do i need t3 added or nature throid

[jacrjacr]

test results on 88mcg
tsh  3.34---   .45-4.5
t4-  8.3----       4.5-12
t3uptake  29----24-39
ft4   1.45----      .82-1.77
t3   106----       71-180
ft3   2.6-----     2.0-4.4
these are my recent labs.  In the past I was on compounded t3t4 but was twitched to nature throid yet it was too strong and we found out that it was because the compounded was not the strength it was suppose to be....so I was decreased from 150mcg of synthroid to 88 mcg of synthroid but even though at 4 weeks blood test were normal ( probably because I still had some old t4 still in blood system since iwas over medicated for 4 months)
at 7 weeks, this is the test above showing rising tsh
and  this is the issue....
I AM HAVING MUSCLE ACHES IN ARMS , JOINTS IN FEET, TOP OF FEET  and feel that feeling you get when you know your thyroid is off...like you cant work out anymore and have to take it easy....that old lady feeling coming on...and I see that my t3 is not in the upper on third.
I recently started going to a local DO dr that doesn't believe in bio identical hormones which I take or compounded meds. I am skeptical how she will respond if I ask for t3 or ask to be put on nature throid or armour.
Can I get some advice from what you think and your personal experience or any suggestions you may have on  what route you would go?from here...
at my last visit, she ordered all kinds of test like westgreens test which I just had in dec2013 that was negative, b12 ,lipid profile, metabolic profile, diabetic profile although I am not diabetic, cbc complete blood ct,and I am weight 140 at 5ft 3 but I thought that was a little much also.
any thoughts appreciated!

[jacrjacr]

thanks for your replies....comforting to have other input!!!!!

[ahmee]

I split my dose-- half upon waking, the other half around noon or 1pm. I have always split my dose, even as I was raising it. Makes more sense to even out the dose of T3. The only downside of splitting dose when on desiccated is that you are likely going to miss out on the 2nd dose of T4 since you likely will not have an empty stomach then, thus T4 will no be properly absorbed. But in your case, I think adding in T3 slowly to your current dose of T4 med is going to be easier than making a radical shift to Naturethroid or other desiccated.

[Barb135]

No matter what the T3 med is, whether it be Armour, NatureThroid or Cytomel, it's customary to split the dosage into multiple doses/day, in order to keep the T3 levels stable throughout the day.

I never did really notice a difference with my T3 med... just that I was in a very busy period at work, at the time and missed a few of the afternoon doses and realized that I was beginning to feel like cr@p and couldn't figure out why...

I've never been particularly prone to colds/flu.  Used to get one "doozy" a year and that might last for a couple months, then I was done till next year - didn't matter whether I was hypo or not; just felt more like dying when I hypo... lol   Now that I'm retired and not around kids and co-workers all the time, I haven't had a cold/flu for about 3 yrs.

[jacrjacr]

I have been taking 2.5 mg morning and afternoon with 88mcg of synthoid with no real difference in muscles skeletal issues....after 3 weeks.... My dr had the choice of raising me to 100mcg synthroid or adding some cytomel. I was just wondering how long did it take for others to see a difference with the cytomel with joint muscles issues.
I had read one place to give it 3 weeks and definitely should feel a difference.  Wonder if I should try nature throid medicine >? or anyone else has any ideas.....
I was accidently given too much nature throid 6 mths ago and all the pain went away but then I started having the side effects of hyper when over medicated. I am so desperate to not feel like a old lady periodically....in my arms especially.. I tried 5mg one day  am and pm and I got calf muscle aches.
also people on nature throid....DO YOU SPLIT YOUR DOSAGE OR TAKE ALL IN THE MORNING?

[flyingfool]

You may want to talk to your Dr about splitting your T3 dose in half and taking half a tablet in the morning and half the tablet in the afternoon.

T3 only takes a couple 2 to 4 hours to peak in the bloodstream and then wane off over time. So taking it in two doses helps to level off the blood levels of the T3.

Some people also can't tolerate taking T3 all at oncestarting out.. Other people have no problem.  After only 2 days it is a bit early to tell for you.   I know my wife had no issues jumping in at 5 mcg once a day. But felt better, and felt even better when they added a 2nd dose of 2.5 mcg in the afternoon.  Unfortunately her new endo thinks the previous endo was nuts and also my wife and has cut out her T3 altogether now.  So we are on the roller coaster ride of hell.

Be thankful that your Dr allowed you to start the T3!!!!!!

BTW:  It seems that being low thyroid (Hypo) leaves people suseptible to colds and other things.  But when optimially treated with proper levels of medication, this situation appears to be improved.  It does not happen with everyone but does with a pretty good percentage of people.  But maybe it is just a placebo effect.  But who cares if you feel better right!

[jacrjacr]

dr was kind enough to let me try 5 mg of t3  and it has only been 2 days and don't see a result but I am constantly having colds and allergies back to back lately and don't know if their is a connection in that and low thyroid. all other test results came out okay which was rewarding to know.

[jacrjacr]

WOW YOU ARE A ANGEL....Thank you soooo much!!!! How thoughtful and considerate to be so helpful!!!!!God bless you!

[gimel]

This link is to a study that concluded that Free T3 correlated best with a composite score of the 8 major hypo symptoms.  FT4 and TSH did not correlate at all.  This will make you wonder why doctors are so hung up on TSH and frequently don't even bother testing for Free T3.  

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13590840050043521

This is a good overview of the subject written by a good thyroid doctor.  

http://www.hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html

The second one might offend your doctor, but if that is the case, then you're wasting your time there anyway.

[jacrjacr]

I AGREE and thanks for your input!!!!!!!! that is what I was thinking
and I would love those links to print out and take with me.

[gimel]

Your low in the range Free T3 is consistent with having hypo symptoms for many people.  Your Free T4/Free T3 levels indicate that you are not adequately converting the T4 med to T3.  Since Free T3 correlates best with hypo symptoms,  and Free T4 and TSH do not correlate at all, it seems clear that you need a source of T3 in your meds.  If you think your doctor would not be receptive to adding T3 to your daily meds, then I can give you a couple of links that might help persuade the doctor.  Otherwise you will need to find a good thyroid doctor that will treat clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms.  Symptom relief should be the prime objective, not just getting lab test results that the doctor likes.