what test results mean

[Fionna]

I have been on amour for 25 years and been raised several times. I went to a new endo and he wants me off it. He says my T3 is too high at 230, T4 is too low at 152 and my TSH is suppressed. What does all this mean? I take 150mg of armour now.

I have gained alittle weight since last Oct. I can sleep at night and have hot flashes which I thought was due to my perimenopause because I am 53 years old.

Do I have to change meds? He wants me on levoxyl, but I heard bad things about swallowing it, so I said might consider levothroid.

I am just not sure what to do.

[GravesLady]

Hello Fionna,

Well I am a vegetarian and I eat those vegetables all my life and it did not have an effect on my Graves' Disease, thank goodness! ;)  I love my vegetables, raw or cooked.

Insomnia and anxiety is from the disease and suppressed levels, which you might have to treat separately and from thyroid, because once our symptoms get use to acting in this way or any other manner, it gets lazy and will not correct itself.  I had insomnia every night for 6 years after diagnosed and treatment.  Finally I said enough was enough, so doctor gave me prescription for sleeping aid which I took 4 nights out of 7 so as not to get addicted. I only took them for a few months, then I got to where I only took the pill on an as need bases, to where now I don't need them at all.  Over the counter sleeping aids helps some people but they didn't work for me so I had to go the prescription route.  The same with anxiety.  I took antidepressants  for a few months to where now I take anxiety medication on an as need bases.  One day I will not need them, but for now they are my security blanket.  
There are aids out there that can help us get through the rough spots of thyroid.  We don't have to take them forever, just to help us get over the rough issues that comes with thyroid. I believe in using them as a tool for health rather than to just suffer.

Levoxyl has the less ingredients (additives) than the rest of the T4 thyroid medications, and no animal ingredients.  That is why I take levoxyl.
Other thyroid medications might have lactose and some even have sugar. So if you have any problems with these issues, then levoxyl would be the best to take.

[Fionna]

Thank you so much. I have been asking questions like this all over the place and from your response I can finally have an answer that I understand. It makes perfect sense.

I have been having months of insomina and years of anxiety.

I am thinking about taking levothroid instead of the levoxyl the Doc wants me too.

I took it years ago for a short period of time when another Doc wanted me off the armour. I had a few side effects from it. Later I found out that the effects might have been because of my diet. Too much cabbage and broccoli at the time.

[msfergy]

My spelling stinks to it is the thyroid fogs we get,lol. Ok so what is a good thyroid diet or can you point me to the direction of one? I just had the left lobe taken out Monday, no cancer but waiting on full pathology report. I beleive it is Hashimotos they said it could be lymp something thyroiditis to but not sure yet, anyway how bout that diet?

[GravesLady]

Thanks, you are so kind and sweet!

I do a lot of searching and research, so the credit should go to all the good sites that the internet provides for us. I am happy to do it and share the information with all of you.

However, I do need to improve on spelling and grammar, LOL!  But, I am only human ;)
.

Knowledge is power!  and we can take this power with us to the doctors.

  Kudos to you for bring such power with you. A+A+  

[msfergy]

You are so good at explaining these things! Have you ever thought about being a Endo? Maybe you should go get your license, I read all this info and try to explain it to my Docs and they tell me I know to much info,lol my regular Doctor when i was explaing these things to him he was like I can't do nothing for you and you really know more than I do on all this,lol. But it's the way you answer these forums, it is so professonal! Good Job! A+ A+

[GravesLady]

Armour is not in the right ratio of T4 to T3 that our body requires.  So if you are getting to much T3 from Armour, will make you med. induced T3.  Too high T3 levels.

Adding extra T3 supplement can cause med. induced hyperthyroid symptoms, T3 Toxicosis (suppressed T3 level), T4/T3 conversion problem.

High T3 levels can cause rapid heart beat, insomnia and anxiety and also can harm the heart and the bones.  T3 has a risk for dangerous cardiac arrhythmias and heart attacks.  T3 in this setting could interfere with protein and fat metabolism and interact synergistically with catecholamines to increase myocardial oxygen demand, with resultant increased arrhythmia, MI, heart failure, and death"

When taking T4 supplement for a while, doctor can tell by your levels if you need T3 replacement.  If you do, you can take T3 separate but along with T4 in the correct ratio that your body needs.  Cytomel is T3 alone, and with Levoxyl T4, is much easier to regulate levels than Armour.

Taking T4 like levoxyl is not different than taking any other pills.  It is suggested to take it with full glass of water because it is tiny and might get stuck in throat, but I take even tinier with no problem, with just one swallow.

One type of T4 supplement is not different from manother when swallowing them.

[Nyxie63]

Its kinda hard to tell without the ranges for your Ts.  Are those freeTs or totalTs?  One thing to keep in mind is that if you take your Armour the day of your blood test, it can raise your T3.  Its best to not take it before your testing.  

I wouldn't go off the Armour.  Its been working for 25 years.  Why change now?  Its possible, with hormonal changes, you might need to lower your dose a little.  Its not uncommon to have to do this.

I'd suggest getting a 24-hour cortisol saliva test done.  A lot of folks with thyroid problems also have adrenal problems, and it sounds like this might be a contributor.  At least the testing would rule this out.  If your dr won't do the test, then you can get the kit on your own from diagnosTech.com or other labs at canaryclub.org.  It usually runs around $140 for everything.

Please keep us posted. :)