Re: T4 conversion.... this is bugging me..

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

This is the first time i have been on this forum . I live in bolton and would like to know if anyone knows of an NHS enocrinologist that treats symptoms of hypothyroidism even when blood tests dont show this.I have all the symptoms although my TSH ,t4 and T3 dont show hypothyroidism.I have been like this for 3 years so feeling desperate at times.

Kind Regards, Bernie,

From: Galathea <galathea@...>thyroid treatment Sent: Sun, 16 January, 2011 18:41:00Subject: T4 conversion.... this is bugging me..

Hi all,I just read yet again in someones post, that the doctor didn't want to increase T4 in case it sent her hyperthyroid.Normally your thyroid would make t4, which would circulate in your blood at a given level and some t3. When you need some energy, you either use the t3 that has been made by your thyroid, or you convert some of the T4 which is going round your blood into t3. When you have the right amount of T4 stored in your blood, the TSH drops and you don't make as much.If you take levothyroxine, it circulates in your blood and when you have enough the tsh drops. If you have too much, you make reverse t3 which breaks down the excess t4 and gets rid of it.So where, in taking too much levothyroxine would you be making too much t3, which is what you have when you are hyper? Surely just having t4 in the blood doesn't mean you automatically convert it to t3. ??? If you did convert automatically then you'd be hyper as

soon as you got any t4, t4 would always show low in the blood and t3 would be high....I just can't fathom how taking too much t4 could lead to hyper, there is another step involved which tells your body to do the conversion to t3 when you need it..... any ideas on this?

[Guest guest]

Bernie,

You may have a problem converting T4 to T3. To find out if this is so, you need a FT3 and RT3 test. You will not get this on the NHS. To find out more go to www.thyroid-rt3.com. This site will explain how you interpret the results of these tests and find out if you have a problem. Good luck with your search for a doctor.

MacG.

From: bernadette Bateman <rtdbateman@...>thyroid treatment Sent: Sun, 16 January, 2011 20:04:37Subject: Re: T4 conversion.... this is bugging me..

Hi all,

This is the first time i have been on this forum . I live in bolton and would like to know if anyone knows of an NHS enocrinologist that treats symptoms of hypothyroidism even when blood tests dont show this.I have all the symptoms although my TSH ,t4 and T3 dont show hypothyroidism.I have been like this for 3 years so feeling desperate at times.

Kind Regards, Bernie,

From: -->

[Ed]

[Guest guest]

Hi Bernie -You are lucky if you have all 3 blood tests done -they don't usually

do the T3 if the TSH is in range -the actual results might help somebody to

tell you why your blood tests and symptoms don't agree . mine certainly didn't

but I worked it out in the end .Best wishes

[Guest guest]

…and if you feel you may need these tests, go to our FILES

section (accessible from this Forum  Home Page) and on the page that opens,

scroll down through the Folders to one entitled 'Discounts on Tests and

Supplements' and open the one marked 'Genova Diagnostics' and you can get a discount

for both of these tests. Follow the instructions and write 'Thyroid Patient

Advocacy' as your Practitioner. The results will be sent to you and not to me.

Luv - Sheila

Bernie,

You may have a problem

converting T4 to T3. To find out if this is so, you need a FT3 and RT3

test. You will not get this on the NHS. To find out more go to www.thyroid-rt3.com. This site will

explain how you interpret the results of these tests and find out if you have a

problem. Good luck with your search for a doctor.

MacG.

,_._,___

[Guest guest]

Hi Bernie, welcome to our forum where I hope you will get the

help and support you need. I am sending you our list of recommended doctors.

You may have to travel to see the one you want, but you can be referred outside

of your area if there is not a specialist in thyroid disease, as opposed to

seeing an endocrinologist with a specialist in diabetes, who know very little

about managing those with symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Can you get your blood tests from your GP together with the

reference range for each test done and post them here so we can help with the

interpretation of them.

Thyroxine (T4) is a prohormone, it has little action in the

body. It has to convert to the ACTIVE thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3). It

is T3 that is needed by every cell in your body and brain to make it function.

Conversion normally takes place through the liver, kidneys, skin, brain and

many other thyroid hormone receptors throughout the body, but for a large

minority of us, something gets in the way and stops all the thyroxine from

converting to T3, and we are the one's who continue to complain of symptoms.

Luv - Sheila

Hi

all,

This

is the first time i have been on this forum . I live in bolton and would like

to know if anyone knows of an NHS enocrinologist that treats symptoms of

hypothyroidism even when blood tests dont show this.I have all the symptoms

although my TSH ,t4 and T3 dont show hypothyroidism.I have been like this for 3

years so feeling desperate at times.

Kind

Regards, Bernie,

From: Galathea

<galathea@...>

thyroid treatment

Sent: Sun, 16 January, 2011 18:41:00

Subject: T4 conversion.... this is bugging me..

Hi all,

I just read yet again in someones post, that the doctor didn't want to increase

T4 in case it sent her hyperthyroid.

Normally your thyroid would make t4, which would circulate in your blood at a

given level and some t3. When you need some energy, you either use the t3 that

has been made by your thyroid, or you convert some of the T4 which is going

round your blood into t3. When you have the right amount of T4 stored in your

blood, the TSH drops and you don't make as much.

If you take levothyroxine, it circulates in your blood and when you have enough

the tsh drops. If you have too much, you make reverse t3 which breaks down the

excess t4 and gets rid of it.

So where, in taking too much levothyroxine would you be making too much t3,

which is what you have when you are hyper? Surely just having t4 in the blood

doesn't mean you automatically convert it to t3. ??? If you did convert

automatically then you'd be hyper as soon as you got any t4, t4 would always

show low in the blood and t3 would be high....

I just can't fathom how taking too much t4 could lead to hyper, there is

another step involved which tells your body to do the conversion to t3 when you

need it..... any ideas on this?