ideal FT levels on NDT?

The reason I first started to wonder if Armour worked for me was the following results:

FT4 1.1 (ref 0.7-1.5)

FT3 2.9 (ref 1.7-3.7)

TSH <0.001 (ref 0.2-4.0)

I think that mid-range FT4 levels are considered normal when on NDT, but I could not help but wonder if indeed my FT3 levels were lowish on 5 grains of Armour daily...or were they, considering that I had not taken any NDT in the 24 hours before the test?

Sometimes, it's said that, on NDT, your FT3 levels are at the very top of the range. However, if they are that high 24 h after latest dose, does that not mean that they were very much out-of-range (well into the hyperthyroid range) the day before?

I realise there are not necessarily any ideal levels, but I'd appreciate any input from you concerning these levels.

4 Replies

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  • Thecat346, FT3 in the top third of range ie >3.02 in your range is considered 'ideal'. Leaving 24 hours between last dose and blood draw means you can extrapolate FT3 by +20% to a get a reasonable estimate of your circulating FT3 ie 3.48. which is close to the top of your range. Not everyone is comfortable with FT3 at the top of range. It can make some feel overstimulated.

    Your FT4 is in the top 75% of range. I've often observed FT4 is low, or below range, when people take large amounts of T3. TSH is suppressed as expected when on high dose replacement.

    Armour 5 grains looks to be an optimal dose as far as your blood work goes. How do you feel though?

  • I felt OK, but read so much negative stuff about Armour on the STTM that I decided to switch to Erfa instead...but I am not sure that is as good for me, so I have been thinking about switching back to Armour.

    Back then, I also had not managed to fix my adrenals (diagnosed with adrenal fatigue in 2011). I now take a supplement called Drenamin, and it works great (much better than prescription drug Medrol which I took for almost two years).

  • Thecat, You should judge how you feel on a treatment and not rely on other peoples' opinions. If it ain't broke, don't fix it :-D

  • I know, but I was also mistaken about the FT3 levels...I thought they should be at the top of the range even 24 h after taking the drug, but that would of course mean that I was severely overmedicated, and had levels twice as high the day before, after taking the meds...

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