Another thyroid thread. Could someone explain these levels to me?

[FrazzleRock]

I've had a (controlled) under active thyroid for about 20 odd years but have never paid any attention to my levels and have always just agreed with what the GP has suggested. I was on 150mg for ages but it was reduced to 125mg in February after a reading of T4 - 21 and TSH less than 0.01.

I've no idea what is normal, but I've definitely been lacking energy and have generally felt sluggish on and off since. Especially the last two weeks where I had zero energy, could barely open my eyes and felt as though I had a hangover every day.

I'm convinced I need to go back on 150mg but my GP said I could have my meds reduced further.

If I was slightly over active now, surely I'd have more energy not less?

I would put money on your GP being concerned about your low TSH, hence the reduction, but frankly if you were feeling OK before and you're not now, then you may need to go back and explain this and tell him you want to go back to where you were before.

It may also be that the FT4 is about at the top of the reference range where you are, but you'd know if you were over-replaced, it's quite an unpleasant feeling.

It's worth getting Dr Toft's book 'Understanding Thyroid Disorders' from your local Boots - it sets out everything in a way that is easy to understand and Dr Tofts would think the results you've quoted were pretty much ideal.

Thanks Rockin. I'll have a look for that.

I've not heard of FT4...?

Overactive makes you hyper, but soon takes its toll and exhaustion sets in and weakness.
I have no idea what my TSH was when I was overactive, but I would not say I had more energy, it was more like a bundle of nervous energy.

A TSH of 0.01 seems very low to me, but then I'm on 50 mcgs of thyroxine since my Thyroid as I got older became slightly underactive - but noticed no symptoms at all. My THS is 4.8 now and DR says that fine for me at my age.

opps TSH.