Help 0 TSH but T3 & T4 normal...what tests now?

[joesuzzi]

I have been on Armour 120mg per day for 10 years. I feel best when my TSH is at .4 and up to 1.
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My current test is:
  TSH: <0.1 (range 0.3 - 5.1)
   T3 uptake:  30.4 (range 20.0 - 38.5)
    T4:  8.6 (range  4.4 - 13.5)
     T7 (FT1): 2.61  (range 1.05 - 4.50)

I am a 58 yr old Female.    
I have all the symptoms of HYPO..dry skin, hair loss, depression, weight
yet the TSH is almost nothing?
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I see a Nurse Practioner (no insurance) so I need to know what tests I should request.
I don't need heart problems so the low TSH has me worried.
Do I need a free T3 and T4 ?  I had a thyroid panel done which cost $239.00
so I need to tell the NP exactly what tests I want done.
Any help you can provide would be wonderful.  Thanks

[joesuzzi]

Thanks for your advice.
  I do have my thyroid gland and I am NOT having heart palps...nor have I ever.
When I had the blood drawn the NP said she was running a complete panel and
I did not even think to ask if this included Ft3 & Ft4.
I feel pretty good and been doing South Beach to lose weight.  Lost 35 lbs so far
and am exercising my butt off.
3 months ago NP put me on Elavl to help me sleep and handle the depression.  That
had worked wonders!  I sleep all through the night and I am not in tears all day long.
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My cholesterol level is 229 (range <200 )
Triglycerides is 125 (range 39)
LDL is 159 ( range <100 )
Riksk ratio ratio LDL/HDL is 3.53  (range is <3.22)

So cholesterol level and LDL are both high.....and I know she is going to
try to get me to take Lipitor....which I do not want to take.
My understanding is that is is normal for Hypo-T folks to have
elevated cholesterol levels...is that true?
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The only other meds I take are:
Lotensin 6.5 mg per day for high BP
Cenestin 4.5 mg per day...hor hormone replacment
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Should I continue taking 120 mg of the Armour per day or cut back to
60 mg. and then retest again in about 5 weeks?
I am going to get the Ft3 & Ft4 test done today.....so do I just wait
until I get those results back?
NP's and most Doctors just don't under stand thyroid meds....so I
want to be sure I am doing what I can to get the tests I need.  
The NP at least will let me get any test I ask for....and she actually listens to
what I say and how I feel.

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

agree with all stella said.

Test FT3 and FT4.  More important than the TSH even.

Check B12 as well, if you can afford it.  Low B12 can cause fatigue.

[stella5349]

Being on Armour - who ever ran you last labs needs to be fired. Armour is a direct T3 with T4 ( T1 - T2 too) So you need to monitor your frees ( FREE t3 FREE t4) to know exactly where you are.

With your TSH lab of <0.01 ( which is exactly where I am at) then you should be up near the HIGH levels of FREE T3 - but where you are without right testing is just a guess.

I have a hard time with that NP not knowing to run those frees with the TSH lab and wasting your money. Then to run a useless T7 FTI -

I'm shaking my head on this report....

Do you have a thyroid? or has it been removed? Are you having palps with your heart right now?

This is my guess, and only a guess here............ You probably are not in the right level of Free t3 right now and that is causing issues for you.

I'd move forwad on FT3/FT4 tests - magnesium levels - and ferritin tests too.