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Blood Work
How often should thyroid levels should be checked? I have Hashimoto's
Hello roxy1122
I know how you feel it can be hard to deal with this kind of problem. Have you had any other blood work done besides TSH because it's more than just your TSH level the thyroid produces 5 different types of hormones TSH, T4, T3 T1 and T2 and they all work together to help your body work. Which is probably why you don't feel right your other levels may not be where they should be.
I know how you feel it can be hard to deal with this kind of problem. Have you had any other blood work done besides TSH because it's more than just your TSH level the thyroid produces 5 different types of hormones TSH, T4, T3 T1 and T2 and they all work together to help your body work. Which is probably why you don't feel right your other levels may not be where they should be.
You will get lots more notice and response if you will start a new thread of your own, rather than attaching your post to this old thread. Just click on the orange Post a Question button at top of page and re-post. When you do, please identify those tests and also post their reference ranges shown on the lab report.
hi im new too thyroid meds i was told this week my levels were 0.7 and 0.27 ?? i'm currently taking 100mg levothyroxine ,i am experiencing water retention and still constipated but anxiety gone and got a lot more energy back but my doc has told me too reduce too 50 mg because of water retention ?
That sounds about right I never noticed that, he is thinking of my TSH. My doctor is an older guy there are times when I have to tell him what I need but that is only to an extent when my T3 was low I had to tell him because he say told me that my blood work was ok I had to point out to him that it was not ok that was when he gave me the cytomel and I can ask him ( at least I’ve be able to at times ) for blood work, he’ll call in the orders if I want I don’t know if he’ll keep doing that for me if I ask.
This is a doctor who ( in my opinion needs to retire ), when I first started to see him in the clinic I asked for Armour because I wanted to go natural he said no and tried to convince me that levoxyl IS natural. I’m not that stupid, it was created in a lab by chemist, synthetic T4 IS SYNTHETIC T4 and so is the T3. I think I’m on my own to get this gland where it should be especially since he says that my hormones have been regulated.
To answer your question Yes that was when he told me to lower the cytomel to 5mg in the AM only I was taking it AM & PM. I can always tell when my T3 is low now all my finger nails start to break off and if they start to break off I’ll know I need more T3 and since he thinks I’m regulated it’s going to be hard to get him to approve more T3 without the blood work to back me up and he did say blood work every 6 months so I’m not sure if I can get him to call in the orders for it.
This is a doctor who ( in my opinion needs to retire ), when I first started to see him in the clinic I asked for Armour because I wanted to go natural he said no and tried to convince me that levoxyl IS natural. I’m not that stupid, it was created in a lab by chemist, synthetic T4 IS SYNTHETIC T4 and so is the T3. I think I’m on my own to get this gland where it should be especially since he says that my hormones have been regulated.
To answer your question Yes that was when he told me to lower the cytomel to 5mg in the AM only I was taking it AM & PM. I can always tell when my T3 is low now all my finger nails start to break off and if they start to break off I’ll know I need more T3 and since he thinks I’m regulated it’s going to be hard to get him to approve more T3 without the blood work to back me up and he did say blood work every 6 months so I’m not sure if I can get him to call in the orders for it.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Wow, no wonder you don't feel good!!
It looks like your doctor is reacting to the TSH levels, not the actual hormone levels. Your FT3 never has come up to a level that most of us would consider "comfortable". Apparently, you doctor doesn't realize that once many of us get on medication, TSH does not correlate with actual hormone levels; nor does it correlate with symptoms. TSH does not make you go hyper; you will only be hyper if your FT3 gets too high. No danger of that for you!!
How were you feeling in May, with the FT3 at 3.4? Even that's only 44% of the range, but a heck of a lot better than any of the others. Would that have been about the time he told you to decrease the T3 med?
If you think your doctor will listen, we can give you data to print and take to him, showing that low TSH does not make you hyper. I always use myself as an example, because my TSH lives at < 0.01, every since I've been on thyroid medication, even when I was still somewhat hypo.
It looks like your doctor is reacting to the TSH levels, not the actual hormone levels. Your FT3 never has come up to a level that most of us would consider "comfortable". Apparently, you doctor doesn't realize that once many of us get on medication, TSH does not correlate with actual hormone levels; nor does it correlate with symptoms. TSH does not make you go hyper; you will only be hyper if your FT3 gets too high. No danger of that for you!!
How were you feeling in May, with the FT3 at 3.4? Even that's only 44% of the range, but a heck of a lot better than any of the others. Would that have been about the time he told you to decrease the T3 med?
If you think your doctor will listen, we can give you data to print and take to him, showing that low TSH does not make you hyper. I always use myself as an example, because my TSH lives at < 0.01, every since I've been on thyroid medication, even when I was still somewhat hypo.
Thank you so much for the information I'm not very good with this alls I know is that I don't feel right and I can't get blood work for 6 months and I'd rather it be 3 months.
I was taking cytomel twice a day be he told me I needed to come down so now I only take it once a day.
While writing you I was thinking that it would be a good idea to compile all my thyroid blood work in to a spread sheet so I can see how my levels fluctuate. This is what I have for this year. I'm hoping it can give me better sight and understanding because I am still struggling to understand all this.
January
TSH 3.78 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.2 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 0.94 0.7 - 1.7
February
TSH 0.90 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.5 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.40 0.7 - 1.7
March
TSH 2.39 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.1 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.22 0.7 - 1.7
May
TSH 0.08 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 3.4 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.18 0.7 - 1.7
June
TSH 0.19 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.6 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.23 0.7 - 1.7
July
TSH 0.39 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.8 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.13 0.7 - 1.7
I was taking cytomel twice a day be he told me I needed to come down so now I only take it once a day.
While writing you I was thinking that it would be a good idea to compile all my thyroid blood work in to a spread sheet so I can see how my levels fluctuate. This is what I have for this year. I'm hoping it can give me better sight and understanding because I am still struggling to understand all this.
January
TSH 3.78 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.2 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 0.94 0.7 - 1.7
February
TSH 0.90 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.5 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.40 0.7 - 1.7
March
TSH 2.39 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.1 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.22 0.7 - 1.7
May
TSH 0.08 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 3.4 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.18 0.7 - 1.7
June
TSH 0.19 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.6 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.23 0.7 - 1.7
July
TSH 0.39 0.27 - 4.2
FT3 2.8 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.13 0.7 - 1.7
Thank You so much for your reply Totie. It seems that once a doctor regulates you they forget about you. I think that will happen to me as well, which means in a way you have to keep an eye on your own health, because the doctors will forget you. I marked the day I have to go for blood work on my calendar so I wouldn't forget because I have before I'm not going to let this doctor forget me.
Thank You for your reply Barb.
I'm taking levoxyl 100 and cytomel 5 I won’t take the generics it made me sick. I feel somewhere in between hyper and hypo I started eating more around the beginning of July and put on 15lbs my hands are shaky and I’ve been having a little trouble breathing like my chest felt heavy and I’m still losing my hair.
My nails are growing back that’s one good thing but I’m also runed down tired all the time and constipated and I still can’t handle the cold I dread the coming fall and winter. I told my doctor that I wasn’t feeling good and he tells me that he thinks it something else and I should see my neurologist.
So I feel hypo and hyper I don't get it. Is it possable that I just need more time to get used to the levels I'm on? I have been on them for a couple of months now do you think I just need more time to adjust?/
I'm taking levoxyl 100 and cytomel 5 I won’t take the generics it made me sick. I feel somewhere in between hyper and hypo I started eating more around the beginning of July and put on 15lbs my hands are shaky and I’ve been having a little trouble breathing like my chest felt heavy and I’m still losing my hair.
My nails are growing back that’s one good thing but I’m also runed down tired all the time and constipated and I still can’t handle the cold I dread the coming fall and winter. I told my doctor that I wasn’t feeling good and he tells me that he thinks it something else and I should see my neurologist.
So I feel hypo and hyper I don't get it. Is it possable that I just need more time to get used to the levels I'm on? I have been on them for a couple of months now do you think I just need more time to adjust?/
COMMUNITY LEADER
Which synthetic T4 and T3 meds are you taking? And what dosage of each.
Your FT3 and FT4 are both very low in their ranges, indicating that you could use an increase in medication. Do you have symptoms of being hypo?
Typically, if you aren't having symptoms and your FT levels are stable, seeing the doctor once/year is adequate; however, every time you have a dosage change, you should retest in 6 weeks to make sure the med change is adequate.
I started off seeing my endo every 6 weeks, then, as my levels stabilized, I moved to every 3 months, then every 6 months; I have an appointment on the 14th and I suspect that he will move me on to once/year.
Your FT3 and FT4 are both very low in their ranges, indicating that you could use an increase in medication. Do you have symptoms of being hypo?
Typically, if you aren't having symptoms and your FT levels are stable, seeing the doctor once/year is adequate; however, every time you have a dosage change, you should retest in 6 weeks to make sure the med change is adequate.
I started off seeing my endo every 6 weeks, then, as my levels stabilized, I moved to every 3 months, then every 6 months; I have an appointment on the 14th and I suspect that he will move me on to once/year.
I used to go every 1-2 yrs or when I or my dcotro remembered or if I was having symptoms of not enough or too much.
This past year has been every 6 months due to dosage changes.
This past year has been every 6 months due to dosage changes.
I forgot to mention that I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 3 years ago, but wasn't told until last year.
I believe that I've had Hashimoto's 30 years earlier looking back I was just never tested but back then I didn’t see doctors very often.
I believe that I've had Hashimoto's 30 years earlier looking back I was just never tested but back then I didn’t see doctors very often.
Hello, I'm taking synthetic T4 and T3
TSH .039 standard 0.27- 4.2 this was low for the past 3 months
FT3 2.8 standard 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.13 standard 0.7-1.7
and these were done 7-27-12
TSH .039 standard 0.27- 4.2 this was low for the past 3 months
FT3 2.8 standard 2.6 - 4.4
FT4 1.13 standard 0.7-1.7
and these were done 7-27-12
COMMUNITY LEADER
Depends on your situation and how long you've had Hashimoto's, whether or not you're on thyroid replacement medication and whether your levels are adequate and stable.
Are you on thyroid replacement hormones? If so, what med/dosage/for how long? Are your levels adequate and stable?
What tests are being done to assess your thyroid function? You should, at least, be getting TSH, Free T3 and Free T4....
Please post current levels and be sure to include reference ranges from your lab report, since these vary lab to lab, so must come from your own report.
Are you on thyroid replacement hormones? If so, what med/dosage/for how long? Are your levels adequate and stable?
What tests are being done to assess your thyroid function? You should, at least, be getting TSH, Free T3 and Free T4....
Please post current levels and be sure to include reference ranges from your lab report, since these vary lab to lab, so must come from your own report.
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Many of us, myself included, find that our FT3 needs to be adjusted to the upper 1/3 of its range, and FT4 needs to be about mid range. Your FT4 is at 43%, so you still have room to come up. Your FT3 is only 11%, which means you have a long way to go. It appears that you could use an increase in the cytomel.