# LAB Brag - perfect lab results



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

This might just be the 1 and only time my lab's fall almost exactly between 1/2-3/4 ranges for BOTH- yes BOTH my FT-4 and FT-3. Only took 15 years but it's happened. As stated many times - slow and steady wins this race.

test result ranges 1/2 - 3/4 ranges
FT-4 1.269 ( .750 - 1.620 ) ((1.18 - 1.4025 )) ((mid 1.29125))
FT-3 3.55 ( 2.30 - 4.20 ) ((3.25 - 3.725)) ((mid 3.4875))

How I got to these labs is actually by self tweaking my doses. Could be age - post menopause or diet, on top of that I have gained 10 lbs since my thyroid was removed - but something has shifted and I have needed to reduce my dose of both meds slightly.

Prescribed: 125mcg Unithroid and Lilothyronine 5mcg upon waking 5mcg at Noon, 2.5mcg at 3p.m.

Actually taking: 125mcg 6 days wk, 62.5mcg 1 day (1/2 a pill) Unithroid.
Lilothyronine one day a week I skip one of the afternoon 2.5mcg doses.

As slight as the self dose adjustments are - they do indeed make a difference in lab results. Having had several lab results where my FT-4 was approaching or exceeding 3/4 of range I reduced. Having a FT-4 in 3/4 range or higher gives me wicked hyper symptoms.

If between lab's I feel hyper or cannot sleep no matter what I tend to reduce my Lilothyronine dose by up to 1 pill for a day or 2 as the 1/2 life is so much shorter than Unithroid ( T4) and there seems to be more variation in results that the FT-4 when having labs.


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## GOLGO13 (Jun 13, 2018)

Congrats! Are you feeling as good as your labs show? What diet changes have you done?

I know things can go up and down based on many factors. Are you antibodies still high or have they calmed down? Stress seems to be what affects me the most.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

They don't test antibodies after a Thyroid is removed.

I feel pretty good. Still struggle with insomnia but that's been going on since I got pregnant 28 years ago. Been able to lose a few lbs which tells me my labs are dialed in.

I've been trying to eat more Mediterranean- at least for lunch daily.


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## GOLGO13 (Jun 13, 2018)

I had some bouts of insomnia for the first time during the past year (as I try to get things dialed in), but I don't have them right now. I don't know why I had them. I had cases where if I woke up, there was no getting back to sleep. So if I went to bed at 11pm and woke up at 1pm, that was that. I figure it was some sort of hormone being out of whack.

Looking online it talks about sleep apnea being one reason for insomnia in folks with hypothyroidism. This link is from the functional medicine side of things, but could be helpful: http://functionalhealthnews.com/2015/11/five-things-that-can-cause-insomnia/

I didn't enjoy that stuff at all. According to that website it was blood sugar related for my waking up and not getting back to sleep. I can believe that because I was having weird blood sugar regulation at that point in time. I think some of that has improved.

So many weird things happen with this issue!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Once my kids were born I became a light sleeper.

I have a chronic groin pain due to c-sections and my psoas always being tight and twisting my hips so that does not help me at all.

I am a grinder and wear a mouth guard - my dentist does not think it's apnea based on my grind pattern.

My husband is a heavy and REM sleeper and makes quite alot of noise. Despite sleeping with earplugs I seem to hear him and think he's part of my issue.


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## GOLGO13 (Jun 13, 2018)

Those are tough situations. Earplugs could work, but could take some getting used to.

It's funny we talked about sleep as I work up at 3 and didn't get back to sleep until 4. But at least I got back to sleep so that's good. It's an improvement.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I'm going to order some of the orange lens glasses and see if they work.


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