# Free T3 testing not offered by Kaiser



## adenure (May 7, 2012)

Hi!

My endo. is really great at communicating and working with me. He is part of Kaiser Permanent (health insurance- in-house/ 1-stop shop type of thing). He's ordered TSH, Free T4 & T3 for my labs in a few weeks (around 7 weeks post TT). I asked about free T3 testing, but Kaiser doesn't offer it. Since they have their own lab, I can't really go outside and get it done. I guess I could, but I'd have to pay for it. Not sure how that works; I guess you just go to a lab and pay? Anyway, my endo. said I shouldn't worry about my free T3 as I don't have any problems with my thyroid binding globulins (TBG). What does that mean? How is that tested? Thanks.

Alexis


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

If they don't $85 is a small price to pay.

Go here and order your own lab slip - it's a very important test to have post op at least until you get your levels tirated.

http://www.healthcheckusa.com/Thyroid-Panel-II-T4-Free-T3-Free-with-TSH/46938/


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## adenure (May 7, 2012)

Wow! Thank you so much! I didn't know this could be done- great!

Alexis


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

adenure said:


> Hi!
> 
> My endo. is really great at communicating and working with me. He is part of Kaiser Permanent (health insurance- in-house/ 1-stop shop type of thing). He's ordered TSH, Free T4 & T3 for my labs in a few weeks (around 7 weeks post TT). I asked about free T3 testing, but Kaiser doesn't offer it. Since they have their own lab, I can't really go outside and get it done. I guess I could, but I'd have to pay for it. Not sure how that works; I guess you just go to a lab and pay? Anyway, my endo. said I shouldn't worry about my free T3 as I don't have any problems with my thyroid binding globulins (TBG). What does that mean? How is that tested? Thanks.
> 
> Alexis


Alexis; has your doc run a lab test for Thyroxine Binding Globulin? That would be the only way to know. I hope he did before he made that statement?

Info below................

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003374.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyroxine-binding_globulin

Let us know if you had the lab test. This is not something you just guess about.


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## adenure (May 7, 2012)

Andros,

I don't know to be honest. I get my labs via email, and I've never seen it. I've had TSH, Free T4, total T3, TPO antibodies and I think TSI (?- it took a week to get those results back, but I didn't see that result). I don't recall the TBG test being run and I know it's not in my test results page. Can he figure that one out based on one of the above tests?

I'm not too concerned as I'm planning on paying the $85 to get Free T3 tested on my own. I'll give him the results after I do it. I'm assuming that if I test free T3, the TBG test isn't all that important (I didn't see it offered on the website to order tests). I figure I'll wait 7 weeks post surgery & Synthroid and then get the TSH, Free T4 & Free T3 done and go from there. Is that a good plan? I'm 5 weeks out now.

Alexis


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

adenure said:


> Andros,
> 
> I don't know to be honest. I get my labs via email, and I've never seen it. I've had TSH, Free T4, total T3, TPO antibodies and I think TSI (?- it took a week to get those results back, but I didn't see that result). I don't recall the TBG test being run and I know it's not in my test results page. Can he figure that one out based on one of the above tests?
> 
> ...


At this point, what counts are the FREES and yes; Healthcheckusa to the rescue!!

You would see the TBG test if you had it. Hmmmmmmmm? Don't like folks who tell untruths.

Dr. Mercola (FREES)
http://www.mercola.com/Article/hypothyroid/diagnosis_comp.htm
Dr. Woliner
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/freet3woliner.htm


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## adenure (May 7, 2012)

Yeah, me neither. Oh well, I guess it's true though; you have to be your own advocate to an extent. Glad there's a way to get the Free T3, even if I have to pay for it. When I get the labs, I'll post them and ask opinions. Right now I'm just on 100 mcg of Synthroid (I went with the brand name based on stuff I had read about fillers/ compounds). I'm plugging along okay, but not myself. Headaches are a pain. Can't wait to figure it all out eventually.

Alexis


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## adenure (May 7, 2012)

Also, I wanted to ask/ mention&#8230; if my free T3 comes back low, does adding Cytomel make sense? My husband actually feels that if I do a combo, that he'd rather me take Naturethroid or Armour (something natural opposed to synthetic). What's your take on that? I don't know- it's all overwhelming for a girl who likes to get things figured out quickly. I figure Synthroid/ cytomel would be better bc you can change each dose individually instead of a combination in 1 pill?

Alexis


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

adenure said:


> Also, I wanted to ask/ mention&#8230; if my free T3 comes back low, does adding Cytomel make sense? My husband actually feels that if I do a combo, that he'd rather me take Naturethroid or Armour (something natural opposed to synthetic). What's your take on that? I don't know- it's all overwhelming for a girl who likes to get things figured out quickly. I figure Synthroid/ cytomel would be better bc you can change each dose individually instead of a combination in 1 pill?
> 
> Alexis


I take Unithroid and Cytomel and feel completely dialed in.

I don't think my body would function well with a heavy T-3 concentration replacement like Armour. When I added Cytomel I had to do it very slowly and still had heart palps. I'm good now but the first time I tried taking it within 1 year post TT I had alot of anxiety.

Everyone is different -


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Glad you are going to be getting your own Free T3 checked. I would imagine that it isn't that Kaiser can't get you a Free T3 test, it's just that they want to do everything in-house to save money and not ship tests out to 3rd-party labs. Even so, it sounds like you have a pretty good endocrinologist if he is even addressing your questions about these things without running you out of the office...

IMHO, these are all little pieces of the puzzle. He won't have 100% of the answers, but it's a good place to start.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

adenure said:


> Also, I wanted to ask/ mention&#8230; if my free T3 comes back low, does adding Cytomel make sense? My husband actually feels that if I do a combo, that he'd rather me take Naturethroid or Armour (something natural opposed to synthetic). What's your take on that? I don't know- it's all overwhelming for a girl who likes to get things figured out quickly. I figure Synthroid/ cytomel would be better bc you can change each dose individually instead of a combination in 1 pill?
> 
> Alexis


Keep in mind that "natural" vs "synthetic" is kinda...well, not much of a comparison. That is, the "natural" version is highly processed...it's just derived from an animal. I'm into organic stuff so don't mishear me...I'm not dismissing the idea of a natural alternative. But in this case, it makes more sense to use a medication/medication combo that your body responds to, rather than focusing on a natural vs synthetic thing.


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