Help With Thyroid Test

[x-ray peat]

Hi, I was hoping for some advice on my 70 y0 Mother's thyroid tests. She is diagnosed as hypothyroid and has been on 100 mcg synthroid T4 for several years.

I gave her list of Ray Peat suggested thyroid tests to have done but the ignorant GP only put in for TSH, total T4 and Total T3. Her T3 is obviously low and TSH not ideal. Does this mean she should take some T3 or is this inconclusive without the reverse T3 test or other tests such as free T3 and Free T4.

Component...................Your Value ............... Standard Range...........Flag
THYROXINE (T4)........9.7 ug/dL...................4.5 - 12.8 ug/dL
T3 TOTAL ....................80 ng/dL....................87 - 178 ng/dL L
TSH ..............................1.25 uIU/mL...............0.28 - 4.10 uIU/m.......L

Ive attached her other blood tests. In general she has high cholesterol 266 mg/dl, high LDL and high hemoglobin A1C

She says she is tired a lot though she is pretty active for a 70 yo.

 

[Jackrabbit]

Hi, I was hoping for some advice on my 70 y0 Mother's thyroid tests. She is diagnosed as hypothyroid and has been on 100 mcg synthroid T4 for several years.

I gave her list of Ray Peat suggested thyroid tests to have done but the ignorant GP only put in for TSH, total T4 and Total T3. Her T3 is obviously low and TSH not ideal. Does this mean she should take some T3 or is this inconclusive without the reverse T3 test or other tests such as free T3 and Free T4.

Component...................Your Value ............... Standard Range...........Flag
THYROXINE (T4)........9.7 ug/dL...................4.5 - 12.8 ug/dL
T3 TOTAL ....................80 ng/dL....................87 - 178 ng/dL L
TSH ..............................1.25 uIU/mL...............0.28 - 4.10 uIU/m.......L

Ive attached her other blood tests. In general she has high cholesterol 266 mg/dl, high LDL and high hemoglobin A1C

She says she is tired a lot though she is pretty active for a 70 yo.

Have you thought about getting cytomel? It’s t3 only and I find that a half of one every day is plenty. I break it up into 3-4 doses. When I was only one synthroid I was tired all the time. I had a bad reaction to ndt so I stick with synthetic thyroid, but I still use the peat friendly ratio of 4:1 t4 to t3. Seems to be working. If your mom is on 100 of levo you might try a full 25 mg tablet, but since she’s survived without t3 for so long I would start low and work up.

 

[x-ray peat]

Have you thought about getting cytomel? It’s t3 only and I find that a half of one every day is plenty. I break it up into 3-4 doses. When I was only one synthroid I was tired all the time. I had a bad reaction to ndt so I stick with synthetic thyroid, but I still use the peat friendly ratio of 4:1 t4 to t3. Seems to be working. If your mom is on 100 of levo you might try a full 25 mg tablet, but since she’s survived without t3 for so long I would start low and work up.

That is generally what I was thinking though after some research it seems that there may be other ways to improve T4 conversion. Zinc and selenium were mentioned as well as ashwagandha. I may get her some of these in the mean time as I think convincing her GP to start T3 will be tough and she'll need to find an endocrinologist. I would just buy her some Mexican cytomel but she is way too risk adverse to go that route.

Am I missing some important info without reverse T3 and free T4 and T3 tested?