Thyroid Panel Question: They want to make a change, what do you think?

[stlstudent]

Recently have been battling some anxiety/depression type symptoms. Do not believe they are tied to my HRT because things have been steady and consistent in the last 4 years (but never say never right!?)

My primary wanted me to do a FULL thyroid panel to see where I stood. He knows, and accepts, that Defy is handling my Thyroid and has me on 1/2 grain Armour Thyroid and wants to bump me to 1 full grain. I THOUGHT maybe my thyroid had gone hyperactive and was causing the anxiety but after looking at these numbers, I'm don't think so.

What are your thoughts on my results from discountedlabs.com?

TSH = 3.98 (.45-4.5)
T3 Free = 3.1 (2.0-4.4)
T4 Free = 0.86 (.82-1.77)
Reverse T3 = 12.4 (9.2-24.1)
TPO = 34 (0-34)
Thyroglobulin Antibody = <1.0 (0-.9)


Others results for reference:
Total T = 514 ng/dl
Free T = 31.3 pg/ml
Estradiol = 24.3 pg/ml

 

[SilverSurfer]

I’m looking at possibly needing to add thyroid medication myself. Your TSH looks too high, especially since you’re already taking meds for it. Don’t you want it close to 1.0 +/- 0.5? Also, may I ask why you decided on Armour vs a synthetic hormone? I’ve read some less than stellar reviews about Armour.

 

[stlstudent]

I’m looking at possibly needing to add thyroid medication myself. Your TSH looks too high, especially since you’re already taking meds for it. Don’t you want it close to 1.0 +/- 0.5? Also, may I ask why you decided on Armour vs a synthetic hormone? I’ve read some less than stellar reviews about Armour.

Thanks for the reply. I should have stated that I had not taken my 1grain Armour for a 2 mornings because I guessed that I had gone Hyperthyroid and that is what caused my anxiety (I'm not talking basic anxiety, I'm talking can't get off the couch, body tremor type) but I did take my usual 1/2 grain. My last TSH readings on my last 3 blood draws were 1.75, 2.2, 2.6 So am usually down on the lower spectrum. Those were all on 1/2 grain of Armour Thyroid and they want to bump me to 1 grain.

As far as Armour vs synthetic, that is what Defy has suggested for me. I originally was taking the compounded Natur-Throid (sp?) but they changed it to Armour because they did not trust the dosing of a compounded type and wanted me strictly on the name brand. The price difference is quite a bit though. To be honest, not sure why because Synthroid or the like has never been discussed or mentioned.

 

[Vince Carter]

As best I know you're supposed to be taking your Thyroid meds the day of your testing so if you didn't take it then that set of labs is questionable

I had not taken my Armour for a few days

 

[stlstudent]

As best I know you're supposed to be taking your Thyroid meds the day of your testing so if you didn't take it then that set of labs is questionable

MISTYPE, please forgive! What I should have said (and I'll see if I can edit) is that I went back to my 1/2 grain and not the 1 grain. I was taking the med, just not at the new dosage for fear of it causing the anxiety. Still I know it would have been better to get a reading with the current dosage I was on but the risk was not worth the reward. It was only the 2nd morning. My thinking was that if the test comes back with a TSH of a very low range then I would know its HYPER and bumping up to a 1grain was a no no. I'll try to make that edit in my previous post, sorry and thanks

 

[Vince]

TPO 34, do you have Hashimoto's?

 

[Vince Carter]

TPO 34, do you have Hashimoto's?

Good catch on that one.

 

[Deleted member 16042]

I felt some jitteryness when bumping up dosage, but not crippling anxiety. It evened out after a few days to a week. I too went from 1/2 to 1, then added another 1/2 in the afternoons. Then changed from compounded NDT to NP thyroid which seems a bit less strong, so now on 1gr AM and 3/4 gr PM.

Could be that the drop from 1 to 1/2grain was enough of a jolt to stimulate the pituitary to ask for more. The TSH is pretty darn high, but not surprising under the circumstances

 

[stlstudent]

TPO 34, do you have Hashimoto's?

Never been told that and also never have had my TPO checked before either

 

[Vince]

Never been told that and also never have had my TPO checked before either

I would be concerned if I was you. It's definitely not Graves disease because of your TSH, but I would be concerned that you are starting hashimoto's. I think you should find a good thyroid doctor at this point.