# What Now?



## Redcattoo (Dec 16, 2014)

So what now that my Dr doesn't seem to care about my T3 concerns, how do I get them to listen?

So, 8 weeks ago I had been taking 75mg (1.25 grains) of Armour. No one had told me not to take it the morning of my labs, so I had. The labs 8 weeks ago indicated the following in light of also having taken the Armour about 2 hours prior to the lab work:


Low Vit D 28 (ref range 30-100)
Okay- Ferritin 85 (ref range 10-232) -- so bottom 34% of range
Low TSH .35 (ref range .4-4.5)
Okay T4, Free .9 (ref range .8-1.8) -- so bottom 10% of range
Okay T3, Total 98 (ref range 76-181) -- so bottom 21% of range

During the visit on those lab follow ups I could not get my Dr to try to work my T3 up the range a bit, I felt it was definitely still low and I wasn't feeling the relief I felt Armour should provide yet. Since I had hit a brick wall trying to convince the Dr T3 is my issue, I decided to have her switch me at that visit to .112mg levothyroxine just so in 8 weeks we could discuss what happens when I don't have any T3 provided hoping it would help highlight my need for T3. She gets really stuck on the TSH and T4 results though. I also added in 2000-5000 IU Vitamin D supplement (more on days I don't see the natural sun and less if I have opportunity for natural sun) and L-thyrosine supplement.

So it is 8 weeks later after taking now only .112mg of levothyroxine and here are my new labs (she didn't test ferritin this time since it was okay last time):


Okay Vit D 33 (ref range 30-100) ... so only up slightly to bottom 4% of range 
Low TSH .06 (ref range .4-4.5)
Okay T4, Free 1.5 (ref range .8-1.8) -- so up into 70% of range (made Dr very nervous)
Okay T3, Total 91 (ref range 76-181) -- so dropped to bottom 14% of range (Dr didn't seem to care T3 had dropped -- too focused on TSH and T4 concerns)

I should add that life has been worse these last 8 weeks with levothyroxine vs Armour (which I pretty much expected), I find I want to sleep 30-60 minutes more each day, so my desired sleep has gone from 9 hours a night to wanting more. I found I had bad night sweats right before my period last cycle and this cycle came a week early and with a migraine this time. My weight is creeping back up without a real change in eating habits. I live in Florida where it has been hot this past month yet I find myself still wanting to wear long sleeves and pants to feel comfortable. So while I didn't feel the Armour had me feeling as good as I believe it should, I do feel that a very small improvement is felt over just the T4 which logically makes me want to believe if they would work on my T3 only maybe I would find more relief?

Anyone else have thoughts? How do you convince a Dr, a specialist at that, they should as a professional look further at everything and stop being so concerned about the TSH and T4?


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## Redcattoo (Dec 16, 2014)

I should add I have Hassimotos ... that was diagnosed back in 2011 when Thyroglobulin Antibodies tested 120 (ref range <20) and Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies tested 138 (ref range <35). I have also had at least 3 ultrasounds with no concerning results and one uptake scan with no concerning results in the past.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Understanding the Thyroid: Why You Should Check Your Free T3
http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/understanding-thyroid-why-you-should-check-your-free-t3
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Dr. Mercola (FREES)
http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/diagnosis_comp.htm
(Copy and paste into your browser)

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.

Well; that's a shame. You need the FREE T3 test; not the T (total) 3 test and that was a low dose of Armour.


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