Levels getting better, but still have anxiety

[codyc]

I had RAI treatment about 35 years ago for Hyperthyroidism. I had been on 150mcg Synthroid and 60mg Armour Thyroid for many years and was doing ok. The past year my doctor changed me from 150mcg Synthroid to 150mcg Tirosint with 60mg Armour and I have had problems (tired, foggy brain, anxiety, depression). The Tirosint was better absorbed and sent me hyper is what we determined. I do like the Tirosint as my allergy problems have gone away that I was having with Synthroid.

I am currently taking 100mcg Tirosint and 60mg Armour Thyroid and have been on this dosage for 2 months. My levels have started to balance, but I still suffer from chronic anxiety and nervousness. It has gotten better, but still is very annoying.

TSH (0.450 - 4.5) my level is 0.468
Free T3 (2.0-4.4) my level is 3.2 about 50% of range
Free T4 (0.82 - 1.77) my level is 1.62 H about 84% of range

I am thinking of dropping the Tirosint to 88 mcg and raising the Armour Thyroid to 75mg to get my FT3 levels into the upper range.

Does this make sense?

[goolarra]

Best of luck.  Check in once in a while...we all appreciate a good success story!

[codyc]

Thanks goolarra I appreciate your input.  Just got back from the Dr and the rest of my labs are looking good. Blood pressure is 115/78, pulse 68, cortisol levels are good finally and blood glucose is 89. I guess for a 60 year old man things are going well. It has been a long 16 months since my thyroid levels went crazy. My Dr. agreed to up my Tirosint to 88mcg. I am glad that I have a Dr. that is willing to listen and work with me to improve my health. Now hoping that this will finalize the optimization of my thyroid meds all will be great :)

[goolarra]

Good.  I was going to suggest you only change one at a time.  Your labs are looking very close to optimal, and you seem to be feeling pretty good, so go slow, and don't blow it now!  Your FT3 looks so good.  I agree with you...try to nudge that FT4 up just a little and see how it goes.  You should get a little lift in your FT3 from that, too.

[codyc]

No I never take my meds before the blood is drawn.  I am getting close. I am going to ask my doctor to increase my Tirosint to 88mcg and see if that helps get me where I want to be. It has been a long 16 months, but finally seeing happier days :)

[goolarra]

It sounds like you're getting really close; that's wonderful.

Had you taken your Armour before your latest blood draw?

[codyc]

I have been feeling much better, but still not 100%. I still have a little brain fog and mild anxiety in my head at times.

3 months ago I dropped my from 100mcg to 75mcg and increased my Armour from 60mg to 75mg.

My labs then 12/23/2011 were:

TSH (0.450 - 4.5) my level is 0.468
Free T3 (2.0-4.4) my level is 3.2 about 50% of range
Free T4 (0.82 - 1.77) my level is 1.62 H about 84% of range

Here are my latest results:

TSH (0.450 - 4.5) my level is 1.260
Free T3 (2.0-4.4) my level is 3.8 about 75% of range
Free T4 (0.82 - 1.77) my level is 1.22  about 40% of range

My FT3 appears to be good, but my FT4 has really dropped.  Not sure what I should do at this point??  Should I increase my FT4 to 88mcg or increase my FT3 to 90mg?  My moods have greatly improved with each increase in Armour.

[codyc]

Goolarra I appreciate you post. I agree with you and will be trying 75mg of Armour and 75mcg of the Tirosint and see if this helps.

I will be getting the new prescription next week and it will take a few weeks to determine if things improve.

Thanks!

[codyc]

Synthroid fillers are acacia, confectioner's sugar (contains corn starch), lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, povidone and talc in addition to different dyes depending on which dosage.

I had allergic reaction to the lactose monohydrate. My reaction wasn't like yours as it cause me to have stuffiness.

[momm5]

I'm sorry to just pop right in here but I have to ask..you said a couple times about allergy, allergic to what the synthroid? Why I ask is because I am on synthyroid and have been for yrs. but here recently I have had this itchy tickling feeling in my throat what makes me cough it is about to drive me crazy and wonder if its the meds or the hypo! Just wondering if maybe you had experiencing the same thing or some thing like it! again sorry to just pop in with this off the wallness lol !

[codyc]

I have never taken Cytomel and my doctor likes the Tirosint/Armour approach. No other real reason ;)  The Synthroid/Armour approached worked for me before, but switching to Tirosint changed things as it was more easily absorbed. The Tirosint did eliminate the allergy problems I was having with Synthroid. It has just been taking a while to get all the amounts adjusted so that I no longer have the anxious feelings.

[flyingfool]

Just curious why Nature Thyroid was added to get T3 component versus a straight T3 like Cytomel.  With the synthetic T3  you may have better control adjusting the levels of T3 and T4 than with the compound NT.

Not saying there is anything wrong with Tirosint & NT combo, just wondering as there is probably a good reason & I want to learn.

[goolarra]

Ask your doctor, of course, but you might consider lowering your Tirosint a bit more than that since your FT4 is already quite high.

At 100 Tirosint and 60 Armour, you are getting 138 mcg T4 and 9 mcg T3 altogether.

If you switch to 88 Tirosint and 75 Armour, you will end up with 145 T4 and 12 T3 total.  So, you would , in effect be increasing your T4 intake as well as your T3.  Even if you lowered your Tirosint to 75, you'd only be barely decreasing your T4 (from 138 to 132).  Since you already have some hyper symptoms, even that might not be enough of a decrease with the added T3.  

Your approach definitely makes sense.  I just think you might want to keep your T4 intake a little lower.

[Imc2111]

It does make sense, as your T3 levels have room to improve. Hopefully a more knowledgable member will give you a more in dwpth opinion about the dosing part.