Help with test results please

[Ed2000]

I’ve been experiencing exhaustion, tiredness, feeling spaced out and IBS symptoms for about a month. I’m really hoping one of you knowledgeable people can shed some light on these results for me please. I am male and 55 years old. I have autoimmune thyroiditis and have taken 75mcg Levothyroxine and 10mcg liothyronine for many years. Thyroid medication was stopped 24 hours prior to the morning blood test and vitamin B supplements several days before. Many thanks in advance!

[GlowCoach Administrator]

The results are all but illegible. Can you repost them in the comments or type the out?

Did you also stop T3 24hrs before the test? T3 has a short half life so on day before test you should split your dose and take last portion 8-12hrs before the test. Otherwise results will show a false low.

[Ed2000 in reply to GlowCoach]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I hope this looks better. Yes, the t3 was stopped 24 hours before, thanks.

Test results

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Ed2000]

Vit D needs a boost, aiming for 100-150nmol/L grassrootshealth.net/projec...

Personally I'd do a loading dose to get your Vit D up and then drop back to a maintenance dose

Free T4 (fT4) 14.5 pmol/L (12 - 22) 25.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 4.6 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 40.5%

So your fT4 is accurate and on the low side, most like it 50-75%

fT3 will be a false low due to 24 hr gap

I'd suggest you'd benefit from a T4 increase but I don't know what you've tried in the past?

How do these results compare to previous ones?

[Ed2000 in reply to TiggerMe]

Hi, thank you very much for that. That makes sense - I haven’t actually tried upping the t4 so will consider that. All the best.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Ed2000]

75mcg is a low dose so I'd suggest adding 25mcg, though you might want to do 12.5mcg increase to start with depending on how you tolerate T4

[Ed2000 in reply to TiggerMe]

Wonderful, thank you. How long would you suggest doing that for before another test please?

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Ed2000]

When you alter your dose you need to give it 6-8 weeks to settle in and then retest

[Ed2000 in reply to TiggerMe]

Will do, thanks again.

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Ed2000]

So FT3 is a false low. In future try and test as I described above.

FT4 is only 25% of range so a levo dose increase of 25mcgs will help symptoms.

Usually on T3 TSH is very low so yours at .91 is showing you need more thyroid hormone.

Vit D is on the low side.

Vitamin D should be around 100 - 150. Buy one that includes vit K2 to help it go to your bones. Some are available in oil or you can take it with an oily meal for better absorption. Many members like the ‘Better You’ range of mouth sprays that contain both bit D & K2. Use this calculator to work out how much to take to get your level to 100-150. Most people need a minimum of 3,000iu per day.grassrootshealth.net/projec...

[Ed2000 in reply to GlowCoach]

Thank you very much for the information.

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

IBS symptoms for about a month

Have you recently changed brand of levothyroxine or T3

Symptoms may improve as dose levo increases

If not…..look at food intolerances

Are you already on gluten free or dairy free diet ?

[Ed2000 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi, yes, I was on gluten and dairy free but let things slip somewhat over the past couple of months. I’m back on it now. I did think about brand as I did have a funny patch a while back when given a temporary batch of Teva, but no I’m with the brands I’ve had for ages now. I had a sample come back negative for bacteria etc. today.

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Ed2000]

Teva upsets many people

[Ed2000 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes, I was shocked to find out recently that my GP had actually heard about that!

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Ed2000]

I was on gluten and dairy free but let things slip somewhat over the past couple of months

This was likely cause of IBS symptoms