Thyroid function tests

[Guest guest]

Hi - this is a case of yet another endo wanting to titrate

your dose according to the results of your blood tests. When taking natural

thyroid extract you need to increase your dose by half a grain every 3 to 4

weeks until you find your sweet spot where your symptoms start to disappear and

you start getting back a normal life. Your Free T4 is too low and another

increase might show this increasing. The average dose for natural thyroid

extract is between 2 and 2.5 grains - but I am on 3 grains and many are on

higher - and some on lower. Dr P takes 6 grains daily.

Of course your TSH will be very suppressed on natural thyroid

extract, but it should be. There is no need for any TSH if your body is

getting sufficient T4 and T3 which it will be once you are on the right dose.

Your Free T4 is low in the range, and I must admit I have never seen a

reference range for Free T4 with the bottom level at 8. Usually, the bottom is around

9 but if does depend on what 'kit' the laboratory is using. You need to

titrate your dose according to how YOU feel, not what your blood results tell

you that you should feel - only don't increase your dose by more than half a

grain and not less than 3 to 4 weeks. Make sure your B12, Vitamin D3, ferritin,

magnesium, zinc and copper are all well up in the reference range and that your

adrenals are not fatigued and that you don't have candida - any of these can

stop your thyroid hormone from working as it should.

Luv - Sheila

Got results back

today from my May bloods and July ones. On 1 1/2 grains of Armour, which I

started properly on Sunday, after confusing the dosage and only taking 1 1/4.

OBVIOUSLY, still operating with ONE brain cell, but never mind.

The July bloods came

back as:

FreeT4 9.5 (8.0-21.0)

Free T3 5.2 (2.5-6.0)

TSH 1.1 (0.2-4.0)

Endo said that these

were pretty good results for only being on 1 grain, (previously Free T4 was

10.5, Free T3 4.5 and TSH 5.4--and that was on 1/2 Grain).

He said I may not

need to increase to 2 grains depending on the next test that I will have on 3rd

September, but I'm keen to try!! He feels that the TSH will possibly go to low

if I increase to 2. But aren't I not to have the focuss on the TSH? Isn't that

supposed to be the LEAST important result, trying to get the T4 to mid range to

around 14-15 and get the T3 towards the top of the range, which it already

seems to be?

By the way, I'm

FEELING quite rubbish at the mo, and have been since I'd not increased the last

dose properly, whereas before I'd been finding improved symptoms, generally.

[Guest guest]

Thanks Sheila. I'm a bit upset about the controlling nature of the labs he's so

keen to see all the time. Suppose I can always try a higher dose in future, then

tell him I feel so much better on the higher dose than what we'd " agreed " , and

he'll just have to accept it. I can't see him denying me feeling better, make me

lower the dose and feel worse!

Did you see my post about my trip to Australia?

Luv-

>

> Hi - this is a case of yet another endo wanting to titrate your dose

> according to the results of your blood tests. When taking natural thyroid

> extract you need to increase your dose by half a grain every 3 to 4 weeks

> until you find your sweet spot where your symptoms start to disappear and

> you start getting back a normal life.

[Guest guest]

Most endocrinologists have a " controlling nature " of

the labs. They dare not put a foot wrong. They know that other doctors have

been reported for increasing thyroid hormones when the labs have been within

the normal reference range, and even give a diagnosis when these are normal,

and they know they could be hauled before the GMC - so no doctor wants to go

down that road. I saw my own endo today and I told him that really, I am so

well, I didn't really need to see him again (I have to go every six months). He

told me that because I am taking Armour, and because of the Royal College of

Physicians stance regarding this, that he must see me every 6 months to take my

TFT's and check I am still OK. I think you are right to go ahead with your

proposed plan of action - after all, you were previously on a high dose of

levothyroxine alone and you are nowhere near to that equivalent yet.

He is a lovely thoughtful man, and he would want what is best

for you.

Luv - Sheila

Thanks Sheila. I'm a bit upset about the controlling nature of the labs he's so

keen to see all the time. Suppose I can always try a higher dose in future,

then tell him I feel so much better on the higher dose than what we'd

" agreed " , and he'll just have to accept it. I can't see him denying

me feeling better, make me lower the dose and feel worse!

Did you see my post about my trip to Australia?

Luv-

---

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Try again!

T3 quite good ,but still room for an increase- T4 wll be lowish on Armour.

Ignore TSH as this will always be zero on Armour. I'd ask for a dose

increase as you are obviously on the right track, but not there yet.

Remember not to take Armour on the day of test until after blood has been

drawn- this is VERY important.

-----

Subject: RE: Thyroid function tests

Try again in Plain text.

Luv - Sheila

Subject: RE: Thyroid function tests

 

Got results back today from my May bloods and July ones. On 1 1/2 grains of

Armour, which I started properly on Sunday, after confusing the dosage and

only taking 1 1/4. OBVIOUSLY, still operating with ONE brain cell, but never

mind.

The July bloods came back as:

•         FreeT4 9.5 (8.0-21.0)

•         Free T3 5.2 (2.5-6.0)

•         TSH 1.1 (0.2-4.0)

Endo said that these were pretty good results for only being on 1 grain,

(previously Free T4 was 10.5, Free T3 4.5 and TSH 5.4--and that was on 1/2

Grain).

He said I may not need to increase to 2 grains depending on the next test

that I will have on 3rd September, but I'm keen to try!! He feels that the

TSH will possibly go to low if I increase to 2. But aren't I not to have the

focuss on the TSH? Isn't that supposed to be the LEAST important result,

trying to get the T4 to mid range to around 14-15 and get the T3 towards the

top of the range, which it already seems to be?

Need advice please!

Thanks-

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.53/2299 - Release Date: 08/13/09

18:16:00

[Guest guest]

Everybody who has been told their thyroid function tests have

been returned within the normal reference range should listen to Dr Hotze

explain why these tests are NOT ACCURATE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSwgUndHcqU & feature=sub

Luv - Sheila

[Guest guest]

Sheila

I have just been looking at all these videos, and it makes a mockery of the

thyroid tests. Before I joined these forums I had downloaded an article from THE

GOVERNMENT and this one on blood test results, they said that the accuracy of

blood tests depends on the Doctor who reads them being your GP. This in turn

leads to some patients being referred for treatment quicker than others, and it

applies to kidney tests as well. In other words blood tests on their own are not

accurate. I put this to my former GP and he said it takes a long time to be able

to read these test results. This means a young Doctor lacks this experiance.

I also looked at the other videos and it confuses me even more. The Endo that I

was referred to said the cause was autoimmune, and I felt more active before

they increased thyroxine. It also upsets my stomach each time they increase it,

and all I can say is that thyroxine does not take long to get into the system,

yet they usually allow 3 months between tests. I have always said test results

are not reliable and not just thyroid. Symptoms alone are more correct and this

is how a Doctor diagnosed years ago, and they even examined the neck for

swellings, but not so today.

Kathleen

[Guest guest]

Doctors are not even taught how to read thyroid function tests

Kathleen, at best, if the laboratory writes " normal " at the side of

the test result, that's all they want to know. It matters not to them whether

it is low, middle or top of the range normal. What is so frightening is that once

doctors tell you that you are normal and do not have a thyroid problem, they

never go further to find out what is causing all your symptoms and signs.

Doctors should, if they had time, check your level after 6 to 8 weeks, because

thyroxine can take up to 6 weeks to get properly into your system. It's a

mainly inactive hormone which has to convert to the active hormone T3. It is T3

that makes every cell in your body and brain function - it is not the mainly

inactive thyroxine (T4). Also, as was stated in the video, serum thyroid

function tests ONLY check the level of thyroid hormone actually in your blood -

they do NOT check the level of thyroid hormone in your cells.

Luv - Sheila

I also looked at the other videos and it confuses me even more. The Endo that I

was referred to said the cause was autoimmune, and I felt more active before

they increased thyroxine. It also upsets my stomach each time they increase it,

and all I can say is that thyroxine does not take long to get into the system,

yet they usually allow 3 months between tests. I have always said test results

are not reliable and not just thyroid. Symptoms alone are more correct and this

is how a Doctor diagnosed years ago, and they even examined the neck for

swellings, but not so today.

Kathleen

No virus

found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 8.5.435 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2704 - Release Date: 02/24/10

19:34:00