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High TSH
I recently had blood tests performed for screening for a study testing the diet drug Remonabant (sp?).I was disqualified due to my High TSH results. My blood test came back with a reading of 13.8 for my TSH and 1.3 for my free T4. I do take 100 mcg of Levothroid, but I can't see that it does anything for me. I have been back to my doctor twice since I started taking the Levothroid about 18 months ago and he said nothing needed to be adjusted. I belong to a health plan that offers only Kaiser (California resident) and it seems to be the pits as far as health insurance. I am grossly overweight, I feel horrible. I last lost weight by walking two hours a day everyday and staying on the Atkins induction diet for about two years. (seriously). However, I hurt my knees and had to stop walking for about a year. Then I gained back the weight. I have fasted for two weeks straight (drinking water and broth and V8 juice) and I lost absolutely no weight...not even water weight. I have eaten under 900 calories regularly since I gain rapidly on a higher intake. I walk everyday- about an hour, I do step aerobics daily. I cannot budge the weight. My hair is very thin, I take 4 tablets of Vitamin A daily and that has stopped my hair loss. I have no nails to speak of, they just flake off. My skin is dry and rough. Any ideas, anyone?
So, patience, Grasshopper, paid off! I hope you're not too young to understand the Grasshopper reference. So glad to hear you're feeling better...still, take it slow...you might want to hit 37.5 mcg for a little while before jumping right to 50. Depends on labs.
Hey
feeling so much better on levothyroxine!!! will be having a blood test soon but have so much more energy!!! its great but i am sure they will prob still need to put me up to 50mcg
feeling so much better on levothyroxine!!! will be having a blood test soon but have so much more energy!!! its great but i am sure they will prob still need to put me up to 50mcg
That's not an easy question to answer. If your thyroid function continues to degenerate and your dose is too low, then your FT4 might continue to drop. If your thyroid function isn't changing much, then the addition of 25 mcg will increase your FT4.
However, bear in mind that it takes thyroxine 4-6 weeks to build up in your system to stable levels. Don't expect to feel a lot better for a few weeks. It's not a day-to-day thing, but keeping levels constant over time. Also, you might need an increase (or two) before your symptoms completely go away. You have to give it four weeks. If you still don't feel well then, it's time to ask your doctor for more bloodwork and re-evaluation of meds. Treating this disease is slow, slow, slow. We always say: patience, patience, and when that fails, more patience...
However, bear in mind that it takes thyroxine 4-6 weeks to build up in your system to stable levels. Don't expect to feel a lot better for a few weeks. It's not a day-to-day thing, but keeping levels constant over time. Also, you might need an increase (or two) before your symptoms completely go away. You have to give it four weeks. If you still don't feel well then, it's time to ask your doctor for more bloodwork and re-evaluation of meds. Treating this disease is slow, slow, slow. We always say: patience, patience, and when that fails, more patience...
sorry one more question! if my levo dose is to low with my T4 levels continue to drop? i still don't feel well...
Just about everyone does...this is all a very trial-and-error process. We all react so differently to different levels of hormones in our blood that you have to start out low and build slowly.
99 times out of a hundred, it's their thyroid problem not being properly controlled that's the problem. There are some issues with allergies to fillers in the meds, etc., but by-and-large, the meds (which are really not meds, but replacement for the hormones your thyroid would make if it could) are well-tolerated.
The easiest way to know if you need T3 is to test for it everytime, right from the beginning. It may not be all that useful at first since they will try to regulate you on T4-only meds. If you have FT3/4 levels going back, you can see how FT3 changed relative to FT4. Does FT4 keep going up with increases in meds? Does FT3 go up along with it like it should? If id doesn't go up like it should, and you still have hypo symptoms, then conversion issues are to be suspected. That's probably a while down the road for you. And it may never be an issue...
You can also usually tell by symptoms. If FT4 is at a good level, and symptoms remain, you probably have a conversion problem. But, right now, you just have to worry about getting your FT4 up.
99 times out of a hundred, it's their thyroid problem not being properly controlled that's the problem. There are some issues with allergies to fillers in the meds, etc., but by-and-large, the meds (which are really not meds, but replacement for the hormones your thyroid would make if it could) are well-tolerated.
The easiest way to know if you need T3 is to test for it everytime, right from the beginning. It may not be all that useful at first since they will try to regulate you on T4-only meds. If you have FT3/4 levels going back, you can see how FT3 changed relative to FT4. Does FT4 keep going up with increases in meds? Does FT3 go up along with it like it should? If id doesn't go up like it should, and you still have hypo symptoms, then conversion issues are to be suspected. That's probably a while down the road for you. And it may never be an issue...
You can also usually tell by symptoms. If FT4 is at a good level, and symptoms remain, you probably have a conversion problem. But, right now, you just have to worry about getting your FT4 up.
does everyone end up with their doses being increased? what these people experience then is due to their thyroid problem not by the medication itself? how do u know if you T3 meds when my doc won't test for it?
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