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LovesTeaching · 09-11-2004, 01:14 PM

I am still among the ignorant when it comes to numbers' analysis, but I am trying to read up and learn more. I've been having problems with depression, fatigue, anxiety, and insomnia. I take Synthroid 112mcg but feel that I may need either an increase or the addition of another medication. I'm on antidepressant and antianxiety meds, but these only work on the symptoms (while the hypothyroidism may be the *cause*). My endo wants to wait for the results of my FNB before adjusting my meds, but in the meantime, I was hoping that some of you experts could help me make heads or tails of these numbers.

The left-hand side of my copy of the blood test results is cut off, so I'm going to do my best in deciphering which tests were performed.

T3 Uptake: 26.7 (range: 25.0-39.3)

T4: 13.7 (range: 4.5-12.0) Note: I believe my number is high due to estrogen therapy (in the form of birth control pills) for polycystic ovaries.

T7: 3.7 (range: 1.0-4.5)

TSH: 2.18 (range: 0.40-4.0)

Thyroxine Free: 1.5 (range: 0.8-1.90)

Is anyone able to help with these numbers?

Thanks very much in advance.

LovesTeaching · 09-16-2004, 07:57 AM

Just bumping this up to see if anyone could help me with these results. I see that some of you are very knowledgeable about numbers and what they mean. Do I need to ask for different tests to be taken? Should I be taking something other than Synthroid?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

midwest1 · 09-16-2004, 12:19 PM

Sorry you're question slipped by the first time.

You haven't had the best tests done, the ones that would explain why you continue to have symptoms. The "mental" aspect of the symptoms you have left would probably be alleviated by some T3, so you need to have your free T3 tested in addition to your free T4 (thyroxine). Your free T4 looks to be at a good level, but if your FT3 is low, that would explain a lot of the remaining symptoms.
The T3 uptake means little... It's main use is for the calculation of T7, which isn't a valuable test either.
And you're right to assume that supplemental estrogen will cause a falsely elevated total T4... Which is exactly the reason that the free T4 test is better.

Synthroid doesn't appear to be doing you enough good. An addition of synthetic T3 might help, but natural T4/T3 such as Armour may be better yet.

LovesTeaching · 09-16-2004, 05:02 PM

Midwest,

Thank you so much for that information. It was very helpful. I'm going to ask my endo about Armour (I will be speaking to her on Monday evening to find out the results of my FNB). If she has never tested my FT3 (she may have at some point -- I'm not sure), I will ask her to do that test. In fact, even if she tested it years ago, I will ask for it to be retested.

I'm also not sure if my adrenals have ever been tested. I know I've never done any kind of saliva test. Do you think I should ask for that as well?

Thanks again,

LT

midwest1 · 09-16-2004, 08:31 PM

Expect resistance from her on the subject of both Armour and the FT3 test. Endos are notoriously loyal to Synthroid, and routinely pooh-pooh the need for supplemental T3. They have been taught that the human body converts all the T3 it needs from its supply of T4... but that isn't true. There are myriad reasons why this necessary conversion fails to take place, and most people feel best when a little T3 is added to the mix.

As for your question about adrenals, I don't know enough about the subject to comment knowledgeably.

LovesTeaching · 09-17-2004, 12:44 PM

Midwest,

Thanks again -- you're a doll! I'm prepared to be insistent if my endo resists my request for the FT3 test and the Armour. I'll let you know how it goes.

LT

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