Armour + 25mcg t4 and 20mcg t3

[bossbird]

not sure what I'm doing any more if i ever did but changed to Armour which great improvement added t3 which sorted problems like constipation, carpels etc then endo said add t4 as my blood results were high t3 low t4 and tsh 0.02

I'm nervous to stop t3 and i dont think t4 agrees with me then I read about t3 only but do I need t1 and t2 perhaps this is a nightmare plus recent 2 small bald patches OMG

[shaws Administrator]

The first and most important question whilst on thyroid gland medication is 'how do I feel'. If you feel well, you are on the right dose and they shouldn't muck about with increasing/decreasing.

We can get confused by all the blood test numbers and adjusting your medication only because of the TSH result isn't the correct way. Your T4 will be low if on T3 and NDT and not taking levo. T4 is inactive.

I would just go by your instinct. If you've found it difficult previously with levo why take it when you are on T3 and NDT. Your T4 will be lower as you weren't taking levo (which is inactive anyway). Blood tests I believe should only be used as a tool and if the patient says they feel well, they are on the right dose.

Mother nature provides us with T1 and T2 as well, and that's what's NDT contains plus T3. You can choose which you prefer and are lucky the Endo prescribes T3 and NDT.

[bossbird in reply to shaws]

well its not easy getting NDT had to fight for it and now go through a back door so to speak to get it prescribed as my endo would get into trouble if i got it direct from him, using t3 and having high result (will post when in work off sick with flu and my results are there) I'm I not in danger of rt3? and thanks for the fast response x

[Heloise in reply to bossbird]

I agree, don't change because of those blood tests.

Is your question above " I'm I not in danger of rt3?". The ONLY thing that can turn into reverse T3 is T4 and that is a real danger if you fail to convert properly.

[bossbird in reply to Heloise]

how do i know if i convert properly x

[Heloise in reply to bossbird]

I think the most reliable way is to see a comparison of FT4 and FT3. If the T4 is a lot higher than your T3, it's a pretty good indicator. Of course, many doctors refuse to do the FT3 testing.

Also, if your T4 is high and with no testing of the FT3, and you feel terrible, it's likely you are not converting even without testing.

Keep in mind that low Ferritin makes conversion difficult even if you have enough Thyroxine. This is why there are so many elements to this disease. The conversion of T4 to T3 takes place in the liver so that might have something to do with it. And, also, the adrenal glands have to be counted in there as well. Sorry, it is so complicated.

[bossbird in reply to Heloise]

ok then im good as my t4 is below and t3 above range thanks that helps

[shaws Administrator]

This is a link which contains good information and Dr Lowe could not function without T3 or carry out research etc. These are a couple of excerpts:-

1.

For example, I don’t believe sustained-release T3 is the best use of T3. The reason? The longer T3 stays in the small intestine, the greater the chance that calcium and other agents in food will bind some of the T3. The binding will then carry the T3 out in the patient’s stool, reducing the amount that reaches his blood.

2. For someone taking 100 mcg of T3, we expect your pattern of lab results—a low TSH and high T3. However, your TSH and T3 levels are irrelevant to whether you're overstimulated or not. Two studies we just completed confirm other researchers findings: these tests are not reliable gauges of a patient's metabolic status. Many patients taking T3 have TSH and T3 levels like yours but still have severely low metabolic rates. Their metabolic rates become normal only when they increase their dosages further. Their metabolic rates become normal and they have no detectable overstimulation.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[bossbird in reply to shaws]

Dear Shaws

my blood results from August

FT4 above 29 (11.0-23.0)

TSH below 0.02 (0.3-5.5)

FT3 above range 19.9 (4.1-7.9)

my endo has told me to come off T3 completely and add 25mgc T4

confused x

[shaws Administrator in reply to bossbird]

Hi Bossbird

Thanks for your blood test results. If you could copy and paste these results onto a new question, others who are more qualified than I will comment.

Your Endo is nervous because of your high T3 and doesn't want any problems re your heart etc. Personally, I found T4 didn't suit me. I wonder if he would let you try NDT on it's own as that should lower your T3. Others may explain why your Ft4 is high.

I look forward to reading their replies.

Your TSH is similar to mine 0.01.