Updated Test results

[Danniabg]

At the recommendation of Gimel and after reading many times on here regarding test results, I have mine updated now with the Free T3 & T4.  I can't see my endo at the moment as she isn't working since breaking her leg, so would appreciate advice please.

History: I had a partial thyroidectomy in July this year, due to benign nodules on my left gland.
In Sept I was diagnosed Hypo
TSH was 6.17 uIU/ml (0.27-5.0/ for monitoring of therapy it says then these numbers 0,2-5,50) (I live in Bulgaria btw)
I didn't have the Free ones done then as only discovered them on here.

Had the test done this week after being on 25mgs of Levothyroxine for the first 2 weeks, then 50 mgs per day.
TSH now 4.11 uIU/ml (0.49-4.67/ for monitoring of therapy then 0,2-5,50/)
FT3 3,04 (2.5-4.3)
FT4 1,07 (0.71-1.85)

And my cholesterol has come down from 6.7 to 5.9 (6.5 - 4.5) but I did have it lower than that pre op.

I did have a full blood count, but all the numbers are within range, so seems ok.

I am losing weight quite easily I have to say, I am now the lightest I have been in over 10 years so happy about that!

I would appreciate Gimel and anyone else's feedback on what the thyroid figures mean please as I can't see my endo :)

Thanks in advance
Nikki

[gimel]

Red_Star covered Vitamin B12.  I see that you also need to work on getting your ferritin increased.  Low ferritin can be associated with a number of symptoms.  Here is a quote about the best levels for ferritin.

"FERRITIN test: Measures your levels of storage iron, which can be chronically low in hypothyroid patients. If your Ferritin result is less than 50, your levels are too low and can be causing problems…as well as leading you into anemia as you fall lower, which will give you symptoms similar to hypo, such as depression, achiness, fatigue. If you are in the 50′s, you are scooting by. Optimally, females shoot for 70-90 at the minimum; men tend to be above 100.

You should be off all iron for at least 12 houes before testing to see what your body is hanging onto."

Of course you also need to increase your Free T3 level.  Without the availability of any T3 med, you could try to increase your T4 med and see if there is any corresponding increase in Free T3, but that is most likely to be a very small effect.    Is the problem that T3 med is not available, or that your doctor will not prescribe the med?

[Danniabg]

Thanks for your comment regarding B12.
Can you or anyone point me in the direction of a tried and tested B12 spray or lozenge please? (What do you use Red Star?)

Hoping some others can comment on the rest of my results thanks. :)

[Red_Star]

Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms are numerous but include brain fog and serious lack of concentration.  Hopefully you can find sublingual (under the tongue) B12; available in spray (my favourite!), tablets, lozengers, or drops.

"At least six neurological and psychiatric papers, in top medical journals, have shown that the normal range should be regarded as at least 500-1,300 pg/ml (rather than 200-1,100), since the cerebrospinal fluid level can be deficient when the serum level drops below 500, and neuropsychiatric symptoms often occur at serum levels between 200 and 500 pg/ml (VanTiggelen et al, Lindenbaum et al, Mitsuyama/Kogoh, Nijst et al, Ikeda et al, Regland)."

[Danniabg]

Also I forgot to say, I have a serious lack of concentration and brain fog just recently too lol, and I was having bouts of hunger that I just couldn't ignore and always went for salty foods, but since cutting down on carbs, eating more protein and eating little and often this has cured it, plus it seems to have helped the hypoglycemia too as I haven't had an attack for over a week now.

[Danniabg]

I hope you won't mind me asking for opinions on my labs again as I've not been feeling brilliant (tired with episodes of hypoglycemia) and decided to get some tests done.
As a recap I'm on levothyroxine (Euthyrox) only (50mg 1 day/62.5 the next and only have a 3rd of my thyroid since last July) I am learning about T3/NDT medicine and hoping to make the change over, although I can't get help from my Dr/Endo as I live in Bulgaria (though I am English) and they only go by TSH and I can only get T4 meds here frsutratingly.

I didn't re do my TSH as it seems pointless but on the 19.09.12 it was 2.23
(0.27-4.20)
FT4 (19.09 was 1.37) Now 1.49 (0.93-1.70)
FT3 (19.09 was 2.84) Now 2.93 (2.0-4.4)
Anti TPO (April 2011 9.22) Now 6.34 (<34)
Anti TG (April 2011 9.5) Now 10.00 (<115)

Magnesium 0.88 (0.65-1.03)
Vit B12 205.5 (191-663)
25-OH-Vit D3 38 (30-50) it states this is optimum level below is deficient and above is overdose.

Iron Panel
Ferritin 48.3 (6,0-159)
Iron 12.9 (6.0-26.0)
TIBC 54.6 (47.0-77.0)
I couldn't get the UIBC done.

Cortisol test
am 28.46 (<19.1)
noon 4.94 (no range given)
afternoon 6.79 (<11.9)
pm 3.42 (no range given)
I usually get to sleep well, but can be aware I'm awake in the early hours but I usually get back to sleep. A year ago, I would get up at 7-8am and want to go for a walk, but this year I haven't felt like that at all, I take my T4 at 8am then sleep until gone 9 most days.

For those of you who know about temperatures, I've been taking my temperature as it states in the STTM book and the highest has been 36.7 and this morning was the lowest at 35.6.

I can't get T3/NDT as yet, I am trying to, but in the meantime maybe I need to up my T4 meds??

Any comments on the results and/or advice will be appreciated.

Thank you in advance.
Nikki

[Danniabg]

Hiya again
I did ask about getting those other tests done and was met with confusion as I don't know how else to ask for them in Bulgarian, they understand the Vit D one and it is expensive so I'm thinking about that one for now.

I've decided to increase my T4 meds for 6 weeks, re test and see how it goes, in the mean time trying to find out about T3 meds here.

I hate self diagnosing but guess it has to be done when there is real no alternative, I am very thankful for the help here, especially yours Gimel, as I would be oblivious otherwise.

Thanks again