tired of feeling horrible help!

[bh5650]

I was diagnosed three years ago with hypothyroidism and it keeps getting worse.  I was put on armour thyroid after being on synthroid 125mg.  Neither drug has seemed to ease any symptoms.  I am not your typical hypothyroid patient.  I am very thin and present hyperthyroid symptoms.  Recently I have been have chest pain so bad I thought I had a heart attack at 32.  I am unable to get an answer is to why medications arent working.  My labs this time are TSH 3.0, Tuptake (T3) 40.5%, and T4 4.2. I talked to the NP today and I have to go have a prolactin drawn in the am and a urine test to check for protein.  Any thoughts would help.

[Red_Star]

To add to gimels advice, i would also suggest testing your cortisol levels. Your symptoms could be due to struggling adrenal glands with high cortisol, low cortisol, or a combination of both.  The rhythmic circadian fluctuations of cortisol secretion make it virtually impossible to accurately determine cortisol levels by taking a single sample.  The best way to test your adrenal function is to do a 24 hour adrenal hormone saliva test.

[bh5650]

I don't think the person I am seeing has a clue what to order.  I also had an ANA done that came back negative because she suspected Lupus or RA because of the severe tremors.  I will be sure to let her know in the morning. Thanks for your help

[gimel]

From the number, I am assuming that your T4 test was for Total T4.  If so, that, along with T3 uptake are somewhat outdated tests that really don't reveal very much info that you want to know.  The most important thyroid hormone test would be for Free T3, and then Free T4.  TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many variables that it is inadequate as a diagnostic.  At best TSH is an indicator, to be considered along with more important indicators such as symptoms, and also levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4.  Free T3  largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.  Scientific studies have also shown that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate.

So the first thing I recommend is that when you go in tomorrow you should request testing for Free T3 and Free T4 (not Total T3 and Total T4).  If the doctor resists, then you should insist on it and don't take no for an answer.  If you have never been tested for the thyroid antibodies, then that would also be a good idea.  Since you also think you have hyper symptoms, ask to be tested for Grave's as well.  That would be the TSI test.  Thyroid patient are frequently low in other areas as well.  so I think it would be a good idea to get tested for Vitamin A, D, B12, iron/ferritin, zinc, selenium, and RCB magnesium.  Not sure what kind of reaction you will get from the doctor about all these tests, but you need to impress him that you are really feeling very bad and need to know what is going on.  At the very least I would insist on all the thyroid tests first.  

When results are available, get a copy of the lab report and post results and reference ranges shown on the lab report and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.