Thyroid

[sonnytabby]

I have gain 13 pounds in 2 month, retaining alot of water even though I am taking Hydroclohot for it, and I take 100 MG Levothyroxine and 5 mcg of Cytomel 2 times a day.  My most recent test results are TSH  1.25 and Free T3 4.5??  Should I be asking my dr anything?  He always tells me its normal and tries to get me to buy his weight loss plan.

[ErinEley]

Scratch that just saw your range in the comment section. Your FT3 looks pretty good. It's actually at the very top of the range. Is it possible you have another problem going on? Have you checked your adrenals, PCOS, or RT3?

[ErinEley]

Please post the range of your labs, without a range we do not know how much medicine you need to take to be symptom free.

Please answer my question http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/Low-TSH--Low-FT4--Low-FT3/show/1924924

[sonnytabby]

I have been on this dosage for several years, gradually continuing to gain weight probably 40 pounds over 6 years.  

Here are the results

Free T3   Value: 4.50  Range:  2.3-4.5pg/ML  
Thyroxine, Free  Value:  1.25  Range  .69 - 1.51 ng/dl

My general dr won't treat, I asked him and he refers me back to this specialist unfortunately there are only 3 in our area. Feeling really down about this, want to lose this weight so bad, have done weight watchers.

My symptoms are sleeping 9.5 hours at night, tired by 5 p.m., seems to gain water weight each evening.  I am on a hormone patch for hot flashes, had a hysterecomy in 2005,  and take a water pill since that time also.

[flyingfool]

Lots of questions:

First other than weight how are you feeling, what symptoms if any are you having.

I think the core tests that should always be conducted are:

TSH
Free T4 (FT4)
Free T4 (FT3)

You did not list a Free T4 test result.

Also you should also post what the result was but also the reference range that is associated with the test as not all labs use the same reference range. The reference range is usually shown in parentheses to the right of the test result.

If you do not have the lab test results please ask for it from your Dr. In the USA it is law that they have to provide you with the written tests results if you as them for it.

While I listed TSH it is really the most unreliable test to determine how you actually feel. Yet it is almost exclusively used by Dr's.

You are lucky to have tested for FT3 as not many Drs will test for this. And this is important sense you are taking a T3 medication (Cytomel).  In my opinion any Dr who treats a patient with a medication with T3 in it borders on malpractice if they do not test for Free T3.

How long have you been on this medication dosage, how often to you generally get tested?  Do you have Hashimoto's?

Many people find it impossible to effectively and keep the weight off until their thyroid levels are optimized.  Problem is most Drs won't work hard enough and long enough with most patients to actually get the patient optimized. Instead they s imply treat until they get a blood level to a certain number and call you "normal" and whether you are well or not doesn't seem to matter to the Dr as they are comfortable with the lab result numbers as being in range and they can't be sued if they keep them there. So once inside the so called "normal" range they stop and call it good enough.  This is what drives many people to a site like this!