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Recent Lab Results
TSH-1.53 Range: 0.40-4.50
Free T3-3.3 Range: 2.3-4.2
Free T4-1.5 Range: 0.8-1.8
Vitamin B12, Serum 413 Range: 200-1100
Ferritin-75 Range: 10-232
Vitamin D, 25 Hydroxy, LC/MS/MS Profile
Vitamin D, 25-OH, Total-48 Range 30-100
Vitamin D, 25-OH, D3 -48
Vitamin D, 25-Oh,D2 <4
When i did the calculation for my FT4 range it appears to be at 70% and my FT3 @ 53%. Any advice on if I should decrease my dosage of Synthroid? and add a FT3 hormone replacement? If so, which FT3 hormone replacement should I recommend to my PCP?
My skin feels warm and moist to the touch. However, I'm very itchy to the point that I'm tearing skin open.
Thanks ahead for any and all suggestions. I'm greatly appreciated.
Free T3-3.3 Range: 2.3-4.2
Free T4-1.5 Range: 0.8-1.8
Vitamin B12, Serum 413 Range: 200-1100
Ferritin-75 Range: 10-232
Vitamin D, 25 Hydroxy, LC/MS/MS Profile
Vitamin D, 25-OH, Total-48 Range 30-100
Vitamin D, 25-OH, D3 -48
Vitamin D, 25-Oh,D2 <4
When i did the calculation for my FT4 range it appears to be at 70% and my FT3 @ 53%. Any advice on if I should decrease my dosage of Synthroid? and add a FT3 hormone replacement? If so, which FT3 hormone replacement should I recommend to my PCP?
My skin feels warm and moist to the touch. However, I'm very itchy to the point that I'm tearing skin open.
Thanks ahead for any and all suggestions. I'm greatly appreciated.
COMMUNITY LEADER
No, just because your FT4 is at 70%, you're not likely to go hyper right away, because your FT3 has a lot of room to go up, before you go hyper.
No, you didn't say your calcium level was "high"; you said high in the range. I don't mean to be confusing, but I often use the term high, to be either over range, or high in the range.
Because you do have kidney issues, you should talk to your nephrologist about the calcium/vitamin D issue and follow whatever guidance s/he gives you.
PTH stands for Parathyroid Hormone and yes, it's a blood test. Your pcp can order it.
No, you didn't say your calcium level was "high"; you said high in the range. I don't mean to be confusing, but I often use the term high, to be either over range, or high in the range.
Because you do have kidney issues, you should talk to your nephrologist about the calcium/vitamin D issue and follow whatever guidance s/he gives you.
PTH stands for Parathyroid Hormone and yes, it's a blood test. Your pcp can order it.
Excerpt from the Vitamin D Council article : Am I getting too much vitamin D?...
"Although most people take vitamin D supplements without any problems, it’s possible to take too much. This is called vitamin D toxicity. Vitamin D toxicity, where vitamin D can be harmful, usually happens if you take 40,000 IU per day for a couple of months or longer, or take a very large one-time dose.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, which means your body has a hard time getting rid of it if you take too much. When you take large amounts of vitamin D, your liver produces too much of a chemical called 25(OH)D.
When your 25(OH)D levels are too high, this can cause high levels of calcium to develop in your blood. High blood calcium is a condition called hypercalcemia.
The symptoms of hypercalcemia include:
feeling sick or being sick
poor appetite or loss of appetite
feeling very thirsty
passing urine often
constipation or diarrhea
abdominal pain
muscle weakness or pain
feeling confused
feeling tired
In some rare diseases, you may be at risk of hypercalcemia even if you have low vitamin D levels and haven’t taken much vitamin D. These diseases include primary hyperparathyroidism, sarcoidosis and a few other rare diseases."
"Although most people take vitamin D supplements without any problems, it’s possible to take too much. This is called vitamin D toxicity. Vitamin D toxicity, where vitamin D can be harmful, usually happens if you take 40,000 IU per day for a couple of months or longer, or take a very large one-time dose.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, which means your body has a hard time getting rid of it if you take too much. When you take large amounts of vitamin D, your liver produces too much of a chemical called 25(OH)D.
When your 25(OH)D levels are too high, this can cause high levels of calcium to develop in your blood. High blood calcium is a condition called hypercalcemia.
The symptoms of hypercalcemia include:
feeling sick or being sick
poor appetite or loss of appetite
feeling very thirsty
passing urine often
constipation or diarrhea
abdominal pain
muscle weakness or pain
feeling confused
feeling tired
In some rare diseases, you may be at risk of hypercalcemia even if you have low vitamin D levels and haven’t taken much vitamin D. These diseases include primary hyperparathyroidism, sarcoidosis and a few other rare diseases."
Excerpt from the Vitamin D council article "Am I getting too much vitamin D?"..
Although most people take vitamin D supplements without any problems, it’s possible to take too much. This is called vitamin D toxicity. Vitamin D toxicity, where vitamin D can be harmful, usually happens if you take 40,000 IU per day for a couple of months or longer, or take a very large one-time dose.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, which means your body has a hard time getting rid of it if you take too much. When you take large amounts of vitamin D, your liver produces too much of a chemical called 25(OH)D.
When your 25(OH)D levels are too high, this can cause high levels of calcium to develop in your blood. High blood calcium is a condition called hypercalcemia.
The symptoms of hypercalcemia include:
feeling sick or being sick
poor appetite or loss of appetite
feeling very thirsty
passing urine often
constipation or diarrhea
abdominal pain
muscle weakness or pain
feeling confused
feeling tired"
Although most people take vitamin D supplements without any problems, it’s possible to take too much. This is called vitamin D toxicity. Vitamin D toxicity, where vitamin D can be harmful, usually happens if you take 40,000 IU per day for a couple of months or longer, or take a very large one-time dose.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, which means your body has a hard time getting rid of it if you take too much. When you take large amounts of vitamin D, your liver produces too much of a chemical called 25(OH)D.
When your 25(OH)D levels are too high, this can cause high levels of calcium to develop in your blood. High blood calcium is a condition called hypercalcemia.
The symptoms of hypercalcemia include:
feeling sick or being sick
poor appetite or loss of appetite
feeling very thirsty
passing urine often
constipation or diarrhea
abdominal pain
muscle weakness or pain
feeling confused
feeling tired"
Good Morning!
I figured the only way that I won't go hyper with my FT4 being at 70% and FT3 at 54%, is to lower my dosage or alternate. It's like I can't win either way. Just hoping that my PCP will work with me. He's been very good so far, but who knows for how long. I know I'll be Dr. shopping for a Endocrinologist if he won't work with me. The only problem with that is, it could take forever to get into a Endo. and not known what to do in the meantime is pretty scary.
I also see a nephrologist due to a cyst in my right kidney that he monitored for yrs. and thankfully it hasn't grown. Not to mention, I have a extra kidney on my left side. That was discovered when I was little and got very ill, because it stopped working. Thankfully, my nephrologist at the time was able to get it working again by inserting something into it. I really don't recall what my mom had told me in medical terminology. Anyhow, if he didn't fix the issue, being that the extra kidney is attached to my left one it couldn't be removed without removing both.
I don't think I said my Calcium is quite high, just that it's at the top of the lab range.
9.9 mg/dl range: 8.6-10.2
So, is a PTH a lab test?
This thyroid disease is so upsetting and confusing. I'm spending most of my time doing research, because it's almost like we've to do the Dr.'s work that they should be doing. Unfortunately, it's sad that most Endocrinologist from my understanding in reading don't seem to treat level's before symptoms. They just concentrate on the TSH level. SMH
I figured the only way that I won't go hyper with my FT4 being at 70% and FT3 at 54%, is to lower my dosage or alternate. It's like I can't win either way. Just hoping that my PCP will work with me. He's been very good so far, but who knows for how long. I know I'll be Dr. shopping for a Endocrinologist if he won't work with me. The only problem with that is, it could take forever to get into a Endo. and not known what to do in the meantime is pretty scary.
I also see a nephrologist due to a cyst in my right kidney that he monitored for yrs. and thankfully it hasn't grown. Not to mention, I have a extra kidney on my left side. That was discovered when I was little and got very ill, because it stopped working. Thankfully, my nephrologist at the time was able to get it working again by inserting something into it. I really don't recall what my mom had told me in medical terminology. Anyhow, if he didn't fix the issue, being that the extra kidney is attached to my left one it couldn't be removed without removing both.
I don't think I said my Calcium is quite high, just that it's at the top of the lab range.
9.9 mg/dl range: 8.6-10.2
So, is a PTH a lab test?
This thyroid disease is so upsetting and confusing. I'm spending most of my time doing research, because it's almost like we've to do the Dr.'s work that they should be doing. Unfortunately, it's sad that most Endocrinologist from my understanding in reading don't seem to treat level's before symptoms. They just concentrate on the TSH level. SMH
COMMUNITY LEADER
It's up to you regarding the alternating between 50-75 mcg Synthroid. I agree with you that I'd rather be a little hypo than hyper. Hopefully, your doctor will respond soon and prescribe you a small dose of T3 med.
I don't know that you have to stop taking your vitamin D supplement. I think the person you're referring to who can only take 200 IU of vitamin D/day has kidney malfunctions and other health issues, which causes her doctor to limit the amount of vitamin D she gets. I don't think you have to worry about it, but if your calcium level was quite high (what was the actual level?), you might want to look into parathyroid issues.
Most of us have 4 parathyroids that reside directly behind the thyroid gland. There is no relationship between the thyroid and parathyroids, other than their location in the body. The parathyroids control the amount of calcium in your blood. You might ask your doctor run a PTH test on you.
I don't know that you have to stop taking your vitamin D supplement. I think the person you're referring to who can only take 200 IU of vitamin D/day has kidney malfunctions and other health issues, which causes her doctor to limit the amount of vitamin D she gets. I don't think you have to worry about it, but if your calcium level was quite high (what was the actual level?), you might want to look into parathyroid issues.
Most of us have 4 parathyroids that reside directly behind the thyroid gland. There is no relationship between the thyroid and parathyroids, other than their location in the body. The parathyroids control the amount of calcium in your blood. You might ask your doctor run a PTH test on you.
I responded in a PM before seeing your response above.
I've decided to decrease my Synthroid this morning from 75 mcg's to 50 and am thinking of alternating from 50 to 75 mcg's daily until my PCP responds to my message I sent to him, asking for a little FT3 med. being that my FT4 is to high. I guess I'd rather be hypo than go hyper from all I've read.
I think I'm also gonna stop taking the extra vitamin D I started taking last month for now. I was reading in the forum and noticed that a member mentioned that her calcium is near the top of her lab range, so she was told she could only take 200 mgs. of vitamin D. Therefore, I checked my labs and back in Nov. my result for my calcium was also near the top. Me now knowing that vitamin D and calcium go more or less hand & hand and that too much calcium can cause toxicity really scared me. Have you ever heard of such?
I've decided to decrease my Synthroid this morning from 75 mcg's to 50 and am thinking of alternating from 50 to 75 mcg's daily until my PCP responds to my message I sent to him, asking for a little FT3 med. being that my FT4 is to high. I guess I'd rather be hypo than go hyper from all I've read.
I think I'm also gonna stop taking the extra vitamin D I started taking last month for now. I was reading in the forum and noticed that a member mentioned that her calcium is near the top of her lab range, so she was told she could only take 200 mgs. of vitamin D. Therefore, I checked my labs and back in Nov. my result for my calcium was also near the top. Me now knowing that vitamin D and calcium go more or less hand & hand and that too much calcium can cause toxicity really scared me. Have you ever heard of such?
COMMUNITY LEADER
I responded to your PM, but will respond here, as well, and hopefully, some others will chime in, also.
Yes, you did do the percentage calculations correctly. Your FT4 is still too high, indicating that you could stand a decrease in your T4 med. What dose are you currently on?
Your FT3 has a lot of room to increase, so yes, I'd say add a small dose of T3. This would, typically, be cytomel or the generic, which is liothyronine. The typical starting dose is 5 mcg/day. T4 med should be decreased by about 20-25 mcg for every 5 mcg T3 added.
Your vitamin B-12 is quite low in the range. 700-900 often seems to be a good spot, but some of us find that we have to keep it at/near the top of the range, in order to feel well.
Typically, a good level for ferritin is around 70, so you're good at 75.
Your vitamin D is just a tad low... typically, 50-70 is good.
You might want to supplement B-12 and D, then retest in a couple months to see if your levels are increasing.
You should talk to your doctor about the itching skin. There are numerous causes for that. Have you tried a benadryl lotion to see if that helps?
Yes, you did do the percentage calculations correctly. Your FT4 is still too high, indicating that you could stand a decrease in your T4 med. What dose are you currently on?
Your FT3 has a lot of room to increase, so yes, I'd say add a small dose of T3. This would, typically, be cytomel or the generic, which is liothyronine. The typical starting dose is 5 mcg/day. T4 med should be decreased by about 20-25 mcg for every 5 mcg T3 added.
Your vitamin B-12 is quite low in the range. 700-900 often seems to be a good spot, but some of us find that we have to keep it at/near the top of the range, in order to feel well.
Typically, a good level for ferritin is around 70, so you're good at 75.
Your vitamin D is just a tad low... typically, 50-70 is good.
You might want to supplement B-12 and D, then retest in a couple months to see if your levels are increasing.
You should talk to your doctor about the itching skin. There are numerous causes for that. Have you tried a benadryl lotion to see if that helps?
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