REQUESTING OF FREE T3 TESTING

[blsdnsvd]

Due to controversy from quite a few posters on this site, i have decided to contact my endo and request free t3 testing on my next labs (april). To make a long story short. TT on 12/17/09, 1st set of labs in jan resulted in
TSH- 3rd generation @ 39.51 (0.40-4.50)
Free t4 @0.3 (0.8-1.8)
Total T4 @ 2.5 (4.5-12.5)
T3 uptake @ 25 (22-35)
Free t4 Calc @ 0.6 (1.4-3.8)

Feb labs resulted in:
TSH- 3rd generation @13.76 (0.40-4.50)
Free T4 @ 0.9  (0.8-1.8)
Total T4 @ 7.2 (4.5-12.5)
T3 uptake @ 27 (22-35)
Free T4 Calc 1.9 (1.4-3.8)
Thyroglobulin AB @ <20 (,20)

In both labs, there were no Free T3 testing requested.I called my endo based on opinons of posters on this site,and she returned the call today ' and i explained to her that ive spoken to people in the same situation as myself and i also read materials stating that the Free T3 testing is important when testing to determine how a patient is feeling as far as symptoms of hypothyroidism along with the TSH and Free T4... she says: due to the fact that i am still in transition in getting my levels normal' because i had surgery only 2 mos ago, that testing for Free T3 is not necessary unless further down the road, my levels are normal and i am having major hypo symptoms "still", is when that test is necessary. She says that she is satisfied that my levels are on its way to normal but wants my TSH and my Free T4 to improve.

To me, this make sense as i retake labs in april and pray that they are closer to normal.

Any Opinons????

[blsdnsvd]

I will definitely consider ordering that one...

[LazyMoose]

I think you get our point by now on the Free T3 testing............!

That really is the most important test in managing your thyroid on meds. It tells the available amount of active T3 floating around in you blood for use by all the cells in your body. You wouldn't plan a long trip with your autos fuel gauge not working right? You could just guess and gas up along the way without knowing how much you have. Peole do that, even though its not the best idea.

Doctors as well as other higher professions are not always right. Its just another job with very expensive and lengthy education. This does not guarantee common sense at all. And common sense is not very common. I'm no doctor, but have worked in several science fields and the higher education degree of co-workers does not necessarily correlate with having correct assumptions, opinions ect. People are people, some are smarter than others, doctors too.

Its a touchy subject when advising a doctor what to do based on what you know. Its natural human instinct for them to take this as an insult if they have the big ego too. If they flat out refuse, their not up to modern standards. Some schools are up to modern standards either- scary fact.

I always doctors are like car mechanics, some are right, some are wrong. Its hard to find a good one, but there out there. If you cant assume there all right. I did just that in the beginning, and I had bad thyroid symptoms for years.

[goolarra]

That is a mystery.  After a T/T, you should have very little thyroid tissue (it's often difficult to impossible to remove every last cell).  However, since your thyroid cancer has returned, we have to assume that there is still some leftover thyroid tissue.  If you're having RAI on the 15th, you've been off meds for four or five weeks???  If so, I'd think you should be barely able to get out of bed by now.  They haven't given you Cytomel in the interim to tide you over, have they?  Since you're not feeling hypo, I'd think the remaining tissue must be producing thyroid hormones.  What was your dose of levo before going off in preparation for RAI?

Very interesting...

[blsdnsvd]

Thank You. I am doing my darnest to learn all that is out there to learn about being 'thyroidless" and what comes along with. I always say, doctors are people too and they do not know everything.

[kazzer838]

I have found this subject extrememly interesting, i to had a TT nearly four yrs ago (thyroid Cancer).
I have been going for my appointments with the Oncologist every 3-6 months and having bloods done.
All i have ever been told is that all the results are fine.
I have recently been told that my Thyrcanc has returned.
I have asked the onco how could this happen if i have had these bloods and they have all been normal.
TSH
TG
T3
T4
I think here in the UK things are very lax where the thyroid is concerned.
I look and see many of you talking about being hypo, if i am honest i don't think i know what it is i have been on le-thyroxine for the past 4yrs, and felt fine.
I have now been off all meds as i am due to have RAI on the 15th, so i am following the LID and i have to say, i feel better being off all the meds (so much so that i have been spring cleaing everywhere over the last few days).
So i would like to know if possible how can i feel so much better and full of energy being off all the meds?

[mrsomes]

I totally agree with you goolarra when you say to establish your own person history.  I had a TT in June and was a little blindsided when I didn't feel great after a few weeks.  I was lucky to have a dr who did all the correct tests but I kept track of everything.   I kept a journal that noted what my levels were on what dates, what meds I was taking, how I was feeling (daily),  how much sleep I was getting etc.   I shared that info with my dr during every visit and every phone call.   As a matter of fact my dr now asks me for my sheet of information that I bring to every appointment and he keeps it in his file.  In the beginning my dr was doing blood work sooner rather than later to try to catch trends before they became an issue.  I firmly believe it was this almost anal attention to detail that helped me feel almost normal by 3-4 months after the surgery.   From that point on it really was just fine-tuning and I've felt wonderful for months.