Does My Thyroid Look OK?

Hi all,

This is my recent Thyroid pannel. Looking at these, does everything seem normal please?
Im currently waiting for stability on new protocol. Ive had some issues with cold feet and hands and lethargy with low libido even when ive been stable and was wondering whether It could be linked with my thyroid function.
Thankyou

Thyroid Function

TSH 2.0 20.27 - 4.20mIU/L

Free T4 16.6 12.0 - 22.0pmol/L

Free T3 5.73 3.1 - 6.8pmol/L

Reverse T3* 17.0 10 - 24ng/dL

Reverse t3 is high. Are you on a low carb diet? Your symptoms sound similar to mine when i had low thyroid. If you are on a low carb diet , i would suggest fix that diet and that can fix the RT3 issues. This worked for my wife and my other friend. Otherwise I would go find some articles on how to work on lowering this number on a website called stop the thyroid madness.

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FWIW, I was told that the goal number for RT3 was only slightly lower than what OP is at (from Defy). They told me shooting for about 14 ng/dL [10-24] is what they wanted.

I wouldn’t mess with thyroid meds with these labs. Your recommendation to look to diet is solid.

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What’s the rT3 target again @enackers? One (1) ng/dL as I remember?

OP, take a look at this thread:

And be careful what advice you take on here.

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What is your take on RT3 @readalot? I read, but not like you do. I at one point had RT3 above range, used cytomel to bring it down. I have dropped that now and feel fine. Haven’t done labs, but they are upcoming. Would you pay the extra for RT3 if you were me?

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The quick and dirty summary from the 2nd link I posted above is probably the best 80/20 rule-approved paragraph (except for the pitch for dried urine testing :-)):

I tracked my rT3 from 26 to 6 ng/dL over years and felt exactly zero difference and exactly zero difference in my resting basal temperature.

The Bottom Line – Is the rT3 Test Useful?

There appears to be little clinical justification for routine testing of rT3 for thyroid function assessment [14]. The main applications of an rT3 test are as a prognostic/diagnostic indicator in non-thyroidal illness syndrome or to monitor patients receiving amiodarone, which inhibits liver type 1 deiodinase activity and increases rT3 relative to T3. A healthy balance of rT3 and T3 levels can be maintained and thyroid function kept optimal with proper nutrition – avoid extreme dieting or severe carbohydrate restriction which create a starvation signal; normal iodine and selenium levels (assessed with dried urine testing); and avoidance of excessive stress.

If you really want the full version:
https://mdedge-files-live.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/files/s3fs-public/Document/May-2018/gomes-lima_reverset3orperverset3.pdf

After months of review and study, my usage of high levels of T3 (as part of combination therapy with T4) may have been main culprit of my atrial fibrillation (when T3 was combined with supra levels of test along with reasonable dosages of ND and oxandrolone). I have since moved back to T4 monotherapy and do not monitor my rT3. I will give @enackers credit on the diet recommendation. Keto long term is probably not wise as it induces nutritional starvation cascade to the body’s hormone levels. I have reintroduced smart carbs back into my diet with no adverse effect on my body fat level. Keto short term is a fantastic jump start on the 1-2 year process of dramatic body transformation.

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My previous responses on this to you as a check if my story is changing :slight_smile:.

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Just work on lowering it. I doubt it’ll hit 1,but you’ll feel better when it is down. I’d say below 7 worked for my wife.

Don’t over complicate any of this hormone therapy. It’s simple. You’ll know it’s working and the doses are correct When you feel well.

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Yea the range is wrong, not the target. 1 is correct for a good TSH

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The whole wall of text above is in regards to rT3. You refer to TSH. The average reader on here must be thoroughly confused.

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Yah anyting around there. as long as your symptoms resolve, you are good to go.

I belive my doc said TSH goes below 1 when people get on thyroid. I think .

As an alternative to the science-free post above, feel free to read here. It would be a full time job counteracting the BS spewed on here.

On carry on in optimization land. Lots of choices out here.

I’ve had cold hands and feet and thought it was thyroid, but it was a iron problem.

Your thyroid testing show a thyroid performing like a champ. It all comes down to Free T3, the most potent thyroid hormone and this value is at the top end of the ranges.