Lab results , here we go!

[Merema]

Hi all,

So I've been diagnosed with Hashimotos for 30 years. It took me 20+ years on Synthroid and feeling crappy to educate myself as to why. Well I learned of T3 and it was added bout 11 years ago.

Last year on a visit my bp was elevated, I went to a cardio and had all tests . All was fine but said maybe stop the second t3 dose and see if you feel ok. I was taking 100 unithroid and t3 5mcg 2x/day.

So after monitoring Bp all was fine and my Endo said let's keep with one dose t3.

I did that for a whole year, I immediately felt worse with hypo symptoms. So when I went for my annual and my labs indicated my tsh was 1.75 I immediately told Dr I want my second dose back. My ft3 had fallen to 2.7 from 3.2. Dr agreed

So my labs were done yesterday after the addition of t3 ( 7 weeks later)

Tsh 0.30 (0.40-4.50)

Ft4 1.2 (0.8-1.8)

Ft3 3.2 (2.3-4.2)

So the Dr will definitely call me when she receives these results.

I feel much better than I did, Bp is fine, but I'm bracing myself for her reaction to my low TSH

Do you think my dose of t4 should be lowered? I' was on this for years and this is the lowest I've seen my tsh. Just wondering what Dr will say, truthfully I'd like to see my Ft3 a bit higher. Ok thanks all!

[greygoose]

Doesn't matter what he says, he doesn't have to live in your body. And TSH is irrelevant, anyway. If you're taking T3 it's going to be low, and if he doesn't know that he shouldn't be prescribing it. You don't need it. It's low because your pituitary has decided you don't need it anymore now that you're taking T3. And your pituitary is right. You don't need it. It has no further use.

Don't let your doctor bully you into reducing your dose due to a low TSH. He's there to advise you, not to dictate to you. And there is no low that says you have to take his advice. Your body, your health, your life - he doesn't have to live with the consequences of his 'advice'. You do.

[Merema in reply to greygoose]

Thank you , that's exactly what I'm gonna say. Like I said, I went an entire year with just the one 5 mcg t3 dose, I'm not ignorant I Know my body was missing the other dose. However I played the game and now I'm not willing to change it.

My son is an Emergency Room Physician Assistant so if my Dr refuses to order the proper amount of T3 med. he's my back up. I'll get it one way or another lol.

[greygoose in reply to Merema]

Good for you!

[Merema in reply to greygoose]

So I just got the call from the Endo office. They said the Dr wants a follow up! I said to discuss labs? The woman said follow up is for change of dose! So I said fine, you all know the .30 tsh is the reason I have to pay another copay.

I'll hear what she has to say, but I'm ready to tell her regardless of the lab value all my symptoms, ( constipation, fatigue, low motivation and a gain of 4 lbs have reversed)

So I'm gonna have to compromise to get the tsh up a very tiny bit. You think if the t4 med is lowered I can continue the 10 mcg t3 daily? The t3 is what helps me tremendously.

Ok so off I go in 2 weeks for follow up 🙄

[jgelliss in reply to greygoose]

GG Thank You for your Great Thyroid understanding.

[greygoose]

No, I don't think lowering your levo is going to raise the TSH the slightest little bit - although that's probably what she's going to suggest because they seem incapable of learning by experience. It's the T3 that is suppressing it, so how is lowering the T4 going to help? Not that your TSH needs raising, it isn't even that low, but they don't understand that. I would just refuse to reduce anything.

[Merema in reply to greygoose]

Yea I think I'm in for an argument. I'm so sick of these TSH driven Endos. I am wondering why my tSH dropped so low. I had this dose before and tsh remained near 1. I will be sure to reiterate that too. So I guess I'll hear her out. Thanks grey goose 😊

[Merema in reply to Merema]

So I just had a lightbulb moment. I went back to see my labs the last few years in the 100 T4and 10mg t3. The lowest tsh went was 0.75. Do I just realized I've been eating 2 Brazil nuts for the selenium daily since my endo told me to 7 weeks ago. That could explain the lower TSH, I'm sure that's it. She told me it will lower antibodies but I read it can also lower TSH. Wonder if she knows this ?

[greygoose in reply to Merema]

Pretty sure it would only lower the TSH if it raised the FT3. Lots of people eat Brazil nuts for the selenium content to improve conversion, they don't all suddenly have low TSH without the FT3 rising. I've never heard of selenium reducing antibodies, either - which wouldn't help anything, anyway - so sounds to me like your endo is a little confused.