One more step along the road I go 🎵

[Calceolaria]

I ‘piggybacked’ on someone else’s post yesterday - apologies - as it opened up a line of thought but which I was rightly advised to post separately. This is it.

Could someone help harness my straying thoughts re converting T4 to T3? I’ve been on a low dose, 75mcgs levo for two years now, initially feeling good then not so much. Issues addressed along the way, thanks the people on here - have been vitamin supplementation, diet, blood draw tips, private testing - a huge amount of info and discussion. Conversion was a closed book to me and I wanted to leave it there as some of this journey has included phases of denial.

Recent symptoms have encouraged me to revisit as I remembered after posting my first Medichecks result over a year ago, that someone replied that I might be a poor converter.

My most recent Medichecks shows almost identical readings of T3 and 4 as those of a year ago, with slightly further raise of T4. These are, as of early August -

TSH - 0.423. Range 0.27- 4.2

Free T3. 5.1. Range 3.1-6.8

Free T4. 21.3. Range 12-22.

Latest Medichecks doc states ‘overall results are excellent’ which is a typical GP standpoint.

My question - should I now source some T3? I don’t like the idea of my poor little cells starving, let alone the symptoms I’m having which indicate all is not well. I’ve approached GP, mainly about my voice and it’ll be 4-8 weeks as a routine matter appointment.

Sorry about length of post, was trying to cover everything!,

[Bertwills]

Hello, I read your new post that was wondering why nobody replied to this one. I think there are fewer people around, summer holidays etc.You also don’t ask a question in your title, I think it helps if people know exactly what your looking for.

Your results don’t look bad to me. Your TSH isn’t not too suppressed & your levels are pretty good. I wouldn’t expect anything from a GP if that’s where you get your hormones. If you really wanted to add some T3 it would be a tiny amount & would suppress your TSH. How are your vitamins & minerals? Have you tested recently. I was reading a blog yesterday about how zinc & selenium can boost conversion. Might be worth testing selenium & adding a zinc supplement?

[Calceolaria in reply to Bertwills]

Thank you. Yes, I thought I might have worded it badly!

Thanks for info re minerals. I’ll look into that.

[AKatieD]

Hi. I too had not spotted this until your second post, sorry.

Your free T4 is almost at the top of the range so you probs don't need/ want more.

Your free T3 is not too bad at 54% of the way through the range but not the 75-100% that some say might be the optimal range.

TSH not really relevant when you are taking thyroid hormones already.

So you may want to try a small amount of T3 and see if that makes you feel better and helps the hoarseness.

@Tiggerme suggested Roseway labs in the uk who maybe able to prescribe it for you. Annoyingly NHS unlikely to want to help (results in range etc etc). Other alternative is to source privately from abroad but then you need to find a reliable source and monitor carefully yourself. People on here can help with sources if you want to go that way as they can be difficult to find.

[Calceolaria in reply to AKatieD]

Thanks KatieD, that’s very helpful and reassuring.