My lab numbers mean anything to anyone

[Kimemitch]

I am so tired and tired of searching for answers. I have total thyroidectomy in 1994 due to papilary carcanoma (cancer). I have been on the thyroid hormone nightmare ever since. My memory has never been the same and its back to an all time low now. I don't remember people I have known all my life, let alone what I did yesterday. Also fatigue has become debilitating and weight gain is out of control.

The protocol is to keep your thryoid levels high or TSH supressed. A couple years ago, I was told that after 10 years we need to get TSH to more normal level as it was bad for my heart to be at such high levels - (I have never substaniated this). They lowered me from .175 to .15 on Synthroid, which sent me into sever Hypo state. I finally convinced Endo to let me alternate between .15 and .175 which still led to hypo symptoms but thought I had to live with it. End of last year, lowered again to .15 - big mistake. I am miserable. I can't make it through the day without napping.

I am now thinking that I might have been able to solve some of this earlier. My memory scares me and the fatigue is disabling me and the weight gain depresses me - there has got to be more answers.

My Cortisol was high on last fasting blood work, TSH was .946, T4 12.3, Free Throxine uptake 3.8, T3uptake 31 -- Coritsol was 28.3

I can't seem to find a decent doctor who listens. I really think I need to pursue the Adrenal Gland and Cortisol issue - Can any one guide me?? Any thing is helpful at this point. I am reading again, but my brain is so foggy and I am so tired its hard. Thanks, Kim

[unichic]

If that cortisol was morning draw, that is not too terribly high at all. I would look for a doctor who will treat both t4 and t3 levels with say some kind of combo therapy. I for instance do Armour AND t4 to balance the levels optimally. Sounds like you need a NEW DOC!! You should be treated by symptoms and not labs. I will bet your t4 is probably a smidge too high, but you are not converting enough t3, and so you feel like poop.

[seeker]

should my dr test Free T4 & tsh but not Free T3? help

[Bobm9uk]

should my dr test Free T4 & tsh but not Free T3? help

Hi Seeker,

Good range of tests would be Free T4, Free T3, and TSH. >> Total T4, and Total T3 to round it off perhaps.

If you still feel awful on T4 ony, it's always useful to know how low the Free T3 is.....so as to judge the best time to add in T3, or move to a combination like Armour......


Best wishes
Bob

[GD Women]

Seeker,

If question is for diagnose, then TSH and FT-4, if these warrant then FT-3 should be done. If they warrant, then antibodies for autoimmune thyroid. If all these fall into thyroid issue then other test might be done to confirm.

The Ts are not necessary, in fact, FTs are preferred in women who are estrogen by whatever means, natural or medicated. Estrogen interferes with T levels, but estrogen does not interfere with the FTs. So FTs are truer to female levels.

If you already have been diagnosed and on replacement medication, then TSH, FT-4 and FT-3 should be done. If you are still feeling bad, your levels might not be right for you. We are not all alike and will not feel the same at the same levels. So anywhere within the Labs reference range where you feel your best, would be right for you.

I won't go into the T-3 issues right now.

US Government 2004 guidelines for hypothyroid are very different then AACE 2002 guidelines.

Best of Luck and Health.

[seeker]

Hi Seeker,

Good range of tests would be Free T4, Free T3, and TSH. >> Total T4, and Total T3 to round it off perhaps.

If you still feel awful on T4 ony, it's always useful to know how low the Free T3 is.....so as to judge the best time to add in T3, or move to a combination like Armour......


Best wishes
Bob
Bob, Seeker here, I am currently on Levothyroxine, and at one point I felt so bad, that he did put me on armour , but I remained on the same dosage of levothyroxine. Should it have been adjusted when the armour was added?

[Deedah]

Hello out there in thyroidland. I thought I was confused before... now I'm feeling like a complete and utter fool. All these numbers have my head in a spin. Does anyone know what normal is??? Tsh...? T3...? T4...? FT3...?
FT4...? Low/High vitamin D? Cortisol? and all the other numbers I keep reading about. My mother had her thyroid removed many years ago. She was put on meds (I don't know the name) and she was fine for the rest of her life...which ended at the ripe age of 82. Now that I'm going through this thyroid thing, it seems like I've entered into a never ending bottomless pit.... and I'm only dealing with it for a month. Guess I'll learn,... if I don't succomb to the depression, fatigue, anxiety etc. The more I read, the more I realize that I may even lose my memory... How the hell am I going to know what's going on in my body if I can't remember??? One month and I'm already shot!!! HERE COMES THE NEXT PANIC ATTACK..... HELP, I'M DROWNING IN MY OWN HORMONES!!!

[Deedah]

Last night I found this wonderful website: hashis@hateshopping.com. As a result of this inquiry I've finally seen the numbers. Not nearly remembering it all just yet.... but I've been somewhat enlightened. I've already commented on my lack of computer knowledge, but I think I'm finally going to learn the needed information to:
1-get a bit of computer savvy
2-know what my body is going through, and why.

I'm very excited to be on the learning end of my thyroid problems. I've read lots of comments (on these message boards) regarding Dr's not wanting to "waste time" explaining all the little details about their patients thyroid issues. Now, all I have to do is get a copy of my test results, and compare them to what's considered normal. This is not to say that I'll always agree.... but, I'll have a clue.
This is going to sound weird but I feel like a heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I'm in the process of learning why I feel as I do. Presuming that my thyroid problems don't severely affect my ability to learn.... I'm finally going to understand. YIPPIE!!!