# New labs



## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

Well I just got my most recent labs. Doc is raising my synthroid again. I am shocked my tsh is as low as it is. I am still completely wiped out. Hoping this RAI kills enough cells that my antibodies calm down and the hypothyroid symptoms ease up soon. So here they are:

Thyroxine (T4) Free, Direct, S T4, Free (Direct): Result: 1.77 ng/dL. Limits: 0.82-1.77

TSH: Result: 0.525. Limits: 0.450-4.500


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

How much did he raise it and when do you lab again? An FT3 is really needed to rounded out the picture now.

With your FT4 at the top of the range, and the TSH as low as it is, you are not even close to hypo, you are nearly clinically HYPER.


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## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

Forgot to mention that this is post thyroidectomy and for cancer, TSH suppression. I'm sure that makes a difference? Sorry- brain fog! I am am 3 days into my RAI treatment now and feeling like I've been run over by a truck!


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## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

And he raised me from 137 to 150


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## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

And I do the same labs again in mid march before my next appt.


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

Jaimee said:


> Forgot to mention that this is post thyroidectomy and for cancer, TSH suppression. I'm sure that makes a difference? Sorry- brain fog! I am am 3 days into my RAI treatment now and feeling like I've been run over by a truck!


Okay, yes it does.

Looking at some long term TSH suppression guidelines for Thyca: http://www.thyca.org/tsh-suppression.htm

Depending on your history you can establish your risk from the link and go from there. The balancing act will be achieving the TSH goals without giving you symptoms....with your FT4 as high as it is, this could become problematic in the sense that, you may continue to feel unwell because of high FT4.

A lot of times, T3 therapy is good here, because a higher T3 tends to results in suppressed TSH. Your doctor should test the T3 to see where you are, because you may be able to kill 2 birds with one stone here.

In the meantime, between the surgery and the RAI, I'm not surprised you feel as if you were hit by a truck. Things will improve as you heal and get your dosage settled out. Hang in there.


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## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

Hmmm... Seems like I remember something about doc not "believing" in T3... I'll have to keep that in mind though in case things don't improve. Thanks for your input!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Jaimee said:


> Well I just got my most recent labs. Doc is raising my synthroid again. I am shocked my tsh is as low as it is. I am still completely wiped out. Hoping this RAI kills enough cells that my antibodies calm down and the hypothyroid symptoms ease up soon. So here they are:
> 
> Thyroxine (T4) Free, Direct, S T4, Free (Direct): Result: 1.77 ng/dL. Limits: 0.82-1.77
> 
> TSH: Result: 0.525. Limits: 0.450-4.500


Why is your doc raising your synthroid when you FT4 is at the top of the range and our TSH so low? Did he not run a FREE T3 lab test?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

lainey said:


> Okay, yes it does.
> 
> Looking at some long term TSH suppression guidelines for Thyca: http://www.thyca.org/tsh-suppression.htm
> 
> ...


Amen to that, Lainey! I could not agree more! Thank you!


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

T3 is SOOOOO important. My endo did not believe in it either. I fired him. I feel human again with a bit of T3. Not testing for/treating T3 is just cruel.


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## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

So how does one go about finding a doc who can treat for cancer AND is ok with T3? I will ask my endo about it when I go in march if I am still not up to par. I could be wrong about his feelings. I know for certain that my primary doc has repeatedly warned me about the "wacko" T3 faction "on the Internet" lol. Made me feel like a criminal to even bring it up!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Jaimee said:


> So how does one go about finding a doc who can treat for cancer AND is ok with T3? I will ask my endo about it when I go in march if I am still not up to par. I could be wrong about his feelings. I know for certain that my primary doc has repeatedly warned me about the "wacko" T3 faction "on the Internet" lol. Made me feel like a criminal to even bring it up!


Most of us who have had RAI or TT in fact cannot convert T4 to T3 very well. Why that is, I am not sure.

That said, let's be clear what we are talking about here. FREE T3 is what you need tested, not T3. And the Cytomel (T3) is called Triiodothyronine. No wonder! It can be confusing; the "3 T's!" Yikes.

I hope you can find a doc that "believes" in T3. That is if you need it and several of us suspect you would benefit from some Cytomel or trying Armour.

Please go here and learn why and what the differences are.
Understanding thyroid lab tests.....http://www.amarillomed.com/howto/#Thyroid


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Andros said:


> Most of us who have had RAI or TT in fact cannot convert T4 to T3 very well. Why that is, I am not sure.
> 
> That said, let's be clear what we are talking about here. FREE T3 is what you need tested, not T3.
> 
> ...


FREE T3 is your free hormone available for cellular uptake. It is your "active" hormone. The one that gives you energy, clear thinking and healing ability.


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

I asked a lot of friends about their doctors, friends who had thyroid issues and friends who didn't. Luckily, I did not have cancer, so that made the search a bit simpler for me. My chiropractor recommended an endo to me (who I ended up not seeing). I googled the names of doctors who were recommended to me to see what other patients were saying about them.

Someone recommended I try calling different endocrinologists offices to see if the staff would answer questions about whether the doc was willing to treat with T3 meds. I never actually tried it myself, but it might be a possibility.

I also found that I had to be willing to wait to see a good doc. Good docs have full practices with patients who return. My initial endo was able to get me in within a day. That was a really bad sign.

Here are a couple of sights I found to help me research docs:
http://www.vitals.com/
http://www.doctorsdig.com/
http://www.ratemds.com/social/


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