hypothyroid

[indysteel]

Very good points, and I think the clarification was important. Of course we still need those hormones, and I've been taking that 1 pill a day since 1984...though sometimes I still forget It was just perplexing to me how little that person actually heard when we were discussing this - it was like she couldn't even hear what I was actually saying.

I hope you are starting to feel better?

Was this an endo or what?

I am starting to feel better. I cut my dose from 5 mg to 2.5 mg and am wondering if it's now just a bit too low of a dose. I'm going to play around with taking a full dose every other day/every two days. My original TSH was .135 when they first spotted the problem. After about five weeks on the antithyroid drug, my TSH was up to 3. The doc would like to find a happier medium than that, as 3 is borderline hypo. Still, 3 was better than the alternative. She's also hopeful that because my case is mild and I'm able to tolerate the drug that we can bring it into remission. That generally takes a year or two, however.

My eyes, while very dry some days, are not showing any signs yet of disease. I'm keeping my fingers crossed with that aspect of things. For as mild of a case I have, I'm hopeful.

[Catrin]

Was this an endo or what?

I am starting to feel better. I cut my dose from 5 mg to 2.5 mg and am wondering if it's now just a bit too low of a dose. I'm going to play around with taking a full dose every other day/every two days. My original TSH was .135 when they first spotted the problem. After about five weeks on the antithyroid drug, my TSH was up to 3. The doc would like to find a happier medium than that, as 3 is borderline hypo. Still, 3 was better than the alternative. She's also hopeful that because my case is mild and I'm able to tolerate the drug that we can bring it into remission. That generally takes a year or two, however.

My eyes, while very dry some days, are not showing any signs yet of disease. I'm keeping my fingers crossed with that aspect of things. For as mild of a case I have, I'm hopeful.

It was a GP who seemed to think that diet solved most anything - though, indeed, diet certainly does help a lot.

For me, once my thyroid levels get out of whack (normally because I've forgotten to take it for a time...) it can take 4-5 months to get things to settle down. Now, my experience may not be the norm since I don't actually have a thyroid, but I've heard from others that it takes them some time as well to get things settled down.

When I had Graves, it was so advanced that I had the bulging eyes and the huge goiter. According to my eye dr. one eye still actually bulges, but it is so minor that no one else can tell. I was also quite heavy for someone with advanced Graves...and I can vouch for how strong an effect it can have on our moods and emotional state. I pretty much lost my 20's to it so my heart goes out to anyone dealing with it. These days I think they are much better at detecting and treating it.

[indysteel]

Catrin,

Have you ever looked into whether you were having a T4 to T3 to conversion problem? I know some people don't do well with just T4 supplementation; they also need T3 supplementation, often through a combination drug like Armour. If you've had blood work done recently, you might want to if your T3 values are in the normal range or, if they are, if they're on the low end of normal. And if you're relying only on TSH, it often shows as normal, even if T3 is low.

Beyond that, you gotta take your drug every day!!! I hate to see you frustated about your weight only to read that you sometimes miss doses of your thyroid replacement.

[Dannielle]

Catrin, my heart just broke reading that you pretty much lost your 20s to this. I can absolutely relate as someone who lost her 30s to this.

It definitely makes you embrace life a whole lot more fully after you've come through the other side, huh?

[Catrin]

Catrin,

Have you ever looked into whether you were having a T4 to T3 to conversion problem? I know some people don't do well with just T4 supplementation; they also need T3 supplementation, often through a combination drug like Armour. If you've had blood work done recently, you might want to if your T3 values are in the normal range or, if they are, if they're on the low end of normal. And if you're relying only on TSH, it often shows as normal, even if T3 is low.

Beyond that, you gotta take your drug every day!!! I hate to see you frustated about your weight only to read that you sometimes miss doses of your thyroid replacement.

Every year when we do the test I insist they do the full thyroid panel, I've learned about that...it is also not enough to make certain you take it daily, but that it is taken properly. So many things can cause it to not be absorbed by your body, can't take it with a Vitamin C supplement (or is it calcium? I never can remember). Better to just take it on as empty a stomach as you can, so many things interfere with that.

Yes, I do need to take it every day, this has been a struggle for the last 27 years...sigh

[snapdragen]

Every year when we do the test I insist they do the full thyroid panel, I've learned about that...it is also not enough to make certain you take it daily, but that it is taken properly. So many things can cause it to not be absorbed by your body, can't take it with a Vitamin C supplement (or is it calcium? I never can remember). Better to just take it on as empty a stomach as you can, so many things interfere with that.

Yes, I do need to take it every day, this has been a struggle for the last 27 years...sigh

It's calcium. I had a couple of years of yoyo thyroid levels. I finally discovered I should not be taking my calcium at the same time as my levothyroxine.

[nscrbug]

I literally wake myself up at 3:30 AM in order to take my 88mcg of levoxyl on an empty stomach then fall back asleep for another hour...because I wake up at 4:30 and eat something right away. It's a PITA, but it's the only time that I can take it without something else interfering with it.

[indysteel]

Linda, you are one disciplined woman! I would find it challenging enough to get up at 4:30, let alone to wake up at 3:30 to take a pill!!!

[sookiesue]

For anyone using synthroid who is having any negative effects, I suggest you try the Armour thyroid. It is naturally (pig) derived and I have recently heard they have a generic out there now - I have not tried the generic, I don't want to mess with what I know works for me, and Armour is not that expensive. I tried synthroid for a time and it made me nauseated so I went back to Armour.

[snapdragen]

Armour didn't work well for me, my levels would never stabilize.

[VeganBikeChick]

I liked Armour but had a problem with it ethically so am back to Synthroid.

[RubyTuesday]

Can someone explain the normal values for TSH. Mine has always been in the normal range according to my doctor at 3.89. I do have many symptoms of a thyroid issue and both my sisters and my Mother were on synthroid.

[indysteel]

Can someone explain the normal values for TSH. Mine has always been in the normal range according to my doctor at 3.89. I do have many symptoms of a thyroid issue and both my sisters and my Mother were on synthroid.

It depends on which guidelines you use, but by at least one signfiicant guideline, you are hypothyroid. This article might help.

I would discuss that article and your symptoms with your doctor and ask for a full thyroid blood screening that measures not just TSH, but free T3 and T4 and antibodies. If yoru doc is unwilling to treat you, then ask for a referral to an endocrinologist.

Prior to my TSH coming back as low, previous bloodtests showed that I was on the high end of normal, with some readings over 3. None of my docs every mentioned this to me. I really wish they had.

[Dannielle]

the older guidelines for normal tsh are 0.5-5.0....the newer guidelines are 0.3-3.0. My endo says most people feel best under 2 (so not as high as the newest guideline of 3) so that's his average treatment goal. I've been treated for thyroid cancer so my tsh levels need to be a little extra suppressed.

[RubyTuesday]

Thanks indysteel and Dannielle. I think my endo uses the .5 to 5.0 guidelines. I already see and endocrinologist because I have type one diabetes. You would think my endo who is the head of the endocrinology dept for UCD in the Sacramento area.

I will ask him for the more extensive test. Thank you!