There's something I just don't understand

[Guest guest]

There's something I just don't understand. If anyone can explain it,

please do. I've been wondering about it for years now, with no clear

resolution yet.

There seem to be 2 groups on this list...those who use ONLY T3 (and

report relative success but with a problem here & there)....and those

who use Armour with or without cytomel, who say Free T4 should be at

the upper half of the range. My question is: Why do people need T4 at

all? And if T4 is necessary, then why don't the " pure " T3 people have

symptoms of a T4 deficiency????? Blood levels of Free T4 in people on

Cytomel only must be way below the normal range.

If T4 is merely a " storage hormone " and timed release/ frequent T3

dosing can render it unnecessary, then why should people on Armour/

Cytomel with Low Free T4 try to raise their T4 levels?????

I wonder if some problems people have on T3 only are from an absence

of T4, not always a low or high cortisol level. Could it be that it's

more than a storage hormone? That due to some internal balancing

system, low thyroxine triggers other hormones to freak out?

I ask b/c I take Armour plus cytomel, with low T4, high T3 and

suppressed TSH resulting. I thought these would be ideal levels

given the uselessness of T4 as anything but a storage hormone

......PLUS its tendency to turn into the enemy, Reverse T3. Yet I am

gaining weight and have other hypo symptoms. As far as my blood shows

I have good ferritin, good cortisol....so I'm wondering if low T4 is

the problem.

I'm not sure whether to start on all T3... or add in T4. Different

people say what works for them, but I'm trying to understand the

MECHANISM here...how T4 is (or is not) useful to the body. Not in

isolation of course (we all know about the ravages of

Synthroid)...but AT ALL!!!!