Lab Results

[BrenPen]

I want to see what 'you' think of these labs.  TSH 0.03  and Free T4 is 1.4  .  I am Status Post Total Thyroidectomy with Hypothyroid symptoms galore.  I was taking .75 Synthroid and .5 Cytomel twice daily.  Now my Endo wants to decrease the Synthroid to .50 and keep the Cytomel as is.  Why would my TSH be so low, with a normal range T4?  My Endo is not really interested in how I feel.  I am curious what those of you 'in the know' might think.  
Thank you!
BrenPen  

[AR-10]

If your Endo is going to have you on Cytomel, he/she should be running a Free T3 as well before adjusting your med dosage.

The Cytomel is likely why your TSH is so low. Your Free T3 is probably too high. Just a guess, because you don't list a Free T3 result.

Why are you on Cytomel? Do you have a conversion problem? Perhaps you would feel better upping your Synthroid and dropping the Cytomel. Have you tried that yet? I read another thread of yours and you've been trying to find the right dose for two years. I imagine you have tried several combinations.

Just curious. Maybe a switch from Synthroid to Levoxyl would help?

[BrenPen]

Hello there,

You have a really good point.  My Endo did not order a Free T3.  Originally, I was on .125 Synthroid, only.  I felt really like 'myself'.  Then, after a couple reductions in the Synthroid, due to low TSH levels, my previous endo added the Cytomel.  However, the new doctor is not testing for that level!  I will ask her about this.  Thanks for your help.  I've not heard of Levoxyl.  I was very curious about Armour, as a result of reading the book, 'Stop the Madness', the 'pro' Armour book.  I'll look into what Levoxl is.  Thank you sooooo much.

[AR-10]

Levoxyl is a brand name Levo drug like Synthroid. It has fewer fillers than Synthroid, and different ones, as well.

A few members of the board have switched from Synthroid to Levoxyl and felt better for doing so.

I'm sort of on your road right now, trying for two years to get the right dosage. I'm taking Synthroid, and always have other than when I was taking generic Levothroxine.

I'm really only six months into the latest effort, as I had RAI in January. None the less, I'm playing "find your health", and if things aren't better in a few months, I am going to try Levoxyl.

There are members on the board who take Armour. Some of them had to switch to Armour because of T3 conversion problems. Some switched after taking Synthroid for years, and have been feeling better the last few months.

Some tried Armour and could not tolerate the extra T3 that it has. I've never had a problem with my T4/T3 ratio on Synthroid. My levels have been all over the planet, but I do not seem to have a shortage of Free T3 when my levels are correct.

That said, each of us is different, and one med does not fit all.

I personally think 50mcg of Synthroid and 10 whatever of Cytomel is a very odd mix, and too heavy on the Cytomel. You know your past history of blood levels much better than I, and maybe you need a lot of T3.

I'm just trying to visualize the whole med reduction process. Your TSH drops, so the doctor lowers your dose. Your TSH drops, so your dose is lowered again. Hopefully T4/T3 tests were run somewhere along the way. You get down to 75mcg, and the doctor decides to add Cytomel...why?

Now your TSH is low, but your Free T4 is fine, and the new doctor wants to reduce your Synthroid, but not the Cytomel? Without looking at your Free T3? It seems to me leaving the Synthroid alone and cutting back on the Cytomel would make more sense.

Enough rambling from me. I'll let others have a turn now. LOL!!