I’ve been levothyroxine for years now. After doing my own research I’ve got my dr to up my dose from 88mcg to 112mcg. My TSH was around 1.9 last we checked, T3 was in range (cant remember what it was though) and he didnt check my t4. Yes my doctor sucks. Monday I’m going to see if he will do a more comprehensive test after i decide if i should up my dose again or switch to armour.
So should I just try a switch to armour or should I try yet another dosage increase? Should I wait until I get my t4/reverse t3? I feel like the dosage increase hasnt done anything. It has been 2 months.
Do you have an autoimmune disease or just an under-functioning thyroid?
I feel the best with FT3 at the top of the range and FT4 near the middle or top. But it’s an easy line to cross if you take too much.
I’ve tried several treatments in the past and I feel the best on T4 only, but I know that is not the case with a lot, if not most people. Perhaps that is because I can take T4 only and my body converts that to T3 pretty efficiently.
What I recommend is to get your FT4 into the middle of the range. See how you feel, and see where your FT3 ends up. Once there, you can add T3, either with NDT or a compounded mix, but keep the amount of T4 you’re getting the same. From there, if you find your FT4 is too high and FT3 is still low, you can play around a little. Add more T3 and reduce T4 as needed. Get a thyroid panel done 6 weeks after every dosage change.
I’ve been to hell and back messing with my doses, and knowing what I know now, this is the quickest and safest way to treat your thyroid. It gives you the best idea of how well your body converts T4 to T3, and prevents you from going hyper, which is much worse than hypo, both physically and mentally.
I’m actually not sure. My dr just said “You could have hashimotos” but never did a test to check or anything. Would an antibodies test check that?
What tests should I ask for?
TSH
T3 free
T4 free
TPO antibodies
T3 reverse
In the insurance business you get what you pay for, sounds like you have an HMO. T3 is an obsolete test, the T3 is both bound and unbound together and the Free T3 is only the free hormone which is getting into the cells.
Some people don’t convert free thyroid hormones correctly, so testing Free T4, Free T3 and Reverse T3 are important. In these cases T4 only treatment is not appropriate.
Yes, antibodies will test for Hashimoto’s.