Progress Your Health Podcast

Elizabeth’s Question:  I just got my lab results back and they are: TSH, Thyroid-stimulating hormone, is 1.33, Free T4 is 1.64, Free T3 is 2.9, thyroid peroxidase antibodies, that’s for the Hashimoto’s, is 16. My doctor said my Free T4 was a little high so she suggested cutting my levothyroxine, which is a T4 only medication, 50 micrograms in half, which would be 25 micrograms and to come back in a couple of months for labs. Do you think my Free T3 levels are low? I’ve been having terrible issues with my muscles and heart palpitations. –Elizabeth. Short Answer:  Lowering her dosage is a common reaction, but is not the right one. In this case, we would most likely switch the medication to a compounded, sustained-release combination of T4 and T3. As for the heart palpitations, it is probably not related to her medication because the dose is only 50 mcg. Women in perimenopause and going into menopause will commonly experience heart palpitations and be related to adrenal dysfunction and declining estrogen levels.