I wouldn't recommend iodine for you. From your symptoms and your test results, you need to increase your FT3 level into the upper part of the range. Your FT4 level also needs a tweak to get it to at least midpoint. Is your doctor willing treat your symptoms and try a therapeutic dose of thyroid meds to show that raising the levels of FT3 and FT4 has the expected beneficial effect for you? If not, then you need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so.
I forgot to mention in my original question that I had a complete hysterectomy in 2006 and I have been on supplements. However, after a trip to the rheumotologist she told me that I was high risk for blood clots and stroke. I d/c the patch and I am dealing with the sx of menopause now. Not sure which sx go where; hot flashes, then cold, forgetfulness, memory loss, blurry vision, very irritable, hair failing out, no energy (I could sleep 14 hours a night and still be tired), weight gain, sometimes I feel like I am in a fog (not real sure how else to describe it). I will check out that website.
Thanks, Jill
Just because your FT3 and FT4 are within the lower half of their ranges doesn't mean they are at levels that are adequate for you. We're all different and our needs are also different. It is good that the doctor went beyond testing for TSH only. TSH is a pituitary hormone that is inadequate as a thyroid diagnostic. At best it is only 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.
In my opinion the best way to treat a thyroid patient is to test and adjust levels of FT3 and FT4 with whatever type of medication that is necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Many of our members report that this required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper part of its range and FT4 adjusted to at least the midpoint of its range. The reference ranges for FT3 and FT4 are far too broad to be valid. I believe the reason for this to be that the data bases for FT3 and FT4 testing have never been purged of suspect hypo patient data, as was done for TSH, when the ref. range for TSH was revised over 8 years ago. Accordingly, being in the lower end of these ranges just doesn't work for us. You can read more on this on this link.
http://www.hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html
Usually someone that is hypo will have more symptoms than just low metabolism. Do you have other symptoms?