T3 levels keep fluctuating/ armour

Hey, I had a thyroidectomy 5 years ago. Very large goiter. Im 44. First two years I was just on synthroid, which lead to hypothyroidism because of absorption issues.

Now on combo of armour and synthroid. Just armour leads to a low T4. But this past year my levels keep fluctuating between 4.2 and 5.4 (too high) when on the same dose (90), but even with the slightest adjustment T3 drops to 3.2 and I notice that my cycle and period change, I get sluggish etc. Anyone else have these fluctuations? Is it the difference between the badges? Now that T3 is a little high I do notice mildly elevated heart rate when exercising etc. Oh and my weight fluctuates like 15 lbs in a year. Never had these issues when I still had a thyroid.

[Hidden]

Having a TT to rid yourself of a benign goitre leaves you in a stable condition provided you take the appropriate quantity of the correct medication, unless other issues such as Hashimoto disease complicate the matter. It is unlikely, but still possible of course, that this has been diagnosed by your endocrinologist as the result of absorption issues, but it is likely that the cause is actually that synthroid is simply the wrong medicine for you, whatever dose you may take, as it was for me also under very similar circumstances.

Combined synthroid and Liothyonine (T4/T3) may improve the situation but it cannot be guaranteed to give you any sort of decent health. For those living in the UK, you are also unlikely to be prescribed with Liothyronine due to the cost.

Your aim should be to get the TSH down below ONE, levothyroxine/synthroid will get you there but it won't give you decent health. I am puzzled why you should be taking combined NDT (armour brand) and and synthroid, perhaps due to the endocrinologist believing the unlikely scenario that you have absorption issues.

My suggestion is therefore that you should start taking Armour alone (ie NO SYNTHROID), you ignore the T4 and T3 blood readings, and see how you feel after a couple of weeks. My TSH, taking 2 grains of NDT (Thyroid-S brand) was 0.05 when last tested and I am left with minimal thyroid issues, nowhere near how I was before the TT but as good as it's ever likely to get.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thx! I will discuss this scenario with the endo though. His main goal is to get me (and other patients) to feel as optimal as possible. So he's open to suggestions. Im wondering though: for what other reasons could synthroid be the wrong medication, if not for absorption? My TSH is 0.03, so thats not bad at all.

Im not even sure that his explanation btw, but just have been mine...

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Synthroid is T4 only - levothyroxine. T4 is an inactive thyroid hormone and has to convert to the Active thyroid hormone, i.e. liothyronine. Without sufficient T3 in our system we wont feel well and we have millions of T3 receptor cells.

I doubt if many professionals are aware of this fact as they seem to only concentrate on the TSH result. TSH is from the pituitary gland, it is not a thyroid hormone.

hormonerestoration.com/

If we have a blood test then times a day, we'd have a different result each time.

The link below is by a doctor (now deceased) who only took one blood test for the initital diagnosis and thereafter concentrated on relieving symptoms with gradual increases of NDT or T3 alone (T3 for thyroid resistant patients). He'd never prescribe levothyroxine.

naturalthyroidsolutions.com...

[LAHs]

Make sure you are having your blood drawn at exactly the same time of day and under the same conditions since T3 can vary over 8 hours from severely over range to practically nothing late in the day.

Oh, and I agree with Panda: just stick to NDT then you will be removing one source of variability. You will be getting a 4:1 ratio all the time. If you increase your dose it will all move up together accurately.