Help ref blood results

[Nikki96]

Hi

Im hoping for some guidance. I have Graves’ disease treated with radio iodine 23 years ago. Since then I’ve managed on 125 mg levo. A year ago I got Covid and went from being extremely fit and active to struggling with low energy. I have long Covid. On top of this my GP said my blood tests showed that I was on too much levo and reduced the dose to 100 levo.

I’ve gone up two dress sizes with my inability to exercise and the reduction in levo.

My recent blood tests on 100 levo are:

Plasma tsh level 0.43 (0.27 - 4.20)

Plasma free T4 17.6 (12.00 - 22)

My iron profile is

Serum transferrin 2.77 (2.00 - 3.6)

Plasma ferritin 46 (13 - 300)

Plasma iron 15 (10 - 30)

Transferrin saturation 21.7% (20 - 55%)

My gp says my thyroid is currently within normal range but appreciates that I’m not feeling that. I have no energy at all. He has given me a referral letter for an endocrinologist. The question is whether to increase levo to 125 without doing damage, he says.

I was on the higher dose of 125 until last November and my test results were:

Serum tsh level: 0.01 (0.27 - 4.20)

Serum free T4 24.3 (12 - 22)

I’d appreciate any advice in terms of treatment and supplements that might help.

This may all be down to long Covid.

Also can anyone recommend an endocrinologist in Northern Ireland?

Thank you

[greygoose]

Your FT4 was much too high, and that in itself is not good long-term. It rather looks as if your conversion has suffered. That could very well be due to covid and could sort itself out. Do you have any blood test results from pre-covid on 125 mcg?

It would be a good idea if you could get private testing to test FT4 and FT3 at the same time to see just how well you convert. And if you are a poor converter the treatment is adding some T3 to your levo. But, that's easier said than done.

[Nikki96 in reply to greygoose]

I don’t have earlier results. But will follow your advice ref private blood tests and get back.

Thank you.