How Much Longer! :(

[diazmommy]

Hello,

I posted a little over a month ago regarding my symptoms.  About a month ago I started feeling extremely hypo actually the most I have ever felt. I was on a low dose of Tirosint (13mcg) because I have ALWAYS been very sensitive to even small amounts of meds.  (I have Hash's)

However, a little over a month ago something changed....really changed.  I have felt the worst I ever have in the 8 years since I have had this disease.  My last labs were:

TSH  5.05  (0.27-4.2)
Free Thyroxine  1.14 (.80-1.70)
3.54 (1.80-4.20)

Moved my meds to 25 mcg after the above labs and had labs retested just now (4 weeks later). The doctor would only do TSH this time which is I know useless but it was:

2.75 (0.27-5.0)

I feel no better.....maybe 10% but that is about it. It is really affecting my family and my job.  My endo called and said it was not my thyroid because TSH is good.  She said it was something else and I needed to check in with my regular Dr.  I was so MAD.....I know it is my thyroid. I have been dealing with this for years and who is she to tell me that!  I can always feel it in my eyes.....I know that sounds weird but my eyes are tired/puffy/weak and I have fatigue and problems sleeping.  

She said I could move up to 50 mcg of Tirosint (even though she did not think I needed it) and I have been on that now for about 5 days. I am scared that it will not help either. Please offer some advice....I am at my wits end.

------How could I be so sensitive to small amounts of meds and now the meds are not doing a thing?  

-----Should I not start to feel better in a week or 2 with the med increase?  Or can it be longer for some people. It      used to only take me about a week but now I am not so sure:(  This is all new for me!

[goolarra]

It would be a good idea to have RT3 tested...be aware, though, that a lot of mainstream doctors treat RT3 dominance as some kind ot witchmedicine...they don't "believe" in it.  So, it can be hard to get them to test it.

Your FT3 looks so good relative to your FT4 that I kind of doubt RT3 dominance is an issue, but it can't hurt to eliminate it as a possibility if your doctor is willing.  Arm youself with plenty of information before you ask your doctor to test it.

[flyingfool]

Yes.  Get your reverse T3 (RT3) tested.

I will send you on a private message a long write up I had done about the whole thyroid system which as I recall includes discussion on RT3.  It is long so I don't want to post it within the thread.  

In a nutshell. RT3 is the revers or mirror image of the FT3 molecule.  It looks so much like FT3 that the body's cells will accept it into the cells receptors.  But since it is inactive and thus useless all it does is fill up the spaces necessary leaving not enough remaining for the FT3 to actually do its job.  Essentially similar to a plugged fuel filter on your car. It really doesn't matter how much gas that is in the fuel tank (T3 in your blood) if there is none getting to your engine because of a plugged fuel filter (RT3 plugging the cells receptors).

RT3 is ONLY made during the conversion of T4 to T3.

[diazmommy]

Thanks all for you input!  I am going to call again tomorrow to see if they will do the FT3 and FT4.  I had my B-12 and iron tested right before I started feeling bad. I have not had Vit D. tested in over a year.  I will try to request those again though just to be sure.

I have heard some about reverse T3 but I am interested in learning more....can someone explain that and ways to know if you have it and how you would treat it?

[rach7612]

I don't know very much except that Hashimoto's will change your thyroid over time so it's very likely that what used to work for you might stop working. I recently tested high for reverse T3 which my dr explained was why I was feeling worse with each synthroid dose increase even while my labs were beginning to improve. You just never know. I really hope you get to the bottom of it too. I fully understand and have been experiencing that desperation of just needing some relief to maintain a job and family.

[goolarra]

I should also have asked you if you've had vitamins tested, especially D, B-12 and ferritin.  Defieciencies of those can mimic symptoms of hypo.  

[goolarra]

Kind of puzzling.  These labs actually look quite good, except for the TSH:

TSH  5.05  (0.27-4.2)
Free Thyroxine  1.14 (.80-1.70)
3.54 (1.80-4.20)

FT4 is a little on the low side, but FT3 is well into the upper third of the range.  

It's really too bad that your doctor just ran TSH after the increase....we're flying blind here.

It can take longer than two weeks to start feeling better.  Once we've been hypo for a while, our bodies have to have time to heal.  The longer we were hypo before starting meds, the more little injuries we've accumulated.  

I agree with blsdnsvd...I think a really good approach is to request FT3 and FT4 "for my records".  Any doctor who sees no point in testing FT3 and FT4 might be best approached with a "I know I'm probably being silly, but I'd like FT3 and FT4 levels for my records just in case I ever need them.  I always think too much information is better than not enough."  I hate to have to treat adults like overgrown toddlers, but whatever gets you what you need...

In the past eight years, since you've had this disease, can you go back and find lab levels at which you felt good?  It would be interesting to see that.

[blsdnsvd]

If you request to have your FT3 and FT4 Tested, the doc should not refuse...he isn't paying for it. My doc recently told me that he saw no point in testing my FreeT3 and I asked him to request it for my purpose and he said fine. Even if the doc isn't interested, people on here and help you with understanding your levels. It is obvious that you are hypo and honestly, You must be your own advocate. I have the same issues with my eyes, they always look sick and especially when i'm feeling extremely fatigued, which is most of the time. I suggest that you switch endos and also talk to you gp because he/she can also request labs, mine did. Have you tried synthroid??