Aa
T3 IS IMPROVED BUT NOW T4 IS LOW
I have started taking desiccated thyroid. My T3 has improved and is now in range, as is my TSH. However, my T4 is now only 10 when, prior to using the desiccated thyroid to treat both the TSH and the low T3, it was 12. What is happening here and what should be done about it? I was taking 60 mcg desiccated thyroid, which I believe is equal to 100 mcg synthroid.
You're right...this site is recently having problems with all mathematical signs (equals, greater-than, less-than, etc...you have to type them out in words). When you type the sign, part of your post gets blown away.
None of is a doctor, as annie explained. We've just been dealing with our own thyroid problems long enough to have picked up some knowledge along the way. I always feel it's best to clarify anything confusing in the question so that we don't give our opinions based on misinterpreted information.
None of is a doctor, as annie explained. We've just been dealing with our own thyroid problems long enough to have picked up some knowledge along the way. I always feel it's best to clarify anything confusing in the question so that we don't give our opinions based on misinterpreted information.
Sorry about that, the dash confused us!
No we are not doctors, just people dealing with similar circumstances as you, trying to pool our experiences and brain storm together in an attempt to help one another as we too have been helped in the past. You should always go to your doctor for the final word!
So, you are on 90 mg of desiccated thyroid (total) each day, but are dividing it by 3 doses at 30 mg (1/2 grain) at each dose. And you use to be on 150 mcg of Synthroid, so you are trying to see if this is enough desiccated to equal the amount of the 150 mcg. of Synthroid that you use to be on? Is this Correct or not?
No we are not doctors, just people dealing with similar circumstances as you, trying to pool our experiences and brain storm together in an attempt to help one another as we too have been helped in the past. You should always go to your doctor for the final word!
So, you are on 90 mg of desiccated thyroid (total) each day, but are dividing it by 3 doses at 30 mg (1/2 grain) at each dose. And you use to be on 150 mcg of Synthroid, so you are trying to see if this is enough desiccated to equal the amount of the 150 mcg. of Synthroid that you use to be on? Is this Correct or not?
I hope I am just reading the tone wrong also but these people are going out of their way to try and help you.
I guess the equals sign did not show up properly on this site. I am taking 3 x 30 mg of thyroid which is EQUAL TO 150 mcg synthroid. I AM NOT TAKING BOTH.
You misread. I said that 3 x 30 mg ERFA is equal to 150 mcg synthroid. I never said I was taking both. I never said I had added synthroid. Are you a doctor?
I agree with annie that 3 x 30 mg ERFA plus 150 mcg Synthroid sounds like a lot. Are we interpreting correctly? What were you taking before the addition of the Synthroid? I agree that I thought the doctor would keep ERFA relatively constant (maybe a very slight increase) and add a small amount of Synthroid to balance FT3/FT4 levels.
Did your doctor just decide this recently??? That is alot of Synthroid. Do you have a thyroid gland? My daughter (born without a thyroid gland) use to be on 100mcg of Synthroid with out any t3 added ( in desiccated or synthetic) Her t3 was always too low with many hypo health issues (conversion problem) She is now on 3 grains of the original Nature-Throid (65 mg taken 3 x per day for a total of 195 mg.) She is on no Synthroid. She is 9 1/2 years old and weighs 120 lbs. She has been on this for 1 year and doing great! So you are planning on taking a 150 mcg. tablet of t4 only Synthroid in the morning and then adding to it a 1/2 grain/tablet of Erfa 3x during the day? That will probably get that t4 up, however, I hope it will be enough to keep the t3 up there too. I thought you would be supplimenting the larger amount of desiccated with a smaller amount of t4 Synthroid. Instead it looks like the doctor has decided to do the opposite with supplimenting the larger amount of t4 Synthroid with a smaller amount of desiccated? Am I correct here???
I use "Thyroid" by ERFA. I discussed dosage with their doctor 3 x 30 mg of "Thyroid" - 150 mcg sythroid. It is by prescription and not over the counter.
What desiccated brand are you taking? Are you on Nature-Throid brand made by RLC labs by chance?
Exactly...the diference between the two of you is that anajinn knows she's a slow converter, whereas you're on dessicated by preference and seem to convert just fine, so I wouldn't expect the addition of some T4 to raise her FT3 level all that much. Also, she has a lot more room, as you said, in her FT3 (she's still in the middle third of the range)...yours is pretty much topped out.
When I increased my desiccated my T4 raised but my T3 raised to making it to high but you still have a little bit of room on your T3 so maybe you will be ok.
I think a little T4 might be a good thing. There might also be room in your numbers for a slight increase in dessicated, since your FT3 is only a little above midrange. It depends on how your symptoms are now. Since you know you don't convert well, you might need a further T3 boost to control symptoms???
I should have said that the ranges are 0.38 - 5.5, 3.5 - 6.5 and 10.5 - 20 respectively. My TSH and T4 readings were always within range, but I have a lot of hypo symptoms, which is why I was started on a low dosage of synthroid. At that time, my doctor refused to test my T3. When I finally persuaded him to do so, it was low. Then, when the synthroid made no difference to T3 or the way I felt, I persuaded him to give me desiccated thyroid, with the result that the T3 improved but the T4 dropped. It sounds like I may have to take a low dosages of synthroid as well. I have increased my desiccated thyroid but I suspect it will only raise the T3 levels. I won't be tested until June now.
If you look at this:
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/category/naturethroid/
It says that 1 gr contains 38 mcg T4...pretty much a 75 mcg tablet cut in half (37.5 mcg). If you don't want to cut back on the NT, I might try 25 to start, re-test after 4-5 weeks, see what your FT3 and FT4 levels are then, and decide from there. That's the more conservative approach.
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/category/naturethroid/
It says that 1 gr contains 38 mcg T4...pretty much a 75 mcg tablet cut in half (37.5 mcg). If you don't want to cut back on the NT, I might try 25 to start, re-test after 4-5 weeks, see what your FT3 and FT4 levels are then, and decide from there. That's the more conservative approach.
Ok I understand what your saying now to figure that out I am on Naturethroid.
Well, when you were on 3 gr, your FT4 was 1.28, which was smack dab midrange, or just about "perfect". You reduced by 1 gr to 2 gr, and your T4 went to the floor. So, I'm not sure which dessicated you're on, but I think I'd start by finding out how much T4 is in the 1 gr and adding the equivalent amount of synthetic T4 in. Make sense?
Oh but ya between the 3 grains and 2 grains no I don't notice much difference at all. maybe if anything less fatigue so I was probably a little hyper on that much. But I just might try and decrease it a little and add some t4 when you say small amount how much is that?
Ok thanks :) I never have had any hyper symptoms. Even back when I was hyper with no drugs involved when I was pregnant with my first and before I never knew it. I never had any symptoms I can recall that stood out besides excessive sweating. But I did not find out I was hyper until this year which is 7 years later I was tested 2 times since I switched doctors in my pregnancy both came out 0.01 but nothing was ever said to me. I only know now from medical records. I don't know I am just weird..
If your FT3 was 5.6 before the decrease (and I'm assuming no hyper symptoms since you didn't mention any) and it's down to 4.6 now, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Have you noticed any return of hypo symptoms as your FT3 level went down or is everything about the same? You might very well be able to just add in some T4 to get a better balance without changing the dessicated. However, I'd really stay on top of labs for a while (four weeks) to make sure that with more T4 available for conversion your FT3 isn't skyrocketing.
Prior on 3 grains was Free T3 5.6 (2.4-4.2)
Free 4 1.28 (0.71-1.85)
That was the reason for the decrease
Free 4 1.28 (0.71-1.85)
That was the reason for the decrease
If you don't suspect a conversion issue, I'd definitely try adding some T4 to the mix. Your FT3/FT4 balance is not good. Rule of thumb for FT4 is midrange, and yours is on the floor of the range. FT3 in the upper half to upper third is recommended.
You're right, the rules don't fit everyone. The ranges have never been adjusted, but if they were, they would become narrower, not broader, since many people with undiagnosed autoimmune disease were included in the original populations. If those people were excluded, the lower end of the range would come up, and the upper would go down (but most likely not as much as the lower would come up). There are people who have to be above the range to feel well, but this is rare and usually due to metabolic conditions that don't allow cells to metabolize T3 properly. The vast majority of people will fall "in range", albeit some in the top, some in the middle, and some in the lower end.
What was your previous FT3, and did you have hyper symptoms when it was at that level?
You're right, the rules don't fit everyone. The ranges have never been adjusted, but if they were, they would become narrower, not broader, since many people with undiagnosed autoimmune disease were included in the original populations. If those people were excluded, the lower end of the range would come up, and the upper would go down (but most likely not as much as the lower would come up). There are people who have to be above the range to feel well, but this is rare and usually due to metabolic conditions that don't allow cells to metabolize T3 properly. The vast majority of people will fall "in range", albeit some in the top, some in the middle, and some in the lower end.
What was your previous FT3, and did you have hyper symptoms when it was at that level?
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
