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Sub-total Thyroidectomy and Medication
Hi everyone, I'm a longtime lurker and first time poster! I was hoping someone would have some advice for me about NOT taking thyroid medication. I have the opposite problem of most of you it seems...my doctors seem to want to over-medicate me. I had a sub-total thyroidectomy due to a very large goiter in 2000. I never was on medication because my throid levels were always within a good range. I did carry some extra weight and have some fatigue, but I didn't always have the healthiest diet or exercise routine. a few years back I saw a doctor that put me on a small dose synthroid because there were some small nodules o on my thryoid bed. Shortly after I changed my whole life. Extremely healthy diet, exercise, etc. But, for over 6 months I lost no weight. About that time I had my yearly thryoid ultrasound and there were a few more small nodules, so they raised my dosage significantly. At this point I felt terrible. Very fatigued, couldn't lose weight, puffy, dry hair, brain fog, very anxious and panicky. So my doc switched me to Armour, and once again raised my dosage. I know many think Armour is a miracle, but I feel at my all time worst on this, and I've gained 11 pounds since February! The weird thing is my tsh is near zero, my FT3 and 4 are also both high.
So, after that very lengthy description, I've wondered about getting off the meds. I felt normal not on them, and I could actually lose weight if I tried. My last bloodwork, 3 years ago (pre medication), was 2.9, T4 1.2 and T3 2.91. My doctor seemed annoyed when I mentioned this, but I honestly feel that I just don't need them. Is it possibly that thyroid medication can give you hypo symptoms? Does anyone have any thoughts about this?
So, after that very lengthy description, I've wondered about getting off the meds. I felt normal not on them, and I could actually lose weight if I tried. My last bloodwork, 3 years ago (pre medication), was 2.9, T4 1.2 and T3 2.91. My doctor seemed annoyed when I mentioned this, but I honestly feel that I just don't need them. Is it possibly that thyroid medication can give you hypo symptoms? Does anyone have any thoughts about this?
COMMUNITY LEADER
How much of your thyroid was removed? Your pre-medication levels and the symptoms (though vague and possibly not bothersome) did warrant a thyroid replacement hormone.
The RT3 level isn't just the actual result. The telling factor is an FT3:RT3 ratio.
It's not unusual, when starting on a thyroid medication, for symptoms to worsen and/or for new ones to appear.
How much Armour are you on? What are your actual thyroid hormone levels, now? Please post them, and be sure to include reference ranges, which vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
Had you taken your Armour prior to having the blood tests done? If so, how long before? Do you take the entire dosage at one time, or do you split it into multiple dosages.
That puffiness is actually a hypo symptom, as is the inability to lose weight. If you were truly over medicated, you'd, most likely, be losing weight.
Do you know if you have Hashimoto's?
The RT3 level isn't just the actual result. The telling factor is an FT3:RT3 ratio.
It's not unusual, when starting on a thyroid medication, for symptoms to worsen and/or for new ones to appear.
How much Armour are you on? What are your actual thyroid hormone levels, now? Please post them, and be sure to include reference ranges, which vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
Had you taken your Armour prior to having the blood tests done? If so, how long before? Do you take the entire dosage at one time, or do you split it into multiple dosages.
That puffiness is actually a hypo symptom, as is the inability to lose weight. If you were truly over medicated, you'd, most likely, be losing weight.
Do you know if you have Hashimoto's?
Thanks for your response! The FT4 was just over the range at 1.91 (range .6-1.8). I should have clarified that. I had reverse T3 drawn as well, and it seems okay. 205 (range 70-260). I really just don't feel as though I don't need to be on medicine period.
I started on a really low dose (.05 mcg Synthroid) and that's when the problems began. When I look at pictures of myself from before meds I'm almost unrecognizable my face is so puffy now. Okay, "unrecognizable" is probably an exaggeration, but it's such a significant difference to where my cousin asked if I was on prednisone. I actually kicked my workouts up to twice a day for 2 months and my diet is very clean, and I honestly can't lose a pound. The Armour makes me feel so anxious and panicky. I feel like I just don't tolerate T3 well.
I started on a really low dose (.05 mcg Synthroid) and that's when the problems began. When I look at pictures of myself from before meds I'm almost unrecognizable my face is so puffy now. Okay, "unrecognizable" is probably an exaggeration, but it's such a significant difference to where my cousin asked if I was on prednisone. I actually kicked my workouts up to twice a day for 2 months and my diet is very clean, and I honestly can't lose a pound. The Armour makes me feel so anxious and panicky. I feel like I just don't tolerate T3 well.
Many symptoms for Hyper and hypo cross over.
You are now on Armour for 6 months is what I think you said above.
Armour has a lot of T3 in it which is fast acting. It is a bit unusual for the FT4 to be high in the range when taking Armour. However it is perfectly common to have a supressed TSH when taking thyroid medication with T3 in it.
Since T3 is so fast acting, you can discuss with your Dr about at least reducing your dosage. I'm not sure if there are any side effects of instantaneously completley stopping Armour etc. That is a reverse effect of someone who is just starting medication and is given too large a dose without working their way up. Do you have to work your way down or wene off????
Anyhow since your body uses only FT3 and Armour is a large percentage T3, then by stopping or educing down you should have a fairly quick reduction in FT3 and thus one would assume the symptoms would also soon follow the results of that reduction.
If you feel worse after a time, or better will determine if you are on the right track.
What is confusing a bit to me is why you have a such an amount of FT4. With the TSH conceivably totally shutting down your thyroid gland from producing hormone which is mostly T4, the only way to be getting FT4 is from the Armour. Which as stated above usually results in most people to have the FT4 to be very low in the range as armour has little T4 in it compared to T3.
You could also be having a reverse T3 dominance issue. That is, your body is sensing way too much thyroid. And as a result tries to compensate for this by producing RT3. And these RT3 are "plugging" the cells receptors. Thus not allowing the FT3 to get in. Creating at the celular level a hypo sitution. But this is ONLY a theory from a person who is not a Dr and is only here giving my opinion. But might be food for thought.
But bottom line. If you felt better on less medication/dosage, then it would seem perfectly reasonable to reduce the dosage. That is at least possible in your case. In my wife's case the Dr's are undermedicating. So without a prescription it isn't possible to simply take more. But in your case taking less is within your control. Not that I advocate self medicating. Just say'n
You are now on Armour for 6 months is what I think you said above.
Armour has a lot of T3 in it which is fast acting. It is a bit unusual for the FT4 to be high in the range when taking Armour. However it is perfectly common to have a supressed TSH when taking thyroid medication with T3 in it.
Since T3 is so fast acting, you can discuss with your Dr about at least reducing your dosage. I'm not sure if there are any side effects of instantaneously completley stopping Armour etc. That is a reverse effect of someone who is just starting medication and is given too large a dose without working their way up. Do you have to work your way down or wene off????
Anyhow since your body uses only FT3 and Armour is a large percentage T3, then by stopping or educing down you should have a fairly quick reduction in FT3 and thus one would assume the symptoms would also soon follow the results of that reduction.
If you feel worse after a time, or better will determine if you are on the right track.
What is confusing a bit to me is why you have a such an amount of FT4. With the TSH conceivably totally shutting down your thyroid gland from producing hormone which is mostly T4, the only way to be getting FT4 is from the Armour. Which as stated above usually results in most people to have the FT4 to be very low in the range as armour has little T4 in it compared to T3.
You could also be having a reverse T3 dominance issue. That is, your body is sensing way too much thyroid. And as a result tries to compensate for this by producing RT3. And these RT3 are "plugging" the cells receptors. Thus not allowing the FT3 to get in. Creating at the celular level a hypo sitution. But this is ONLY a theory from a person who is not a Dr and is only here giving my opinion. But might be food for thought.
But bottom line. If you felt better on less medication/dosage, then it would seem perfectly reasonable to reduce the dosage. That is at least possible in your case. In my wife's case the Dr's are undermedicating. So without a prescription it isn't possible to simply take more. But in your case taking less is within your control. Not that I advocate self medicating. Just say'n
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