Blood test

TSH: 2.590. RANGE: .450-4.500

FREE T3, triiodothyronine: 3.4. RANGE: 2.0-4.4

FREE T4: 1.42. RANGE: 0.82-1.77

RT3: 22.0 RANGE: 9.2-24.1

I've been on levothyroxine 50 mcg for about 4 weeks prior to this blood test. I started on armour for a week before that but I had to start taking sertraline 50 mg because my mood was getting too low. So I probably skewed the results. I went back to levothyroxine because of the great results I had in my mood when I first added levothyroxine when I was starting to take sertraline again a few months ago. I waited until my blood test last week to see if levothyroxine would help my mood rapidly like last time but it was much more gradual. After the blood test I switched to 60 mg armour because I still wasn't feeling that well after 4 weeks. Anyways it's been about 3 or 4 days since I've been on armour and I'm starting to feel a little energetic again. I've gotten out of the house a lot more. It's still early though and you guys will probably tell me I'm doing everything wrong but I'm doing the best I can. My mental state has not been great over the past month as I was rarely able to even leave my house. My numbers are supposedly "good" and it looks like my doctor wants me to keep taking the armour. If my mood comes down again he said he would probably lean towards increasing my sertraline prescription. It's just so frustrating to deal with because maybe I just need a different thyroid med or t3 but my mood can get so bad that I cant function at all and I can't wait a month for another blood test before I fall apart. Thanks for your input. I think the levothyroxine does help me but I obviously cannot take just levothyroxine to sustain a healthy mood. I dont know if any thyroid med is going to be able to sustain my mood. Also I dont know if this means anything but I wake up in the early morning for thirty minutes and cant go back to sleep. Then I fall back to sleep for 3 or 4 more hours.

[Heloise]

I don't know if I have the chronology but if you've just begun treatment in the last couple of months it looks like you are doing very well. You have to allow your body to process the new hormones and open up receptors. I'm surprised you went from 50 mcg. of Levo to two grains of Armour. Was there an intermediate dose? That was more than triple...... and sometimes that doesn't feel good but if you can handle it go right ahead it is a good dose.

Your TSH is still too high but your pituitary needs time to sense what's in your blood stream and until you have been taking hormone for a length of time and built a serum level the pituitary will keep asking for hormone. That will stop eventually.

During sleep your thyroid hormone goes very low but your adrenals will start sending cortisol so that you can wake up. You probably have some instability because you've been ill.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

I went from 50 mcg of levothyroxine to 60 mg armour. That's one grain, right? 30 mg is a half grain. Is 60 mg of armour that much more than 50 mcg of levothyroxine? I'm aware it's like a 4 to 1 ratio of t4 and t3. Thanks for your input 🙂. I'm kind of on edge right now and worried about my future.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Yes, you're right, my mistake. So you just doubled your dose. Don't be on edge, you are doing fine. Your reverse t3 ratio should be under 20 some people say but 22 isn't bad. You just have to be patient and if you continue as you have in the past two months it will get better and better. You are fortunate to have Armour prescribed in my opinion. I had to fight six years to get it.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

Thanks I just really want armour to work. Sorry you had to wait so long to get yours. That is criminal. I think levothyroxine works okay for me but maybe armour or pure t3 could work better for me.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

If you look at the history of Armour dating back to the late 1800's and saved lives until about 1950's when drug companies made the synthetic levothyroxine. It was cheap until Synthroid came along and now it's a moneymaker. But levo is the generic. You take a chance that straight T4 is going to convert to T3 which is the active subset. This I think is why it is working faster for you.

The problem with converting T4 is you need a healthy liver and of course when you are hypothyroid you have toxin issues where you NEED the liver to be working well.

I've taken all of them and now just straight T3 because it is easier for me to get. I might have stuck with two grains of Naturethroid but the supply went out.

I even took my Naturethroid at bedtime and for me that was also easier. Try to tweak things if you seem to have any difficulties. You may have to increase as you go along.

Two grains is average. Keep positive and say you are improving every day even if you don't notice it right away. Things are going on inside! A clean diet and gluten free might be a big help and using coconut oil, avocadoes, etc. are also good.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

I had a rough day today but I ate some dairy today which has been known to give me severe anxiety and depression for some reason. Haven't really eaten dairy or gluten much for the past five months.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

I don't handle dairy very well either. I've switched to coconut milk. If it were raw dairy I think it would be easier for you but you can't get it. How about goat milk or cheese? It's not good to upset your system. Was it a special occasion?

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

No I just wasn't thinking about the possible consequences since it's been so long since I've had some....big mistake. Felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack. I had to take a klonopin just to relax. Guess it's time to swear off it for good. I'm also worried about it being in my meds tho...

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Good thinking, I hope it didn't set you back. Not worth it. If it was ice cream, forgive yourself

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

It was just some pudding and the sad part is I didnt even really enjoy it ☹

[Heloise]

Yes, do a post for yourself Lora, Do you think you are hyperthyroid? Would it last that long?

[Heloise]

That's great. Maybe supplementing with magnesium and other calming supplements you can balance your metabolism.

[Heloise]

That all sounds good.

[Carysta]

I cannot advise re your meds but the sleep thing is not unusual, just put your attention on the sensation of the breathing and rest and sleep will usually return and if it does not then you have still rested

Re the mood lows, those I recognise and the difficulty of getting outside.

However that is exactly what I do every morning before breakfast I go for a walk. This is the time it is most beneficial for your thyroid. It is also my gift to myself.

Quickly the mood shifts.

If the mood slips during the day, another walk or stretching or anything physical that stops me getting stuck in the lows

The walks do not have to be long to shift the energy.

Meditation has also been an incredible help. I can be in the lowest place, I sit, I watch the breath and then there is peace, bliss, gratitude

Good luck