Need help in reading Free T3, Free T4, TSH - energy down, dry skin rashes back, hormones out of control

[pcincome]

Last years tests (when I still felt good) were:
T-4, FREE 1.0
T3, Free 425
TSH  0.32

This years tests (today) are  (I personally think this could be better, doc doesn't see what I see, doesn't hear how I feel)
T-4, Free 0.9
T3, Free 282
TSH  0.04

Lipid Panel
Triglycerides  42
Cholesterol, Total 153
HDL  44
LDL  101

Iron and Total Iron
Binding Capacity
Iron, Total  46
Iron Binding Capacity   363
% Saturation   13

Comprehensive Metabolic Panl w.egfr
Glucose   97
Urea Nitrogen  (BUN)  15
Creatinine  0.6
GFR Estimated   >60
Bun /Creatinine Ratio  25
Sodium   142
Potassium   4.2
Chloride  109
Carbon Dioxide  21
Calcium   9.1
Protein Total  6.3
Albumin   4.2

Globulin   2.1
Albumin/Globulin Ration  2.0
Bilirubin, Total  0.5
Alkaline Phosphatase  59
AST   19
ALT   16

CBC (all within normal)

Ferritin  15  (doc said this doesn't matter?)

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

The TSH is low - suggesting too much thyroid in most cases.  Ferritin is slightly low suggesting low iron storage.  Would consider an endocrine consult to discuss thyroid further.

[pcincome]

Realized I couldn't post everything and took out my current meds.  I am using 1 1/2 grain Armour in AM, 1 grain Armour in PM since 2005.  I feel as though something needs to change, doc says my TSH is too low to change Armour and Iron is not low enough to worry about.  There is absolutely nothing on the market that I have found (legally) that can stimulate my energy and I'm tired of being tired and in a brain fog all the time.  Just grasping for some kind of hope/help to look for to bring my mind and energy back.  I'm 46 yrs young, three grown children, work out of home.  Main question is, when looking at FT3 and FT4, how important is TSH and how important is how I feel and symptoms overall.  

[lorakin]

Your free t's are way too low and your ferritin should be around 70-90. This is why you feel horrible...sounds like me! Go to a website called stopthethyroidmaddness and it explains all about armour...

Good luck!

[lorakin]

also...armour is not dosed by tsh because it WILL be suppressed on it. This is normal. You should be dosed based on your free t's and HOW YOU FEEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go to that website it will help you alot.

Lorakin

[Lake Lover]

Low ferritin definitely can make you feel hypo but your ow FT-3 cam as well.

If your doctor refuses to give you more replacement based on TSH alone have them check your antibodies to find proof that they are the culpret to you low TSH.  I am assuming you have a dx for Graves and thus treatment, either RAI or TT which is why you are on replacement?

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/326/7398/1087

My TSH runs very low since TT yet my FT's are mid range so I have a deal with my doctor to dose only basd on FT-'s rather than TSH due to stimulating antibodies still in system.

[pcincome]

You know, I really don't know what my diagnosis is.  That's bad, huh?  In 1993 while going through a weight loss program, the doc made me go through a physical.  Doc said I had nodules on my thyroid and sent me to another doc in another town for biopsy.  I didn't know anything until after the first biopsy.  Nodule came back, could feel it when I swallowed.  Came back total of 3 times so they decided to do surgery to make sure it wasn't cancerous.  During surgery, I lost 3/4 of my thyroid and 2 parathyroid glands because they were "stuck" to the thyroid.  Surgery doc made sure I understood this and remembered it for future reference.  Gave me a prescription and sent me back to my MD.  My weight went up, energy went down, depression set in and I hated where I was at.  Told my MD this wasn't right and he told me to diet and exercise.  I decided at that point to look into alternative health and nutrition and spoke with my obgyn who wrote my scripts for me and I didn't go back to my MD for years.  After about 5 years of this, got scared because I hadn't been checked, decided to go to an Endo doc.  She played with my meds, switched me from Synthroid to Unithroid.  When symptoms started getting worse and I told her, her response to me was "Honey, we're the same age and I feel the same way. That's just the way it is".  I never went back there again.  From there, after speaking with a doctor friend who's out of my state, she mentioned Armour Thyroid.  Found a doctor local to me that was on the Armour website and started on that in 2003.  No one has ever asked me my diagnosis, no one ever volunteer a diagnosis.  As a matter of fact, no one even told me how to take care of myself nutritionally after surgery.  So no, I don't have a diagnosis, just know that I am hypo because the 1/4 piece of thyroid I have left obviously isn't strong enough to support my body by itself.  Thank you for listening.

[pcincome]

Sorry if that sounded harsh but I am just really frustrated with the system these days.  You know, a doctor friend of mine (who is also into alternative meds) told me that "We pay the docs salary therefore, we should demand they listen to us".  I don't know why I let them intimidate me sometimes.  

I'm just so tired today, I'm frustrated!!

I found some very good answers at http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com and just what I needed to help me see the light at http://www.healthcheckusa.com