# Lab Results Help!



## jiffer (Apr 1, 2013)

I am new to the thyroid board and to thyroid issues. I need some advice from the great people here.

I had part of my thyroid removed on March 20th. My endo sent me for labs about 2 weeks after surgery and everything was fine and she said I do not need meds.

Well about a month ago my hair started falling out really bad (by the handfuls), feeling sluggish and tired, fuzzy headed, constipation. I called the dr and she sent me for more labs.

The results came back and she said I need meds. She said TSH is 5.94 and my t4 free was 1.0. She gave me perscription of levothyroxine for 25mcg once a day. i asked her if i need any other testing like my T3 and she said no she never tests for that unless she suspects something else.

I also told her i was a little worried because i know one of the side effects of this med is hair loss. I dont need to loose anymore. :sad0049: She said that is not a side effect of that meds. People who usually loose hair when taking it is because there thyroid is off.

What do you guys think should my T3 be tested? I am really thinking about switching drs. Any advice you guys can give me I would appreciate.


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## jiffer (Apr 1, 2013)

I forgot to mention she said for me to take the meds for 3 months and come back and get retested. If that the normal timeframe or should it be sooner?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

You should get tested 6 to 8 weeks after you start the meds. Three months is a little too long.

Ideally, you'll want that free t3 tested, but it can wait until you gte your next set of labs. The thing with free t3 is that you want to know if you body is converting the t4 into t3. It might be nice to know now, but since you already had the labs, I would just politely but firmly ask that she add it to the lab req for next time.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jiffer said:


> I forgot to mention she said for me to take the meds for 3 months and come back and get retested. If that the normal timeframe or should it be sooner?


You may benefit by finding a more interested and concerned doctor. Usually, labs are done every 8 weeks and med is titrated by small increments until the patient is euthyroid (feeling and functioning great.)

Also, you should have the FREE T3 tested on your next lab. Especially so you have a "baseline" with which to compare improvements................or not!

Here is info:

Understanding the Thyroid: Why You Should Check Your Free T3
http://breakingmuscle.com/

Dr. Mercola (FREES)
http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/diagnosis_comp.htm

Free T3 and Free T4 are the only accurate measurement of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the body. This is the hormone that is actually free and exerting effect on the cells. These are the thyroid hormones that count.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jiffer said:


> I forgot to mention she said for me to take the meds for 3 months and come back and get retested. If that the normal timeframe or should it be sooner?


Forgot to ask why you had part of the thyroid removed? Hopefully you did not have cancer?


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## jiffer (Apr 1, 2013)

Andros said:


> Forgot to ask why you had part of the thyroid removed? Hopefully you did not have cancer?


I had it removed because they found a large lump on my thyroid and after a couple biospies all of them came back suspicious so they removed the left half. Thank god it came back as not cancer.

Thanks everyone here for the advice. I have been reading a lot of helpful info on here.

Also I was wondering has anyone had problems with there hair falling out because of this med?

I have been dealing with pcos with caused a major shed about a year ago and i lost about 50% of my hair and it never came back. The last thing I need to do is loose more hair. :sad0049:


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jiffer said:


> I had it removed because they found a large lump on my thyroid and after a couple biospies all of them came back suspicious so they removed the left half. Thank god it came back as not cancer.
> 
> Thanks everyone here for the advice. I have been reading a lot of helpful info on here.
> 
> ...


I hear ya' loud and clear about the hair. Start taking Omega III and I do recommend that you make sure you get a quality one. Cold water fish source. Take a couple thousand mgs. a day for the first 2 weeks and then back down to one thousand mgs. per day for ever and always. Your hair and nails will appreciate it.

Levothyroxine can cause hair loss in some patients. Your doc is not informed.
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/levothyroxine-side-effects.html

See if you can find a doc to put you on Armour some other form of natural dessicated porcine thyroid. There are several products out there.

Thank God you did not have cancer; something for us all to be grateful for!!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yes, when I change doses, I go through a week or two of hair loss. I was changing doses rapidly for a while and had adorable little bald spots. Now? I'm hairier than ever. Go figure!


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## jiffer (Apr 1, 2013)

Andros said:


> I hear ya' loud and clear about the hair. Start taking Omega III and I do recommend that you make sure you get a quality one. Cold water fish source. Take a couple thousand mgs. a day for the first 2 weeks and then back down to one thousand mgs. per day for ever and always. Your hair and nails will appreciate it.
> 
> Levothyroxine can cause hair loss in some patients. Your doc is not informed.
> http://www.drugs.com/sfx/levothyroxine-side-effects.html
> ...


I asked her about Armour and she laughed and said she would never give that to me. She said since it is natural product the medication is not consistent.

Will the Omega III help with the hair loss? It is specific for pp taking this med?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jiffer said:


> I asked her about Armour and she laughed and said she would never give that to me. She said since it is natural product the medication is not consistent.
> 
> Will the Omega III help with the hair loss? It is specific for pp taking this med?


Yes; that is why I am recommending it but the main thing that will help you w/the hair loss is running very quickly away from this doctor.

Sad, but true.


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## jiffer (Apr 1, 2013)

Andros said:


> Yes; that is why I am recommending it but the main thing that will help you w/the hair loss is running very quickly away from this doctor.
> 
> Sad, but true.


Thanks for the advice. I have been taking a fish oil every day. Is that the same thing?

I think I am going to look for a new dr. It is so hard finding one. I hate picking a name out of the book.  This dr was recommended by my general pract.


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