Re: Need help with latest labs - doc says my RT3 is irrelevant

[Guest guest]

>Can anyone help me figure out what's going on with my labs and if this doc is

right? I feel so bad right now that I'm afraid to go back on T4, that it might

make my RT3 even worse. I can't afford to get worse.

How long have you been on T3 only??

Nick

[Guest guest]

Ok, don't kick me for this answer.

I started on T3-only in late December -- 5 mcg Cytomel, 4x daily.

I've increased my dose (titrated?) slowly to current dosing - 5x daily - 10/10/10/5/5. I'm increasing to 10/10/10/10/5 today.

I'm sure I'm doing this too slow. But my ferritin is not where it should be, and I keep reading that I shouldn't be doing this until my ferritin is right and my adrenal issuses are resolved.

Basically, I'm confused and a bit lost. I haven't had any hyper symptoms AT ALL since this whole thing started. In fact, I'm more and more fatigued.

Looking at my new labs, my RT3 ratio has increased from 9.9 to 11.9 since I started, and my TSH has increased from <0.006 to 1.220. Obviously I'm doing something wrong.

Help? :-)

Thanks,

>Can anyone help me figure out what's going on with my labs and if this doc is right? I feel so bad right now that I'm afraid to go back on T4, that it might make my RT3 even worse. I can't afford to get worse.How long have you been on T3 only??Nick

[Guest guest]

Wow , we're at the exact same spot with everything, it seems like.I just wanted to wish you all the best! And we'll get there! Even if we're SLOW. >Can anyone help me figure out what's going on with my labs and if this doc is right? I feel so bad right now that I'm afraid to go back on T4, that it might make my RT3 even worse. I can't afford to get worse.How long have you been on T3 only??Nick

[Guest guest]

>Looking at my new labs, my RT3 ratio has increased from 9.9 to 11.9 since I

started, and my TSH has increased from <0.006 to 1.220.  Obviously I'm doing

something wrong.

> 

>Help? :-)

> 

With your lab of Reverse T3 434 (range 90 - 350) you will have

MASSIVE resistance and with a normal top of range FT3 will feel like

an ice block.

It MAY be that you can increase a little faster, your labs will show

you over range on FT3 but that will be what you need to feel more

human.

You are on the right track, that FT4 is dropping nicely, but it's

going to be another 6 weeks at least before receptors clear and you

are probably going to be increasing weekly through that time.

There will still be some conversion going on from the residual T4 at

the moment.

You can try an increase in T3 every 3 days if you are going up 5 at a

time. By that time levels will have stabilized and you'll know if it's

too much for you at the time

No reason at all to kick you for your answer, you are at about the

stage I thought you would be

Nick

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Nick. The word "MASSIVE" really hits home -- I've been so sick, so tired, so scared, so not "me" lately. I've never had such a bad job review, but thankfully I wasn't put on probation or anything. I'm normally an overachiever. I knew something wasn't right - that's why I've been looking for a new doc, but to no avail.

I'm surprised that I'm where you thought I would be! Makes me feel better. I thought I was royally screwing up. I kept thinking people can't be feeling this bad and still functioning!

I think I've been increasing about every five to six days until recently, when I started increasing every four days or so. I've had a lot of setbacks too - including the day where I was given the generic and crashed so hard, plus a day of what likely was food poisoning that was followed by two days of complete exhaustion. I've not once felt any difference from bumping up the dose. It's like I'm just keeping myself from getting worse -- never feeling like I'm getting better. Is this how it's supposed to be?

Does the TSH increase signify anything?

Nick, if I get receptor clearance in just six more weeks, I'm going to think I've died and gone to heaven. That would be just lovely.

Thank you so much for your help. I'm glad you're starting to feel better. I can imagine that Chinese tasted divine!

>Looking at my new labs, my RT3 ratio has increased from 9.9 to 11.9 since I started, and my TSH has increased from <0.006 to 1.220. Obviously I'm doing something wrong.> >Help? :-)> With your lab of Reverse T3 434 (range 90 - 350) you will haveMASSIVE resistance and with a normal top of range FT3 will feel likean ice block.It MAY be that you can increase a little faster, your labs will showyou over range on FT3 but that will be what you need to feel morehuman.You are on the right track, that FT4 is dropping nicely, but it'sgoing to be another 6 weeks at least before receptors clear and youare probably going to be increasing weekly through that time.There will still be some conversion going on from the residual T4 atthe moment.You can try an increase in T3 every 3 days if you are

going up 5 at atime. By that time levels will have stabilized and you'll know if it'stoo much for you at the timeNo reason at all to kick you for your answer, you are at about thestage I thought you would beNick

[Guest guest]

>Thanks, Nick. The word " MASSIVE " really hits home -- I've been so sick, so

tired, so scared, so not " me " lately. I've never had such a bad job review, but

thankfully I wasn't put on probation or anything. I'm normally an overachiever.

I knew something wasn't right - that's why I've been looking for a new doc, but

to no avail.

the labs show why you feel so bad

> 

>I'm surprised that I'm where you thought I would be! Makes me feel better. I

thought I was royally screwing up. I kept thinking people can't be feeling this

bad and still functioning!

Hopefully you'll feel better soon

>I think I've been increasing about every five to six days until recently, when

I started increasing every four days or so.

OK, take it as your body says you can

>'ve had a lot of setbacks too - including the day where I was given the generic

and crashed so hard, plus a day of what likely was food poisoning that was

followed by two days of complete exhaustion. I've not once felt any difference

from bumping up the dose. It's like I'm just keeping myself from getting worse

-- never feeling like I'm getting better. Is this how it's supposed to be?

no, you can feel better, you need more though as you are resistant to

it.

>Does the TSH increase signify anything?

Not enough T3

> 

>Nick, if I get receptor clearance in just six more weeks, I'm going to think

I've died and gone to heaven. That would be just lovely.

Hope so, write me a " success story " for the web site when you do

Nick

>Thank you so much for your help. I'm glad you're starting to feel better. I can

imagine that Chinese tasted divine!

It did, then a had a good drive the next day. On site working away

this week so very spasmodic web access

In waiting time on the job at the moment

Nick

[Guest guest]

Since your doc obviously doesn't know how to do the FT3/rT3 evaluation,

why don't you give him this Kent Holtorf interview? It probably won't

change his stuck mind, but at least you tried.

http://thyroid.about.com/od/loseweightsuccessfully/a/weight-loss-diet.htm