# First Labs on Armour Thyroid - TSH in range - How does this look?



## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Hi,

These are my first labs after being on armour thyroid since mid-December (I had labs the day after my first dose as well.)

My TSH is now 2.23 which is in range of .40-5.00 It used to be way high. Now it is "in range."

I didn't get the tpo ab which I would have liked.

iron 71 range 30-150

t3 is 145.9 range 80-200 (I think 170 would be 75% of the given range, so I'm just about 50% of the range if I've done the math right)

free t4 1.0 range 0.9-1.7

vitamin d 34.4 range (30.0 - 80.0)

A note says "Ideal vitamin D level according to the most respected expert is about 42. Ordinarily taking 1000 IU's a day would get you into the mid-40's starting from where you are now. Thyroid looks good, recommend continue current dose at this time.

Knowledgable & experienced people - I would appreciate your thoughts on this -- thank you


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Is that T3 or FT3? T3 is composed of bound, unbound and rT3 hormone so therefore would not be a helpful test for titration purposes.

Many hugs,


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Hi Andros, thank you. Hmmm I really don't really know which one - but it does say: TRIIODOTHYRONINE

I am suspecting it is measuring the total... Since it didn't indicate that it was free. But I'm not sure :\

Found this as I was searching - this is what makes me think it's the total -- along with no "free" in the test name.

"The T3 total test, the most common type of T3 blood test, measures both the bound and free forms of T3 in the blood."

Do we know -- if -- if the TSH is finally down in range, does that mean that while having my condition, my thyroid might not be being attacked/destoryed right now? Or - would I need the TPO ab to know that?

Thanks again  & take care


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

The body cannot heal w/o sufficient T3. If your TSH came way down, I do not think it safe to assume that the antibodies are going down. Only the proper tests would tell and that would be the antibody test.

There are so many things that trigger antibody activity.

Many hugs and I sure hope you get this on the run so you feel better!


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Wow so I have my labs from day 1 on armour.

TSH was 7.84 (.45-5.10)

TPO was 560.9 (0-9.0)

Thyroglobulin Autoantibody 1.8 (0-4.0)

Free t3 2.9 (2.3-4.2)

free t4 0.9 (0.9-1.8)

RT3 13.2 (9.0-27.0)

There was some sort of way to figure the ratio on StoptheThyroidMadness - and it had me at a good ratio back then. Now I don't have all of the tests to figure that ratio. *Diff docs - diff tests.)

Interestingly, I feel better and better and better, with a few days intermittently that I need rest or don't feel great for a few hours in that day (like when I forgot to eat enough).

But now I'm changing my armour dose to 3am... (two days in a row) and I feel GREAT -- I'm like - this feels noticeably improved even more -- very interesting. Can't wait to see how this goes!

Thanks for your thoughts  Swimmer


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## Airmid (Apr 24, 2013)

Andros said:


> The body cannot heal w/o sufficient T3. If your TSH came way down, I do not think it safe to assume that the antibodies are going down. Only the proper tests would tell and that would be the antibody test.
> 
> There are so many things that trigger antibody activity.
> 
> Many hugs and I sure hope you get this on the run so you feel better!


This. In fact suppression is often the way many with Hashimoto's go, meaning pushing your TSH way down. Your FT4 is really low which given your recent lab results my suspicions were right that your FT3 is really low also. You need to push the dose - you still have a lot of wiggle room on your TSH.

I wish when doctors looked at normal ranges on labs they didn't equate it with feeling okay.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Thank you Airmid - what do you mean "you need to push the dose" ? I also don't understand what "wiggle room on TSH" means

Also, I feel so good -- I don't even hit the afternoon tired slump now except on some occasions -- which back when I wasn't on any thyroid, I probably nearly always was tired every day and every afternoon gritty tired. Infact I used to be so tired I would squint my eyes regularly in tiredness -- it was strange -- I used to just push through it.

Thanks for your thoughts/ help


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## Airmid (Apr 24, 2013)

Eh, what I get for using slang. 

I mean that you can push your TSH lower and still be safe even if it is within "normal". Hashi patients seem to do best when they're natural thyroid function is suppressed or close to it (research shows this is because it turns the activity way down in your thyroid, making it less of a target and causing your body to slow or stop trying to beat it to death). Your F T4 is low, barely breaking normal. They really need your F T3 not total as that is rather worthless. Based on your F T4 though your doctor definitely can and probably will increase the dose once you get used to this one. I wouldn't be surprised that in a week or two you started feeling sluggish again. Sadly, there's a lot of ups and downs while you climb to the right dose.

And 7.84 isn't that high  I still remember when I was looking at labs with my fiancee and he saw the "critical high" on my TSH and said "Look honey, your thyroid got a high score." I was not amused.

Well okay, maybe I was a little...


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Thank you


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