Thyroid and t3

Common Questions and Answers about Thyroid and t3

armour-thyroid

Avatar m tn T4 is converted to “T3” in the thyroid, liver, brain and other tissues. T3 is the active form, 200 times stronger than T4. The importance of TSH TSH, made by the pituitary gland in the brain, stands for thyroid stimulating hormone. If your thyroid is sluggish, your pituitary produces more TSH, a kind of kick in the pants for the thyroid. The TSH blood test is the most useful test for thyroid function. What causes a sluggish thyroid? A common cause is autoimmune.
Avatar m tn FT4 should be about midrange, and yours is way below range. Total T3 is considered an obsolete test; free T3 is much more useful. Next time, ask your doctor for FT3. Your TT3 is right in the middle of the range. You need to be taking T4 as well as T3. Your FT4 is so low that when your Cytomel wears off, you are left with virtually no T4 available for conversion. Once again, is there some reason you were prescribed T3 by itself? I seriously doubt that you have a pituitary problem.
Avatar f tn Each lab has it's own reference ("normal") range for all tests. Because of different methodologies, etc, "normal" at one lab is different from "normal" at another. So, when you ask your doctor or lab for results, you have to ask them to give you the range at the same time. We have to see where you fall in the range in order to give you advice. You should also ask if the tests are FREE T3 (FT3) and FREE T4 (FT4) or total T3 and total T4.
Avatar m tn The reason is that as you take thyroid med, the TSH goes down, and this results in les output of thyroid from the gland. The net result is little change in serum thyroid levels for Free T3 and Free T4, resulting in hypothyroid symptoms, including the possibility of tinnitus. If you are only being tested and treated based on TSH, that does not work for most people. You need to be tested for Free T3 and free T4 every time you go for tests.
Avatar m tn I've had hypothyroidism for more than 10 years. I'm a 52 yr old male. I take 125 mcg of Synthroid and 5mcg of Cytomel (2X/day). I have a physical every year for work and my lymphocytes have been gradually increasing for the last 3 years; they are above normal but the docs don't seem overly concerned. My overall WBC was also high this year.
Avatar f tn You also need to get tested for Reverse T3, which is a mirror image molecule of T3, but biologically inactive. T4 is converted in the body to T3 and Reverse T3. Under some adverse conditions, excess Reverse T3 will be produced, which then adversely affect metabolism of T3 in the cells. One of the many causes for excess Reverse T3 is low ferritin ( a storage form of iron). Your ferritin is horribly low.
Avatar m tn Almost 8 years ago I ran across this Forum and learned about the importance of Free T3. Up til then I had only been tested for TSH and Free T4. I got my Free T3 tested and confirmed as low in the range because my body was not adequately converting T4 to T3. My doctor at that time agreed to switch me to Armour Thyroid to provide a source of T3 along with T4.
Avatar f tn Most important is that med dosage should be adequate to relieve hypo symptoms and should be monitored by testing Free T4 and Free T3. Adequate levels of Free T4 and Free T3 would usually be at the middle of the range, at minimum. Also, since hypothyroid patients are so frequently low in the ranges for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, I highly recommend testing for those as well and supplementing as needed to optimize.
Avatar n tn I'm a 39 yr. old female. I recently had a neck CT scan looking for something that turned out not to be an issue. The radiologist, however, reported (incidentally) that my thyroid is "symetrically small" and said there is a 5.9mm nodule of the left mid lobe "requiring sonographic characterization." I hadn't seen the report yet when my Dr. called to tell me my scan was normal. He didn't even mention the nodule.
Avatar f tn I'm not sure if you're addressing someone specific when you typed "you have stated..." You're correct that exercise can help keep your blood pressure in check, but you have the wrong idea about thyroid "converting energy"... it doesn't work that way. The thyroid produces hormones, T4 and T3... The hormones are what controls metabolism, heart rate, body temperature and other functions.
Avatar n tn My TSH and Free T4 have been normal, but my T3 is always low. I am currently taking 50 mcg of compounded T3, and feel pretty good. However, I just had my quarterly blood work done, and things appear to be out of wack. My free T3 is at 500, my free T4 at 0.84, and my TSH at 0.2. Does this mean I am getting too much T3? Also, I am wanting to get off birth control and start trying to become pregnant, will my dose change after I get off the pill? How risky is hypothyroidism during pregnancy?
907968 tn?1292622204 - junk test - stroed hormones measured - not good and red flag on how much does your doctor truly know about thyroid - There is nothing in that total T3 that will help you. I suggest googling up FREE T3 and see what that is. Really in short - this Free T3 - along with Free T4 is what you should be reading to balance thyroid levels. The acid reflex - which I had for over 3 years is the low Free T3 in the system - not really the meds.
Avatar f tn T4 and T3, but mostly T4. Of the Total T4 in your blood, most is bound by a protein and is unusable, therefore, we test the Free T4, which is the "unbound" portion that's available for use. Free T4 isn't used directly by the body; it's considered a "storage" hormone and must be converted to T3 prior to use.
Avatar f tn My guess comes from what I have seen mds order at the medical center where I work, comments I hear from mds when I question why they aren't ordering free t3 especially with symptomatic patients , etc. If I hear one more md say but the tsh is in the normal range, I think I will blow a gasket especially when they are close to either end of the scale .
Avatar m tn Her OBGYN tested it again in November and reported her TSH as 0.01. She went and saw and endo early in December and her lab results came in: TSH 0.04 (0.34-4.20) Free T3 3.92 (2.3-4.4) Free T4 - 1.18 (.61-1.40) Thyroglobulin Antibody - 52.7 (<4) TPO Antibody - 28.9 (<9) Thyrotropin Receptor Ab - 4.43 (0-1.75) Thyroid Stim Immunoglobulin - 285% (0-139) Normal sedimentation rate and all other blood test. Ultrasound was good, no issues besides minor enlargement.
Avatar n tn TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many things that at best it is only an indicator to be considered along with more important indicators such as symptoms, and also levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T4 and Free T3. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results, and especially not TSH results when already taking thyroid hormone.
Avatar f tn In trying to diagnose a potential hypothyroid patient, the most important consideration is symptoms, followed by levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T4 and Free T3. In addition there are a number of processes and variables that affect having adequate tissue thyroid levels and effects and being euthyroid. It is not simply a matter of the TSH level, or even the FT4 and FT3 level. Other factors are important also. You can read about all this in the following link.
Avatar f tn To save some time, you can ask your PCP for further tests so that you have them in hand when you see the endo. You should test free T3, free T4, TSH, TSI, reverse T3, TPOab (thyroid peroxidase antibody) and TGab (thyroglobulin antibody). Be sure to specify FREE in the T3 and T4 tests or you'll get much less useful tests. A thyroid ultrasound would also be useful for your endo to see. Generally, hyperthyroidism is initially treated with anti-thyroid meds (ATMs).
Avatar f tn Make sure they test for Free T3 and Free T4, not Total T3 and Total T4. Most serum T3 and T4 is bound to protein and thus not biologically active. Only the small portion of thyroid hormone that is free of protein is biologically active. So, you need to know Free T3 and Free T4.
Avatar f tn TSH is a hormone that is sent from the piruitary gland in the brain to the thyroid, its acts like a sensor, when the thyroid hormone is low, the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone number (TSH) is high, and in reverse, if the Free T3 is high, the TSH is low, the tsh nudges the thyoid to produce more If you can get your MD to do these two tests, then when the results are in, request a copy, then post each levels and the reference ranges provided with them.
1285110 tn?1420147378 Much better and just as inexpensive to do the actual thyroid hormone tests, Free T3 and Free T4, then you know. Adequate thyroid hormones are essential for, virtually, every body process. Good that the doctor is pursuing other issues; hopefully, the tests will show something; if not, maybe she'll be willing to revisit the thyroid issue. Yes, it's very heartbreaking not to be able to provide relief for your child.