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Reverse T3 659, what's up????
I have crazy reverse T3 from 300 to 659. I exercise, and don't stress very much. Also, my doctor wants to lower the synthroid to .125 and isn't concerned with the RT3. Any comments, suggestions?
I am on .137 synthroind and 45mg of armour (half of a 90).
My last blood test results:
TSH 0.013 (.450-4.500)
T4 Free (direct) 1.78 (.61-1.76)
T4 14.0 (4.5-12.0)
T3 196 (85-205)
T3 Free 3.3 (2.3-4.2)
Reverse T3 659 (90-350)
Anti AV 60 (0-40)
Peroxidase 376 (0-34)
Reverse 570 of (90-350)
Cortisol 9.1 (3.14-22.4)
DHEA 86 (32-240)
B12 557
D 25 Hydroxy 21 (32-100)
I am on .137 synthroind and 45mg of armour (half of a 90).
My last blood test results:
TSH 0.013 (.450-4.500)
T4 Free (direct) 1.78 (.61-1.76)
T4 14.0 (4.5-12.0)
T3 196 (85-205)
T3 Free 3.3 (2.3-4.2)
Reverse T3 659 (90-350)
Anti AV 60 (0-40)
Peroxidase 376 (0-34)
Reverse 570 of (90-350)
Cortisol 9.1 (3.14-22.4)
DHEA 86 (32-240)
B12 557
D 25 Hydroxy 21 (32-100)
COMMUNITY LEADER
Studies show that it's not being on Synthroid that causes osteoporosis; that's caused by having too high levels of Free T3..
I'm confused about your use of the term "feeding them rT3 only". RT3 is a lab test, and RT3 dominance is a controversial medical issue; there is no medication called rT3, so there would be no 1/2 life for it, either. Are you referring to the use of T3 only med, such as cytomel or generic liiothyronine? T3 medication has a 1/2 life of approximately 1.5 to 2 days.
I'm confused about your use of the term "feeding them rT3 only". RT3 is a lab test, and RT3 dominance is a controversial medical issue; there is no medication called rT3, so there would be no 1/2 life for it, either. Are you referring to the use of T3 only med, such as cytomel or generic liiothyronine? T3 medication has a 1/2 life of approximately 1.5 to 2 days.
Betty – your doctor is going in the right direction to reduce your synthroid, but would go lower yet.
You are taking 137 mcg synthroid (T4) plus 45 Armour which contains 29 mcg T4 plus 7 mcg T3, for a total of 166 T4 + 7 T3.
Your RT3 is high because you are taking too much T4. The most common dose of synthroid is 100 to 125 mcg, so you can see you are way over that, plus taking T3 as well. Your FT4 and FT3 are also relatively high. If you cut back your dosage, your RT3 will go down and your FT4 and FT3 will stay good.
Synthroid comes in 50, 75 and 100 sizes. If you stick to 45 Armour plus some synthroid, your intake would look like this:
50 synthroid plus 45 Armour = 79 T4 + 7 T3
75 synthroid plus 45 Armour = 104 T4 + 7 T3
100 synthroid plus 45 Armour = 129 T4 + 7 T3
I think the 100 synthroid would give you plenty.
My RT3 was high (520). I went cold turkey from 150 synthroid to 100 synthroid plus 5 T3 with no ill effects. RT3 came down to normal in about 5 weeks. My final dose is 100 T4 + 15 T3.
Good luck.
You are taking 137 mcg synthroid (T4) plus 45 Armour which contains 29 mcg T4 plus 7 mcg T3, for a total of 166 T4 + 7 T3.
Your RT3 is high because you are taking too much T4. The most common dose of synthroid is 100 to 125 mcg, so you can see you are way over that, plus taking T3 as well. Your FT4 and FT3 are also relatively high. If you cut back your dosage, your RT3 will go down and your FT4 and FT3 will stay good.
Synthroid comes in 50, 75 and 100 sizes. If you stick to 45 Armour plus some synthroid, your intake would look like this:
50 synthroid plus 45 Armour = 79 T4 + 7 T3
75 synthroid plus 45 Armour = 104 T4 + 7 T3
100 synthroid plus 45 Armour = 129 T4 + 7 T3
I think the 100 synthroid would give you plenty.
My RT3 was high (520). I went cold turkey from 150 synthroid to 100 synthroid plus 5 T3 with no ill effects. RT3 came down to normal in about 5 weeks. My final dose is 100 T4 + 15 T3.
Good luck.
http://paleohacks.com/questions/74704/reverse-t3-ratio-and-half-life#axzz2UbbEspjR
I doubt any postulated half life for rT3. Researchers would have to give their lab rat rT3 only and evaluate serum levels until it is flushed out. If a person is already rT3 dominant, much of the T4 their thyroid makes would convert to rT3 and skew results. The subjects thyroids would have to be shut down prior to the tests.
I have conclusively determined free T3 to be the trigger for adrenal-pituitary-thyroid function. I was rT3 dominant with an rT3 reading of 883 and T3 of 9.6 after taking an extra pill one morning. That rT3 level was not produced by a short term dose of two 120mcg/30mcg T4/T3 pills. I postulate that rT3 has a half life similar or greater than total T4. I'm talking days if not weeks rather than 3 or 4 hours.
On a different but related subject: osteoporosis. Since being on Synthroid for decades has been linked to osteoporosis, I further postulize that high serum levels of rT3 disrupt all metabolic processes including the routine making and replacement of bone cells.
Here's the glitch in discovery of the truth: It is unethical to shut a subjects thyroid down and feed them rT3 only. I am free to do this on my own and feel healthier with TSH (0.02 uIU/ml), rT3 (results pending), and T4 (0/2 ng/dL) well below the normal limits. I am concerned about suspicions in some reports that a lack of T4 might lead to muscle anomalies, especially the heart.
I was diagnosed with high Ferritin levels on 5/8/13. I will continue my current regima until my ferritin has dropped below 200 ng/mL At that time, perhaps 6 to 9 months from today, I will slowly restart my thyroid and monitor for rT3 dominance or determine that the high Ferritin was the cause of autoimmune dysfunction including Hashimotos.
I doubt any postulated half life for rT3. Researchers would have to give their lab rat rT3 only and evaluate serum levels until it is flushed out. If a person is already rT3 dominant, much of the T4 their thyroid makes would convert to rT3 and skew results. The subjects thyroids would have to be shut down prior to the tests.
I have conclusively determined free T3 to be the trigger for adrenal-pituitary-thyroid function. I was rT3 dominant with an rT3 reading of 883 and T3 of 9.6 after taking an extra pill one morning. That rT3 level was not produced by a short term dose of two 120mcg/30mcg T4/T3 pills. I postulate that rT3 has a half life similar or greater than total T4. I'm talking days if not weeks rather than 3 or 4 hours.
On a different but related subject: osteoporosis. Since being on Synthroid for decades has been linked to osteoporosis, I further postulize that high serum levels of rT3 disrupt all metabolic processes including the routine making and replacement of bone cells.
Here's the glitch in discovery of the truth: It is unethical to shut a subjects thyroid down and feed them rT3 only. I am free to do this on my own and feel healthier with TSH (0.02 uIU/ml), rT3 (results pending), and T4 (0/2 ng/dL) well below the normal limits. I am concerned about suspicions in some reports that a lack of T4 might lead to muscle anomalies, especially the heart.
I was diagnosed with high Ferritin levels on 5/8/13. I will continue my current regima until my ferritin has dropped below 200 ng/mL At that time, perhaps 6 to 9 months from today, I will slowly restart my thyroid and monitor for rT3 dominance or determine that the high Ferritin was the cause of autoimmune dysfunction including Hashimotos.
My hormone specialist (hypothyroid) told me to take Vit D3 at 4000 Iug daily for a month then drop to 2000 Iug daily for 2 months then re-do blood work at 3 months. My levels were 21, normal is (31.0-100.00). Hope that helps.
Audra
Audra
If your body is making too much Reverse T3 then you are not getting the benefits of the medicine you are taking. Usually a person with high RT3 would be put on a T3 med only for a while until the level goes down to normal limits. Your body isn't converting correctly right now. The only way I know to rectify the RT3 level is to go on T3 med only for a while. You might even ask to have cytomel added to your T4 med after you have been stabilized. Low T3 levels can cause the symptoms you are explaining. You are experiencing symptoms of hyper from too much T4 and symptoms from not enough T3. Does that make sense to you? Your Free T3 level is lower normal....most feel good if it is closer to high normal, when there are conversion issues.
You could be dealing with hormonal changes, etc that could be affecting your thyroid. There are a lot of things that come into play.
You could be dealing with hormonal changes, etc that could be affecting your thyroid. There are a lot of things that come into play.
I have tried multiple thyroid specialist in Georgia and none of them think RT3 matters. You mentioned that is it temporary, how long? If I stay on the current meds, will it eventually fix it self? Any idea how much T3?
The doctor didn't mention the Vit D, any suggestions how much?
Re the Hashimoto's, there really isn't anything other than taking the t4 that you can do is there?
I was on .125 for about 3 years and was ok, and for the last year I cannot get it right. I have problems with my arms hurting, sometimes going numb, hair breaking, crazy anxiety... I appreciate any comments :)
The doctor didn't mention the Vit D, any suggestions how much?
Re the Hashimoto's, there really isn't anything other than taking the t4 that you can do is there?
I was on .125 for about 3 years and was ok, and for the last year I cannot get it right. I have problems with my arms hurting, sometimes going numb, hair breaking, crazy anxiety... I appreciate any comments :)
I think he is looking at lowering your Synthroid in hopes of a dump on your RT3.
Maybe asking him about a direct T3 med would be good and to take you off the Armour entirely.
From the way to looks - you certainly do not need more T4 (whether Free T4 or Total) at all.
Adding the Cytomel and dropping the Armour, he may have to drop your Synthroid even more than he did too.
What time was the cortisol test?
Maybe asking him about a direct T3 med would be good and to take you off the Armour entirely.
From the way to looks - you certainly do not need more T4 (whether Free T4 or Total) at all.
Adding the Cytomel and dropping the Armour, he may have to drop your Synthroid even more than he did too.
What time was the cortisol test?
Your body is taking the T4 medicine and converting most of it into reverse T3 instead of Free T3. I would think your doctor would have put you on Cytomel ONLY until the reverse T3 goes back to normal values.....are you seeing a thyroid specialist??? Usually it is only a temporary situation, but it needs to be dealt with properly.
You should also be on Vit D3 because you are low on that....did your dr start you on that?
And you now know that you have Hashimoto's with a postive Peroxidase test.
You should also be on Vit D3 because you are low on that....did your dr start you on that?
And you now know that you have Hashimoto's with a postive Peroxidase test.
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