Re: 6 week test result - can`t understand what`s happened

[Guest guest]

I could be wrong here but to me the blood tests look like they should for 50mcgs

of levothyroxine. As 50mcgs is not all that much, and as your TSH has dropped

your body will be producing a bit less T4 so thats why only the small increase

on the FT4.

The most imporant thing is how are you feeling? Do you feel well ? Do you feel

better/worse from the 50mcgs ? or still feeling exactly the same ?

Steve

>

> My first blood test result from August was :-

>

> TSH = 3.59 (0.35 - 5.0)

> FreeT4 = 11.6 (7.0 - 20.0)

>

> After being on 50mcgs of Levothyroxine for 6 weeks, my 2nd blood test is :-

>

> TSH = 0.77 (0.35 - 5.0)

> FreeT4 = 12.4 (7.0 - 20.0)

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jane

Maybe you have suppressed as much as you have supplemented? Ie, that 50mcg has

just suppressed the amount that your thyroid was producing by itself so you are

no better off? 50 mcg is not much, so it is perhaps not surprising you do not

feel better.

The pituitary is under different control to the rest of the body as this article

explains - it is more important to go by symptoms not the pituitary.

http://nahypothyroidism.org/deiodinases/

" Due to a unique make-up of deiodinases in the pituitary, it will respond

differently and often opposite to that of every other tissue in the body.

Numerous conditions result in an increase in pituitary T3 levels while

simultaneously suppressing cellular T3 levels in the rest of the body, making

the pituitary, and thus the TSH, a poor indicator for tissue thyroid levels in

the rest of the body under numerous physiologic conditions. "

You may also have other vitamin or mineral deficiencies as well as possibly not

being on enough thyroid.

Hope this helps

Chris

>

> My first blood test result from August was :-

>

> TSH = 3.59 (0.35 - 5.0)

> FreeT4 = 11.6 (7.0 - 20.0)

>

> After being on 50mcgs of Levothyroxine for 6 weeks, my 2nd blood test is :-

>

> TSH = 0.77 (0.35 - 5.0)

> FreeT4 = 12.4 (7.0 - 20.0)

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Steve and for replying. It`s so hard to get my head round when

feeling ill. There was an initial improvement in the first few days of taking

the thyroxine but I still feel like I`m on my way out. It makes me so cross

when I`m told `you`re results are absolutely fine` - well I suppose they are. I

went to see the locum today because of neck pain and swollen glands but she just

said it was muscular and offered me pain killers. It makes me feel like giving

up.

I think I get what you`re saying - my T4 levels are much the same because the T4

is now made up of the Levothyroxine supplement and not what`s coming from my own

thyroid gland, so that`s why the pituitary is not producing so much TSH. I

can`t get my head around the pituitary doing the opposite and the deiodinase

stuff. Sorry to be simplistic but I have to understand every detail to work it

out.

In the intervening weeks, with the help of this forum and private tests I have

found out my adrenals are clapped out and that I have Hashimotos (TPO >1000).

Also the 24hr urine test said T3 was very low and T4 low. I will increase my

thyroxine eventually but need to get my adrenals strong first so I`ve been

taking NAMx. I believe I`m right in thinking that there`s no point in upping

the levothyroxine until my adrenals are in a better state and this can take

about 6 months. I am up to 2 capsules of NAMx a day so far. My diet is very

good and I`m sure I get plenty of all the right vits and mins. I juice fruits

and veggies. I`ve also gone on to gluten free stuff.

When I see my own GP next week, I will try and get him to test my vitamin and

minerals but don`t hold out any hope.

Jane

>

> Hi Jane

>

> Maybe you have suppressed as much as you have supplemented?

[Guest guest]

Hi All

Just wanted to say a quick thank you to for posting the link to the nahypothyroidism.org website. I've not come across this one before and there seems to be a lot of good up-to-date information on there, some of which I think will be useful to take with me on my next endo visit!

Thanks again.... Gill

[Guest guest]

Hi Jane

I would agree that feeling as you do, there is little point in

upping your dosage of thyroxine until you have better functioning adrenals. Have

you considered upping your Nutri Adrenal Max to 3 tablets daily. Are you taking

high doses of vitamin C 93/4000mgs) daily with food, Siberian Ginseng, Selenium

200mcgs and a good brand of Vitamin B complex? Do you feel any better since you

have gone on a gluten free diet since antibodies apparently thrive on gluten.

Your thyroid secretes thyroxine (about 80%) and about 20% of T3,

but thyroxine does nothing on it's own as it first has to convert to the active

hormone T3 which is what every cell in your body and brain need to make them

function. If your thyroid is not producing sufficient thyroxine, you are given

levothyroxine, which is ALL thyroxine (T4) in the hope it will convert in the

liver, kidneys, brain, skin and other thyroid hormone receptors throughout the

body. If the thyroxine doesn't convert, it lies around in the blood with

nowhere to go, and the pituitary does not secrete any more TSH because it recognises

there is sufficient thyroid hormone in the blood. So TSH becomes suppressed,

and your free T4 remains high in the range. Unfortunately, doctors don't even

recognise this, all they think is that with a high free T4 and suppressed TSH

that you must be taking too much thyroxine.

If the T4 is not converting to the active T3, then naturally,

your free T3 level will be low in the reference range, so you should be given

some form of T3, either synthetic, in combination with your T4 or natural

thyroid extract. However, it sounds as if you need to convince your doctors

about this and you may need to ask for a referral to an endocrinologist,

preferably of your choice.

Hope this helps you understand why your TSH is suppressed, your

free T4 is high and your free T3 is low.

Luv - Sheila

I think I get what you`re saying - my T4 levels are much the same because the

T4 is now made up of the Levothyroxine supplement and not what`s coming from my

own thyroid gland, so that`s why the pituitary is not producing so much TSH. I

can`t get my head around the pituitary doing the opposite and the deiodinase

stuff. Sorry to be simplistic but I have to understand every detail to work it

out.

[Guest guest]

Hello Jane

i'm sorry I did not explain it very what might be happening very clearly.

Sometimes I do have problems explaining things clearly (I have brain fog, too

:-) )

But yes it sounds like you get the gist - I was just thinking maybe your thyroid

was producing say 70mcg t4 (and some t3) but now you're taking 50mcg t4, maybe

in total you now have 75mcg t4 because your pituitary's not stimulating the

thyroid as much? Sorry I still don't think I am being very clear.

Diet wise I've read that: fruits (on their own not mixed with other types of

fruit, eaten away from meals) organic sprouted grains (eg quinoa, spelt) and

bread made with sprouted grains helps thyroid function.

Soft boiled eggs, raw ham eg parma, bacon and other meats like chicken, pork

but not milk help adrenal, growth hormone and sex hormones.

Some people think that adrenals will come back with thyroid treatment, and some

think they need support. I guess it depends on your own body and where you are

in adrenal terms. I couldn't tolerate the NAX but could tolerate whole cortex

glandulars like Thorne Adrenal cortex. I think you are right to take it slow

though, and keep monitoring everything - how you feel, basal temps etc etc

I found that I had low copper, slightly low ferritin, low Vitamin A, low vitamin

D, and correcting these helped me use thyroid better.

Chris

>

..

> In the intervening weeks, with the help of this forum and private tests I have

found out my adrenals are clapped out and that I have Hashimotos (TPO >1000).

Also the 24hr urine test said T3 was very low and T4 low. I will increase my

thyroxine eventually but need to get my adrenals strong first so I`ve been

taking NAMx.

[Guest guest]

& Sheila, thank you so much. Sheila, I have only been on 2 a day NAMx for

5 days so perhaps in a couple of days I will increase to 3 per day. Is it best

to take 2 in the morning and 1 at lunch or the other way round? Sheila, how

long does it normally take to get your adrenals revitalised? Since being on

NAMx and a gluten free diet, I don`t feel any real difference as far as aches

and pains go, but I suppose I am now going a whole day without falling asleep

and can usually get the dog out for a short walk in the afternoons.

What I have noticed is that if something good happens like hearing from one of

my sons, my energy increases and I feel tons better for a short while. They have

no idea how ill I`ve been as I always perk up when I see them. It would be

interesting to know if other people have noticed stuff like this.

During my initial visit to my GP he said he would like T4 levels to be up to

about 17, so as they are still at 12, he will probably want to increase my

thyroxine. But I`m a bit worried about telling him about getting my adrenals up

and running first - it will mean admitting I`ve gone behind his back and had

these private tests done. Anyway from what I`ve read, GPs don`t acknowledge

adrenal insufficiency. He`s a very plain speaking GP and I know he will say I`m

talking rubbish. He`s the one who said he would never prescribe something from a

pig`s throat. I have to play it very carefully with him cos I need to keep him

on side to get my vits and mins tested.

I hate challenging people because it makes them defensive and you end up in a

worse position.

I also don`t know how to go about telling him I`ve had a thyroid antibodies test

and am auto-immune. I`m scared he will rubbish that as well.

Jane

>

> Hi Jane

>

> I would agree that feeling as you do, there is little point in upping your

> dosage of thyroxine until you have better functioning adrenals. Have you

> considered upping your Nutri Adrenal Max to 3 tablets daily. Do you feel any

> better since you have gone on a gluten free diet since antibodies apparently

> thrive on gluten.

>

>