do i really need the medication?

[Nat6003]

Hello,
My endocrinologist diagnozed me with subclinical hypothyroidism and put me on Synthroid 0.25 mg two months ago. I consider myself healthy - 31 y.o., 5'10, 140 lbs, work out 3-4 times a week, eat right, have one child. I complained to the doctor about occasional fatigue, spells of dizziness, hair loss and my nails not growing. After 2 months on the medication I feel exactly the same way I felt before I started taking them which is pretty good for the most part. My numbers as of today are: T3 Intake - 25%; T4 Free - 1.3; TSH, 3rd Generation - 1.22, but T4 Total is still 12.6 which is above the norm. I also take Kariva as a birth control. What I am worried about is whether I really need to take this thyroid medication. I am not an anti-medicine person, but I certainly don't want to be taking something I don't need to take. Please, advise.
Nat.

[TamraW]

My doc only uses FreeT3 and FreeT4 tests which is the most direct route of measuring thyroid activity. I don't understand your other values. Your FT4 is low. Your TSH still has room to push lower.

I was exactly in your shoes about three years ago. I was a gym rat, one child, great healthy body, just tired after the workout and needing a small nap, which turned into needing bigger naps, and my body progressively got worse until I could no longer function. My Vitamin D dropped to an 18. I thought I was dying. It wasn't until I could barely walk that a doc finally tested my thyroid.

I have been diagnosed Hashimoto's, the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the US. I am now on thryoid meds and slowly getting my life back. I am doing Yoga and light aerobics again. It has been quite a journey. I wish a doc would have measured my thryoid levels a few years ago and put me on the meds then. That would have saved me so much agony.

People with hypothyroidism usually do better with their frees in the upper end of the range. I am wondering if you are on enough Synthroid. My endo said .25 is a child dose.

BTW - Have you had a thyroid ultrasound or thyroid antibodies tests to determine if Hashimoto's made you hypo?

You say you are 'pretty good for the most part'. Pretty good can get pretty bad. My child was deprived her mommy while I was sick. Don't go there. Stay on top of your thyroid diagnosis and treatment.

:) Tamra

[gimel]

What were your test results and their reference ranges at the time your doctor diagnosed hypo?  Were you tested at that time because of the symptoms you described?  Also, is that correct that your Synthroid dose is 250 mcg or is it 25 mcg?  
Also, in my opinion you are missing the most important test, which is free T3 (FT3).  FT3 is four time as active as FT4 and FT3 correlates best with hypo symptoms. Doctors seldom run the test and sometimes even resist because they think it is unnecessary, that if you know FT4 then they can assume what FT3 level is.  This is not always true because some people's bodies do not convert T4 to T3 very well.  FT3 is so important it is best to know for sure what the level is.