How can you tell if the medication you are taking is actually getting through to your cells?

[Rhsana]

Can blood levels show a high amount of FT4 and FT3 but that actually isn't getting to the cells?

Sorry if this is a stupid question!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Rhsana Yes indeed! I had way over the range FT4 and mid range FT3 in my blood test. When I did the 24 hour urine test I had mid range FT4 and below range FT3. It explained a lot. I added some T3 and slightly lowered my Levo, after a while I did the urine test again. It showed exactly what it should have showed, FT4 had lowered and FT3 had risen which is what I expected the tweaking of meds to do.

Some people think the urine test isn't reliable. As far as I am concerned it showed exactly what was going on. The urine test shows what's going on downstream - metabolites (breakdown products) are passed in urine and shows what's getting to the cells. The blood test can't tell you what's getting into the cells.

[Rhsana in reply to SeasideSusie]

wow, I had no idea! Thank you for clarifying that. I am so confused, blood show high T3 and indeed my resting pulse rate is quite high but symptoms still persist!

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Interesting to read about the 24 h urine analysis and its usefulness! It's ordered by the Hertoghe doctors, along with blood, between our first and second visit. Then, strangely enough, it's never ordered again, but they only check levels in blood. I fail to see why the 24 h urine analysis is deemed useful for the initial diagnosis, but never again...?

[Rhsana]

Thanks Hidden !

Anyone have any further reading on this?

R x

[Hidden]

nahypothyroidism.org/thyroi...

read this article.. i was wondering the same myself.. ft3/rt3ratio ...definitely want to to do this test, i think we do the 2 tests at the same time and divide

[Rhsana in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Hidden the link wont come up in my browser, any chance you can pm it to me? R x

[Rhsana]

Thats really informative Hidden , thank you. I guess the question now is how does one know if they are RTH?

[Rhsana]

Thanks for this Hidden . Really? that surprises me. I'm confused as to what the RT3 test is then, if you have the time maybe you could shed some light? Its super frustrating as there are other things that cause you to feel unwell and still be symptomatic even if you are optimally medicated so there are several tests you can do to eliminate other probable causes but lets say all test show in good range and one is still symptomatic, how can the cause then be identified?

[Rhsana]

Interesting! I have upped my T3 to practically no change in symptoms and I do not feel overstimulated, though my resting heart rate has risen. can one be OS without showing signs of it?

[Rhsana]

Thank you!!!!!! x