TSH? Hashimotos...?

[moro07]

I went to the MD for a general check up. Im 23 and had a baby about 6 months ago. I had been feeling run down and just plain tired. I typically feel that way and the extra tired I just based on the new baby. My dr. did some blood work just to make sure I wasnt anemic (which I had been during my pregnancy) The blood work came back as normal for the anemia but with a TSH of over 380. I was a little shocked that it was so high but didnt pay much mind to it as the doc said it could be post partum thyroiditis... however he did more blood work to see if i had the antibodies for either Graves or Hashimotos disease. They came back positive for Hashimotos. My question is, is there a posibility for the Hashimotos anitbodies to be there with the post partum thyroiditis??? The MD put me on 75mg of Levoxyl once daily which made me feel just terrible, every side affect possible it seemed i was experiencing. So he lessened my dosage to half that, just told me to take half a pill once a day, that seems to be doing jack squat. Im so frusterated. I feel really really crappy, im always ALWAYS tired, and always cold. in a 78degree room i need a sweater, im freezing. i bruise like a summer peach and my moods arent very good, im always either sad angry or depressed, and for no good reason either. i didnt take the levoxyl today and i didnt feel any different than when i do take it... should i continue to take it despite the fact that i cant tell a difference?

[moro07]

Thanks, im hoping it will get better cuz I'm just not coping very well with this. Im going to call my MD tomorrow to see if he has any other endos he can refer me to. I did a little research and found that the dizziness could be an allergic reaction to the levoxyl. Im going to report that to him as soon as i can. Ive started doing a mile a day...when i feel up to it. I think I will start taking my prenatals again. Thanks for the encouragement and the advice, its much needed and very appriceated.

[tangerinelz3]

Mid October? Is there another Endo you can see in your area? That seems like a long time to wait. I too have been diagnosed with Hash's antibodies and I am also postpartum. My son was born a year ago. I went through a hyper phase first and now I am hypo. I keep hoping this will resolve itself. I am on a very low dose of meds because the higher dose gave me palpitations and fast heartrate. I also started taking vitamins, stopped eating gluten and started exercising. The exercise has probably helped the most. I still don't feel back to normal. I am doing better and I just keep hoping I will continue to improve. Hang in there, it gets better.

[moro07]

Ive been taking the meds for about a month and a half now. i started at 75 mcgs and went down to half that, but it stopped working completely. i went back to feeling just terrible all the time again, so i went back to the full 75 and im feeling better...but not much. and now im experiencing boughts of dizziness and...it feels like im falling and i dont know where i am... but only for like 30 seconds... im not sure if its got anything to do with the meds or not....i dont have any of my labs... he just told me over the phone that i was positive for the hashi anitbodies and gave me the number for the endo. but i cant get into them till mid october....

[flyingfool]

T4 takes 4 to 6 weeks to start to stabilize in the blood.  Therefore it is not at all surprising that in a matter of a few days you don't feel any improvement.  Additionally, symptom relief can lag behind a few weeks even after you have gotten your blood levels where they need to be.

75 mcg was a pretty darn large starting dose.  most normal starting dose seems to be in the 25 to 50 mcg tops.  So that may explain your initial side effect problem.

You should ask or if you have them please list your lab results.  Ask for Free T3 and Free T4 tests done if they already have not been.  TSH is only at best a scanning tool.  But to fine tune your medication you really do need the Free T3 and Free T4 tests.  

Many people seem to get symptom relief when their Free T4 is about mid range and the Free T3 is in the UPPER 1/3 of the range.

Be forewarned however that most Dr's do not seem to know this.  They may resist you to even get the tests. And they will rely upon TSH only which will almost certainly keep you sick.  Also even if you get the two free tests done, many will only treat you until you get somewhere in the "normal range". And not optimize you to the mid range and upper 1/3 range.

[Red_Star]

Post Partum Thyroiditis (PPT) is a member of the group of thyroiditis conditions known as resolving thyroiditis. Thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAb) are elevated in the majority of postpartum thyroiditis sufferers, especially during the hypothyroid phase. Post Partum Thyroiditis will usually resolve within 12 to 18 months (20% possibility of developing permanent hypothyroidism).

Thyroid treatment should be continued for 6 to 12 months and then tapered off to see if a thyroid replacement is needed permanently. You may not be converting T4 (levoxyl) into active T3 effectively.  A twice daily T3 supplement may make all the difference. T3 has a very short half life of 8 to 12 hours so it should be taken twice a day.

[ChristineMP]

It can some time to get the dosage correct with thyroid meds. You have to take it EVERY day, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. You should also avoid eating or drinking anything high in calcium within 2 hours (before or after) taking it as calcium interferes with absorption of the thyroid meds.

It takes 4 weeks to see the effects of the medication. Your doctor should be testing you every 4 weeks and adjusting your dose until it evens out.

There are other medications besides Levoxyl that can be tried, if you aren't able to tolerate a therapeutic dose of Levoxyl. Some people find that Armour works better for them. You may want to seek the opinion of an specialist (an Endocrinologist) who is experienced with thyroid disorders.

Hang in there...I know it is frustrating trying to find the right level of medication but in time, it will happen and you will feel MUCH better.