New Labs/opinion?

[Pattyisha]

Hi, I posted here a few months ago after being diagnosed as hypothyroid.  Went through 2 changes of meds from 75 mcg of levothyroxine to 50 mcg with 25 mcg liothyronine.  Was still exhausted/not feeling well so I went to a Naturopath and had my blood drawn again.  These are my newest labs;

Vit d 27 range 30-100
t4 free .7 range .8-1.8
t3 free 4.2 range 2.3-4.2
thyroid peroxidase 39 H range <35

She said I have Hashimoto's and need to take vitamin D.  She's also switching me to Armour, not sure of the dose yet but she is lowering my t3.  What do you think?  Also, I've been having low-mid grade headache off and on for a couple of months, recently it's been daily.  Could it be related to my t3 being too high?

Thanks for your time!

[Barb135]

Sorry to have gotten you worried.  At 1.5 grains, you would be at about 57 mcg T4 and 13.5 mcg T3, which would be a slight increase in the T4 and just over 1/2 the amount of T3 you were on.  

Headaches can be a symptom of over medication, so hopefully, yours will go away, but don't be disappointed if it doesn't happen all at once or right away.  Sometimes it takes a bit of time to adjust to a new medication/dosage, but we have several members on here doing fine with Armour or other dessicated medications.

[Pattyisha]

My dose of Armour is 1.5 grams. Does that sound about right? You had me worried in that first post. I'm really hoping these headaches go away. No fun for sure. Thanks so much for your input

[Pattyisha]

My dose of Armour is 1.5 grams. Does that sound about right? You had me worried in that first post. I'm really hoping these headaches go away. No fun for sure. Thanks so much for your input

[Barb135]

Oops, I goofed -- I've been reminded that the amount of T3 in Armour is NOT higher than the amount of T4 (I knew that, too), just that the amount of T3 in Armour is greater than what our body produces.  Armour contains 38 mcg T4 and 9 mcg T3 per grain,  therefore, you *could* go on the Armour and still lower your T3 dosage.  For instance, 2 grains would give you 76 mcg T4 and 18 mcg T3. So yes, the Armour might work for you.........

[Barb135]

I agree that you have Hashimoto's and need to take Vitamin D. The rest I have to question.

FT3 is the hormone that really has most to do with how we feel, so yes, the headaches could have to do with high FT3  

What I'm seeing with your labs is that your dose of T3 med is WAY too high and your dose of levo is not high enough - obvious by the lab results.

I'm not sure how your Naturopath is going to lower you T3 med with Armour, because the amount of T3 in Armour is considerably higher than the amount of T4.  Plus the amount of T3 in Armour is much more than our bodies normally produce.

I've got nothing against Armour - in fact, I advocate it in some instances, because some people do much better on it - but it seems to make a lot more sense to simply lower your dose of T3 med (25 mcg is a LOT of T3 med) and increase your T4 med, since your FT4 is so low, there is nothing to convert to T3.  

I'd also have to wonder if you took your T3 dose prior to having the blood draw, as that would make the result higher, since T3 is a fast acting med.