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Iodine plus 2 to balance out thyroid?
My thyroid was RAI 6-7 years ago due to Graves Disease & Thyroid Storm, and I started out at .125mcg of generic synthroid......the last 6 months my hypo has gone up and up....last check it was 7.93 or 7.98 im going to Doctor again on Thursday since last month he upped me again to 200 mcg of NON generic Synthroid....I was given Iodine Plus 2 today from a friend that advised it might help....will it or am I wasting my time....Im in a small town, going back to PHX and seeing an endo when I get there...just tryin all options...I am taking under 2000 calories a day, working out 3 x s per week, and still no wgt loss....concerned
I just went to the doctor and know very little about hypothyroidism. He told me I had hypothyroidism when he did the blood tests, I asked him to run the free T3 and T4 tests. The results were: Free T3: 2.2 Range:(2.2-4.0),
and T4:7.4, range:4.(7-13.3). They didn't tell me the TSH. I am going to the doctor tomorrow and don't know what to ask them. Any help would be appreciated. Will Iodine plus 2 help or hurt me?
and T4:7.4, range:4.(7-13.3). They didn't tell me the TSH. I am going to the doctor tomorrow and don't know what to ask them. Any help would be appreciated. Will Iodine plus 2 help or hurt me?
My take is ...while God is deciding when he wants me...I want to feel and enjoy feeling as good as I can!
Hang in there! I hope you find a good Dr when you move!!
Mia
Just read it, im on so much beta blocker and valium that losing a lil wgt aint gonna hurt, so if i go i go....Nothing I can do about i, my dr here says im within the normal range so he is happy, so im in a catch 22....if God wants me , come and get me...otherwise its June 15th
COMMUNITY LEADER
Your FT4 is climbing awfully fast, and your FT3 is too low in the range (only 22.7%). FT3 should be higher in its range than the FT4 in its range, so your levels are upside down.
Most find it best to have FT4 at about mid range and FT3 in the upper 1/3 of it's range.
It looks like that that 75 mcg jump in med might have been too much, and it also looks like you aren't converting the T4 to T3, which is keeping FT3 at the bottom of the range.
Appears that you could benefit dropping down on the T4 med and add a source of T3; this could be done in the form of synthetic (cytomel or generic T3 only) or desiccated (T4/T3 combo).
June 15 is 3 weeks away - you may end up sending your FT4 over the top, by then.
Most find it best to have FT4 at about mid range and FT3 in the upper 1/3 of it's range.
It looks like that that 75 mcg jump in med might have been too much, and it also looks like you aren't converting the T4 to T3, which is keeping FT3 at the bottom of the range.
Appears that you could benefit dropping down on the T4 med and add a source of T3; this could be done in the form of synthetic (cytomel or generic T3 only) or desiccated (T4/T3 combo).
June 15 is 3 weeks away - you may end up sending your FT4 over the top, by then.
Feeling good, wgt not coming off, but again im wgt lifting a ton again....hair feels better not brittle, and I can see better .....not as anxious.....but again going back to PHX to original Endo June 15th, so Im sure he will hopefully make the adjustments....I eat a LOT of organic red meat so maybe that is hurting me a bit...and a ton of salmon and catfish...
Looks to me, like your T4 are a little high and your T3's low.
How are you feeling??
How are you feeling??
Ok got the Blood work and ranges.....TSH .34-4.82 mine now is 2.50, Free T4 .77-1.61.....mine 1.57.....Free T3 2.18-3.98 mine is 2.59...so endo appt on june 15 and its the one that RAI it 7 years ago.....thanks for all your advice...:)
Free T3 just came in 2.59, so the increase to 200mcg seems for now to have worked....ebdo appt still on the 15th of June...But thank you so much for helping me thru this....it has been weird , first time ever sick in my life...
the jump seems to have worked....still waiting on T3 but TSH from 7.93 to now 2.50, T4 1.57 T3 in Tuesday.....THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVICE!!!!!!
if you didn't specify FREE T3 and FREE T4 then you may have demanded the wrong test and will get instead "Total T3" and "Total T4" which are outdated tests and not of much value. It makes a HUGE difference between "free" and "total".
Total counts hormones whether or not they are attached to a protein. However those hormones molecules that are attached to a protein are biologically inactive and useless. Only the hormone molecules that remain "free" and unattached to a protein are usable by your body.
measuring "total" is like measuring the amount of fuel in your cars gas tank. measuring "free" hormones is like measuring the amount of fuel that is actually getting into your engine. You can have a full tank but if nothing is getting to your engine (or not enough) then your engine will not run right. Same with thyroid. Knowing the total is only knowing whether or not there is gas in the tank. You have no idea what so ever if any is actually getting your body's cells. Only the "free" test can do that.
Total counts hormones whether or not they are attached to a protein. However those hormones molecules that are attached to a protein are biologically inactive and useless. Only the hormone molecules that remain "free" and unattached to a protein are usable by your body.
measuring "total" is like measuring the amount of fuel in your cars gas tank. measuring "free" hormones is like measuring the amount of fuel that is actually getting into your engine. You can have a full tank but if nothing is getting to your engine (or not enough) then your engine will not run right. Same with thyroid. Knowing the total is only knowing whether or not there is gas in the tank. You have no idea what so ever if any is actually getting your body's cells. Only the "free" test can do that.
Blood work all done INCLUDING T3& T4....appt June 15th with ENDO in Phx.....so just waiting for results now of CMP, TSH, T3, T4, Liver function...I DEMAMDED the works...
COMMUNITY LEADER
Not sure I see a need for such a big jump in the synthroid: from 125 mcg to 200 mcg. That's a pretty big jump, all at once. Most of us find that going up by 25 mcg at a time is better than big jumps, because we don't risk going hyper so quickly. You might want to discuss that with your doctor.
Hi, I had RAI 21/2 years ago and was having similar symptoms when on synthroid. After adding a T3 med( cytomel) symptoms improved. Still having lingering hypo symptoms, so just switched to armor thyroid. Like gimel and barb said Make sure they test Free t3 & free t4. These test are so important & many drs don't believe this. Good luck.
Going for CMP and TSH, AND FREE T3&4 tomorrow am.....Moving back to PHX end of month , found old endo....this GP told me today after treating me for 1 year , they might have to ablate my thyroid....Im like Doc, They did that 7 years ago...his reply...oh get to an endo.....UNBELIEVABLE....propranlol and synthroid @ 200 mcg's plus valium till appt on june 15th with endo who burned it out 7 years ago...i should be ok right?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Make sure you specify FREE T3 and FREE T4 or you will get Totals, which are obsolete and tell you almost nothing.
Thats what IM looking for!!!!....Tomorrow is Dr appt, I am DEMANDING T3&4 blood work....
According to the calculator in this link, excluding the effect of lean body mass, your BMR would be 3057. So, taking in only 1100-1700 calories per day, should cause you to lose weight pretty fast. If that is not happening, then it is a strong indication that your actual metabolic rate is much less than normal for your height, weight, and age. Even if you are successful in losing the weight you want, if your actual metabolic rate is low than would be expected, like I expect, then you will have trouble maintaining the weight loss.
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/bmr-formula.php
So you really need to follow Barb's suggestion and get tested for Free T3 and Free T4, along with TSH. I would add to that a test for Reverse T3 as well. Free T3 is the most important because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions. Scientific studies have shown that Free T3 correlated best with major hypothyroid symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate. A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically, by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important.
You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance. The letter is then sent to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
For info, I took 200 mcg of T4 med for well over 25 years and still had lingering hypo symptoms, After learning about the importance of Free T3 here on the Forum, I got mine tested and confirmed as low in its range. Convinced my doctor to switch me to a combo T4/T3 med. Over a year ago, while having to switch my meds around while Armour Thyroid was not available, I got back into being hypo, and gained quite a few pounds. Now that Armour Thyroid is available again, I switched back and after some tweaking of dosage, my Free T3 is 4.0 (range of 2.3 - 4.2) and my Free T4 is 1.05 (range of .60 - 1.50), and I feel best ever. I have also lost over 25 pounds without changing a thing. Obviously this will not affect everyone the same way, but that has been my experience.
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/bmr-formula.php
So you really need to follow Barb's suggestion and get tested for Free T3 and Free T4, along with TSH. I would add to that a test for Reverse T3 as well. Free T3 is the most important because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions. Scientific studies have shown that Free T3 correlated best with major hypothyroid symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate. A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically, by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important.
You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance. The letter is then sent to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
For info, I took 200 mcg of T4 med for well over 25 years and still had lingering hypo symptoms, After learning about the importance of Free T3 here on the Forum, I got mine tested and confirmed as low in its range. Convinced my doctor to switch me to a combo T4/T3 med. Over a year ago, while having to switch my meds around while Armour Thyroid was not available, I got back into being hypo, and gained quite a few pounds. Now that Armour Thyroid is available again, I switched back and after some tweaking of dosage, my Free T3 is 4.0 (range of 2.3 - 4.2) and my Free T4 is 1.05 (range of .60 - 1.50), and I feel best ever. I have also lost over 25 pounds without changing a thing. Obviously this will not affect everyone the same way, but that has been my experience.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Most likely, you need a med adjustment, but, as I said before, you can't go just by TSH; you have to have the FT3 and FT4 tests to see exactly where you're at.
Usually, once thyroid levels are adjusted properly, it's a lot easier to lose the weight.
For your current weight/height, I'd say that 1100 calories/day is not nearly enough.
Usually, once thyroid levels are adjusted properly, it's a lot easier to lose the weight.
For your current weight/height, I'd say that 1100 calories/day is not nearly enough.
I takin in under 2000 calories,around 11,00-1700 a day not subtracting the calories i burn weight lifting or walking. and i work out 3-4 days a week....but mainly just cutting back on everything to try to get this weight down,,,im 6'4'' 275....was 6'4 225 before this thing went outta whack....
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2000 calories/day is quite a bit - maybe you need to cut that back some, or depending on your current weight, 2000 calories might not be enough. Have you actually done a calculation for BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate)? Your body needs so many calories/day to "operate" -- it takes calories for your heart to beat, digestion, brain function, liver, kidney and any other functions (BMR). Then you have to figure in your activity level and calculate enough calories for that. If you provide too many calories, your body will use them vs stored fat. If you don't provide enough calories, your body will go into starvation mode and hold onto existing fat stores, because it thinks you're going to starve. It's a fine line and you gotta walk the tightrope!!
All of that said -- do you have any other thyroid labs, besides TSH? TSH is never good for determining dosages of thyroid medication. Could be that you don't convert FT4 to FT3, so your body doesn't use the hormone you're taking...... maybe you simply need to add a source of T3... Can't know that without FT3 and FT4 labs.
Some people actually "maintain" a TSH of 18-20, and that's normal for them. Again, you have to look at the levels of FT3 and FT4; if your doctor doesn't/won't test for them, you probably should find a different doctor.