I have Lab Results does anyone understand them?

[Conitchewa]

I am totally new here.  I'm Canadian.  For the first time ever I actually have actual Lab results to share.  Usually our healthcare providers do not share this info with us.  They will tell us what is wrong, prescribe meds but we never get actual results or see them. I was at my wits end with my health so at my own expense I recently hired a Naturopath and asked her to run a bunch of tests so we could get to the bottom of what was wrong with me.  I knew my meds were not working.  Well, we did not get off to a very good start.  They did my bloodwork Jan 23rd.  I have been getting sicker and sicker and trying to be patient, 2wks went by and I phoned and they said they had nothing and that I should be patient and they would call me.  Then 4wks went by and I still hadn't heard anything so I sent an email.  Course, my new Dr is away on holidays now.  But my email prompted her office to look for my results and they found that they were indeed there and had been since Feb 4.   I have all over muscle cramping so bad I can barely get dressed and its so painful.  So I was not a very happy camper.  Anyways the test results were then emailed to my Dr and then to me.  They were quite apologetic.  

Here they are:    TSH 66.00         Free T3  1.50     FreeT4  <0.4       RT3 <9.0

Can anyone tell me what this means?  I don't see new DR until Mar 2.  She did phone me and said you need need to see a medical DR right away and get on a Combo T3/T4 Med.  In my brain fog I did not instruct the clinic properly.  I went to a walk in clinic and show them my test results and they say, why don't we give you some Synthroid.  And I said No.  I have been on that and Eltroxin and on NaturThroid and nothing works I want Cytomel isn't that a T3/T4 med? and they say yup and prescribe it to me.  So I have this prescription filled and get home and I look it up and find out its only a T3 medication.  But I'm thinking well, I've never done this one before ...so maybe it'll work.  .25 mcg 2 times a day - I guess we will fix everything up when my Dr gets back but in the interim can anyone tell me how to read these test results?  Do you think T3 alone can do something or do I need to add T4?   Thanx so much!  Connie        

[magpieannie]

Just saw your post----so 1 grain is 1 tablet of desiccated hormone. However, the mg can be slightly different per grain depending on the brand. For ex: Armour Thyroid is 60mg per tablet (1 grain) but Nature-Throid is 65 mg per tablet (1 grain). Erfa 1 grain is ? mg per grain (Stella will know this). So if you were on 2 grains of NT it was 130 mg. My daughter is 3 grains which is 195 mg. Splitting your dose is a good idea. She takes 1 grain at 7:00am, 1 grain at 11:00, and 1 grain at 3:00. She is doing great!

[magpieannie]

Now I can finish my post- So anyway, 3 grains of N.T. is equal to 190 mg because it is 65 mg per grain. So if you were on 200 mcg. of t4 and followed what we did you would be on like 6 grains per day. That is way too much in  my opinion and I would not recommend taking that much even as an adult without a thyroid gland. You have a gland that is producing very little thyroid hormone,correct? Yet it is probably producing some, so keep that in mind when thinking about dosage. Have you ever had antibodies tested to check for Hashimotos or Graves?  Might be a good idea to do so. So you know that 2 grains of Naturethroid (130 mg) was definitly not cutting it, so start there or maybe a 1/2 a grain higher and slowly work your way up every few weeks testing blood at 4 weeks maybe when you are at 2 &1/2 or 3 grains. See where you are at with the freet3 and freet4. If they are not higher in the range and the TSH lower, then tweek it another 1/4 or 1/2 a grain. Wait a few weeks, paying close attention to the elimination of symptoms, and tweek it up another 1/4 grain if needed. Check lab at 4 more weeks and see where you're at. This whole process could take two to three months, but if taken slowly under the direction of a good doctor who works with you for symptom relief, you will get there.Again, many people feel better when the T3 and T4 get higher in the normal range (above mid point) with the TSH around 1 or even close to 0 at the very bottom of normal range. However, it is an "individual" thing, so you could be different as some people are. So, you've been given alot of opinions on this thread, now it is up to you to make a good plan with a good doctor, and start ASAP working in a consistent direction.Remembering the key words CONSISTENT and OPTIMAL! You can get this done, so get with the good doctor and get to it!!!

[Conitchewa]

Sorry to be so stupid Annie but I dont' understand the whole "grain thing"....Guess I should go google it or something.      2 grains is 120mcg?  So that is basically what I was taking and not feeling good so it is possible I was undermediated which is why I felt so awful?  And perhaps I should have been splitting my doseages not taking it once a day, same time everyday like I was.   I was always very careful to take them same time everyday, empty stomach, and make sure no fluoride or calcium or iron was put in my body for at least 3hrs after I took my meds so nothing could interfere with them working.  

I know it would really help if I knew what my labs were before but I just don't have that information.  My dr. did not check that often either - only when I felt crummy would he ever do them again.   So I just have these new labs that I have paid for to go by, I feel like I am starting from square one all over again!  *But Important to note, these new labs are me on no medication at all.   I must say since I started the Cytomel I am feeling much better than I was this time last week.    

[magpieannie]

My daughter was on 100mcg. of t4 Synthroid / then switched over to Armour slowly until we reached 2 full grains (120 mg) per day divided? Then switched over to Nature-Throid which we started at 2 grains, but increased twice by 1/2 a grain each time  until she was at  3 total grains divided by 3 doses at 4 hour intervals. She weighs 120 lbs now,  and has no thyroid gland. This is working great for her bloodwise and symptom wise.

[Conitchewa]

Hi Stella - I was just rereading your post...there is so much info in there.

I was on Eltroxin T4 200mcgs for a long time.  I felt great on it until early last year.  So I finally talked my Dr. into prescribing "Natural Thryoid"  My Dr., knowing I knew best how I felt finally gave it to me and I was so happy.  So I went to the pharmacist to fill my new script and when the pharamacist saw the prescription he said, we don't have this we will have to order it, plus you can't take the same amount as you were taking, you will have to reduce it, it uptakes differently.  He said I am going to call your Dr. and have the amount changed.  So I said fine, no rush I am changing to this medication I've waited a long time to take it a few more days won't hurt, call me when you get it.   I have never been the same since.   So knowing I was on 200 T4 med and not feeling great and then switched to a natural dessicated 125 and didn't feel great, what amount of meds would you recommend I should take?  Thanks!  C

[Conitchewa]

Hi Stella -  

Thanks for looking into my labs for me.  You should know that I have been on NO meds at all since December 1st, 2009.  

I made it my goal to get well in 2010 and thats why I hired this Naturopath.  I just wanted to start fresh again. Unfotunately, It took some time to get in to see her.  So when that bloodwork was taken Jan 23 2010 thats all me on NO medication.  So right now at this moment, I am only taking Cytomel T3 25mcg 2x a day.  So do not worry that I am on alot of meds.  By the time I received those lab results on Feb 19th, I could barely move a muscle I was cramping so badly, getting dressed was becoming very difficult and I was just an emotional wreck to boot all I could do was cry from pain and depression.    I don't think they are going to hurt me for a few days.  I actually feel a little better.  I am no longer constipated, cold, foggy or depressed and I am sleeping well for the first time in months.  You have no idea how much better that makes me feel!  

I stopped the Naturthroid 125 back in Dec because I felt horrid, suddenly I put on 20lbs almost overnight and I hadn't had my period in Oct OR Nov.   Since I felt my meds were not working at all and hadn't in some time I didn't think it would hurt to stop.  I know this is totally wrong thinking.  It had felt like it had been over a year since my meds had worked at all.  My Doctor was trying to help by sending me to specialists but they were no help either.   As soon as I went off the meds, I got my period.  So I have had a normal cycle again ever since which is good news.   Like most Thyroid sufferers, I do have some other health issues.  For example, last year after an Ultrasound, I was also diagnosed with a polyp on my cervix and fibroid tumours on the outside wall of my uterous.  My Dr. sent me to a gyno specialist and his exact words to me were, I was not 20 any more I was probably peri menopausal and to get over myself.   This did not please me at all.  But what could I do.  I was further told my condition was most likely caused by excessive estrogen and because I was so old, my estrogen levels should be dropping on their own so there was no need to do anything further about it.  I was having other hormone issues, sugar cravings, bad breakouts on my neck, my attitude was awful I could become very angry at the drop of a button, my periods were sporadic.  Which was why I sought help in the first place. But I was told I did not need any hormone therapy.  This was in August last year.  So you see after 15yrs of battle by December I was simply fed up.   Plus I never see any of my test results I have to rely on the Dr. to tell me and I don't feel like I am seeing the whole picture.  In fact, I would not even know about the polyp or the fibroid tumours of the Untrasound Technician had not told me herself.  I have also been treated for Cervical Cancer about 15yrs ago just before I was diagnosed Hypothyroid.   But I still have everything....nothing was ever removed except for the cancer cells.  I am 44, married, no kids.  

My new naturopath ordered a Saliva Adrenal/Cortisol test on me as well.  And she is checking for glucose, gluten, & lactose intolerances too.  We will review those results on March 2.  I am also presently in the middle of doing a Female Hormone Saliva Test over 28days.  Those results will go to the Lab Mar 15th.  

I know not to mess with my medications, I did the one time and quite honestly, that was the best thing I ever did, it was the only time I ever felt and looked great thru this whole thing.  I was able to maintain a healthy weight for about 4yrs after that.  Then last year I totally fell apart again.  Many tests were run but nothing was changed.  

Unfortunately I have gotten off to a bit of a bad start with the Naturopath with them trying to move appts further ahead on me, then losing my test results, but I have paid for all these tests and I will follow this thru even if I have to take all these results to someone else.  I am really trying to get a full picture of my health and get better at my own expense because it is so important to me.    

I really appreciate you taking the time to look at my results.  Warmest regards,  Connie