I would like to attach my labs to see if someone can explain them to me. Do you know if this can be done? I tried to attach from a pdf scan, but it wouldn't let me do this.
I would try to type it in a message, but it is really confusing.
Thanks if anyone can help me.
I have no idea on the attachment really. is typing them over possible? with regard to thyroid the following levels are relevant:
TSH; FT4; FT3; antibodies (such as TSHR; antiTPO; antiTg) and reference ranges.
The Following User Says Thank You to lisa789 For This Useful Post: mlwelch56 (10-11-2011)
This is what my lab results show. None of it makes sense to me. My doctor said that I am hypo, but that some doctors would look at these results and say that I was fine. I have been told for at least the last ten years that I am "borderline".
I have had all of the hypo symptoms for years, but they have gotten worse in the last two years. Cold all of the time, anxiety, depression, hair thinning and loss, dry skin, etc.
I am also past menopause, and she said that basically I have no hormones.
I am on Tirosint 50, and low dose prempro. I have just started these in the last week. I tried Synthroid, but had reactions to some of the fillers in them.
Can anyone tell me what they think about these results? She told me that she does not run the TFree3 & TFree4 because the T3 & T4 total tell her everything she needs to know.
I can tell you what your labs mean and I have other comments/suggestions as well.
Firstly, TSH stands for "thyroid stimulating hormone" and is a hormone produced by the pituitary in response to the body's "request" for thyroid hormone. Healthy people have TSH 1.5 or lower and people taking thyroid hormone replacement that are optimally medicated have TSH 1.0 or lower.
T4 (thyroxine) Total measures all the T4 storage hormone in the blood including that which is not usable by the body. So, your level of 10.0 might be good and it might not be good since you don't know how much of that T4 is usable.
T3, Total Total measures all the T3 active hormone in the blood including that which is not usable by the body. So, your level of 131 might be good and it might not be good since you don't know how much of that T3 is usable.
If your doctor ran the FreeT4 and FreeT3 tests, the results would most likely be proportionately lower than the above-mentioned tests.
If you are having hypo symptoms with these labs, that's an indication that your thyroid hormone levels are too low for you.
The two thyroid hormone tests that were run for you are just about mid-range which would be too low for most people.
So, with all of this in mind, most people and you would be considered hypothyroid with your labs and symptoms.
The last two results are antibody tests that measure the antibodies most commonly seen in Hashi's - the most common cause of hypothyroidism. Your results are negative but, many people test negative for the antibodies yet still have Hashi's. The only definitive test for Hashi's is biopsy. Since the treatment for hypothyroidism is the same, regardless of cause, there's no need for biopsy.
Your doctor is correct in telling you that you are hypo and that some doctors (actually way too many doctors) would look at your "normal" (aka in-range) results and say that you were fine.
So, even though your doctor doesn't order the best tests, she obviously recognizes your hypo symptoms.
If she adjusts your dose with the goal of complete symptom elimination, I think I can forgive her for not running the best labs.
Hopefully, you'll be getting labs in 6 wks. after starting the Tirosent...
I can tell you what your labs mean and I have other comments/suggestions as well.
Firstly, TSH stands for "thyroid stimulating hormone" and is a hormone produced by the pituitary in response to the body's "request" for thyroid hormone. Healthy people have TSH 1.5 or lower and people taking thyroid hormone replacement that are optimally medicated have TSH 1.0 or lower.
T4 (thyroxine) Total measures all the T4 storage hormone in the blood including that which is not usable by the body. So, your level of 10.0 might be good and it might not be good since you don't know how much of that T4 is usable.
T3, Total Total measures all the T3 active hormone in the blood including that which is not usable by the body. So, your level of 131 might be good and it might not be good since you don't know how much of that T3 is usable.
If your doctor ran the FreeT4 and FreeT3 tests, the results would most likely be proportionately lower than the above-mentioned tests.
If you are having hypo symptoms with these labs, that's an indication that your thyroid hormone levels are too low for you.
The two thyroid hormone tests that were run for you are just about mid-range which would be too low for most people.
So, with all of this in mind, most people and you would be considered hypothyroid with your labs and symptoms.
The last two results are antibody tests that measure the antibodies most commonly seen in Hashi's - the most common cause of hypothyroidism. Your results are negative but, many people test negative for the antibodies yet still have Hashi's. The only definitive test for Hashi's is biopsy. Since the treatment for hypothyroidism is the same, regardless of cause, there's no need for biopsy.
Your doctor is correct in telling you that you are hypo and that some doctors (actually way too many doctors) would look at your "normal" (aka in-range) results and say that you were fine.
So, even though your doctor doesn't order the best tests, she obviously recognizes your hypo symptoms.
If she adjusts your dose with the goal of complete symptom elimination, I think I can forgive her for not running the best labs.
Hopefully, you'll be getting labs in 6 wks. after starting the Tirosent...
I have my new lab results and wanted to get your opinion. I went back to my endo on 11-09-11, and she upped my Tirosint from 50mcg. to 88mcg.
I have not felt normal since I started taking this. I am having more pain again, and am so depressed that I just cry all the time.
Could this result from upping my meds? I was actually feeling a little better before this.
Here are my new results from 11-04-11 test.
TSH, 3Rd generation .47 Ref. range 0.40-4.50
T4, Total 11.5 Ref. range 4.5-12.0 mcg/dl
T3, Total 127 Ref range 76-181 ng/dl
I already asked her about running the T3free & T4free test, and she said that the tests she runs tell her what she needs to know.
She did tell me that if I was having problems with the 88mcg. that I could come and pick up some samples of 75mcg.
She also said that she would like to see the T3 at about 150, and that it wasn't moving much.
Any and all help will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Melody
Too bad you didn't get those freeTs tested, these total ones can be very inaccurate. But if you're feeling worse after the increase maybe the dose is a bit too high right now - I would give 75 mcgs a try. Your (F)T3 is probably not coming up on it's own, you could need a bit of added T3 (but I would certainly trust a FT3 reading more).
I went and got samples of the 75mcg. and I do feel better, but not as good as I felt before. I am trying to find a doctor who will run those tests and offer T3 as well as natural T4.
They are not easy to find. Everytime someone recommends one, I call and find out they are not taking new patients. I called a couple of local pharmacies yesterday, and they gave me a couple of names to try, but I can't do that until Monday.
I know that TSH alone doesn't tell much, but it seems that might went way down. Would that mean anything without the other tests?
Thanks,
Melody
Your symptoms definitely sound hypo and, even your Total T results, especially the Total T3, are on the low side.
TSH going down is a good sign but, will never indicate whether or not our levels have been optimized. You really need the FreeT4/T3 levels. checked.
We can have a worsening of symptoms after a dose adjustment. It's not until we near our optimal levels that things start to ease up....and it can be some time after hitting our optimal levels that all symptoms ease.
Since the Total T tests don't provide the best information and things seem to be getting a bit confusing, it would be better to find a doctor that will run the right tests. In the meantime, you might want to use one of those online lab services and let the results from those tests guide you.
I have found a new doctor that treats on symptoms, and prescribes Armour. I saw him four days ago and he prescribed 60 of Armour once a day. I was taking 75 of Tirosint, and seem to be having all of my symptoms back that I had before I was treating for hypo. Is that normal?
He did not do blood work yet, but is going to do it in his office in 5-6 weeks. I wonder if the 60 is not enough, and I should go ahead and call him tomorrow, or if I just need time to get used to this?
He told me I could switch the Armour and Tirosint every other day if I was having problems with the Armour. I took Tirosint today, and feel better.
Can someone help me with this?
The Tirosint is 75mcg., and the Armour is 60mg. What is the difference between mg & mcg? Does that mean anything different? I am going to call the office tomorrow and see if I need stronger. It seems that if I am not absorbing it all that I might need to go stronger.
Is there another way to get Armour, other than the reformulated? I don't want to start feeling that bad again, and I am really scared that is going to happen.
The Tirosint is 75mcg., and the Armour is 60mg. What is the difference between mg & mcg? Does that mean anything different?
Well 1 mg is 1000 mcg but you don't directly compare these two products as with Tirosint 75 mcgs is the amount of T4 in the pill, with Armour I believe 60 mg is the weight of the pill (1 grain of Armour has 38 mcgs of T4 and 9 of T3 in it). The former has T4 only when the latter has both T4 and T3 - it's the way they work in practice that counts, the meds are absorbed individually and we all have individual needs.
Last edited by FinnMaid; 01-22-2012 at 01:13 PM.
The Following User Says Thank You to FinnMaid For This Useful Post: mlwelch56 (01-22-2012)
I would like to attach my labs to see if someone can explain them to me. Do you know if this can be done? I tried to attach from a pdf scan, but it wouldn't let me do this.
but you don't directly compare these two products as with Tirosint 75 mcgs is the amount of T4 in the pill, with Armour I believe 60 mg is the weight of the pill (1 grain of Armour has 38 mcgs of T4 and 9 of T3 in it). The former has T4 only when the latter has both T4 and T3 - it's the way they work in practice that counts, the meds are absorbed individually and we all have individual needs.
