Help please with Latest Blood Results

[TiredMummy]

Hi all,

My latest thyroid bloods have just been made available and would appreciate some advice on what they might mean in terms of medication and supplementation changes. As my T4 has been too high with sub-optimal T3, there were mixed opinions on whether I should just reduce my T4 or reduce it and add in a small amount of T3.

After a few failed attempts of T3, I decided to medicate on T4 only and reduce my dose to 75mcg daily. I have been on this dose for eight weeks and the results are as follows. My symptoms have improved (I think I was on 87.5mcg T4 only for my last test) but still have fatigue, achey limbs and some brain fog.

Thanks in advance for any advice on how to improve my symptoms!

Inflamation – CRP HS – 0.723 (<3) – was 1.02 previously (May 24)so down slightly

Ferritin – 131 (30-264) – was 116 so slight improvement

Folate serum – 34.4 (>7-35) – was 18.3, so increased

B12 active – 112 (37.5-187.5) – was 40.5 so improved quite a lot from supplementation

Vitamin D – 103 (50-250) – was 94.8 so fairly static

TSH – 0.078 (0.27-4.2) – was 0.007 so not as suppressed?

Free T3 – 4 (3.1-6.8) – was 4.1 so no change, smidgen lower

Free thyroxine – 18.8 (12-22) – was 23.1 so lowered and now in range

Thyroglobulin – 57.6 (0-115) – was 62.7 so slightly down

Thyroid peroxidase – 85.8 (0 – 34) – was 89.8 so fairly static but slightly lower

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Working on key vitamins certainly seems to have helped, so it’s great news that some of your adverse symptoms have improved.

How long have you been on just 75mcg Levo? As a next step to aid the fatigue, aches and brain fog, you do have room to trail an increase in thyroid medication (eg 12.5mcg Levo alternate days at first), or consider adding a small amount of Liothyronine (perhaps just 2.5mcg daily at first) in addition to the 75mcg Levo. I world recommend you go ‘low and slow’ with adjusting medication to avoid your FT4 going over range again.

[TiredMummy in reply to Buddy195]

thanks Buddy. I have been on 75mcg T4 for 8 weeks prior to testing. I’m unsure why I would put my T4 back up to 87.5mcg when that’s what I’ve reduced it from and my T3 levels were the same. I could retry T3 at a small amount as you’ve suggested and presume I would just keep the T4 at 75mcg daily? Goodness know how I’ll get on with the T3 mind you as it normally makes me feel worse…but might fair better on it now my T4 is within range I guess. Perhaps it makes sense to try that first before making any changes to my T4….

[TiredMummy in reply to Buddy195]

Hi Buddy, I’ve been thinking about what you said and the penny has now dropped. I’ve never got on with T3 in the past and if I don’t get on with it now…..it would make sense to try what you suggested by increasing the T4 by 12.5, just on alternate days. Like you say, I have a little bit of headroom and if I don’t get on with T3…this might be the best bet for me. I’ll try 2.5mcg T3 first and see how it goes but I’m glad I have a backup plan, thank you! x

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Now you've reduced your Levo its now at about the right level to try adding a small amount of T3 and hopefully you will do better this time.

Vitamins all looking good so just take it very slowly with max 5mcgs T3 to start with for a few weeks to assess how that goes before adding a further 5mcgs dose later in the day. Retest after 6-8 weeks, the longer the better.

[TiredMummy in reply to Jaydee1507]

Thanks Jaydee, I think I’ll actually start with 2.5mcg as I think I’m quite sensitive to the stuff! Will see how I get on x

[TiredMummy in reply to Jaydee1507]

I’m glad my vitamin status has improved but I’m wondering if I need to increase my vitamin D levels….im on 4,000 daily and wondering if I should increase to 6,000. Perhaps I should pose this question as a new thread? x

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to TiredMummy]

Vitamin D should be around 100 - 150 so yours is just right. No need to increase supplement.

[vroooom5]

I have failed adding T3 too. What symptoms do you get?

[TiredMummy in reply to vroooom5]

The opposite symptoms that I would expect to get with T3…my body temperature drops so I feel cold and it makes me feel more hypothyroid. So no racing heart, sweating etc. I get pressure headaches and generally feel unwell on it - crashing, frowning, nausea. Other than that, I feel great on it 😂 I’m hoping it will be different now my T4 is in range x

[vroooom5 in reply to TiredMummy]

Ok thank you for replying. I felt fatigued and yawned a lot. Probably because they are hard on adrenals I have learnt. I stopped after a week as the drowsiness made me even more anxious. Think I need to get through two weeks for initial side effects to wear out

[TiredMummy]

yes, it generally makes me exhausted and nauseous. I hope it wears off for you. I’m in denial it’s my adrenals but I’m worried it might be 😬