Hypothyroid Free T3 & Free T4 Testing?

Bunnymom
Bunnymom Member Posts: 212 Member
edited January 2015 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Finished chemo/rad 9/5/14. Thyroid TSH was in the normal range until December 2014 when it went up to 5.02. Dr. Prescribed Levothyroxine 50 mcg. Thyroid damage from radiation (thanks a lot!)  

My chemo treatment consisted of 5FU & Hydrea. The 5FU caused hair thinning. However, my hair was falling out at an alarming rate even after finishing chemo. For 3 months, my thyroid was stable, (SEPT-DEC). Then, like I said, increased.  Dr. then thought hair loss was from under active thyroid! not chemo as he originally told me. I've lost about 75% of my hair. 

I've only been on this dose since December and will have my levels checked again next month. 

My question is in regard to testing. I've read that you should have your free T3 & free T4 tested in addition to the TSH. Apparently TSH only converts into T4 so your T3 can remain deficient while taking Levothyroxine. Also, Levothyroxine can cause hair loss (At least until your levels are brought up to the normal range which can take 6-8 weeks).

Has anyone had experience with having free T3 and free T4 levels tested while taking Levothyroxine?

Thanks!

Comments

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #2
    Thyroid testing...

    They always test T3 total, T4 total, and T3 Free & T4 Free . I Have been on thyroid since I was 12. They have to test it [By Law acording to my Dr every year] back in the 70's it might be every two to three years. I like the Levothyroxine  better than the national thyroid Armor. It seems to be very consistance and I got some minor up's and downs with Armor. I fund out in surgery that I only have half of the thyroid, no right thyroid and onlt three of the four parathyroid gland. Been steady at 112mcg befor and after surgery. Hope this helps.

    Bill

  • Bunnymom
    Bunnymom Member Posts: 212 Member
    #3
    wmc said:

    Thyroid testing...

    They always test T3 total, T4 total, and T3 Free & T4 Free . I Have been on thyroid since I was 12. They have to test it [By Law acording to my Dr every year] back in the 70's it might be every two to three years. I like the Levothyroxine  better than the national thyroid Armor. It seems to be very consistance and I got some minor up's and downs with Armor. I fund out in surgery that I only have half of the thyroid, no right thyroid and onlt three of the four parathyroid gland. Been steady at 112mcg befor and after surgery. Hope this helps.

    Bill

    Bill, this is my concern. The

    Bill, this is my concern. The medical oncologist who prescribed the Levothyroxine, did NOT test any T3 or T4 Only TSH. I asked them about it and the nurse told me that's what they do. She told me to find an Endocrincologist. I was very disappointed in this response. I guess that will be my next step unless the GP will test. 

    I also took Armour Thyroid when my thyroid was borderline hypo (before all of this!). Armour is not as reliable but I like the fact that it's natural, not synthetic. 

  • Bunnymom
    Bunnymom Member Posts: 212 Member
    #4
    wmc said:

    Thyroid testing...

    They always test T3 total, T4 total, and T3 Free & T4 Free . I Have been on thyroid since I was 12. They have to test it [By Law acording to my Dr every year] back in the 70's it might be every two to three years. I like the Levothyroxine  better than the national thyroid Armor. It seems to be very consistance and I got some minor up's and downs with Armor. I fund out in surgery that I only have half of the thyroid, no right thyroid and onlt three of the four parathyroid gland. Been steady at 112mcg befor and after surgery. Hope this helps.

    Bill

    Did you have to ask for the

    Did you have to ask for the T3and T4 testnig or did they just do it? Do you have an endocrinologist Checking it?

    thanks!

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #5
    Bunnymom said:

    Did you have to ask for the

    Did you have to ask for the T3and T4 testnig or did they just do it? Do you have an endocrinologist Checking it?

    thanks!

    T3and T4 testnig

    Wow, I just asked to have my thyroid blood work done and D3 [I was very low] and the standard CBC, I have always had my GP request the test. I don't normaly ask I get it with my yearly check up. This is the first time I asked. They always do T3 & T4 and the free as well. I just e-mailed my GP and asked to have my blood work done and he lets me know it is ordered. I fast the night before and have it done three days before I see my GP.

    Armor is natural but it is from dead pigs and can have some small variance. The synthetic is more precise and there is no varance. I was on armor from 12 to 44 and changed then. I did argue with the Dr and agreed to try it. I never went back to armor, been on it for 20 years. 180mg of armor is 180mcg synthetic. 

    Hope this helps.

  • katenorwood
    katenorwood Member Posts: 1,912
    #6
    ranges can fluctuate at first

    Mine wasn't caused from cancer tx's but from graves disease 30 + yrs. ago.  Ask for the thyroid profile at least once a year.  (includes T3, T4, TSH)  They will test every 6 mo's for the T3 until you're at a decent level.  Most drs. are only concerned with the T3 level.  But for me I have had issues regulating the pill...so it stays at a normal level.  Your primary can do this for you, not really needing a endo., as they do know what knocked your gland for a loop.  Ask any and all questions you, yourself feel are important for understanding what your body is doing.  Good luck and let us know how you're doing !  (I'm on synthroid 112 MCG replacement)  Katie

  • lornal
    lornal Member Posts: 428
    #7
    Endocrinologist

    Go see a endocrinologist if you can.  They will test the right stuff.  Mine never got tested until I went to one.  I actually had Graeves disease - that predated my first cancer, so I have been seening one for a long time.

    Now, with my laryngectomy, things are even more touchy because I lost my parathyroid.  My primary care and endocrinologist were disagreeing, so I dropped both, and changed primary care doctors to one that is an endocrinologist.

    Lorna 2007 & 2014

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #8
    Endocrinologist

     

     

    I had a lot of problems with Thyroid being up and then down and back up again. I love my family doctor but had to give her up and go to an Endocrinologist. On my first visit he could see a lot of things my family doc was missing, I am doing well now but have to be tested every 6 months.

     

    Hondo

  • hlrowe
    hlrowe Member Posts: 80
    #9
    My TSH is high

    Finished 35 rads/6 cisplatin June 6th, 2012. My last labs in December showed my TSH at 17.0. Never had out of spec thyroids before radiation. My PCP will probably test again in a few months. He doesn't order Synthroid until the number gets in the 60's. I have no hypothyrodism symptoms.

    My wife gets tested once a year for TSH and the other Ts. She has been on Synthroid for many years. Our PCP prefers Synthroid vs the generic for women. Not sure why?

  • josh r.
    josh r. Member Posts: 264 Member
    #10
    TSH testing

    Hi Bunnymom,

    I am sorry about the delay to your open question concerning TSH testing. I went thru chem-rad treatment for stage iv sc of the larynx in 1991 and it wasn't until 2011 that my hemotologist suggesrted testing of my thyroid but he never ordered one despite exhibiting a number of the symtoms of an under active thyroid. I did not have a TSH testing until May of last year 2014. My TSH was 20.44  with no FT3 or FT4 and my GP prescribed 50 mg of Levothyroxine. Two months later I was re-tested this time with FT3 at 2.9, FT4 at 1.20 and TSH at 7.50. My dosage was uped to 75 and in September. I again took a test and the FT4 was 117 and TSH at 6.18 with no FT3. Again the dosage was uped this time to 88mg. I was again tested in November but only TSH which was 4.03 and will again be tested in March with the dosage remaining at 88mg and for the most part the symtoms have faded away.

    I wish you and all are brothers and sisters the best. josh r.

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #11
    My first thyroid test went like this....

    It was about 1963 and I was 12. So tired I didn't want to get out of bed just sleep. So they decided to test my thyroid. I had to fast the night before and went to the doctor where they hooked me up to a machine that looked like it was for skindivers.[I thought on the TV show Sea Hunt] They put a clamp on my nose and the mouthpeace with a tube on each side. They tested how fast I used the pure oxygen was how it was tested then. I dont remember how long it was, but I would guess 15 to 30 minutes. They started me on 2 grain and later uped it to 3 gr or 180mg Armor. The blood test is so much easer now, and I am now down to 112mcg for the last 20+ years.      The End

    Bill

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