Aa
Extreme hypo
Hello all,
This has been very hard for me to post but I need some help before going to my next doctors appointment to know what to ask for. So here is some back story about me situation. I'm 25 years old and at the age of 23 I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism.
I never thought about my thyroid being the cause of my sudden weight gain (60 pounds), mensural problems, extreme fatigue, dry skin, hair loss, depression/ anxiety and joint pain. I went into the doctor because I was having prolonged vagnal bleeding(6 month long period ) and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. That's when blood work was done and my TSH was 81! I was put on a very high dose of levothroxine 200 which brought my levels down. But I'm still suffering from hypo symptoms. Nothing has changed and my doctor won't change my meds still on 200 mcg 2 years later.
I have an appointment coming up what test should I ask for or should I ask to see a specialist?
Here are my most recent labs
10/2013
TSH 81.75 (0.450-4.500)
T4 free .014 (0.82-1.77)
Didn't test for T3
6/2014
TSH 2.59 (0.450-4.500)
No other test
8/2014
TSH 2.67 (0.450-4.500)
No other test
10/2015
TSH 0.639 (0.450-4.500)
T4 1.62 (0.82-1.77)
T3 1.53 (1.81-4.06)
This has been very hard for me to post but I need some help before going to my next doctors appointment to know what to ask for. So here is some back story about me situation. I'm 25 years old and at the age of 23 I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism.
I never thought about my thyroid being the cause of my sudden weight gain (60 pounds), mensural problems, extreme fatigue, dry skin, hair loss, depression/ anxiety and joint pain. I went into the doctor because I was having prolonged vagnal bleeding(6 month long period ) and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. That's when blood work was done and my TSH was 81! I was put on a very high dose of levothroxine 200 which brought my levels down. But I'm still suffering from hypo symptoms. Nothing has changed and my doctor won't change my meds still on 200 mcg 2 years later.
I have an appointment coming up what test should I ask for or should I ask to see a specialist?
Here are my most recent labs
10/2013
TSH 81.75 (0.450-4.500)
T4 free .014 (0.82-1.77)
Didn't test for T3
6/2014
TSH 2.59 (0.450-4.500)
No other test
8/2014
TSH 2.67 (0.450-4.500)
No other test
10/2015
TSH 0.639 (0.450-4.500)
T4 1.62 (0.82-1.77)
T3 1.53 (1.81-4.06)
So it's been a few months and still no change in all my systems. I am still taking nature thyroid. Had labs done last week here are the results
Free t4 1.17 range .82-1.77
Tsh 1.87 range .450-4.5
Thyroglobulin <1.0 range 0.0-0.9
TPO ab 50 range 0-34
No free t3 tested I did get some other things tested too
Fasting insulin 78 range 2.6 - 24.9 .... Very high :(
Free t4 1.17 range .82-1.77
Tsh 1.87 range .450-4.5
Thyroglobulin <1.0 range 0.0-0.9
TPO ab 50 range 0-34
No free t3 tested I did get some other things tested too
Fasting insulin 78 range 2.6 - 24.9 .... Very high :(
Ok that sounds good I'll try splitting the dose in half and hopefully at my next labs my dose will be increased or talk about increasing it when I see her in two weeks. Thank you so much for the help and advice!!!
COMMUNITY LEADER
You're right that the 65 mg of NatureThroid is less than your your current dosage, but she's on the right track, because NatureThroid has both T3 and T4 and that's what you need... You need to bring your FT4 down and your FT3 up... I'd go with it and plan on increasing the dosage in a short time.
Also, most of us who take med with a T3 component, split the dosage into 2 equal doses during the day, because the T3 is fast acting and doesn't stay in your system very long. By splitting the dose, you keep your FT3 levels more stable throughout the day...
Also, most of us who take med with a T3 component, split the dosage into 2 equal doses during the day, because the T3 is fast acting and doesn't stay in your system very long. By splitting the dose, you keep your FT3 levels more stable throughout the day...
Ok update so I'm not sure what to make of this but my doctor called me and said that she was forwarded my labs and thinks I should try nature-thyroid 65mcg which to me is a considerably low dose of medication then I was on.
I can't see my gp until 2 weeks from now.
I can't see my gp until 2 weeks from now.
Yes thank you for advise. I messaged you my location. I am on the lookout for a good thyroid or endo Doctor. As of now I've been reading these boards and trying to look for good books and articles on thyroid issues.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Thank you for verifying that the T4 and T3 are Free T4 and Free T3... in future, to save confusion, you can post them as FT4 and FT3, then we'll know.
If your gyno ordered the last set of tests and didn't see a problem with the FT3 below the reference range, s/he doesn't know a lot about thyroid either...
Yes, do get your GP to order the antibody tests and the vitamins/minerals...
You do need to find a good thyroid doctor, though, because you aren't properly converting the Free T4 to Free T3 and until you get your Free T3 up to at least mid range, I don't think your symptoms will be alleviated.
If you can tell us where you're located, we might know of a patient recommended doctor in your area... To avoid posting your location on the forum, feel free to send me a private message. You can do that by hovering your cursor over my name so you get the drop down box, then click on "Send a Message"
If your gyno ordered the last set of tests and didn't see a problem with the FT3 below the reference range, s/he doesn't know a lot about thyroid either...
Yes, do get your GP to order the antibody tests and the vitamins/minerals...
You do need to find a good thyroid doctor, though, because you aren't properly converting the Free T4 to Free T3 and until you get your Free T3 up to at least mid range, I don't think your symptoms will be alleviated.
If you can tell us where you're located, we might know of a patient recommended doctor in your area... To avoid posting your location on the forum, feel free to send me a private message. You can do that by hovering your cursor over my name so you get the drop down box, then click on "Send a Message"
My apologies my T4 and T3 tests are both free T4 and Free T3. I am definitely going to ask for those tests you mentioned. I'm just seeing my gp and she doesn't know much about thyroid conditions which is why she never tests for more than tsh.
My gyno actually ordered the last test but my results didn't seen to cause and alerts or change in medication.
I live in the USA
My gyno actually ordered the last test but my results didn't seen to cause and alerts or change in medication.
I live in the USA
COMMUNITY LEADER
Are the T4 and T3 tests you had, Free T3 and Free T4 or are they Total T3 and Total T4? There's a difference...Yours appear to be Free T3 and Free T4, but I want to be sure.
In your latest tests, your T4 is at 84% of the range, while your T3 is still below range. Rule of thumb for Free T4 is about mid range. First we aren't sure that your T4 is Free T4, even though it appears to be; secondly if it is, it's considerably higher than the recommended 50% of the range... Free T4 is the storage hormone that's converted to Free T3.
Free T3 is the hormone that's used by every cell in your body and which would alleviate hypo symptoms... Again your T3 "appears" to be Free, but we aren't sure about that (typically, when T3 and T4 are not designated as Free, they are Total)... At any rate, Free T3 should be in the upper half to upper third of its range and your T3 is actually below range, which means there's not enough to relieve hypo symptoms...
Has a cause for your hypothyroidism been determined? If not, you might want to ask for antibody tests to determine if you have Hashimoto's, which is an autoimmune thyroid condition and is the most prevalent cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world. The antibodies tests you need are Thyroid Perxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). You need them both, since both are markers for Hashimoto's.
You might also ask to get tested for vitamin D and ferritin, since vitamin D is necessary for the metabolism of thyroid hormones and iron is instrumental in the conversion of the FT4 storage hormone to the usable FT3 hormone.
It's quite clear that your 200 mcg levothyroxine is driving up your T4 level, but your body is not converting it to the usable Free T3. Typically, the course, of action in this case would be to decrease the dose of Levo and add a small dose of T3 medication, such as cytomel or its generic, liothyronine...
Are you, by any chance in U.K.?
In your latest tests, your T4 is at 84% of the range, while your T3 is still below range. Rule of thumb for Free T4 is about mid range. First we aren't sure that your T4 is Free T4, even though it appears to be; secondly if it is, it's considerably higher than the recommended 50% of the range... Free T4 is the storage hormone that's converted to Free T3.
Free T3 is the hormone that's used by every cell in your body and which would alleviate hypo symptoms... Again your T3 "appears" to be Free, but we aren't sure about that (typically, when T3 and T4 are not designated as Free, they are Total)... At any rate, Free T3 should be in the upper half to upper third of its range and your T3 is actually below range, which means there's not enough to relieve hypo symptoms...
Has a cause for your hypothyroidism been determined? If not, you might want to ask for antibody tests to determine if you have Hashimoto's, which is an autoimmune thyroid condition and is the most prevalent cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world. The antibodies tests you need are Thyroid Perxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). You need them both, since both are markers for Hashimoto's.
You might also ask to get tested for vitamin D and ferritin, since vitamin D is necessary for the metabolism of thyroid hormones and iron is instrumental in the conversion of the FT4 storage hormone to the usable FT3 hormone.
It's quite clear that your 200 mcg levothyroxine is driving up your T4 level, but your body is not converting it to the usable Free T3. Typically, the course, of action in this case would be to decrease the dose of Levo and add a small dose of T3 medication, such as cytomel or its generic, liothyronine...
Are you, by any chance in U.K.?
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