Gaaaah! I can't take it anymore!!!

[redheadaussie]

Un-bleeping-believable! Saw my GP just now to talk about the Reverse T3. He says I am normal so not to worry about the T3. I tried to explain to him about the whole process. I said I'm definitely hypo at the moment. I asked him what he thought about going up a dose till I get back from USA. He thought that would be a good idea. THEN ...Oh boy! You guys are gonna LOVE this...he suggested a half tablet extra a day!
I take 100mcgs Eutroxsig (same as Synthroid) so I go up to 150mcgs PER DAY..guess where I will be in 5 to 6 weeks? Camping in the backwoods of sunny Canada! I can see it now...Me having psychosis and chasing the bears screaming..GIMME A HUG! GIMME A HUG! YOU'RE SOOOO CUTE!
    150MCGS A DAY Good grief!!! I was nuts on 125mcgs! Had to get the Psychiatric Triage Nurse to tell me I was having psychosis from too much thyroxine.....He's a lovely doctor, but somehow I think he failed to attend the endocrinology lesson in Med School....As my dumb teenage son said...."Wow! Imagine if you actually did what he said coz you had no idea of your thyroid stuff, Mum...You'd be swinging off the roof!"
DEFINITELY  Time for me to find someone else!!!!
He also suggested I get hte Flu Vax in USA too, as I am immuno-suppressed. Hmmmm, ideas anyone?
It was suggested to me by someone on the Reverse T3 group I am on, to get Cytomel shipped from Mexico to where I will be in USA. I'd still need a US doctor to prescribe it though, wouldn't I?
Man, after having a humdinger 'discussion' for 4 hours last night with my son, and no sleep AT ALL last night... ( I think I drank too much wine!) and now my dumb doctor today...I have a headache!

Anyway, could someone let me know if I do need a US doc to write a script for the Cytomel even if it is coming from Mexico? Time is ticking away here for me!

[stella5349]

I know Red - Smilerdeb and I have talked about you and there is something that needs to be done here.

On the US doctor prescribing it... I really don't know. in fact I almost want to tend to say - it's not going to happen.

They probably know you will need to return back to OZ soon and won't overlook // over side your doctors treatment plan.

It's tough in the US to get T3 - not as tough as you guys - but still it's hit and miss here too.

Girl!! - I just don't have an answer here. Start really demanding options to your doctor before you leave.... I think that's your only hope.

I can view some of my info on options for you if you want.

PM me.

[redheadaussie]

Hi, thanks for your reply. My Free T3's are constantly falling while my Free T4's stay fairly high. Even when doses are lowered they stay pretty much at the same level. Except the TSH takes a big nose dive and makes me feel cruddy.
The test I got done was a Reverse T3. This is to find out if the Free T3 is actually being used. In my case it is not! The T4 medication is in my system, hence the high Free T4 levels, but it is not getting converted into T3 in my body. Without a thyroid it is having even a harder time doing its job. So the Reverse T3 shows us it is pretty much like a magnet and stealing it away from where it should be.
Problem is here in Australia to get T3 replacement you have to know a doctor who firstly understands that T4 meds on their own are useless, and then get them to understand what the T3 actually does, and THEN you have to find someone here who actually MAKES it! Darn near impossible! We can't even buy it like you do in a weaker form! Very strict here with medicine!
  I have been getting tested regularly every 6 weeks since my left side was taken out in May 07. I had the right side taken out in Dec 07. So I am really fed up that my levels are not behaving as they ought to be. I am concerned that I will end up like I was about 15 years ago...totally unable to leave my bed, ended up with chronic depression and lost a ton of weight, then I gained an even larger amount of weight. But was always 'normal' Grrrrrrrr!!! Maybe I ought to just get to that point of collapse and maybe then they might believe me!
  Have you tried going up a dose on your Synthroid? Hypo symptoms are still hypo symptoms and even without the Free T3 levels you might be better to go up. It's the symptoms we need to medicate to not the actual levels. I feel great at a TSH under 0.06 and totally crud like now when it's at 2.48..Yet others feel great at 1.75...totally individual! There are many many issues when it comes to the thyroid levels that can affect how we feel. For me it's the lack of conversion (most likely due to the auto-immune disease I have) in my body.
  I will keep trying though to get some help for myself. I leave to go to USA in just under 2 weeks and hence I NEED to be hale and hearty for that big trip!
Cheers!

[Surviving74]

I don't know about you redheadaussie, but I think Synthroid *****:( I've been taking them for over 7 month & I still feel the usual symptoms. In fact, my hair is falling out more & I'm gaining more weight. I pleaded with my doctor to test my free T3 but she refuses. She says my TSH, T3 Y T4 are normal. I don't have insurance so I can go shop around for doctors right now. I'm thinking of getting off of syntroid & getting on desiccated thyroid because it has what synthroid doesn't provide, the natural hormones your thyroid produces, T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin. Doctors wont prescribe it here but I'll just have to buy the weaker brand from the whole food stores. Quick questions, was the test a free T3? Because T4 & T3 test are very different from Free T4 & Free T3. The regular T test only mesures your level but the Free T test will determine if your body is converting T4 into T3. But you have to do both the free T4 & free T 3 test together. Let me know if you doctor is willining to do this test for you. Oh and about the Mexico thing, I can't really tell you because I've never tried it. Good Luck!