Testosterone Plus Thyroid HRT

[flyingfool]

My wife is still trying to get optimized dose of Armour. Currently on 1.5 grain (90 mg) total for the day. She takes 60 mg in the morning and the remaining 30 mg in the afternoon.

Her FT3 is at the very bottom of the range.  2.77 (2.77-5.27)

FT4 we are still awaiting.  But last test 6 weeks ago prior to a 60 grain increase in armour was FT4=0.55 (0.78-2.19) which is obviously below range.

Now to my testosterone question.

My wife has had her sex hormones tested twice in the last 8 weeks or so. And each time her testosterone is at rock bottom or BELOW the bottom of the range for testosterone.  Her estrogen levels in the first test BELOW range and the most recent in the bottom quarter of the range.  Progesterone was about dead center of range.

My wife has absolutely no sex drive.  And it seems reasonable that with both lower Thyroid and low to below normal testosterone levels may be a big part of that!

My Wife's Dr has wanted to wait to do anything about dealing with the sex hormones until after she gets optimized with her thyroid levels.  Does this make sense?

I'm not aware of how thyroid and testosterone interact.  So what benefit is there to really wait to not start to do something about repeated tested low testosterone?  It can take several months if not a year to truly balance out and optimize the thyroid levels.  In the mean time she will apparently still remain with virtually non existant testosterone levels.  I realize that testosterone will be at low levels for a female, but her tests were with female ranges and she if at zero percent or below range (23% below range).

Should my wife talk with her Dr and encourage him to start some sort of testosterone treatment with bioidentical testosterone? Or is her Dr right and that we should really and truly wait to touch anything to do with testosterone until her thyroid medication is optimized?

Is there really that much interaction between thyroid and testosterone to be concerned with?

Thanks

[flyingfool]

Her Dr today asked my wife if she wanted an increase in her Armour.  And my wife told him YES.

So  now we just have to wait to see what the amount of the increase is.  My guess would be half grain in the afternoon.  But maybe he will increase above this. As the last increase was from 0.5 grain a day to 1.5 grains a full 1 grain increase.

Also looking back, my wife was previously onl 137 mcg T4 and only 7.5 mcg T3.  and her TSH was suppressed.

Still it is a large T4 cut.  Which is why I still think she will end up with some T4 medication to help get her up into the range a little more.

[gimel]

That 1.5 grains of Armour is a lot less than the 150 of T4 with 15 mcg of T3.  The 1.5 grains is only about 58 mcg of T4 and 13.5 of T3.  That is a big drop in T4, and T4 also affects TSH.  

[flyingfool]

My wife really doesn't feel bad. But she has no idea what "normal" is after suffering hypo for more than 10 years. I frankly do not believe she knows what feeling good really is like.

I personally don't understand what is going on. Her FT3 levels are dropping even with increasing Armour dose. As well as her TSH is rising. Her fr4 levels are continuing to drop. She has been on Armour since Bout mid July. So the t4 from her Levo should have been gone LONG ago.

I still believe that in the end my wife will be on both Armour and additional T4. So an increase is definately needed.

Her Dr is not too concerned about TSH and expects it to be suppressed. Frankly I cannot believe that her TSH is not suppressed already. In the past when my wife was on combo t4 of 150mcg and 15mcg of T3 she got suppressed TSH as soon as the chromed was added.

So with 1.5 grains of Armour I would have for sure thought her TSH would be suppressed.

[goolarra]

Totally agree...

[gimel]

Woefully inadequate levels of Free T3 and Free T4.  She needs to discuss with her doctor getting a med increase of about 1/2 grain and a re-test in 4-5 weeks.  No wonder she does not feel well.  At least the TSH is high, so the doctor won't be erroneously inclined to refuse an increase.  

[flyingfool]

Ft4 and TSH came in.

TSH =8.395
FT4 =0.63. (0.78-2.19)
FT3 2.77 (2.77-5.24)

She is taking Armour. 60 mg AM and 30 mg PM

[gimel]

I agree with goolarra about low libido being one symptom of hypothyroidism.  Also, there are numerous studies and reports of hypothyroidism causing low testosterone.  

[goolarra]

I think the doctor is right.  The whole endocrine system is interdependent, so changes in her thyroid hormone levels could cause big changes elsewhere.  Low libido is a symptom of hypo.  Is that because low thyroid hormone levels reduce testosterone?  I don't know.

I understand you are still waiting on FT4, but it's almost certain she needs an increase.