Thyroid Bloodwork

Last month I got bloodwork that showed my TSH to be 6, and the month before that it was 6.6. I just got the latest bloodwork that includes a bunch of other thyroid blood tests and my thyroid is now down to 4.5 (“normal”). However, reverse T3 is high and vitamin D is super low, even though I supplement 2000 IU a day (upping to 5000). I’m not sure what to do about the high reverse t3 and the still elevated TSH.

I’m also on TRT, lowered does to 150/wk recently since test was at 1260 on 200/wk, and also taking HCG.


Thanks!

I am no doctor! (disclaimer)

I got bloodwork done and my TSH was at 4.5, and while my primary said it was fine, all endocrinologists I went to said it should be below 2. I’ve since been on a small dose of Synthroid and feel significantly better, and my TSH was at 1.8 upon last check.

Yeah, I’m aware about that… The thing is, it went from 6.6 to 4.45 in two months, I opened a thread yesterday about why I think it was elevated (I stopped injecting because I ran out out of the country for a month and my T dropped to 150) though it’s only a theory. So it’s on the way down, but I don’t know where it’s going to stop…

You needed free T3 tested. With rT3 that high, you’d need very high free T3 anyway. Do you know why rT3 is so high? T3 supplementation will bring it down. If possible, make sure you reduce any stress, eat healthy, get plenty of exercise and sleep.

High Reverse T3 is negating the majority of your Free T3, you need thyroid treatment. As stated before TSH needs to be <2.0, not above it.

A lot of doctors believe a TSH of 4.5 is already to high, many agree it needs to be <2.0 because this is where health young men are scoring.

Thanks! T3 is actually there at the bottom

Yeah, just gotta find a receptive endo…

So with the high reverse T3 and low Free T3, Free T3 might as well be lower than stated since little is interacting with the T3 receptor.

Insulin resistance could be a reason for high Reverse T3, it is in my case.

Sorry, I missed it. That’s horrible, at 2.7, your reverse T3 should be no more than 13-14. Without knowing symptoms, it sure looks as though you need thyroid, and make sure it is a T3/T4 combo.

With high rT3 you don’t want to be on any T4 meds. Your body converts T4 into both T3 and rT3. Adding any T4 meds just makes more rT3. You need to be on T3 only like Cytomel. Start at 5mcg a week and add 5mcg every week until about 25mcgs. Try for 6 weeks, test blood and then add 5 more if it still needs to come down. You want your rT3 to be below 15 on the scale but preferably around the lowest 3 digits of the scale ideally (usually 8-10).

Went to see a doctor and he prescribed T4… I asked about Cytomel and he said he doesn’t like to prescribe it and he thinks I will improve with T4. He seemed knowledgable… He also thinks that my symptoms are not caused by thyroid malfunction but rather from sleep apnea, which is pretty interesting and I’ll definitely check it.

You might, depends if enough converts properly to offset rT3. Many think it is better to take T3 as well, then you know you have it without relying on proper T4 conversion.