Graves' Disease Support Group

Don't forget the lab ranges. Hope you feel better soon.

{{{hugs}}}

MZ

do us and you a favor - post the ranges for the labs.

Also, the biggest question of the day is: How do YOU feel while having those latest-greatest labs?

I know you've mentioned having a bunch of hyPO symptoms....I don't know if I'd be in a rush to change my dose.....I'd probably wait until the next set of labs unless your FT4 is at the highest of high end of the range.

What dose are you taking now? If you really need to reduce, do it very conservatively like maybe alternating your current dose with the 112 mcg.

Truly, if you could give us a little more info to work with, we could help more.

Even post your August labs with ranges and dose.

Best,

Carol

Hi mz,

Do you have the reference ranges for those labs? and I see they didn't do an FT3 if they are thinking of adding cytomel to the mix then you will certainly need to request that they include the Free T3 on your lab slip.

ok repost with ranges:

FT4: 1.7 (.80-1.80)
TSH: 0.11 (.3-5)

i'd have to say i feel somewhat worse compared to the previous labs. i could tell that the numbers had decreased from before, i just knew things weren't right.

i've started on the new dose already, would the FT4 go back up after decreasing? i was on the 125mcg dose, i've been on the new dose for two days.

i'll have to call my endo and ask for the previous labs, i think the last time i had labs was in july or august...my endo is horrible with labs so i'll have to take charge of that.

as for ft3/t3, my endo doesn't feel the need to test for that, in the phone message he left me, he said that he'd decrease the dose, take more labs in 6-8 weeks, then if i'm not feeling better with in-range TSH, then he'll probably add cytomel to the mix. well i know for a fact that i'm not going to feel any better when you're looking at TSH because my labs are usually in range and i don't ever feel any better because HE'S LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE. maybe i can get my GP to test for T3/FT3 in a few weeks to see where the levels are and then let my endo know what the results were, how long does it take for T3/FT3 levels to show after a new dose?

Hi mz! Were your labs from last time LOWER in the FT4? It' almost at the top of the range high. That's why the decrease I suppose, plus the tsh is a little low for him I guess. They like to see significant tsh, at least in the range. Your FT4 will go down some with the decrease in meds not up. Maybe you'll feel better. Do you feel at all hyper? If no symptoms it would be worth it to get the t-3 tested to see where you are.Then you will know if the Cytomel is needed.

yeah, i really need to get my T3 tested, waiting like the doc wants me to is really unnecessary. i'm not sure how long it takes for T3 levels to normalize, but i think i'm going to do a full panel with this next test, that's what should've been happening all along but i was under the assumption that TSH was the all-important determining factor in how i felt.

Hello Mz,
I am wondering if may be you are not converting Ft4 to Ft3.
Hard to say with out Ft3 taken.
If you want to feel good based on TSH you will need to have almost no TSH. Our antibodies make the TSH and give a fales reading.
I am sure you know this by now though LOL.

I hoep you get to feeling better soon. and that you can get those Free T3 done.

Angel

Even though the TSH isn't what they should be looking at in conjunction with your FT4 you are certainly on the high side of normal, are you getting any hyper symptoms?If only you had an FT3 to compare all the labs..

I do think a slight decrease is necessary at this point as you will or could continue to go up with your FT4 and possibly FT3 without that lab you won't know where you are.

I have had the same problem with FT3 not a good converter but to enable me to know this I pay out of pocket for that test.
Just now I am on an alernating dose of 175 mcgX4 and 200 mcgx3 per week as 175 wasn't enough and 200 just a little too much I have been hyper then put on 150 mcg within 6 weeks I had gone hypo and then increased to 175 mcg which moved that slowly I was struggling. I have been asking for cytomel for months and am just seeing a new endo who is seeing how things go over the next few months.

Here are my last few results take a look at the FT3 in comparison to the FT4. I'm having to have a high dose of T4 just to get my FT3 up.

Reference Ranges TSH (0.20-5.50), FT4 (7.0-16.0), FT3 (3.0-6.2) Lab-21 Private...and (3.8-6.0) by MK lab

September 29th 09, TSH 1.25, FT4 12.2, FT3 4.2
July 27th 09, TSH 2.23, FT4 10.4, FT3 3.8
June 3rd 09, TSH 3.51, FT4 9.2, FT3 3.5 alternating dose of 175 mcg x4 200mcgx3
May 14th 09, TSH 5.5, FT4 10.4, no FT3.
March 31st 09 TSH-6.4 (H), FT4-11.7, FT3 3.3 (3.0-6.2) Increased THR 175 mcg 8th April 09
February 23rd 09 TSH-5.19, FT4-12.4
January 6th 09 TSH-0.06(L), FT4-18.9(H) THR to 150 mcg

yeah, i'll need to get everything done to see what it looks like, it's hard to really get anything from what i had done, i'll just have to make sure to get t3 and both frees done to get a better picture.