hashimoto's disease tests

11-26-2003, 06:52 AM

Hi - last year I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. My most recent tests were T3 at 32, T4 at 9, TSH 1.82, FT4 - 1.93. And that's all fine and good, if I knew what t3, t4, tsh, were measuring? After trying synthroid for 9 months, I finally convinced my dr. to switch me to Armour. I had headaches, joint pain, unexplainable weight gain (low carb/low cal diet/lots of fast walking 1 hr 5 days a week -I should have been losing weight). I've read on many posts that a T3 test is necessary when you have hashimoto's. After switching to Armour (I took my first one today - 1/2 gr), the dr wants me to come back in 2 months to check my blood results. The nurse wrote up the order for a TSH and T4? Shouldn't I be having other tests when you have Hashimoto's? What about T3? I don't think she marked enough tests down because she just doesn't know. Can anyone give advice. Thanks so much.

11-26-2003, 03:00 PM

Hi Yock

You need to get the lab ranges for the various tests you have had done. That tells you where 'normal' is - otherwise it is just numbers.

Drs here in Australia only test tsh and T4, but in US they usually test T3 as well. TSH tells the DR what the brain is doing about the hormone level; high TSH (usually >3 I think) means possible Hypo esp if T4 (the actual hormone the thryoid produces) is below normal. T3 is the 'active' part of T4 - that which gets into the cells.

11-26-2003, 03:11 PM

It's important to ask for the "free" T tests. "Total" T tests measure both the bound and unbound Ts, which is a meaningless measure, because only the free Ts are of immediate use to the cells. They are therefore the only ones worth looking at.

I hate to have to even say this, but with thyroid disease, it takes all the knowledge you can gather to get proper treatment, because too many doctors don't have what it takes. Read up on the basics so that you know exactly what the terms T4, T3, TSH, etc. mean. Read, read, read. You can't know too much. Even if this doctor is very helpful to you, someday you may have to switch. The next one you see may know zilch.

12-05-2003, 05:15 AM

Yock,

How is it going with your Hashimotos? Did you get the Doc to order the right tests? I too was recently diagnosed and was just curious on how you're doing.

Michele

hashimoto's disease tests

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