Ms.

[judiceli]

40 yrs ago I was diagnosed with Graves disease during one of my pregnancies.  I was on synthroid and PTU for 5 mos. After delivery I became allergic to the PTU so my doctor sent me to a specialists and just before they gave me the radioactive iodine my thyroid tests came back normal and stayed normal for 12 years.  After gaining weight and feeling awful, my thyroid tests came back showing Hashimotos Thyroiditis.  I have been on synthroid now for 25 years, most of the time at 150mcg, recently I lost 18 pds and syntroid was adjusted to 137.  I have 2 questions, #1 is hashimotos disease the same as hypothyroidism?  #2 When your thyroid tests come back "within normal range" and you're on medicine why do you still have all the same symptoms.  Mine being extremely dry skin, constant fatique, poor memory.  I feel like I'm in slow motion all the tim.

[goolarra]

What's the reference range on your FT4?  Ranges vay lab to lab, so you have to post them with results.  

[judiceli]

The results taken on 1/25/14 were:  TSH  0.34     Free T4 1.6

Thanks you for reading my post.

[judiceli]

I was in my 4 mos along in my pregnancy when I lost about 11 pounds in about 4-6 wks.  They did thyroid tests and put me on PTU and synthroid.
As I mentioned my thyroid tests remained normal for approx. 12 yrs. when I started gaining weight and became so fatiqued.  The thyroid tests came back normal range and then another Dr. decided to the antibody tests and that is when they said I had hashimotos.

[Barb135]

On what basis were you diagnosed with Graves Disease, then later Hashimoto's?  Do you have antibody tests to confirm either one?

What thyroid tests are being run on a routine basis?

[goolarra]

Hashi's is the most prevalent CAUSE of hypo in the developed world.  It's an autoimmune condition.  For some unknown reason, your immune system starts to see your thyroid as foreign tissue and sends out antibodies to destroy it.  So, if you have Hashi's, you will eventually be hypo, but if you are hypo, you don't necessarily have Hashi's.

It's often not sufficient to be "in normal range".  Thyroid test ranges are notoriously flawed, so much so that if you're anywhere in the lower half of the range on FT3 and FT4, you are probably actually hypo.  Do you have labs to post?  If so, please do and include reference ranges (they vary lab to lab).  We can take a look and see what we see.

If you are still having hypo symptoms, you are probably either undermedicated or on the wrong meds for you or both.