I’d be really grateful if those of you that are tracking your temperature, pulse and maybe blood pressure too, could let me know how you find this beneficial in managing your hypothyroidism, and what would I do with the results that I’ve taken?
(I’m currently taking T4 and T3 medication but finding it tricky to hit the correct dose).
Thank you so much if you have the time to reply.
I need high dose T3-only and track both resting heart rate and temp to ensure they remain steady...RHR around 65bpm.
Raised RHR can indicate overmedication.
Can you please give us more details...
...how much T4 and T3
...latest lab results
...how do you feel/symptoms
How you feel is very important and must be factored into diagnosis.....medics often overlook symptoms .
Are you dosing by TSH if so your results will not be reliable
You need minimum....TSH, FT4, FT3
And for full thyroid evaluation also...
vit D, vit B12, folate, ferritin and thyroid antibodies TPO and Tg
So, the tests you mention can be useful but to evaluate thyroid function also test as above.
Thankyou for replying DippyDame. I have the information you asked for.
I source my T3 myself via a pharmacist linked to a dispensing company based in London. My GP has prescribed me 75mcg Levothyroxine, but I’ve been tweaking the dose of this myself up and down, as her mantra is that as long as you’re somewhere within the range then you don’t need any more. The labs in my part of the uk refuse to test T3 levels so I use Horizon.
I was tested for antibodies 18 months ago and the test came back negative for these.
The symptoms I get when my levels are not optimal are Nausea and Heartburn. I don’t get any of the other common symptoms like fatigue and brain fog etc.
I had my folate tested about 8 months ago and it was 15 (range 3.89 - 26.8) and since that date have been taking the Thorne B vitamins which were recommended on this forum. In August my level was tested using a different range and the result was 58.50 (range 8.83 - 60.8). I had not taken the supplement for 6 days previous to the test
I am trying to raise my Ferritin through diet but not easy as I’m vegetarian
My B12 is always at the very top of the range, or above.
My vitamin D was 126 in August (I take supplements).
Here are my recent blood test results and doses …….
Had been taking alternate 75 & 62.5mcg T4 and 10mcg T3 for 6 weeks prior to this blood test on 27/8, I didn’t record if I was having symptoms during this time, annoyingly.
Horizon blood test on 27/8/24:
FT4 : 19.9 (Range 12.0 - 22.0
FT3 : 6.4 3.1 - 6.8
TSH : 0.01 0.27 - 4.20
Cortisol: 461.0 73.8 - 507.0
Magnesium: 0.9 0.7 - 1.0
I changed my dose to 62.5mcg T4 and to 7.5mcg T3 on 31/8 when I got the above results as I thought they were slightly too high in the range.
No symptoms on this dose until 27/9 when nausea and heartburn were constant every day.
Horizon blood test on 14/10/24 :
FT4 : 17.3 same ranges as above
FT3 : 5.2
TSH : 0.01
Cortisol: 461.0
Magnesium: 0.9
I changed dose to 75mcg T4 (an increase of 12.5 daily), and kept T3 the same as before at 7.5mcg on 18/10 when I got the above results as I was having symptoms.
NHS blood test FT4 on 7th November: 18.3 (Range: 12 - 22)
T3 not tested. Had symptoms throughout November, peaking at the end of the month.
Horizon blood test on 2/12/24:
FT4 : 16.6 same ranges as above
FT3 : 3.9
TSH : 0.24
Cortisol: 509.0
Magnesium: 1.0
I changed dose to 100mcg T4 and to 10mcg T3 on 5/12, (an increase of 25 T4 and 2.5 T3), on 5/12 when I got these results above results, as they were low in the range and I was having bad symptoms of nausea and heartburn.
As of 16/12, symptoms have lessened, but are still present every day.
IRON : 2/12/24 :
Iron : 23.0. (Range: 10 - 30
TIBC: 60 45 - 81
Transferrin Sat: 38 25 - 45
Ferritin: 56 30 - 332
When changing your dose only change one thing at a time
as her mantra is that as long as you’re somewhere within the range then you don’t need any more.
It's not about being somewhere in the range it's about finding the exact point within the range where you feel well
You say your only symptoms are nausea and heartburn which makes me wonder if fillers in your tablets might be a problem.... or if something in your diet might be a factor
Had been taking alternate 75 & 62.5mcg T4 and 10mcg T3 for 6 weeks prior to this blood test on 27/8, I didn’t record if I was having symptoms during this time, annoyingly.
Perhaps no symptoms then!!
Your numbers look reasonable, FT3 maybe on the high side at times, but I'm wondering why you added T3. Did you establish a T4 to T3 conversion problem?
Yes, Ive learned from this forum that gp’s don’t understand that you have to establish your own personal sweet spot for your meds ….. and so I’m going it alone with trying to get there, until I run out of spare tablets, then I’ll have to go and beg for an increase.
Earlier in the year I posted my results on here and my T3 was low in comparison to my T4 and it was suggested that I was poor converter so I think I do need just a small amount of T3 meds.
So if I buy a thermometer and a pulse taking device, what am I looking for in the results?
Ok it sounds as if you need a little T3, was that prescribed?
Symptoms/ overmedication...
fast resting heart rate is an indication, my resting heart rate is 65/70bpm
hand tremor....stretch arms out in front of you, palms down, lay a sheet of paper over backs of hands, the paper should lie still....
anxiety can indicate overmedication
Poor sleep/ fatigue
Loose bowels
Overheating....temp under 38C
Raised BP
l'll look at your historic labs later....have to go now
Don't worry!!
Had a look at your older results and posts.....I'd read the responses again and take some notes that might help you discuss your medication with your medics
Dosing tends to be trial and error and no two people need the same dose.
Just keep an eye on your resting heart rate.
You've been having a difficult time hope things settle down soon.
I'm battling chronic sinusitis which is lasting for many weeks.....I had no idea it was such a horrible condition
Take care
I’m sorry to hear of your sinusitis and that it’s been so bad for you DippyDame, it’s especially kind of you to take the time to reply to forum members when you yourself are feeling so unwell, so a big thankyou from me to you for your help with my question.
I do hope you improve between now and Christmas so that you can enjoy it!
Sending my very best wishes.
T3 not prescribed by NHS, but by pharmacist with links to a dispensary based in London.
I think I’d be more likely to need resting heart rate clues to being under medicated, is it as helpful for showing you this?
Undermedication....that's where symptoms come in..
thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...
Does your GP know you are taking T3?
If not it will cause any lab tests he has done to be unreliable and likely to lead to wrong diagnosis and medication.
I’ll be sure to remind my gp during future conversations. Thankyou DippyDame.
Hello there -
I just found it beneficial and gave me some piece of mind when self medicating and I found both my blood pressure and pulse remained stable as I increased my dose slowly with my low temperature of 35.4 slowly rising to 36.6 as I increased my NDT to what I believed was my optimal while waiting out the 8 weeks time to a blood test - which saw me slightly over medicated - but I felt - so stayed put as advised by other forum members on here some 7 years ago.
Thankyou for your reply Pennyannie, so I would be looking for stability in the readings? If the readings were not stable, what would that mean?
First off you run bench mark readings of your own blood pressure, pulse and body temperature :
You then need to read up on the normal ranges and the signs of symptoms associated with too high or too low on each -
If with hypothyroidism the chances are you are under medicated and for want of a better words - ' running slow and low ' - and as you raise your level of thyroid hormone you may see these critical physical symptoms changing - and you need to have soe idea if this is for better or worse -
I was lucky maybe as i had no real movement in either my blood pressure or pulse - and just my temperature started to slowly rise up the chart to a more ' normal - reading then previously and also I was aware I was feeling overall a lot better with my cognitive function much improved - as I thought I was living with signs of dementia.
Thankyou for the info Pennyannie.
That must have been a great relief for you when you realised it wasn’t dementia after all, and that your symptoms had been down to your thyroid instead! Pleased you are feeling so much better now!
I had an endoscopy last week to rule out cancer of the stomach and H-pylori bacteria, which it did thank goodness!
Thank you - and good to read you have nothing going on in your stomach and bowel -
Onwards and upwards - and inevitably - some trial and error -
but hopefully you'll find a balance of T3/T4 that suits you - as I did with NDT .
You are up early I thought I was the only night owl on this board except the members from other countries
Yes - my excuse is that I'm still adjusting to having put the clocks back !!
I'm generally up by 6 - but today for some unknown reason - I'm here now with Radio 3 for company - as well as you !!
I am going food shopping at about 9am and I am trying not to buy anymore chocolate I am already halfway through a tin of roses!
Hmmm, maybe NDT would suit me better than trying to combine Levothyroxine and Liothyronine. But I’ll park that thought for now and look into the possibilities in the New Year. Thankyou for your help Pennyannie.
I find resting pulse helpful, I know if it’s under 54 I’m at my lower end and if over 60 I’m too high for me. It’s a good indicator alongside other things. I find my bowel movements are the best indicator of all.
That’s interesting you mention that for you, bowel movements are an indicator. Whereas for me it’s my upper digestive system.
So do you adjust your thyroid medication according to your pulse rates or do you always wait until you’ve had bloodtest results back before you tweak?
A bit of both in the past but I’m a bit of an experimenter 🙈 I am trying to be more methodical and take a slower approach!
It’s hard to take a slower approach when all you want to do is to just feel well again isn’t it! Oh for the days before thyroid issues occurred!! Anyone with a time machine? ☺️
Would really like some help interpreting my son’s first blood test please 
Petition - please could you see if you would like to sign it for us?
Blood pressure meds and the thyroid.🌟
Blood pressure increasing but pulse getting slower. Is this ok please?
Hi, why would my diastolic Blood Pressure be of recent dropping and fast pulse ,4 hrs after NDT meds please?
