Thyroid issue

I wrote a bit over a week ago about a thyroid issue. 3a, off tx since mid-May '04, neg PCR at weeks 12, 24. Sides were awful for me. Post tx my skin stayed very dry, baby smooth, course hair that falls out easily, and cold intolerance. Secondary to physical I checked my thyroid numbers closer after the TSH was 112 (very high-->normal is around 5). Free T3 and T4 were low. The issues with my skin post tx are classic manifestations of hypothyroidism. Before going on thyroid replacement had a Nuclear Med study last Tuesday read as normal. We opted to treat with thyroid augmentation, watching things closely to see if the gland can recover, hopefully getting off the medication.

I am a registered nurse who can grasp the picture easier than those without my background. So bottom line is this: post combo tx with signs/symptoms of hypothyroidism in the face of a normal nuclear study. Several of you replied that your thyroid took a hit while on treatment although those responses came in prior to the nuclear study.

My questions: Have any of you dealt with the senario mentioned in the second paragraph? If so, how was this issue treated for you? Thank you in advance for any information you provide.

Take care all, be encouraged. God knows you and calls you each by name.

Dale

[CARUU]

I developed thyroiditis during tx.  I was hyperthyroid (TSH .02)for about 3 months.  At the end of tx it went in the other direction (TSH 5.0).  The sx were bad (especially the hyper phase).  At last testing my TSH was 1.2, perfect!  During the time of the 5.0 TSH my ANA tested 1:640.  I was never prescribed any meds for the thyroid.  The doc said I would just have to wait it out and it would eventually stabalize.  It took some time, but she was right.  I'm feeling better all of the time (but seem to be left with more IBS than before tx, GERD and dry eyes some of the time).  My energy level is really improving (I walked 4 miles today).  In the middle of tx and for several months afterward I was lucky to be able to walk from the living room to the kitchen.  From the sounds of things, you need to be on the synthyroid with levels as high as yours have gotten.  I hope the meds work for you and you feel much better real soon. caruu

[britgirl]

If your TSH reached those high levels it is unlikely you will ever be able to come off medication - at least, that is what i have been told. I am on 75 mg of synthroid a day, for the last two years, but my hair has never grown back. Apart from that, I am fine. Don't know what you mean about Nuclear Med studies, i'm afraid.

[jevs2]

Hi Britgirl
I'm going for my 6month post tx pcr tomorrow morning!
Hope you had a good summer.
I'm feeling great and have stopped smoking as well.
Best wishes
Joanna

[britgirl]

All the best for the big test! I an still remember how nervous I was going for it. What great news that you are feeling so well and have even given up smoking. I have been working all summer, but it's been nice here in London - lots of barbeques and friends passing through.
Let us know how you get on.

[layla]

I also have hypothyrois problems since tx. and I am now on 75 levoxyl which has made me feel better but I don't believe I am yet on the right dose. I still feel some symptoms associated with hypothyroid. Dry skin, brittle hair (but growing in since and of tx). At times memory problems but these symptoms are all much less since starting levoxyl. I am waiting to see how my next thyroid test come out. I have some confusion about what is normal since my labs report normal as.04 to 6.0 and I hear some say even 4.5 would be high. (I have not found documentation on this but is you or anyone has that I would  love to see it to discuss this with my doc.)I have seen 3 different doc and discussed this with them and mostly I am told it would be permanent BUT my hepatologist say he sees some people recover but it is often over 6 moths after tx and up to 1 1/2years. It has to do with antibodies but I am not totally clear on this at this point. He said I could recover but I don't quit think this will happen. For now I take my lovoxyl and just hope to attain SVR. LL

[OkieJim]

I'm at6 months post tx waiting on results I was clear at 12 weeks. geno2B. I went hypothyroid at about 7 month into tx. I was put on synthroid during tx. Once off tx I was taken on the synthrood. My TSH began to climb again. Went back on synthroid last check showed high Free T3's waiting for next month maybe thyroid has returned will find out later.

caruu,
So good to see you here I've been gone for awhile after clearing and living a normal life again. I't wonderful once the meds are cleared. I'm so happy for your good feelings again. It was all worth it.

jevs2,
You also so good to hear from you also. Good luck on the PCR. My prayers are with you.  And the smoking thing congratulations to you. I didn't make went back on them shortly after finishing TX. Some day I will try again.

[CARUU]

It's great to hear from you.  Thanks for your nice notes.  It really feels good to be on the road to improved health!  My energy and stamina is soooo much better now.  My fingernails are growing so fast. I'm hoping this means HCV is gone!!!  They never were strong or long in the past.  I go for my 6 mo. PCR on Oct. 1 and am hoping this will all become a distant memory (although I will never forget the help I got from all of you and the struggle that so many are still going through). caruu

[lookin-up]

I'm post TX, have my 6 month test in Dec. & still have hyper thyroid.  TSH went from. 004 to .007 to .012.  I don't have confidence in the thyroid specialist I was sent to. I'm supposed to go back in 6 months.  My Hep C  Dr. said that hypo is way more common than hyper and that is why she sent me to a specialist - had it been hypo, she treats that.   I quickly lost 25 pounds, but leveled out now.  I am on 20 mg of methamazole.  It's really strange to be hyper-thyroid, then to hit that brick wall still called fatigue.  At one point I was so hyper at church, a friend asked me if I was having a "mountain-top experience"   ......that was hilarious!!!

The good news is that I really AM feeling better - my hair is short & still like straw & my fingernails like paper, but it's funny to me that my eyelashes are longer.  I can actually make the day without a nap, but I now treat my naps like luxury ....ahhh!

Having breast cancer, hysterectomy & 48 wks of hep c treatment in the course of 4 years, priorities change, the world is so full of wonder & time is precious, yet fragile.   My love to all if you here who helped me without lnowing it --- chevy, caruu, Cindy, Kim (you need to publish an album!!) , tnhepguy, Indy, hippychick (I still have some of my old patched bell-bottoms! how 'bout you!!) oh, I can't name you all, but all I want to say is THANK YOU!!!!

From my whole heart-
Penny

[CARUU]

I was interested to read your post.  As you said, hyper is much less common than hypo.  I hated the sx from it.  Pounding heart, feeling hot all of the time, fatigue, irritability, etc. When it started, my PCP put me on methamazole and sent me to an endocrinologist.  The endo did further blood work and a thyroid scan.  The final dx was "Silent Thyroiditis" and she took me off of the methamazole.  The thyroiditis was considered to (most likely) be secondary to the INF tx.  It is where the thyroid becomes infiltrated with white blood cells and dumps all of the thyroid hormone into your blood stream, which causes hyperthyroid symptoms.  It's different from true thyroid disfunction that causes your thyroid to overwork, ie. graves disease (thankfully). There is a chance your thyroid will go back to normal, but it could go hypo for a while before stabalizing.  This is what happened to me.  I've also heard of many folks who ended up hypo and will be treating for the rest of their lives.  You sound like a brave soul who is ready for a break from all of this. Thanks for the nice note, hang in there and keep us updated.  caruu

[kristenfm]

I have most of the symptoms of having a thyroid problem, the problem is that my test come back "within normal limits". My last TSH was 0.71. I know there is something wrong, but most doctors just look at the results and don't give me another look. Can anyone suggest what I should do next? Please help.

[alijee]

I am on interferon treatment, week 20 of 24. Here are 13th week thyroid test results as under


TSH    5.64         Normal    0.5 to 7.0
T3      2.10          Normal    1.08 to 3.14
T4      118           Normal    59-135

I have decided to check thyroid again. It is very rare that my lab is using very old normal reference. I hve heard that now normal is declared as 0.3 to 3.0. If this is true then I m hypo. And im afraid that now when im on weak 21 the levels would be very high because as the days are passing im feeling worst and worst, much much tired, can hardly walk 50 steps. Feel very bad at morning. Low BP and temperature, numbness of arms, feel dizzy, drowsy and spinning. High pulse and little hair loss.