T4/T3 and TSH

[Piper729]

Frustrated with my GP this week. Started on Armour 2 months ago. Feeling great (more energy than in 10 yrs) but now thinking I'm over medicated as I'm jittery & anxious TSH tested as 0.47 yesterday (was 1.7 in April). Told my doc I think maybe when I was on the Synthroid my T4 wasn't converting to T3 and now that I'm on T3 I likely need a lot less T4. She said I was wrong and everyone converts T4 to T3. Is she right about that?

Also is it better or worse to be on the lower side of the TSH range?

[galathea]

If everyone converted they wouldn't make t3. She is wrong.

Tsh is fairly irrelevant, its better to have free t3 and free t4 towards the top ends of the range and for you to feel well.....

Look up what dr Robert utiger, the inventor of the tsh test had to say about it.... He said he hoped it would not e one the only method of testing and that going on temperature and clinical signs should also be done.

If only!

Xx g

[Piper729 in reply to galathea]

Thank you

[Clutter]

Piper729, Low TSH doesn't mean you are overmedicated and as TSH isn't suppressed I think it is unlikely your FT3 is over range but it might be too high for your comfort.

Skip Armour for a couple of days and reduce dose by a quarter grain to see whether the anxiety and jitteriness improves.

It would be a good idea to order FT3 and FT4 labs to see what levels are. TSH only is never helpful.

[Piper729 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you. I asked my doc to lower my Armour dose.