Please help I am dealing with the VA

[godsman4465]

Hi I have had wight gain problems for a long time and I hurt bad in all of my joints, I can starve myself, I can eat 6 small meals a day, I can eat what ever I want, I can drink nothing but good high alkaline water for months and low carb diet , or I can drink coke and eat what ever I want and I will bounce back and forth 10 pounds no matter what I do.
My labs are 11th of may 16 TSH 0.58 (0.34-5.6) FT4 0.75 (0.61-1.12) last month in july it was TSH 1.90 FTH .075 and I have not had any meds to change it I THINK THE VA IS GIVING ME THE RUNAROUND. PLEASE HELP.

[godsman4465]

They are afraid it will give me another blood clot I have had two PE and a DVT at the same time and a year later one PE

[gimel]

In case you could manage to get sent outside, could you get to a doctor in Jackson?  If so, I am sending you a PM with info.  To access, just click on your name and then from your personal page, click on messages.

[gimel]

Why won't they let you take it anymore?  Cost?

Are you supplementing for the low D?  You need to find out the B12 level and supplement as needed to get it to the upper end of its range.  

Don't know of anyone here that could interpret the MRI.  

I highly recommend that you try to get all the tests I listed done and also go after getting a therapeutic trial of thyroid med as needed to raise your Free T4 to mid-range, and your Free T3 high enough in the upper half of its range to relieve symptoms.  If you cannot get the VA to do it, then insist on going outside to get the necessary testing and treatment.  Even then it is not easy to find a good thyroid doctor.  

[godsman4465]

TESTOSTERONE 0.9 Low ng/mL (1.8-7.8) Final OVERTON BROOKS
VA MEDICAL
CENTER 510 EAST
STONER AVENUE ,
SHREVEPORT, LA
71101-4243
Interpretation: Reference Range:
Female: <0.1 - 0.8 ng/mL
Male: 1.8 - 7.8 ng/mL

[godsman4465]

I am restricted to some degree to the VA but if I make enough noise they will sent me outside. And yes my testosterone is very low and I was on replacement therapy, but I have had PE's twice and they will not let me take it anymore. My D is low and I had them check my B12 and they just said yea its good. even though I have not seen that result in my labs. I will be doing a cortisol test monday morning. they did and MRI to check my pituitary gland and the report said it was okay but I was given a disc of the film and when I looked at it, it appeared that I have an abscess at my pituitary gland and he said no that was just sinusitis, I dont know if I can trust these guys. can anyone on here look at my MRI and give some insight?  

[godsman4465]

TESTOSTERONE 0.9 Low ng/mL (1.8-7.8) Final OVERTON BROOKS
VA MEDICAL
CENTER 510 EAST
STONER AVENUE ,
SHREVEPORT, LA
71101-4243
Interpretation: Reference Range:
Female: <0.1 - 0.8 ng/mL
Male: 1.8 - 7.8 ng/mL

[gimel]

You have multiple symptoms that are frequently related to being  hypothyroid, consistent with your Free T4 that is only at 27% of its range.  So you need to go back and insist that they test for Free T3 along with the Free T4, every time you go in for tests.  Free T3 is used by all the cells of the body and correlates best with hypothyroid symptoms.  Along with that I would insist on being tested for Vitamin D, B12, ferritin, since hypo patients are frequently too low in the ranges for those as well.  I also suggest testing for Reverse T3 and cortisol to make sure there is no problem there.  In view of your muscle loss and other symptoms I think you should also ask to be tested for free testosterone, progesterone and estradiol.  I expect that requesting all those tests will probably blow their minds, but it needs to be done to find out what is causing your symptoms and fix it.  So the more you learn about diagnosing and treating hypothyroidism, the more effective you will be in getting their attention and the tests and diagnoses you need.  I am assuming in all this that you are restricted to VA doctors, correct?

[godsman4465]

Yea I checked the article and I have them all but the dry skin I am a red head and I have always been dry I can't take the heat and I will freeze in 70 degree AC sometimes no sex drive hurt all the time in my joints I can take Meds and they take affect the next day. Borderline diabetic constipated, yea,hearing loss and ears ring all the time. I consider myself week with loss in muscle tone because I am use to hauling around engine block, but my 135lb doctor thinks I am strong because he could not push my raised arms down. I am miserable.

[gimel]

You have a number of symptoms that are frequently related to being hypothyroid.  With those symptoms and your low Free T4 (and I suspect a low Free T3 also when you get it tested) those are strong indications of being hypothyroid.  Since your TSH is relatively low you will have to work on those doctors to get them to recognize central hypothyroidism, because they mistakenly think it is almost a rarity.  In reality it is not, just rarely diagnosed, due to reliance on TSH testing.  So you are going to have to convince the VA doctors of that in order to get the testing and treatment you need.  The best way to do that is to learn as much as you can about testing, diagnosis, and treatment of hypothyroidism.  Then you can push in the right direction.  

That is why I gave you the link above.  Please take some time and do some reading of the paper and then come back with questions and we can discuss and get you prepared for your next appointment with those VA doctors.  

By the way, a short while back I got back into being hypothyroid and I was having joint pains.  My knees were so bad I could not get off the sofa without using my arms to push up.  After my complaining about it, my wife said if you suspect it being hypothyroid related why don't you test your theory by increasing your med for a short time.  So I increased my Armour Thyroid dosage and in three days I showed her I was able to do deep knee bends with no pain.  

[godsman4465]

Low energy hard to  concentrate vision comes and goes joints hurt all the time and I mean hurt can't walk very far at all but my knees are real bad loss of muscle mass. Now in my idea I am week, I used to pick up engine blocks and walk with them , but to the 135 lb Doctor I am strong because he can't over power my raised arms funny. I do not motabolize my Meds at all I can take pain Meds two or three times on time and at the right intreivals, no relief and three hours after I just give up it all hits me the next day.

[gimel]

Any other symptoms?

Your Free T4 result is only at 27% of its range, which is lower than optimal.  You also need to be tested for Free T3 as well every time you go in for tests.  With your relatively low TSH you are probably going to have a battle to get them to recognize that you probably have central hypothyroidism, which is characterized by relatively low TSH with low Free T4 and Free T3 that is also low in its range.  Most important is what symptoms you have besides weight issues?

In preparation for discussion with a VA doctor, I highly suggest that you do some reading of at least the first two pates of the link within the following link.  It will give you some solid info that you can use to try and influence the doctor to do the needed testing and also to accept that you are most likely hypothyroid.  The most important determinant for that is symptoms.  

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/2019570/Diagnosing-Treating-Hypothyroidism-A-Patients-Perspective?personal_page_id=12021

[godsman4465]

I don't know if that is right but that is what is on my results. The VA has a service the is called my eHelth vet where I can actually see the results and the range that the doctor can see. But that is why I think they are bull jiving me

[gimel]

What, if any, other symptoms do you have besides the weight concern?

Please double check the range for the Free T4 result.  I have never seen one anywhere close to it.  Usually it is more like .6 - 1.6, or .8 - 1.8, which is double the range you posted.