Re: T3 question

[Guest guest]

Brit,

You wrote:

> My current labs are :

> T4 total 8.3 (4.5-12.5)

> T3 Free 2.1 (2.3-4.2)

> T4 free 1.1 (0.8-1.8

> TSH 2.2 (0.40-4.50)

> I am on levoxyl .50mcg and 3.75 compounded T3 morning and 3.75 T3 after

> lunch.

> My Dr wants my T3 within range but I am scared to up it because earlier

> this year I was hospitalized with atrial fibrillation due to a foolish

> Dr prescribing a T4/T3 compound that was too high in T3 (I switched

> Drs)....

These are complex readings. I would suggest you go ahead and try the T3

increase, but do it in small increments. Next test, request a total T3,

along with the rest of this panel. The good news with T3 is that you can

quickly cut back. If your afib persisted last time, it is likely you had

too much T4.

It is more common with a T3 medication for the T4/FT4 to be below the

range. Your numbers suggest you are getting plenty of T4. However, your

dosage is quite modest, which says you are still in an early stage of

thyroid failure. Thus, the afib could simply have been a case of the

Hashimoto's roller coaster.

The low FT3 could be due to binding, conversion, RT3, or adrenal issues.

The total T3 could eliminate some of these. Or, it could be caused by

timing. If you skipped more than one T3 dose before the test, this might

have made the FT3 appear low. Did the doctor give you specific

instructions about that?

You might ask the doctor to test RT3 as well, although he may think it

is too early to even consider that.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

I apologize, I posted again and then realized you had responded to my original

post. I was surprised to see that T4 could have caused the prior problem that I

attributed to too much T3, something I never thought about. Is there any

drawback to having the T3 lower than it should be (its pretty close to the

range)? Btw test was done early afternoon - 5 hours after morning dose of

Levoxyl and T3 and just prior to afternoon dose. Thanks again for your input.

Have had Hashis for almost 20 years and did just great on 3/4 grain total of

Armour daily until I got switched to the compound T4/T3 and who knows what the

ratios were altho supposed to have been the same as the Armour. brit

> > My current labs are :

> > T4 total 8.3 (4.5-12.5)

> > T3 Free 2.1 (2.3-4.2)

> > T4 free 1.1 (0.8-1.8

> > TSH 2.2 (0.40-4.50)

> > I am on levoxyl .50mcg and 3.75 compounded T3 morning and 3.75 T3 after

> > lunch.

> > My Dr wants my T3 within range but I am scared to up it because earlier

> > this year I was hospitalized with atrial fibrillation due to a foolish

> > Dr prescribing a T4/T3 compound that was too high in T3 (I switched

> > Drs)....

>

> These are complex readings. I would suggest you go ahead and try the T3

> increase, but do it in small increments. Next test, request a total T3,

> along with the rest of this panel. The good news with T3 is that you can

> quickly cut back. If your afib persisted last time, it is likely you had

> too much T4.

>

> It is more common with a T3 medication for the T4/FT4 to be below the

> range. Your numbers suggest you are getting plenty of T4. However, your

> dosage is quite modest, which says you are still in an early stage of

> thyroid failure. Thus, the afib could simply have been a case of the

> Hashimoto's roller coaster.

>

> The low FT3 could be due to binding, conversion, RT3, or adrenal issues.

> The total T3 could eliminate some of these. Or, it could be caused by

> timing. If you skipped more than one T3 dose before the test, this might

> have made the FT3 appear low. Did the doctor give you specific

> instructions about that?

>

> You might ask the doctor to test RT3 as well, although he may think it

> is too early to even consider that.

>

> Chuck

>