Hypothyroid or iodine definciency

[Amy1966]

I just received my blood test results for thyroid function.  It started with my TSH Level at 5.34.  My T3 is 126 and my T4 is 7.4.  My antibody count is 162.  I have started taking 50 mcg of generic synthroid.  I was told by my  chiropractor that I could avoid having to take the medication by increasing my Iodine intake.  This has made me confused.  He also said something about my glucose levels and cortisol levels making me tired.  Is this correct information?

[laura1967]

AMY- You have Hashimotos....sooooo you need to make sure your TSH level is suppressed to at least a .50-1.0. If you get on Armour then it will be lower.
Hypothyroidism can be hereditary, actually in many cases. Does your mom have hashi's as well? I wouldn't touch the iodine with a ten foot pole with the hashi's going on, unless of course you have a proven iodine deficiency through blood or hair. It could raise havoc with the antibody situation. I had all kinds of glucose and cortisol problems until I got a better handle on my thyroid. :)
BARB- You need to find a doctor who will show you respect...hang in there...it stinks when you have a bad doctor! My endo was all for me following my glucose levels with a test meter at home...I was having hypoglycemic issues for a while. He thought it was very responsible of me to track it on my own. There are good doctors out there who will commend you for being a good self reliant patient. You just have to search.  The glucose tolerance tests aren't real reliable. What were your latest lab results Barb?  Myabe you are  being undertreated. You need TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 for accurate look at thyroid. You also need to make sure you have been tested for graves and hashimotos.
Make sure you are eating enough protein to hold your glucose levels even...stay away from the simple carbs which will cause crashes. Let me know if you get your lab results. :)

[Amy1966]

Thank you for the advise.  I am going to keep taking the medication.  My mom takes Armour and has for many, many years.  The chiro tried to tell me that the thyroid disorder is not something that I have developed genetically.  Perhaps it isn't but it made sense when I had the TSH level checked first. The TPO Auto Abs was 162 and it was considered abnormal.  The range was 0.0-35.1. I could understand the glucose theory if I didn't also have the high antibody count and a family history. My mom also is Type2 diabetic. I am going to try cutting back on some of the "sweets" and other foods that may cause the glucose ups and downs. I am going to use one of her meters to do the glucose checks.  I also stopped working out for about 3 weeks thinking I wouldn't feel so tired.  I have started exercising again so that I hopefully don't start gaining weight. The chiro didn't really give me a chance to explain things to him so I am not going to bring it up with him again.  He told me that I need to get Iodine solution and put it on my tummy at night untill the skin no longer absorbs it into the system.  My understanding is that Iodine can make things worse not better.  Anyway thanks for responding.  

[Barb135]

I bought a glucose meter to check my levels throughout the day to see what was going on, thinking I might have some insulin resistance going on.  My levels bounce all over the scale (from as low as 60 to as high as 190+).  Most of my fasting glucose levels run between 100-120.  After I had done this for about a month, I presented it to my doctor's nurse practitioner, who agreed to send me for a glucose tolerance test.  Results came back normal, with hemoglobin A1C at 5.6 (high normal).  When I saw my PCP right after that - he told me that the glucose meters you buy in the drugstores are so inaccurate that they shouldn't even be used.  Now mind you, I don't buy that for one minute, as my son has been diabetic for over 20 yrs and his doctors always insisted that we check his glucose levels several times a day, plus I have a brother and 2 sisters who all use glucose meters.  

My point here is that my doctor got really hostile when he found out I was checking glucose levels & he told me there was no way I was diabetic, pre-diabetic or insulin resistant - or anything else for that matter!!  My cortisol levels were also checked, but they (PCP) refused to do anything more than a fasting test, which I understand is not an accurate way to test that.  

I hope others have better luck at getting additional tests done than I did.  I was pretty much treated like a hypochondriac looking for things to be wrong!!  It's a horrible feeling when you don't feel good and really want someone to help you.  

Do take the meds, but keep trying to find out if there are other things wrong as well.  

[gimel]

You can monitor your metabolism/thyroid by checking your temperature and comparing to 98.6, which is the optimal.  To get a better idea of your thyroid level, for your next testing, insist on a free T3 and a free T4 , along with the TSH.  These tests will tell you much more, since free T3 is the active component that largely regulates metabolism.  For more info on the temp. testing check this site.

http://www.drrind.com/tempgraph.asp

  

[laura1967]

First of all the only way you will know if you are iodine deficient is to scratch test the iodine or blood test or hair analysis.
There are several reasons for being hypothyroid...iodine deficiency is only one of them and the rarer one.
Your T3 level is low as well. Was your antibody count within range or high?
I listened to my chiro and tried to do the natural thing for a whole year and got much sicker. I should have never messed around with my thyroid like that. It is a master gland and controls pretty much a large part of your body. It is one of the few things that can't be treated naturally if you truly have a thyroid problem. I have studied natural health for 14 yrs and didn't want to take medicine.....I hurt myself by not in this case.
My suggestion: Don't play around like I did....take the synthroid and get well. If you don't like synthetics, then find a doctor to prescribe Armour. I am on Armour now and liking it a lot.  
I also was told about glucose and cortisol.....buy a glucose meter and check it throughout the day yourself.....the only way to know if it is fluctuating low or high.
Cortisol problems are very common with thyroid disorders.....did he say underactive adrenals or overactive? Taking a good B complex and C will help strengthen the adrenals. There are some good supports out there as well. Is your chiro muscle testing you with all this???