# Flat-line labs



## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

Labs from 11.27.2012

TSH 0.6(0.5-4.5)
T4 Free 0.79(0.75-1.54)
T3 Total 0.77(.070-1.70)

I received these results in the mail with endo's annotation: Thyroid replacement to goal-good-no changes.

I have not been able to work my part-time job for a month. I saw a new doc on the 5th and go back to him for results of labs tomorrow.


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## sleepylady (Mar 18, 2012)

What goal is the doctor striving for? They look low to my untrained eye?


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

What kind of replacement medication are you on? Because your Frees look tanked.


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## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

I'm so sorry! I forgot to post meds. I've been on 60 mg. Armour for a while. I had RAI five years ago and when I went hypo was started on Synthroid. Doc switched me to Levoxyl after a short time. Then my Total T3 dropped below range. She added 2.5 Cytomel. Later the Cytomel was upped to 5 and Levoxyl dropped to 68.5. TSH was too low in her opinion so she offered me 90 mg. Armour. Dose was dropped to 75 then eventually 60.

Through all the changes the T3 might go up a little but drops again and I'm getting weaker.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

When you are taking replacement you always need to adjust your medication doses by Free T-4 and Free T-3 results.

Your FT-4 and FT-3 labs are both in the basement - you are clearly under-medicated and your doctor is dosing you by TSH or completely clueless -hard to tell as most physicians would cut back on doses with a TSH as low as yours. Mind you those same doctors, yours included pay no attention to the Free's, even though they run them.

You are one of the unlucky ones and appear to have little to no TSH when your labs would be in mid to upper range. This likely means that you have stimulating antibodies at work suppressing your TSH.

I am in the same boat as you as far as running little or no TSH - I however went to several ( 6 ) different doctors before finding one that would dose my by my Free's.

Why did your doctor take you off Armour? I use Unithroid and Cytomel and have no complaints - I'm just curious as to why they switched medications.


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## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

When endo upped Cytomel to 5 and reduced Levoxyl to 68.5 my TSH dropped below range. She did not like that. I'm still on Armour. When I was on a higher dose, my T3 was still low.

The current dose of 60 mg. Armour is full replacement-I weigh 98 lbs.

The new doc said, "What is happening to the T3?". Anyone have any ideas?

Renee


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

midgetmaid said:


> Labs from 11.27.2012
> 
> TSH 0.6(0.5-4.5)
> T4 Free 0.79(0.75-1.54)
> ...


Good grief; when the total 3 is that low, something is really out of whack.

What med are you on and how much? Also, have you ever had rT3 run?

No wonder you can't work! I am surprised you can type your post!

You may need to find a better doc in your area!


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## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

Andros, I'm currently on 60 mg. Armour. I weigh 98 lbs. Five years ago after RAI ablation I was started on Synthroid, switched to Levoxy 75 mg., then when T3 dropped below range Cytomel 2.5 was added. Then Cytomel was increased to 5 and Levoxyl reduced to 68.5. TSH was suppressed which endo did not like, so she offered Armour. Started at 90, then 75, now 60 for about a year. All these changes were gradual-over months. My T3 would sometimes raise just a little then drop again.

I saw a new doc on the 5th and I return today for results of labs.

What could cause the T3 to remain low no matter what I'm on?

Renee


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

midgetmaid said:


> I'm so sorry! I forgot to post meds. I've been on 60 mg. Armour for a while. I had RAI five years ago and when I went hypo was started on Synthroid. Doc switched me to Levoxyl after a short time. Then my Total T3 dropped below range. She added 2.5 Cytomel. Later the Cytomel was upped to 5 and Levoxyl dropped to 68.5. TSH was too low in her opinion so she offered me 90 mg. Armour. Dose was dropped to 75 then eventually 60.
> 
> Through all the changes the T3 might go up a little but drops again and I'm getting weaker.


It would appear your doctor is dosing based upon your TSH. When taking any form of T3, it is normal for the TSH be below 1.0 and FT4 to be low as well.

It is my humble opinion that you are terribly undermedicated.

I am on 3 1/2 grains of Armour per day and I am 69 soon to be 70 female. I "am" very active and I am stabilized on that amount and have been for many many years.

So, if your doc persists in dosing based on your TSH, you are in trouble.

Since you are in the Atlanta Metro Area, get in touch w/these folks. They know every good Armour doc in the area.

Atlanta group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Georgia_Thyroid_Groups/

You cannot run a car w/o gas! I have no doubt that you feel terrible. Even your brain needs T3. Look up the limbic system and Triiodothyronine.

Good luck and let us know what develops!


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