High T3 low Reverse T3? Pooling or normal?

[suzannai]

Hi Everyone

I have posted here before. Long story short, I developed hypo symptoms after stressful event last year but all labs were within normal limits. I began T3 a few months ago and am on a high dose (without any real changes) as doc suspect thyroid resistance and we are using high dose once a day protocol as per Dr Lowe.

I recently had labwork performed (did not take T3 for 24 hours before test) and the results are as follows:

Free T3: 6.4 (2.3-4.2) - high

Reverse T3: 2.9 (9-27) low

Does anyone know if this indicates that I am "pooling" ie: the T3 is not gettign into the cells due to low ferretin or cortisol issues or is it at all possible that I as not taking enough as I do not experience any hyper symptoms on a high dose. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[faith63]

RT3 is made from t4, so if you have no t4, you will have an under range rt3. You cannot tell what is getting to your cells based on labs. Labs aren't done on a t3 only protocol. You have to go by symptoms. If you have not had hyper symptoms and no improvements, you should continue to raise. What dose are you on? I think you are very lucky to not have hyper symptoms! I have added back t4 and now i'm swelling again and gaining weight from this fluid..i'm devastated. I have spent the last nearly 7 months with hyper symptoms, was on t3 only for 12 weeks. I had very low levels of rt3 and ft4..way under range. Free t3 high, like yours and was trembling, breathless, diarrhea, anxiety..horrible...and that was at anywhere from 50-75. My liver enzymes and glucose went sky high and my creatnine went low showing my muscles are wasting. My muscles still aren't right, one month later still trembling at 62 t4 and 25 t3. for the past month. I hate this. Are you concerned about having no t4?

Hope to hear from you!

[suzannai in reply to faith63]

Faith63

I have gone as high as 315 mcg but take 270 mcg daily without hyper symptoms. Should I really consider a higher dose?

My main symptom is facial and arm myxedema. I just wonder if there is some reason the T3 is not getting into the cells? I really don't know what to do

[faith63]

I should not have said you are lucky about not going hyper. I have read some of your other posts and i remember you from awhile ago..you went to Florida, didn't you? Anyway, it seems you are terribly thyroid hormone resistant, for sure and you must feel like nothing will work. I guess i'm not resistant, because i do go hyper easily and i did lose myxedema and weight on t3 only, since we have last spoken. I should not have gone back on the t4..i should have just lowered my t3 dose. I have read where one of Lowes patients was at 300 t3 to start and was finally able to go down and hold at a lower dose.

[suzannai in reply to faith63]

Not to worry faith, I didn't take it that way....I am happy to hear that you were able to lose the myxedema with T3 alone....that is a relief because I have read that for some only net helps with myxedema. I am almost tempted to take more of a large dose to find out what dose will make me hyper

[faith63 in reply to suzannai]

What type of t3 is it? Have you tried chewing it? Have you had your Kidneys checked, in case its fluid? Maybe whatever has caused you to become resistant, is the reason it won't work. Your body doesn't want thyroid hormone and maybe it would benefit you to find out why. Have been checking for deficiencies or high blood sugar?

I would raise it until i went hyper anyway, because i'm desperate.

[suzannai in reply to faith63]

Hi faith63. I was going through my inbox and realized that somehow I did not respond to this. I became resistant after a stressful period April of 2013. Within 2 months I started to develop myxedema on my face and the rest is a long story of a million doctors appointments to figure out why. Labs of course have always been normal so no one suspected thyroid. My blood sugar is fine as is insulin as is HgA1c. I have low ferretin and cortisol is low on saliva and high on blood so I dont know really which to believe. I did what you said above and raised it to 450 mcg for just one day to see how i felt...didnt feel any different. Honestly, how high am I going to have to go with this?

[faith63 in reply to suzannai]

450 is an unbelievable amount. What brand is it? Can you chew it? Your huge doses don't really show on your labs, do they? I feel it is not being absorbed. Maybe it is because of the fillers..seems maybe a gut issue?

The cortisol with blood, i think, shows bound and unbound, where as saliva is unbound only..you don't have as much to use, showing majority of you cortisol is bound..i think. your metabolism has put on the breaks. Can your doctyor help you find out why?

[faith63]

I can never believe, that someone who can't tolerate desiccated, like myself, can never get rid of their myxedema or get well on synthetic t3. Dr. Starr, whom you are referring to, will not prescribe desiccated to his Hashi's patients [like me] because it can flare up the condition, Straight out, he said people with Hashi's come to him for desiccated and he asks them, is it more important that you get desiccated or do you want to get well?

[faith63]

I hope this link works.

thyroid.about.com/od/hypoth...