take that days T4 AFTER the blood draw - otherwise we will be measuring what you have just taken and get a false high T4 reading - which I'm guessing you didn't know anything about and why you think you need to try again !!

I'll be surprised if you even get a T3 blood test run - as even if a doctor requests this - the laboratory may well not run it !!

Similarly - so we don't measure what just been ingested - stop any supplements for around a week before the blood draw and also anything containing biotin which can distort the measuring assays used in the laboratories.

I think you will find all this information on the Thyroid UK website - as I've probably missed something - and there is a whole section detailing Private blood companies. thyroiduk.org

[Jazzw]

You seem to be on rather a low dosage of levothyroxine. So potentially the first thing to consider is whether an increase in levothyroxine would be beneficial.

Do you have any recent thyroid blood test results? If not, it would be good to get hold of them to see where your levels are at.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

unless you are extremely petite that’s an incredibly low dose levothyroxine

Which brand Levo is 50mcg and which brand is 75mcg

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

What was reason for your thyroidectomy?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease and/or when on inadequate dose Levo

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

Post all about what time of day to test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

[Sleepyasf--k in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon, I am 5ft and a little bit, my thyroidectomy was due to benign tumours I had a growth on 1 lobe which was removed then a couple of years later I had difficulty swallowing my food, when I told my drs my food was getting stuck in my throat they said, take smaller bites, chew your food more, and my favourite, it's your age as you get older your throat doesn't expand like it used to. It took nearly 8 years to convince them something was wrong, that was only after a ladder fell on my neck and back, I attended A&E where they did a ct scan and found the tumour. By this time it was too big to remove through my neck and I had to have my chest cracked open to get it out. I was told I'd get an appointment with an endocrinologist to sort out the levo, despite quite a few phone calls I never got the appointment my drs sorted my levo changing the dosage according to my blood results I've never had a t3 test I didn't know about it until I read a book about thyroid problems. Thankyou for your reply and the information which I will look at in greater detail tomorrow.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Sleepyasf--k]

So next step is get full thyroid and vitamin testing

Come back with new post once you get results

[FallingInReverse]

GREAT profile name!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭

Welcome to the forum!

Reading your story - you can’t make this stuff up. I’m glad you found us here, you will be amazed at how helpful and caring and smart the collective wisdom of this board is.

[Sleepyasf--k in reply to FallingInReverse]

Hi FallingInReverse thank you for replyingThe profile name comes from how I feel, I'm asleep by 10pm and have to push myself most days to get up by 2pm, I feel like I'm sleeping my life away and at 68 I might not have much left! I feel guilty and tell myself off for being a lazy cow, but I just don't have the energy to do the things I'd like. I'm really glad I found this forum I've only been a member for a day and already recieved a lot of great advice. Reading some of the other comments it's awful how such a significant group of patients are basically left to fend for ourselves. I had to practically beg my Dr to get a t3 level done and none of them believe in vitamins I'm always told you shouldn't need vitamin supplements you can get enough from your food. She's only testing my iron because I told her I had restless legs. OK. Off the soap box, thank you all for being such a kind and informative group.