T3 High again - Help, please.

[Smily]

I've been on 3 grains of Nature-Throid for a couple of years and having my GP almost continuously sending me letters saying your T3 is too high. Because I was getting eczema in my fingers I thought that maybe the cause was the T3 being too high so about 3 months ago now I reduced it to 2 1/2 grains instead. According to my endo my T3 is still too high (Both times the blood test was done after taking my hormones. The first one in the following hour; the second one after a few hours).

I think is the Free T3 that is too high after taking the hormones not the T3, can anyone remind me a bit about this because i am going crazy??

I though after reducing 1/2 grain my T3 could be even too low but it's surprisingly not. There's no way I am going to reduce it more since I am terrified I am going to get hypo symptoms back, and besides I am finding really hard to stay awake for an average of 8 hours and getting very anxious. I get so anxious about wanting to do sth with my life that even though I am in the ESA support group I keep sending my CV for full time jobs that my body could never cope with...I feel seriously lost and wonder if this mad and contradicting behavior could even get me into trouble.

Can anyone, please, give me any guidance regarding the T3 or free T3 and anything else you think could be useful? I am just worried I could be doing some harm to myself with these 'High' levels of T3 (Although I know my GP/Endo and his conventional idea of treating hypo with Levo had me sick and under treated for over a year). My eczema is still there anyway even if I reduced 1/2 grain, by the way.

Thanks,

[galathea]

Is your free t3 over range? Has the doctor measured it or is he guessing because your tsh is suppressed?

Do you have the test results... If so, can you post them s we can see if, in fact your free t3 is over range. If not, go to the doc and ask for a copy.... They are yours by right.

G

[Smily in reply to galathea]

They keep taking the T3 instead of the free T3 so I have never known about my FREE T3 because of whatever explanation they have given me which I have never understood. All I know is that my FREE T3 should be as high as possible and I think I should ignore the rest except my own symptoms, right??? (This is according to the book 'Stop the Thyroid Madness")

[Smily in reply to Smily]

Should I tell them to measure my FREE T3 and make sure I don't take it on that day until the test is done and go from there???? This thyroid is really driving me crazy.

[galathea in reply to Smily]

Yes, get the free t.3 measured and don't take meds till after the test. You need it high but in range if you have suppressed tsh. Going by symptoms is a good method so long as you recognise which ones are thyroid related. Its too easy to attribute everything to thyroid.

T3 can stress adrenals, excema might be related to low adrenal function? Worth getting adrenals checked.... ( Privately for about £70).

[shaws]

I am not sure if this link will help. This is an excerpt:

FREE T3 LAB TEST: T3 is the active thyroid hormone. Free in front of the T3 means you are measuring what is available and unbound. Those on an optimal amount of desiccated thyroid, with no lingering hypothyroid symptoms and in the presence of healthy adrenals, tend to have a free T3 at the top of the range. If you are on desiccated thyroid (especially if lower than 3 grains) and find yourself with the free T3 high or above range in the presence of continuing hypothyroid symptoms, or even hyper-like symptoms (anxiety, shakiness), it’s a clue you have adrenal fatigue, aka low cortisol. If not on thyroid medication: 1) If your free T3 is high, you could have Hashimoto’s disease, which will need the two antibodies tests to discern it, or Graves disease, which needs the TSI test. 2) if your free T3 is mid-range or lower, and in the presence of hypothyroid symptoms, you may have hypothyroidism, no matter how low the TSH. You should NOT take any T3-containing product on the morning of a test.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK]

Hi Smily, This might be helpful for you:

nahypothyroidism.org/thyroi...

[star-flower]

I found Paul Robinson's blog on recovering with T3 very interesting - OK you are on a different type of med, but it may be worth you looking at the site (rwt3.com). Hope you sort things out.