# Blood results are in, but a little confused...



## beingmeags (Aug 23, 2011)

Test results are in!

TSH - 0.03 (0.30-5.50) 
FT4 - 23.3 (9-24.0)
FT3 - 5.8 (2.5 - 6.5)
Cortisol - 278 (100-540)
Insulin - 8.1 (0.0-20.0) < Yay, no sign of diabetes!
Cholesterol - 4.0 (3.1 - 5.5)
Triglycerides - 0.7 (0.5 - 2.0)

Liver and Kidney function - excellent

The GP has put me on 75mcg daily (down from 150), because TSH was so low. I wasn't feeling symptomatic of Hyper though, at all?? I check my body temp and my heart rate throughout the day - body temp hovers around 35.8-36.4 (I've had a cold over the past couple of days, so it's been around 36.4), and heart rate sits at a steady 65-70 bpm. If I were bounding out of bed and feeling high strung, I would know it but I haven't. A friend of mine commented on the low TSH, but said her doctor tries to get her T4 level much higher than it appears there.

She also recommended checking Vitamin D and Ferritin, and possibly double checking if I have any adrenal issues.

Thoughts??


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Be sure and re-test in 6 weeks to see what your levels are on 75 vs 150.


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## northernlite (Oct 28, 2010)

I think your doctor is nuts and I am not kidding. Starting dose of 50 mcg and then tripling to 150 mcg and then cutting it in half to 75 mcg???? Levothyroxine is supposed to be titrated slowly up and back down if you over shoot to find the optimal dose for you.

Your temp numbers indicate to me that you are not in the US but isn't levothyroxine available in other doses where you are? Here in the US our doses between 75 and 150 include 88, 100, 112, 125, 137. Does your doctor have the option of these doses where you are?

I think your numbers look great where they are particularly if you feel well. That being said, I would have trouble with my doctor if my TSH was as low as yours and my doctor would want to reduce my levothyroxine. But we would choose 137 mcg. That will probably bring your TSH into range and hopefully not cause you to become symptomatic.

My guess is you will develop hypo symptoms again within a week to 10 days at 75 mcg.


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## beingmeags (Aug 23, 2011)

To clarify, my endo started me on 50mcg. At his advice, it was upped to 100mcg because I wasn't feeling better (to save a new prescription, I just used the same pack). On feeling hypo again, it went to 150mcg, with 6-8 weeks in between each increase (is that too soon between each increase??) To be honest, I feel the best I ever have on 150mg, but it is the GP wanting to lower it because of the low TSH.

My endo encouraged me to find a range that I felt best on, because ultimately I'm the only judge of how I felt - so I wasn't too worried that my dosage was high. Again, no hyper symptoms at all so I was a little confused.

I'm in Australia, and I know we have 50, 75, 100, 150... I haven't seen 88, 112 or 137 dosages, but I may be mistaken. I know the US has more options when it comes to different brands.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

That is a really big drop in dosage. Your TSH and FT4 are about exactly the same as mine. I felt great, with the exception of heart palpitations that finally got so bad I had no choice but to call my doctor last week to get labwork done. They reluctantly backed me down from 150 to 137.5 mcg...they wanted to keep me at 150, but I pressed, as I've thought about going to the ER twice because my heart just wasn't right. (My issue was cancer, though, so TSH suppression is critical.)

I don't think your labs justify such a big decrease in dosage. Yes, your TSH is a bit low, but I think a much smaller decrease would solve that problem. I have to agree with the other poster - your doctor may be nuts! :0


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