Are test results important or how you feel?

[Tabbycat76]

I’ve been taking Armour thyroid meds since May after being on Thyroxine for 30 years. I’ve been feeling not too bad, got more energy and motivation and lost weight. My last blood test results indicated that I needed to increase my meds but if I try to take more than 1.5 grains, I feel terrible… anxious, palpitations, headache, pain all over. And my more recent results are worse:

[SlowDragon Administrator]

have you tried increasing by 1/4 grain …..

Are you currently taking 1 and 1/2 grains as single dose, or splitting as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day ?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

was this test done early morning and day before test did you split dose so that last 1/2 grain was approx 8-12 hours before test

[fiftyone]

please note I'm not a doctor but from my own experience I would say how you feel trumps any formal results.

Doctors come out in a sweat at my results but I feel fine and have done so for some 20 years. My TSH is fully suppressed, something like. 0.005. My T4 is about six points above the formal range but, interestingly, my T3 is highish but within range. I always remind doctors to take my T3 otherwise the results send the whole medical profession into a panic. I feel absolutely terrible if just 25mcg of thyroxine is reduced from my daily 175 mcg dose.

Consultants have refused to try me on T3 instead of such high T4 - I have suggested it - but I am not too worried cos the current thyroxine dose seems to suit me.

So I go by how I feel and, thankfully, doctors and consultants accept this now,

[Litatamon]

Very interested to hear replies. great question.

I have similar results on NDT. TSH at 32, when normal range stops at 4. T4 outside of range (low) but my T3 is hanging on in range, but low.

But I too feel so much better than when I was on Synthroid, a lot of positive changes. Still issues but some hopeful changes.

[pennyannie]

Hello Ralphmissy :

Whilst I understand that NDT has been successfully used to treat hypothyroidism for over 100 years and long before we even knew of the content of pig thyroid or had the science of blood tests I am confused by your results.

True there are no blood tests applicable and you treat with NDT to the relief of symptoms.

What confuses me is that I have been self medicating with NDT for some 5 years now and I too am much improved but my results look nothing like yours.

If you wish to run a thyroid blood test, the guidelines and ranges are based on Big Pharma's T3 and T4 synthetic thyroid hormone replacement products which were launched on the back of the success of NDT in around the middle of the last century.

As I understand things on NDT you will likely run with a low suppressed TSH and probably a lower T4 than when taking T4- Levothyroxine/Synthroid but your T3 will likely be higher in range than when taking T4.

For instance - when taking T4 my T3 was around 25% and my T4 around 100% through the ranges but after I'd switched to NDT and settled on my dose after 8 weeks on 1 + 1/2 grains my T3 was around 100% and my T4 around 25% through the ranges and i felt so much better.

Did you experience similar when you switched over from Levothyroxine ?

Obviously timing of last dose to blood draw will also affect results, and whether you take your dose all at once or split throughout the day.

I'm with Graves Disease post RAI and only take 1 + 1/2 grains daily at around 3.00 am to dovetail in with the circadian rhythm of the body and feel much improved.

I was previously on T4 - Levothyroxine 100/125 mcg daily but dose reduced on just TSH readings making me very unwell but told I was overmedicated and I eventually jumped ship and started looking after myself.

No thyroid hormone replacement works well until your core strength vitamins and minerals - those of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are up and maintained at optimal levels - do you have any results of these and what have you been diagnosed with and are you self medicating or being monitored by a doctor ?

What were your T3 and T4 readings when on Levothyroxine and what are your most recent readings so we have a comparison to these older results ?

[jamesal0]

No in a word. Take NDT using how you feel as the no1 guide