Re: Recommendations for dosing prior to blood test

[Guest guest]

Katy, there are two schools of thought on this – one side saying DON”T TAKE ANY MEDS THE DAY OF....

And the one that says, YES, TAKE YOUR MEDS — they are doing “spot checks’ to see how you are doing ON THE MEDS - not off them.

I personally had blood work done by two doctors, same lab, same panel of tests. Thursday I took my meds, Friday I did not.

The difference in results was inconsequential...

Sue

Hello all

I'm having a blood test in just over week's time and I am considering

when I should stop my meds before the test.

The test is at 2 pm on the Monday. I am currently multidosing 1/2

grain every three hours to a total of 2 grains. This means that I may

not complete my dosing until as late as 5 pm in the day, depending on

when I wake in the morning. I would usually want to stop meds 24

hours before the blood test so I can be sure there is no residual meds

in my bloodstream for the test, so should I re-jig my meds so I take

them all before 2 pm the day before (and if so, how?) or should I just

take them as usual the day before and hope for the best?

Thoughts anyone?

Katy

[Guest guest]

Katy, there are two schools of thought on this – one side saying DON”T TAKE ANY MEDS THE DAY OF....

And the one that says, YES, TAKE YOUR MEDS — they are doing “spot checks’ to see how you are doing ON THE MEDS - not off them.

I personally had blood work done by two doctors, same lab, same panel of tests. Thursday I took my meds, Friday I did not.

The difference in results was inconsequential...

Sue

Hello all

I'm having a blood test in just over week's time and I am considering

when I should stop my meds before the test.

The test is at 2 pm on the Monday. I am currently multidosing 1/2

grain every three hours to a total of 2 grains. This means that I may

not complete my dosing until as late as 5 pm in the day, depending on

when I wake in the morning. I would usually want to stop meds 24

hours before the blood test so I can be sure there is no residual meds

in my bloodstream for the test, so should I re-jig my meds so I take

them all before 2 pm the day before (and if so, how?) or should I just

take them as usual the day before and hope for the best?

Thoughts anyone?

Katy

[Guest guest]

Katy, there are two schools of thought on this – one side saying DON”T TAKE ANY MEDS THE DAY OF....

And the one that says, YES, TAKE YOUR MEDS — they are doing “spot checks’ to see how you are doing ON THE MEDS - not off them.

I personally had blood work done by two doctors, same lab, same panel of tests. Thursday I took my meds, Friday I did not.

The difference in results was inconsequential...

Sue

Hello all

I'm having a blood test in just over week's time and I am considering

when I should stop my meds before the test.

The test is at 2 pm on the Monday. I am currently multidosing 1/2

grain every three hours to a total of 2 grains. This means that I may

not complete my dosing until as late as 5 pm in the day, depending on

when I wake in the morning. I would usually want to stop meds 24

hours before the blood test so I can be sure there is no residual meds

in my bloodstream for the test, so should I re-jig my meds so I take

them all before 2 pm the day before (and if so, how?) or should I just

take them as usual the day before and hope for the best?

Thoughts anyone?

Katy

[Guest guest]

Personally I'd take them normally the day before... then on the day of

not take any until after the blood draw.

The reason for taking labs is to check what your body is doing with the

thyroid hormone. The major hormone used by our body is T3. To determine

if there is enough of this essential hormone in your blood what you need

to know is how well you convert hormone. That is well does your body

convert the T4 into T3... how well is your body converting some of that

T3 into T2... and how will it's converting the T2 into T1.

Since they can only check the T4 and the T3 we have to know how well that

is converting. And since they can only check the hormone that is moving

in the blood and not the T4 that is stored (remember T4 is the thyroid

storage hormone, it's stored in the tissues and then converted as needed,

insufficient levels of stored T4 means there isn't enough for your body

to convert to the active hormones when they are needed for us to live.)

By skipping meds that day of..... the labs are going to show the levels

of hormones that have built up in your body by checking what is still

moving in the blood stream. If you take any T3 (either as Cytomel or what

would be in a desiccated product like Armour) that test will be showing

what is in your blood as a result of what you have taken and NOT what

your body has made.

So the question becomes do you want to know what levels are in your blood

as a result of the last dose or two that you took... or do you want to

know what your body is doing with what you've been taking over the last

month or two?

If your body is relying on the bits of hormone that you are shooting to

it with your dosing (be it a single dose or multiple doses per day) you

have no buffer zone to fall back on for periods of stress, increased

activity, skipping a meal, staying up late on a Friday night.... or

anything else that our body's have to deal with now and again in addition

to our regular day....

I have to multi dose... it has to do with my being a poor converter....

I'm doing much better with being late on a dose now than I was a couple

of years ago.. but I can still feel the sluggishness when I've missed a

dose. My personal goal is to try to get my body to the point where it's

able to work at it's best throughout that day, and night, and not just

for a period of time after a dose and then going into hibernation until

the next dose.

You have to do what you feel is right for you... I can't tell you one way

or the other.... but that's is my take on it based on all the reading

I've done and my own personal observations.

My labs showed my levels at rock bottom when I had them done, that was

with about a 14 hour med fast.... that more or less proves to me that my

body at that date (February '05) was able to 'hang in there' between

doses.. but was not at optimal....

My dose has come up since then, I think that is why I'm better able to

handle being late with a dose than I was then.

Oh, Katy... I heard this a week or two ago but kept forgetting to email

you.... they had a bit on the news about new words and phrases being

added to the Merriam Webster Dictionary... among them was Google....

and..... roll drum...... 'Mouse Potato' That just cracked me up.... I

know someone that is in the dictionary!!!! hehehehe

Topper ()

On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 12:10:46 -0000 " Katy "

writes:

> Hello all

>

> I'm having a blood test in just over week's time and I am

> considering

> when I should stop my meds before the test.

>

> The test is at 2 pm on the Monday. I am currently multidosing 1/2

> grain every three hours to a total of 2 grains. This means that I

> may

> not complete my dosing until as late as 5 pm in the day, depending

> on

> when I wake in the morning. I would usually want to stop meds 24

> hours before the blood test so I can be sure there is no residual

> meds

> in my bloodstream for the test, so should I re-jig my meds so I take

>

> them all before 2 pm the day before (and if so, how?) or should I

> just

> take them as usual the day before and hope for the best?

>

> Thoughts anyone?

>

> Katy

[Guest guest]

Hi Topper

Since you recommended that I start taking my meds as soon as I wake,

and then a few weeks later I divided my doses into four instead of

two, I have noticed a positive difference in how I feel, and also my

body temps appear much more stable (it has only been 10 days,

however). This just confirms to me that I too am a poor converter.

I always had the feeling from other symptoms - and my T3 is the only

TFT which is anywhere near low.

I forgot to ask what to do about taking the meds again after the

test. I can take my first dose that day at about 2.15 pm - but I

will need to take 2 grains in total! What do you suggest for dosing

on that day?

Tee hee Mousepotato!! I've had that ID since 1997 so maybe I

invented it!

Katy

> I have to multi dose... it has to do with my being a poor

converter....

> I'm doing much better with being late on a dose now than I was a

couple

> of years ago.. but I can still feel the sluggishness when I've

missed a

> dose. My personal goal is to try to get my body to the point where

it's

> able to work at it's best throughout that day, and night, and not

just

> for a period of time after a dose and then going into hibernation

until

> the next dose.

>

> You have to do what you feel is right for you... I can't tell you

one way

> or the other.... but that's is my take on it based on all the

reading

> I've done and my own personal observations.

>

> My labs showed my levels at rock bottom when I had them done, that

was

> with about a 14 hour med fast.... that more or less proves to me

that my

> body at that date (February '05) was able to 'hang in there'

between

> doses.. but was not at optimal....

>

> My dose has come up since then, I think that is why I'm better

able to

> handle being late with a dose than I was then.

>

> Oh, Katy... I heard this a week or two ago but kept forgetting to

email

> you.... they had a bit on the news about new words and phrases

being

> added to the Merriam Webster Dictionary... among them was

Google....

> and..... roll drum...... 'Mouse Potato' That just cracked me

up.... I

> know someone that is in the dictionary!!!! hehehehe

>

> Topper ()

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hello all

> >

> > I'm having a blood test in just over week's time and I am

considering

> > when I should stop my meds before the test.

> >

> > The test is at 2 pm on the Monday. I am currently multidosing

1/2

> > grain every three hours to a total of 2 grains. This means that

I may

> > not complete my dosing until as late as 5 pm in the day,

depending on

> > when I wake in the morning. I would usually want to stop meds 24

> > hours before the blood test so I can be sure there is no

residual meds

> > in my bloodstream for the test, so should I re-jig my meds so I

take

> > them all before 2 pm the day before (and if so, how?) or should

I just

> > take them as usual the day before and hope for the best?

> >

> > Thoughts anyone?

> >

> > Katy

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your thoughts, Sue, that's interesting.

My doc has not specified either way that I should or should not take

the meds on the day, so I have decided for myself not to take them.

I can understand the results better if I don't anyway.

Katy

>

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hello all

> >

> > I'm having a blood test in just over week's time and I am

considering

> > when I should stop my meds before the test.

> >

> > The test is at 2 pm on the Monday. I am currently multidosing

1/2

> > grain every three hours to a total of 2 grains. This means that

I may

> > not complete my dosing until as late as 5 pm in the day,

depending on

> > when I wake in the morning. I would usually want to stop meds 24

> > hours before the blood test so I can be sure there is no

residual meds

> > in my bloodstream for the test, so should I re-jig my meds so I

take

> > them all before 2 pm the day before (and if so, how?) or should

I just

> > take them as usual the day before and hope for the best?

> >

> > Thoughts anyone?

> >

> > Katy

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

When I did mine... and for whatever comes up where I mess up timing of

doses.... I stick to the regular schedule just as if nothing were

missed... but then I dose right up until bed time.

If you take ALL of it to make up for what is missed your body gets the

full hit off all that T3 later in the day... if you are someone that is

sensitive to the higher level of T3 all at once it can put a strain on

your heart and might keep you up that night....

When you consider that our 'ideal' dosing is to aim for the same process

our bodies followed when we had a gland... theoretically if your T4

storage level is adequate it will compensate for the missed dose.... then

you pick up taking your dosing after the labs and the T4 level is

replaced... the thing that is of more consequence is the level of the

active hormones... and we can't do a heck of a lot about that ... you

survive the time you go that morning without the doses.... with your body

producing the T3 that it's using for that morning...... and the tests

'should' reflect that....

I hope that made sense.... my next post will explain why I'm so

flubbergusted right now... I HOPE you guys will laugh with me to keep me

from going into a full blown panic attack!

I've had my ID (topper2) since 96 or so... and then toppertwo at yahoo

was a year or two later....

It's interesting, to me, how much of a difference some of us notice when

we start on T3.. be it cytomel or in a natural... for me... four years

ago yesterday... my body, and my mind, felt RIGHT for the first time in

over ten years... Just a feeling that something that I'd not even

realized was missing was just back.... Gosh.. my brain has been fixated

on that weekend.... Anyway... I'm glad that early first dose timing has

been helpful to you too.... it made a HUGE difference for me...

Topper ()

On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 17:09:58 -0000 " Katy "

writes:

>

> Hi Topper

>

> Since you recommended that I start taking my meds as soon as I wake,

> and then a few weeks later I divided my doses into four instead of

> two, I have noticed a positive difference in how I feel, and also my

> body temps appear much more stable (it has only been 10 days,

> however). This just confirms to me that I too am a poor converter.

> I always had the feeling from other symptoms - and my T3 is the only

> TFT which is anywhere near low.

> I forgot to ask what to do about taking the meds again after the

> test. I can take my first dose that day at about 2.15 pm - but I

> will need to take 2 grains in total! What do you suggest for dosing

> on that day?

> Tee hee Mousepotato!! I've had that ID since 1997 so maybe I

> invented it!

>

> Katy

[Guest guest]

Hiya -

Sorry for the delay in replying. We were out all day yesterday

putting my 16-year-old DD on the plane to your side of the pond!

She is now nestled in MD staying with good friends for two weeks.

First time transatlantic flight all on her own!

Anyway, thanks for the thoughts about dosing after the test, but I'm

not sure what you suggest if I don't take the full dose. Maybe 1

grain divided - 1/2 at about 2 and 1/2 at about 5? That is my basic

half day dose. If I don't take the full dose, will it maybe knock

on to further days with hypo symptoms perhaps?

TIA

Katy

>

> When I did mine... and for whatever comes up where I mess up

timing of

> doses.... I stick to the regular schedule just as if nothing were

> missed... but then I dose right up until bed time.

>

> If you take ALL of it to make up for what is missed your body gets

the

> full hit off all that T3 later in the day... if you are someone

that is

> sensitive to the higher level of T3 all at once it can put a

strain on

> your heart and might keep you up that night....

>

> When you consider that our 'ideal' dosing is to aim for the same

process

> our bodies followed when we had a gland... theoretically if your T4

> storage level is adequate it will compensate for the missed

dose.... then

> you pick up taking your dosing after the labs and the T4 level is

> replaced... the thing that is of more consequence is the level of

the

> active hormones... and we can't do a heck of a lot about that ...

you

> survive the time you go that morning without the doses.... with

your body

> producing the T3 that it's using for that morning...... and the

tests

> 'should' reflect that....

[Guest guest]

>

> Hiya -

>

> Sorry for the delay in replying. We were out all day yesterday

> putting my 16-year-old DD on the plane to your side of the pond!

> She is now nestled in MD staying with good friends for two weeks.

> First time transatlantic flight all on her own!

>

> Anyway, thanks for the thoughts about dosing after the test, but

I'm

> not sure what you suggest if I don't take the full dose. Maybe 1

> grain divided - 1/2 at about 2 and 1/2 at about 5? That is my

basic

> half day dose. If I don't take the full dose, will it maybe knock

> on to further days with hypo symptoms perhaps?

>

> TIA

>

> Katy

>

Just my opinion on dosing but T4 reaches a peak about 1 1/2 to 2

hours after dosing and T3 reaches a peak about 1 1/2 hours after..

I am not talking about the peak as far as effect goes but the peak

as far as levels in the blood goes because at that time especially

with t4 it is going in and out and being processed by the body, and

the blood tests do not differenciate this.. this is why the question

to med or not comes up..

Being multidosing and doing your labs at 2 pm makes things harder

but I would be tempted to take your normal morning dose and

depending on timing of doses not dose after 11 am til after testing.

You don't want false elevated results but you don't want false lower

results either not to mention you are on the meds for a reason

meaning you are going to be in Zombie land if you wait til 2 for

your first dose..

Kats3boys

[Guest guest]

Hi Kats

These are all good points. However, at least this time I will not

take meds before the test - at least so I can compare like with

like: my previous tests were taken this way and at the same time of

day.

What I may do is move my next test back to early in the morning to

avoid this problem again, and just have to bear in mind that some of

my levels may be different to a test taken at 2 pm (eg TSH).

Katy

>> >

> Just my opinion on dosing but T4 reaches a peak about 1 1/2 to 2

> hours after dosing and T3 reaches a peak about 1 1/2 hours

after..

> I am not talking about the peak as far as effect goes but the peak

> as far as levels in the blood goes because at that time especially

> with t4 it is going in and out and being processed by the body,

and

> the blood tests do not differenciate this.. this is why the

question

> to med or not comes up..

>

> Being multidosing and doing your labs at 2 pm makes things harder

> but I would be tempted to take your normal morning dose and

> depending on timing of doses not dose after 11 am til after

testing.

>

> You don't want false elevated results but you don't want false

lower

> results either not to mention you are on the meds for a reason

> meaning you are going to be in Zombie land if you wait til 2 for

> your first dose..

>

> Kats3boys

>