New Labs, TSH ok, mid T4, high T3 -ignore?,

[LazyMoose]

Attn: Goolarra and/or anyone good with labs. New lab test results. Goolarra  answered my last post on lab #'s a few weeks ago.  What do you lab # 'experts' think of these new #'s on the bottom of the post? My numbers seem to be from one end to the other. But I feel pretty good, still not 100% though.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
History: copied old post of mine from post tiltled T4/T3 conversion prob?

by LazyMoose, Sep 29, 2009 11:04PM
To: All

For some reason my muscles recover quicker on dessicated, its a fact after 5 months of trial. Less brain fog too. But still a little tired.

Keep in mind I dont know if I ever had the old Armour, As I switched in mid may from Synthroid.I was ramping up on the Armour a little between June and August, I am now on a generic dessicated with the same ratios per grain of T3:T4 as Armour. (on this generic 1 grains is 65mg like Nature -Thriod mg's).


June: alternate between 90mg and 105mg Armour per day

free T4     .71     range is   .71 - 1.85 ng/dl
TSH       3.87     range is   .30 - 5.00 uIU/ml
free T3    3.08     range is 2.30 - 4.20 pg/ml

August alternate between 105mg and 120mg Armour per day
free T4     .87     same range
TSH       2.56     same range
did not do free T3 this time

end of copied old post
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**new lab info**

Oct 8 130mg generic Thyroid (1 grain is 65mg)
free T4     1.11    same range
TSH         1.07    same range
free T3      5.06    same range they said this was high because of the dessicated doing this, no free T3 in aug test.

They said to ignore the high free T3 as the dessicated gives the test an inaccurate and elevated t3 reading. Is this BS?

He wants to get my TSH slightly lower: by adding 1/2 grain Monday an Thursdays only. So thats 1 grain more per seven days. 65mg/7 = 9.28 more per day.

Was 130mg day + 9.25 (new)= roughly 140mg perday for new script of generic Thyroid. So this will make free T3 go higher yet, well, I don't feel hyper from it yet and I,m over the range already - but doc said not to worry about it.

Now I don't know If I am just requiring more meds or if this Thyroid is like Nature Throid in that the patient requires more that the Armour.

[LazyMoose]

I love the two comments - "doc said it won't change my lab results enough to matter" and " They said to ignore the high free T3 as the dessicated gives the test an inaccurate and elevated t3 reading."  Okaaaay, so which is it?

Both LOL!  "doc said it won't change my lab results enough to matter"- doc just minutes before lab test.

"They said to ignore the high free T3 as the dessicated gives the test an inaccurate and elevated t3 reading." - When the nurse talked to me on the phone after I left a message for the doc. So who knows, was that what the doc told her or was that her opinion? I can never talk to the doc myself without an appointment, and then its only 5 minutes. I think Disney owns this clinic.

This place just has a let the doctor do his job and dont interfere attitude towards patients. Unfortunately, like my experience with most clinics.

If I ask for synthroid with my dessicated from this place, that could get real interesting.  I might just write him a letter to avoid his annoying Know-it-all nurse who has zero patients for me. On the other hand- when Nature Throid is avaliable, I want to try that. The generic Thyroid that I am on is just what is left on the shelf - they stopped making it. I think when I change to Nature Throid, I might change doctors and clinics as well. Wish this thyroid stuff didnt take so long.

I was extremely fit up till '02 when my fatigue and soreness set in - luckely it seems that my healthy cardio, BP and pulse stayed there. Maybe thats how I tolerate the high T3.

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

yes.  Never take T3 containing meds before your blood work.  Messes results up big time.

I think you need to retest to see the 'real' numbers on your FT3 and FT4.  Then would have a better idea of the approach.

Yes, adding T4 to a dessicate thyroid med works well.  I do it and feel pretty good these days compared to before.... and both T3 and T4 are in upper half of the reference range...

[goolarra]

See, and just when I thought I could trust you!  I agree with you that you should have gone back in the morning.  It still doesn't change the fact, however, that your FT4 is still pretty low.  I love the two comments - "doc said it won't change my lab results enough to matter" and " They said to ignore the high free T3 as the dessicated gives the test an inaccurate and elevated t3 reading."  Okaaaay, so which is it?

Can you correlate your daytime tiredness with the length of time it's been since you last took your Armour?  Do you split your Armour dose or take it all in the morning?  If you're not splitting it, that might help even out your energy level.

BP and pulse look great for someone drowning in T3!

I've been trying to eat a fairly bland diet for a while due to some GI issues.  It is boring...I love spicy food (which is not necessarily bad for you if it doesn't cause GI distress).  Oh, well, if a good diet were lots of fun, we wouldn't be able to feel righteous for eating it!

What are your thoughts about adding some T4?  T4 added to dessicated is very different from taking T4 by itself.  You'll still be getting your T3, but T4 will be more available when your body demands it.

[LazyMoose]

I had brain fade!

**I forgot to mention. At the last minute the clinic combined my doctor appt in the afternoon followed by a blood draw lab. This was after my morning meds. I wanted to come back the next day, doc said it wont change my lab results enough to matter. So no, this test is not consistant with my past lab tests in the morning before meds. I'm hoping that is why the T3 skyrocketed!**

I have never been a good sleeper, and my daytime tiredness varies - I have medically looked into this issue.

At the doc my BP was 126/70, pulse 66.

GI is best in a long time, had reflux on T4 only. I improved my eating habits in the last two years and learned about body PH and food. Will admit, a good diet is kind of boring.

I am still cold (rare for a male) and that's a hypo thing. My morning oral temp is around 96.5 to 97.5. I've tried a digital and old school thermo's. I'm only rarely 98 afternoon if its hot out.

The nurse called with results (usually gets mailed also). Maybe the doc wants to get the TSH right on the edge or he's trying to get the T4 up, I dont know. Like I said, I feel better, but maybe it takes longer to feel 100%. I know some docs go by TSH, maybe this one goes by T4 and seems to ignore T3 unless its way down.

[goolarra]

Well, your FT3 is not only over the top, but considerably over the top.  I'm trusting you're still not taking your meds before your blood is drawn.  T3 in your meds should be out of your system by then if that's the case (I'm sure it is...just want to cover all the bases).  

I still maintain that you should be adding a T4 med to the dessicated and also dropping the dessicated a bit.  Your FT4 is still low, just barely into the middle third of the range. FT3 and FT4 are considerably out of balance.

It's good that you are not having any hyper symptoms.  Have you checked your HR and BP?  Are you still tired?  All the time or at certain times of the day?  How are you sleeping?  Any GI problems?  Why does your doctor want to get your TSH down further?

Personally, I would not want to throw more T3 at those numbers.  Even if, just for the sake of argument, that 5.06 were a "peak" value, it's still way up.