Value of T3?

[mazbarth]

My ENDO believes that testing for Free T-3 is not all that valuable but I would like to know what others think.  She told me that she thinks it fluctuates too much and so it not a dependable tool to use while we are trying to find the "just-right-dose" for me.  

What do you think?  If you have it tested regularly what is the info used for?
Thanks for the help,
Michele

[gimel]

I expect that was a FT3 result, with the reference range being 230-420 pg/dl.  So your result would be in the lower end of that range.

[mazbarth]

Just out of curiosity have either of you been through a total thyroidectory?   I'm trying to understand how that might be different from someone who still has a thyroid that is just not functioning vs those of us who have had it removed all together?!  
Much appreciated!

[TamraW]

My endo doesn't put much emphasis on FT3 either. She went into long detail about why it's not important and how our bodies don't need it as much as FT4. I was not really paying attention to her because, to be honest, I was feeling awful and had major brain fog. I begged her to check my FT3, and I just got the report that it was a 262, but is that a T3 value, and not an FT3 value?

Thanks,
Tamra

[gimel]

Perhaps way in the past, testing for the FT3 and FT4 was not as good as it is now.  Nowadays it is considered, by those who keep up with such things, as a reliable and valuable test for thyroid.  In a perfect world where you body always converted T4 to T3 at the exact same rate all the time, maybe only testing for FT4 would be adequate.  Lacking that assurance, and in view of the fact that FT3 and FT4 are the actual, biologically  active thyroid hormones that largely regulate metabolism and many other body functions, my opinion is that it is important to always test for FT3 and FT4.  Especially since FT3 correlates best with symptoms.