I've just put up a new blog post which references a truly insightful article by Dr. Kent Holtorf about treating thryoid disease and why sometimes T3 replacement therapy is needed.
You can find this on my 'Recovering with T3' book Facebook page: http:/facebook.com/recoveringwitht3.
Best wishes,
Paul
p.s. if you can't find it for any reason then you can see it on my website at: recoveringwitht3.com/blog/d...
I'll read this tomorrow as off to bed now, we missed you today Paul, you would have had some fun with us and the baby monkey 
xx
Loved to have been there but not in UK today. Really wanted to meet you and others.
It will happen on another occasion.
Really missed kissing the baby monkey on the forehead also
yes am sure there will be another occasion, plus, next time you'll hear me playing the violin 
(maybe that will put you off coming!)
Baby monkey, backwards on a pig, baby monkey
Yes I would have been good to see you Paul and Janeb
No idea what you are talking about Clare but I'm enjoying it and am intrigued!
Just to remind everyone that Dr. Kent Holtorf is a Thyroid UK adviser.
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/About_...
Jane x
Hi Paul, I always read on this website about the wonders of T3. But having been prescribed this recently by my Endo, I have to say its not for me. Im back on my Levo 125mcg one day 100mcg the next. I suppose im quite lucky because they tested my bloods for B12 folate, adrenalins Vit D etc, and all were normal (im awaiting the vitD as that takes abit longer to come through). Im still having bad days, but feel much happier on the meds that Im used to.
However, if T3 is working for most, then thats great - it,s whatever suits the individual. I will read the article later on, not long got up. Take Care, Kath
Everyone needs the meds that suit them and work for them. If T4 is working for you then you are generating enough FT3 yourself and why would you want to change. T3 is tricky to use and needs very careful titration of doses - not something anyone should take on unless the other thyroid medications do not work well.
Take care yourself Kath!
Paul
Has anybody noticed that the UK FT3 'Normal Range' sort of sits over the FT3 danger zone for DCMP (congenital heart disease) ~ upper limit 5.4 pmol/l
Why is the UK FT3 'Normal Range' so much narrower than the US FT3 'Normal Range' with an upper limit in the 7.7 pmol/l area?
The ranges a reference intervals and not any fixed numbers that are the same for all laboratories, Supposedly the laboratories measuring FT3 have done their own statistics based on a large sample of patients (most having have no thyroid disease but some may have undiagnosed thyroid disease). They throw away outliers i.e. extreme high or low readings (some of these may be valid of course). So, it is possible due to the population and certainly due to the method of measuring FT3 that is used and the statistical methods that are applied that different labs end up with different reference intervals for FT3. There is no guarantee of one range from one lab being the same as the range from another lab.
I don't know if the USA endos have given their labs a different set of criteria for applying the statistics - it is possible and this would introduce further variation.
It is no surprise that the rigid use of reference intervals or ranges is NOT helpful for some sick people as these are statistical creations that do not account for individuals who have metabolic problems and need higher levels of thyroid hormones (and sometimes NDT or T3) to make them well again.
Don't know if this helps to fill in some bits of the answer to your question - but it is as close as I can get.
Best wishes,
Paul
Thanks Paul have linked to my fb to spread the word x
welcome. I have friends in the USA who cant believe that we do not get the correct treatment we need here compared to them. I am happy to post any Thyroid items and I do so publicly to get the message out as much as I can.
Thanks for all you do Paul
You are very welcome GuardianAngel ..... we collectively will eventually get some changes happening!
I hope so Paul. I am lucky as I am not as bad a lot of others but I have had my fair share of problems.
Best Wishes Karen
Thanks again Karen!
I have been put on Natural Dessicated Thyroid (Armour) by my Endo..but still cannot lose any weight..Have put on well over 4 stone since being diagnosed initially with overactive, then having had RAI went underactive.....Thyroxine made me SO ill..I have several severe intolerances to synthetic meds (hence Endo popped me on Armour)..also had liothyronine whilst taking thyroxine,STILL put on weight..Can I take liothyronine with Armour??Anyone?
Or does anyone know WHAT I can do to shift this weight as I also suffer DDD/ ME/CFS/ Fibromyalgia/ Sjogrens Syndrome/ Osteoarthritis and IBS and CANNOT physically carry this much weight on my already chronically painful bones/ muscles/ joints...HELP!!!..
Lab tests are absolutely necessary at this stage. Genova Diagnostics have a good facility to test:
FT3, Reverse T3, FT4, TSH
Adrenal Stress Test (otherwise known as an adrenal saliva test).
You are fortunate that as a member of Thyroid UK you can apply online to do these tests with Genova diagnostics or contact them by email and give Lyn's name as the practitioner. You don't need your own doctor in the UK to be the practitioner.
The NHS can test TSH, FT4 and FT3 (even though they have to be pushed hard to test FT3) but they don't do the reverse T3 and adrenal tests. The adrenal test tests free cortisol in saliva and this is much more accurate than blood testing.
You should also have the full iron panel that I recommend in Chapter 4 of 'Recovering with T3', which includes: serum iron, serum ferritin and transferrin saturation %.
Low cortisol or low iron levels can prevent thyroid hormone working.
Many people do not process T4 correctly - even when this is in Armour. Sometimes this is due to things like low cortisol, low iron, poor digestive system health (e.g. gluten sensitivity), low B12, low folate, etc. However, some people just cannot manage to process T4 at all and need T3 only treatment.
The way forward is to have the right lab tests done - not the ones allowed by the NHS but the complete look at the problem.
Good luck!
Best wishes,
Paul
Hi Paul...
Was the above answer for me??? I am VERY new to this site so am only just slowly finding my way around... I am very confused with your answer ( don't know who Lyn is??)
My Endo ordered adrenal tests when I was placed on Armour.They came back ok ( so he said...I have no idea what is right OR wrong)..
He is one of the top Endos in the UK.....but still cannot seem to get my levels right completely.
I've been going through ''being a guinea pig'' for almost 6 years now and am tired with trying to find an answer to my weight probs...
I also suffer BAD brain fog/memory probs..so all you have said has just panicked me as I just don't know where to start..and get NO support from my GP..At all..
My reply was indented - so yes it was for you.
If you are in the UK then your endo probably tested blood cortisol - not the same as four samples of saliva free cortisol.
I don't care who he is - the diagnostic approach and treatment approach by most endos is not nearly good enough.
I stand by my previous reply - I suggest getting the specific tests done that I mentioned if you want to understand what is going on. The alternative is to place yourself in the hands of your doctor and trust them. Many of us did this for years and found it the most god awful waste of years of our lives. This is why I and many others decide to do our own research and take control of our own health. This is why I wrote 'Recovering with T3'. In your case I am not suggesting T3 treatment but I do suspect that Armour isn't working for you. The question is why isn't it working. The lab tests suggested should show why ...... your endo won't do them so you'd need to take charge.
There is no easy way to fix thyroid issues in the UK that don't respond to treatment by doctors ...... the road can involve much private investigation on the part of the patient.
I don't mean to panic you but I also don't want you to waste any more years. Years lost due to bad thyroid diagnosis and treatment don't disappear in large amounts .... they go in small numbers of weeks and months. It is a 'death of a thousand cuts' ....... I'd like you to avoid any more of this.
My very best wishes,
Paul
Hi Paul...
Thank you so much for your advice..So how do I go about getting these tests that you advise..and do you have any idea how much they will cost me... as I am registered disabled so do not have a very high income...BTW I am in the UK...
Blessings, Glynis...(aka SmileyMiley...:))
See my first message to you above starting with 'Lab tests are absolutely necessary'.
Thank you Paul....I will have to get my partner to look into it all for me as I am not very technologically minded, and will get lost/confused on Genovas site...
I will take note and see how I get on with getting any tests done (presuming Genova are in the UK??)..
UK yes. Adrenal test done by saliva and through mail/courier service.
FT3/rT3 etc I am not sure how they do it.
