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Hashimoto's and Memory Loss
I have officially been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease. My endo and PCP put me on Levothyroxine .25mg once a day. It has been two months, and my short term memory is still not better. I can't remember things or conversations that happened that day or just hours prior. It is actually really worrisome. I was able to get seen tomorrow. But I am wondering if anyone else had this and was told they had something more than just Hashi's.
I still have the extreme fatigue, joint pains, hair loss, and dry skin symptoms as well. But the memory loss is the worst part of all.
Any comments are appreciated!
I still have the extreme fatigue, joint pains, hair loss, and dry skin symptoms as well. But the memory loss is the worst part of all.
Any comments are appreciated!
You are very welcome. Just make sure it is always Free T4 and Free T3, not Total T4 and Total T3. I even quiz the lab person taking blood to make sure the tests are for the Frees. You'd be amazed at how often they operate on auto pilot and do the wrong ones.
Thank you so much Gimel! This was so detailed and a much better explanation than anything I have gotten! I will request T3 and T4 from now on, and will read the info on your PM.
I appreciate your help so much,
RosyKM
I appreciate your help so much,
RosyKM
Hi Gimel,
Here they are:
-Thyroid Peroxidase Ab
393 IU/mL (High) Reference Range:< 9 IU/mL
-Thyroglobulin Ab
2 IU/mL (High) Reference Range:< or = 1
-TSH
5.73 mIU/L (High)
-T4, Free
1.3 ng/dL Reference Range:0.8-1.8
-Ferritin
11 ng/mL Reference Range:10-154
I didn't have a Vitamin D or B12 test, unfortunately.
Here they are:
-Thyroid Peroxidase Ab
393 IU/mL (High) Reference Range:< 9 IU/mL
-Thyroglobulin Ab
2 IU/mL (High) Reference Range:< or = 1
-TSH
5.73 mIU/L (High)
-T4, Free
1.3 ng/dL Reference Range:0.8-1.8
-Ferritin
11 ng/mL Reference Range:10-154
I didn't have a Vitamin D or B12 test, unfortunately.
Before discussing things you need to know in preparation for your appointment tomorrow, please post your thyroid related test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report. Also if tested for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, please post those also.
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So you need to make sure they always test you for Free T4 and Free T3 every time you go in for tests. I expect that you will find that your Free T3 level is inadequate. You also need to get tested for Reverse T3, which is a mirror image molecule of T3, but biologically inactive. T4 is converted in the body to T3 and Reverse T3. Under some adverse conditions, excess Reverse T3 will be produced, which then adversely affect metabolism of T3 in the cells. One of the many causes for excess Reverse T3 is low ferritin ( a storage form of iron). Your ferritin is horribly low. It should be 70 minimum, so you need to supplement with a good form of iron like ferrous fumarate, ferrous bisglycinate, or ferrous sulfate. Along with that take some Vitamin C and magnesium to prevent stomach distress.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypothyroid patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T4 and Free T3 as needed to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results. The 25 mcg of T4 med given you by your doctor is a very small starting dose. When taking thyroid med, the TSH will go down and that will result in less natural thyroid hormone production. Serum thyroid levels are the sum of both natural thyroid hormone and thyroid med. So serum levels often don't start to rise until the dosage is high enough to suppress TSH and become totally dependent on the med dosage. Doctors don't typically recognize this and try to medicate you only enough to get your TSH back within range. That does not work. You need to be treated clinically as described.
In addition to getting tested for Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, and ferritin, you should also ask to be tested for Vitamins D and B12 so that you can supplement as needed to optimize those. D should be 50 minimum and B12 in the upper end of its range.
I am also sending you a PM with some info you can read and better prepare for your appointment. To access, just click on your name and then from your personal page, click on messages.