Aa
Is this Hypothyroid?
Hello,
This is my first time posting here.
I got the results of my lab work and am not sure what the results mean:
TSH 5.77 (Reference Range) 0.40-4.50 miU/L
T4, Free 1.0 (Reference Range) 0.8-1.8 ng/dl
T3, free 3.0 (Reference Range) 2.3-4.2 pg/mL
This lab is from before I began Armour Thyroid.
My Doctor put me on 30 MG for one week then increase another 30 MG each week. Now I am on week 5 taking 150 MG each day. I still feel the same as before I started Armour Thyroid, fatigued, tired all the time, brain fog, mild depression, poor memory, air hunger. At this dose should I feel at least some improvement? Thank you for any advice.
This is my first time posting here.
I got the results of my lab work and am not sure what the results mean:
TSH 5.77 (Reference Range) 0.40-4.50 miU/L
T4, Free 1.0 (Reference Range) 0.8-1.8 ng/dl
T3, free 3.0 (Reference Range) 2.3-4.2 pg/mL
This lab is from before I began Armour Thyroid.
My Doctor put me on 30 MG for one week then increase another 30 MG each week. Now I am on week 5 taking 150 MG each day. I still feel the same as before I started Armour Thyroid, fatigued, tired all the time, brain fog, mild depression, poor memory, air hunger. At this dose should I feel at least some improvement? Thank you for any advice.
Best Answer
Thank you for your response. I am thinking I will hold my current dose of 150mg per day for the next 2 weeks or so.
Im not sure if you misunderstood, the lab results that I initially posted was before I began armour treatment. I understand what you mean about symptoms lagging behind blood labs but I am concerned because I have been on armor about 5 weeks and feel no improvement in my symptoms. I suspect my adrenal glands may be fatigued because I have been hypothyroid and not diagnosed for many years.
My current symptoms: feel tired all the time, low energy, mild depression, feels like I can not get enough oxygen, like I have to take deep breaths, when I wake up in the morning I feel like I did not get enough sleep even though I sleep 8 hours, brain fog, poor memory.
I read on www.mercola.com Dr. Mercola recommends once on thyroid hormone replacement the dose should increased until the TSH falls below 0.4 then one needs to optimize the two thyroid hormones by using Free T4 and Free T3 levels. That may be what my Dr. is going to do. I understand yourself and Barb strongly disagree with this one. I must say I would feel more comfortable if I have my FT3 and FT4 tested immediately.
My Dr. does want me to have blood tests for the vitamins you mentioned plus a few additional tests, Zinc, copper, calcium, mercury. I should have these tested soon. I told the person who answered the phone at my doctors office that I want to test my iron levels and the Dr. ordered Ferritin. Still waiting for the result.
I accidentally clicked "Best Answer" but I do appreciate both your reply and Barb's reply very much. All the reply's I received are helping me to learn more about hypothyroid and treatment. I really do appreciate the time you take to write me.
Im not sure if you misunderstood, the lab results that I initially posted was before I began armour treatment. I understand what you mean about symptoms lagging behind blood labs but I am concerned because I have been on armor about 5 weeks and feel no improvement in my symptoms. I suspect my adrenal glands may be fatigued because I have been hypothyroid and not diagnosed for many years.
My current symptoms: feel tired all the time, low energy, mild depression, feels like I can not get enough oxygen, like I have to take deep breaths, when I wake up in the morning I feel like I did not get enough sleep even though I sleep 8 hours, brain fog, poor memory.
I read on www.mercola.com Dr. Mercola recommends once on thyroid hormone replacement the dose should increased until the TSH falls below 0.4 then one needs to optimize the two thyroid hormones by using Free T4 and Free T3 levels. That may be what my Dr. is going to do. I understand yourself and Barb strongly disagree with this one. I must say I would feel more comfortable if I have my FT3 and FT4 tested immediately.
My Dr. does want me to have blood tests for the vitamins you mentioned plus a few additional tests, Zinc, copper, calcium, mercury. I should have these tested soon. I told the person who answered the phone at my doctors office that I want to test my iron levels and the Dr. ordered Ferritin. Still waiting for the result.
I accidentally clicked "Best Answer" but I do appreciate both your reply and Barb's reply very much. All the reply's I received are helping me to learn more about hypothyroid and treatment. I really do appreciate the time you take to write me.
I am only speculating that my doctor will not use the TSH to adjust my dosage of armor. Before I began treatment he instructed me to raise dosage weekly by adding 30 mg each week until I feel well and if i experience hyper symptoms I need to lower my dosage.
So far I have not felt any hyper symptoms. I am hoping when I reach the 3-3.5 grain dosage I will have more improvement in my hypo symptoms.
Not knowing if I will ever feel better is making me nervous. I have mild depression, I do not enjoy many of the activities as fully as I know I should. I believe myself to be a positive person with a desire to help other people however my symptoms are holding me back.
So far I have not felt any hyper symptoms. I am hoping when I reach the 3-3.5 grain dosage I will have more improvement in my hypo symptoms.
Not knowing if I will ever feel better is making me nervous. I have mild depression, I do not enjoy many of the activities as fully as I know I should. I believe myself to be a positive person with a desire to help other people however my symptoms are holding me back.
COMMUNITY LEADER
It's quite worrisome that your doctor only ordered the TSH test, this time. Any doctor who is prescribing a medication with T3 in it and does not routinely test Free T3 and Free T4 is bordering on malpractice, in my opinion.
TSH has been determined to be the "gold standard" in thyroid testing/treatment and that's all a lot of doctors will test for on a regular basis. Those doctors, however, tend to keep their patients ill by not keeping tabs on the FT3 and FT4, as well as the TSH.
You might have to start looking for a different doctor, unless this one will agree to test FT3 and FT4 EVERY time he tests TSH.
It's possible that the chemo and radiation "killed" your thyroid.
TSH has been determined to be the "gold standard" in thyroid testing/treatment and that's all a lot of doctors will test for on a regular basis. Those doctors, however, tend to keep their patients ill by not keeping tabs on the FT3 and FT4, as well as the TSH.
You might have to start looking for a different doctor, unless this one will agree to test FT3 and FT4 EVERY time he tests TSH.
It's possible that the chemo and radiation "killed" your thyroid.
I have these symptoms all the time. I divide the daily dose in half and take half in the morning and the other half in the afternoon.
Today my doctor ordered the lab work, he only ordered the TSH. I called his office and was not able to talk to the doctor but the person I talked to said that the doctor said FT3 and FT4 is not necessary at this time. I am not sure why the doctor wants to see my TSH only. Any ideas what he is looking for?
Thank you very much for taking the time to reply me, I am somewhat confused about this and I want to do everything I can to feel better... I suspect I have been hypothyroid for 18 years, it all started when I was diagnosed with hodgkin's cancer and received chemo and radiation treatment to my upper chest when I was 13 years old. I was never diagnosed hypothyroid until I found the doctor I am currently seeing. Thank you again.
Today my doctor ordered the lab work, he only ordered the TSH. I called his office and was not able to talk to the doctor but the person I talked to said that the doctor said FT3 and FT4 is not necessary at this time. I am not sure why the doctor wants to see my TSH only. Any ideas what he is looking for?
Thank you very much for taking the time to reply me, I am somewhat confused about this and I want to do everything I can to feel better... I suspect I have been hypothyroid for 18 years, it all started when I was diagnosed with hodgkin's cancer and received chemo and radiation treatment to my upper chest when I was 13 years old. I was never diagnosed hypothyroid until I found the doctor I am currently seeing. Thank you again.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Your results indicate hypothyroidism. It takes approximately 4-6 weeks for the T4 in Armour to reach full potential. Are you having these symptoms all the time or just certain times of the day?
Do you take the entire dose of medication all at once or do you split it into multiple doses throughout the day - typically, 2?
Since it takes 4-6 weeks for the T4 to reach full potential in your blood, then it takes time, after that, for your body to heal, it might actually take longer for you to start feeling much better, but since the T3 is faster acting, you should be feeling something.
Since you've been on the medication for 5 weeks, maybe it would be a good thing to ask your doctor to retest again and see if your levels have changed. Be sure to insist that FT3 and FT4 be done each time TSH is done.
Do you take the entire dose of medication all at once or do you split it into multiple doses throughout the day - typically, 2?
Since it takes 4-6 weeks for the T4 to reach full potential in your blood, then it takes time, after that, for your body to heal, it might actually take longer for you to start feeling much better, but since the T3 is faster acting, you should be feeling something.
Since you've been on the medication for 5 weeks, maybe it would be a good thing to ask your doctor to retest again and see if your levels have changed. Be sure to insist that FT3 and FT4 be done each time TSH is done.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
1) raising constantly every week is a VERY aggressive schedule. Most things I've read about Armour is about every two weeks. He is raising about 1/2 grain every week which is pretty darn aggressive. personally you have had one heck of a ramp up. And as Barb stated the initial dosage of T4 has not even had much of a chance to ramp up as it is delayed about 6 weeks. And some T4 converts into T3.
I would recommend that you consider slowing or stopping the weekly increases and/or reduce the amount of each increase and give time for your body to respond and blood labs to change.
Most symptoms LAG behind blood labs. And you have blood labs that are lagging. So you may possibly get "hit" will all of these lags and trip over the Hypo and into Hyper.
2) I don't have a huge problem with raising the dose over time and I do not have any problem with raising it until you feel well and also to be on the watch out for going Hyper. I just thing that you are raising too much, too fast.
3) I also agree that taking a medicine with T3 in it like Armour and not testing for Free T3 is bordering on malpractice.
Just my opinions for you to consider and talk with your Dr about.
What are the CURRENT list of symptoms you are feeling?
Have you had other blood tests for other vitamins etc that can also mimick being hypo such as Vitamin D3, Vitamin B-12, Iron, Ferritin? All or any of these or combination of these if low will or can cause fatigue.