hypothyroidism, graves, edema, bedwetting

[betsy123]

I have been regularly on levoxy-whatever .25 mg since may 1.  My last labs 3 weeks ago showed my numbers UP to 177 even with this medication.  My thyroid gland was destroyed 16 years ago due to a goiter and I also developed graves disease, with 3 eye surgeries under my belt.  I am uninsured now and go to a clinic where there is a good internist.  But he increased my levoxythyroxin to .5mg, such a high dose.  I am never NOT on some sort of synthetic hormone, whether it has been armour or synthroid but then i start the weight gain again, feel terrible and bang, the numbers of the tsh go up (or down depends on how you look at it) and i am having no activity.  
now this last weekend my legs and feet swelled up and i was taken to the ER.  He said thyroid as all other tests ruled out bigger potential issues. i also developed some side effects when i was taking reglan for 2 weeks in october.  anxiety at night WHILE i am asleep and bedwetting.  not during the day.  my eyes were also starting to hurt again but have slacked off since i have 3 weeks of the .5 dose going.
someone mentioned sleep apnea as the cause of the bedwetting.  i have no specialists since i am now uninsured.  i as unemployed for 9 months.  anyone have any ideas or have had related problems?  i am now over 100 lbs overweight since i have no metabolism and i am one miserable person with all this going on.  i am in the NE greater Atlanta area.......

[goolarra]

I just realized that you indicated your were on .25 mg, which equals 250 mcg.  Is this correct?  If so, my comments above regarding dosage should be ignored.  The rest of my comments are valid.

[goolarra]

.25 mg of levo is an extremely low dose, especially since you are a fairly large person.  You had RAI to destroy your thyroid, so we know that is not contributing any thyroid hormones to the mix.  Even .5 mg is a low dose.

Your first objective should be to have free T3 and free T4 tested immediately.  T3 and T4 are the actual thyroid hormones (TSH is a pituitary hormone) and are much more important in diagnosing and treating hypo.  Also, you'll have to find a doctor who will treat based on FT3, FT4 and TSH and symptoms.

You will have to be on thyroid meds for the rest of your life.  Once your thyroid is gone, the hormones must be taken every day.

I don't understand what your TSH and symptoms do...please explain more about your TSH and weight gain, etc. while on the different meds.


Please post your FT3 and FT4 if you have them (along with their reference ranges).  It sounds like you are still very hypo.

Prior to going on .25 mg May 1, what had you been taking for meds since your RAI?
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