Without your FT3 levels being tested, it's hard to say if your symptoms are adrenal fatigue or hyperthryoidsim. It is typical for Hashis to swing back and forth from hypo to hyper, however, some Hashi patients back off on the meds until the hyper phase wears off. If your FT3 levels are high, then the meds will make your symptoms worse. You need to find a doc who will monitor those FT3 levels and test your adrenals with the 24 hour saliva test. This site lists endos recommended by patients:
http://www.thyroid-info.com/topdrs/
:) Tamra
Thanks again for all the comments.
Thought I would post a follow up-- I've been on the Synthroid for several days now, and have noticed pronounced heart palpitations, and even worse insomnia. Are these symptoms normal during the first weeks of starting Synthroid? Will they subside as my body adjusts?
--S
Some members of this forum have negative TPO and positive TGab. Many docs will only run the TPO antibody test. Shame. You need BOTH to rule out Hashimoto's.
45 is a bit low for your D. Take 1,000 IU daily and work up to 4,000 IU daily.
:) Tamra
Most docs will run the blood test for adrenals - NOT RELIABLE! Demand the 24 hour saliva test. If that doc won't run it, then find a doc who will.
:) Tamra
Hi Scott,
You are welcome. Very interesting that you mention the adrenaline rushes. I get those a lot, along with a racing heart. It will happen at the strangest times, and I can feel the adrenaline rush through my body, then immediately the heart starts racing for a bit. I emailed my Dr.'s office asking if I can get my levels re-checked to see if it's the thyroid. I wonder if I should consider adrenal testing, but I could have sworn they tested for that a while ago. You'll have to keep me up to date on your results, you've got me curious.
You should start to feel better once your Synthroid starts working with your system; as long as the dosage is correct (depending on the adrenal test findings). It sometimes takes a while to get a dosage that is best for you, but you'll get there.
Good luck!
my TSH is 6.36 and I suffer from insomnia, but also fatigue. You can lose weight while being hypo due to a decrease in appetite.
Thank you for the comments! These symptoms were present before I started taking the Synthroid (I took my first dose yesterday) I have taken the TPO antibody test and it was normal (low, in fact) My vitamin D was 45, within the lab's normal range, but lower than your recommended level.
I'm tending toward thinking it is adrenal as well---my heart is racing a lot of the time, and the insomnia seems to be caused by my inability to stop the adrenaline rush. My doctor has scheduled a cort. stimulation test for next week. Will this definitively indicate or rule out adrenal issues?
Thanks again!
Scott
Oh, yeah, that's very true. I have Hashimoto's and Graves antibodies. I also have Vitamin-D deficiency. There are so many things that can play a role with Hashi's or Graves, like Tamra said. Adrenals, Vitamin-B12 deficiencies, anemia, etc. etc.
Good luck to you!
First of all, most people who are diagnosed with low thyroid function actually have the auto-immune disease, Hashimoto's. It makes me so mad when doctors treat this as a thyroid disease, and not an auto-immune disease. The doctor should have given you the Tgab and TPOab antibody tests to determine if Hashi is behind this.
Second of all, ALL patients with low thyroid function should have their adrenals tested and treated - 24 hour saliva test is far more reliable than a blood test. Adrenal problems are VERY common with Hashi.
Next, a thyroid ultrasound in in order, so you can determine if you have a goiter or nodules, typical in Hashi. Swelling thyroid or nodules can cause you to go hyper and lose weight, etc. However, with your FT4 and TSH results, you are more hypo. I'm leaning toward this being an adrenal issue.
Also, WHY NO FT3 testing???? Geez. That's the most important of the thyroid hormone levels and it NEEDS to be tested and, if needed, treated.
One of the many reasons why Hashi is sooo different from plain old hypothyroidism is that we get these swings early on in the disease making us hyper - weight loss, anxiety, heart palps, etc. Then we may get the hypo symptoms a few weeks later - fatigue, constipated, low libido, etc....
Bone loss could be due to adrenal disfunction or a vitamin D issue. Your D should be over 60, despite the current low standards for D. Low D is VERY common in Hashi.
Your body could be hyper or you could have adrenal disfunction causing this insomnia. Read these signs of adrenal stress. Could this be you?
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/adrenal-info/symptoms-low-cortisol/
Finally, I recommend this book to ALL people with Hashi. Dr. K. discusses why our labs say we're normal but we still feel like doo doo.
www.thyroidbook.com
:) Tamra
Hi,
Are these the levels after taking Synthroid, or before? Not everyone experiences the same symptoms. It's odd because I have noticed that many people have very different symptoms, yet there seem to be some that are so common. I had a little weight gain, but nothing major. When I was hypo (before my meds were adjusted correctly), I had horrible insomnia, and along with that, I had to get up and use the bathroom constantly. I had the cold hands/feet. I also had many neurological symptoms, such as tingling/beesting feelings in hands/feet, many cognitive issues, etc. I went through a ton of testing for MS and mini strokes, which were thankfully negative. It seems you need to get the doctor to re-evaluate your dosage.