Aa
TSH higher with same dose Armour and added iodine
Hi-
I have been hypothyroid since 2003 with a TSH >100 and no antibodies. Doctor started on Levothroid at 100mg and bumped up to 125mg years later which I stayed on and got my TSH down to 2.14. I am currently battling chronic hives and had my thyroid tested when I went to the doctor on March 7,2009 these were my results a bit off (TSH 4.76, T3 64, FREE T4 0.76). Since I was battling hives, I went to a Naturopath and she prescribed Naturethroid (very similar to Armour) where I take 1 1/2 grains. My thyroid was retested on March 30, 2009 and my results were much better (TSH 0.7, T3 100, FREE T4 1.21). I took a 24 hour urine test to check how much iodine my body absorbs and found that my body is iodine deficient (my body kept 54% of the 50 mg iodine pills that I took). So she had me take one iodine pill of 12.5mg for 2 weeks and see how I felt and then increase to 2 pills (25 mg). So I did this for 3 weeks, and in the meantime I also took tons of antihistamines, Xanax, Atarax, Doxepin, Nortriptyline for my hives, along with supplements of fish oil, 5000 mg of Vitamin D (since I was deficient), 1g-2g of Vitamin C, 10 mg of Zinc, and 100 mg Selenium. I can't tell if I felt better taking the dessicated thyroid because I was so miserable with hives and very drugged up. My endocrinologist with my HMO told me not to take the Naturethroid and instead try Synthroid at an increase of 137mg. I tried this for a week and didn't feel as good as on Naturethroid so I went back to the natural stuff.
My hives continue through all of this and I was hoping that they would get better with the thyroid correction.
My latest test results after consulting my allergist only a month later have me at a loss. On April 29, only a month after my last thyroid test, came back with TSH 12.37, T3 123, and FREE T4 0.4!!! How did I go from TSH 0.7 to 12.37 in one month on the same medication and taking a large dose of iodine where I was supposed to actually go down. The T3 level is better. I'm waiting for results back for antibodies. Could the antihistamines and antidepressants I was taking have an effect? Is there any other reason for these abnormal results of a normal T3 and high TSH? Should I continue with Naturethroid and taking the iodine?
HELP!!!! I'm hoping that my hives and thyroid are linked. I've read the studies that an increase of levothroid helped but isn't that when they are first start taking it. What if you don't have antibodies?
I have been hypothyroid since 2003 with a TSH >100 and no antibodies. Doctor started on Levothroid at 100mg and bumped up to 125mg years later which I stayed on and got my TSH down to 2.14. I am currently battling chronic hives and had my thyroid tested when I went to the doctor on March 7,2009 these were my results a bit off (TSH 4.76, T3 64, FREE T4 0.76). Since I was battling hives, I went to a Naturopath and she prescribed Naturethroid (very similar to Armour) where I take 1 1/2 grains. My thyroid was retested on March 30, 2009 and my results were much better (TSH 0.7, T3 100, FREE T4 1.21). I took a 24 hour urine test to check how much iodine my body absorbs and found that my body is iodine deficient (my body kept 54% of the 50 mg iodine pills that I took). So she had me take one iodine pill of 12.5mg for 2 weeks and see how I felt and then increase to 2 pills (25 mg). So I did this for 3 weeks, and in the meantime I also took tons of antihistamines, Xanax, Atarax, Doxepin, Nortriptyline for my hives, along with supplements of fish oil, 5000 mg of Vitamin D (since I was deficient), 1g-2g of Vitamin C, 10 mg of Zinc, and 100 mg Selenium. I can't tell if I felt better taking the dessicated thyroid because I was so miserable with hives and very drugged up. My endocrinologist with my HMO told me not to take the Naturethroid and instead try Synthroid at an increase of 137mg. I tried this for a week and didn't feel as good as on Naturethroid so I went back to the natural stuff.
My hives continue through all of this and I was hoping that they would get better with the thyroid correction.
My latest test results after consulting my allergist only a month later have me at a loss. On April 29, only a month after my last thyroid test, came back with TSH 12.37, T3 123, and FREE T4 0.4!!! How did I go from TSH 0.7 to 12.37 in one month on the same medication and taking a large dose of iodine where I was supposed to actually go down. The T3 level is better. I'm waiting for results back for antibodies. Could the antihistamines and antidepressants I was taking have an effect? Is there any other reason for these abnormal results of a normal T3 and high TSH? Should I continue with Naturethroid and taking the iodine?
HELP!!!! I'm hoping that my hives and thyroid are linked. I've read the studies that an increase of levothroid helped but isn't that when they are first start taking it. What if you don't have antibodies?
I agree that getting my hypo in check is important. And I do plan to stay on Naturethroid. I do feel better when I'm on it (at least on days when I don't take as many antihistamines and can tell that my energy level is much better). Its just so hard when I have haves EVERYDAY. I HAVE to take additional meds so I can function and DONT want to go on Prednisone again.
I had actually taken the iodine test just after my first Naturopath visit and it took a month to get results. So when I went in for a follow up consultation for my thryoid where the results were good (TSH 0.7), she discussed that she actually still wanted my T3 to go up and that we still had some room in the TSH (that I could go lower). She explained that my body really seemed to be craving iodine and that we could adjust the thyroid meds and possibly decrease if the iodine helped.
I have since talked to her about the unusual results and she was not sure why I would have such a big jump up in TSH while the T3 was better. If anything, the TSH should have gone down, although she said that the low FREE T4 makes sense that the TSH is increased. There is a possibility that the other meds are interfering. We are also waiting to see if the antibodies are up and she said that if I have Hashimotos that it is common to fluctuate TSH levels.
So I plan to try to cut down on meds and supplements. The iodine, zinc and selenium were added to try to help my thyroid make its own T3, along with the thryoid meds. I'm going to continue with this. I do take the thyroid meds first thing on an empty stomach and an hour away from anything else. As far as hive medication, I'm going to try to just stick with Zyrtec, Benadryl, and possibly Hydroxyzine (Atarax). The other meds are antidepressants which also have strong antihistamine action that may be interfering.
I can't say that I've felt a correlation between my thyroid and hives. My TSH has been all over the place and my hives seem very random. I would say that the hives seem more HORMONAL or stress related than thyroid sensitive. I do have good days where the hives are much less, but can wake up the next day covered with no apparent trigger while keeping everything the same. I apparently have developed slight allergies to dairy, wheat, yeast, eggs, along with a few others. Never had a problem before. There is an underlying problem with my body which make me ultra sensitive to many things at the moment. But I am avoiding all items which I've found to cause allergic reactions. Doesn't leave much to eat, I'll tell you!
I had actually taken the iodine test just after my first Naturopath visit and it took a month to get results. So when I went in for a follow up consultation for my thryoid where the results were good (TSH 0.7), she discussed that she actually still wanted my T3 to go up and that we still had some room in the TSH (that I could go lower). She explained that my body really seemed to be craving iodine and that we could adjust the thyroid meds and possibly decrease if the iodine helped.
I have since talked to her about the unusual results and she was not sure why I would have such a big jump up in TSH while the T3 was better. If anything, the TSH should have gone down, although she said that the low FREE T4 makes sense that the TSH is increased. There is a possibility that the other meds are interfering. We are also waiting to see if the antibodies are up and she said that if I have Hashimotos that it is common to fluctuate TSH levels.
So I plan to try to cut down on meds and supplements. The iodine, zinc and selenium were added to try to help my thyroid make its own T3, along with the thryoid meds. I'm going to continue with this. I do take the thyroid meds first thing on an empty stomach and an hour away from anything else. As far as hive medication, I'm going to try to just stick with Zyrtec, Benadryl, and possibly Hydroxyzine (Atarax). The other meds are antidepressants which also have strong antihistamine action that may be interfering.
I can't say that I've felt a correlation between my thyroid and hives. My TSH has been all over the place and my hives seem very random. I would say that the hives seem more HORMONAL or stress related than thyroid sensitive. I do have good days where the hives are much less, but can wake up the next day covered with no apparent trigger while keeping everything the same. I apparently have developed slight allergies to dairy, wheat, yeast, eggs, along with a few others. Never had a problem before. There is an underlying problem with my body which make me ultra sensitive to many things at the moment. But I am avoiding all items which I've found to cause allergic reactions. Doesn't leave much to eat, I'll tell you!
Stella is absolutely right. You're trying too many different things, without allowing enough time to find out the result.
Reading between the lines, it doesn't appear that your dosage of Levothyroid, ever really got you to a euthyroid state, because both t3 and free T4 were low and TSH was over the currently recommended range of .3-3.0. Still being hypo, then could have contributed to your ongoing problem with hives.
After taking the Naturethroid for about 3 weeks, were the hives better? If they were better after only a relatively short time on the Naturethroid, why did you do all the other testing and start taking all the other supplements?
At this point, if I were in your shoes, the first thing I would want to do is fix the hypothyroid problem. I think I would go back to whichever doctor you have most confidence in and start all over with a discussion of all your hypo related symptoms and your desire to be tested for the most important thyroid related tests, which are free T3 and free T4, and then have your meds regulated to get your free T3 and free T4 into the upper part of their range, or at least to a level that relieves your symptoms. No doubt they would insist on testing TSH also, but it is not the best criteria to regulate your meds. I would also discuss every single one of the other meds./supplements you mentioned and make sure that any you continue to take are really of value and do not affect thyroid levels.
Understand that you will need to allow time for this approach to work, especially if you chose to go back to Levothyroid, which is a T4 type med., which usually takes 4-6 weeks to start becoming fully effective.
Reading between the lines, it doesn't appear that your dosage of Levothyroid, ever really got you to a euthyroid state, because both t3 and free T4 were low and TSH was over the currently recommended range of .3-3.0. Still being hypo, then could have contributed to your ongoing problem with hives.
After taking the Naturethroid for about 3 weeks, were the hives better? If they were better after only a relatively short time on the Naturethroid, why did you do all the other testing and start taking all the other supplements?
At this point, if I were in your shoes, the first thing I would want to do is fix the hypothyroid problem. I think I would go back to whichever doctor you have most confidence in and start all over with a discussion of all your hypo related symptoms and your desire to be tested for the most important thyroid related tests, which are free T3 and free T4, and then have your meds regulated to get your free T3 and free T4 into the upper part of their range, or at least to a level that relieves your symptoms. No doubt they would insist on testing TSH also, but it is not the best criteria to regulate your meds. I would also discuss every single one of the other meds./supplements you mentioned and make sure that any you continue to take are really of value and do not affect thyroid levels.
Understand that you will need to allow time for this approach to work, especially if you chose to go back to Levothyroid, which is a T4 type med., which usually takes 4-6 weeks to start becoming fully effective.
your flopping too much on different meds - and taking others plus adding mineral and supps - Your body is not sure what you or your doctors want it to do.
Stay on a certain regimen of regular meds for at least 6 months - with using flexible dosaging level changes on one particular type of hormone replacement and see how things go.
Some of the meds you are on besides thyroid - alters thyroid levels along with adding iodine that changes things up too.
Regulation is key that you need to look for. You may find going through the hump and finding some stability will decrease your needs for those additional medications/
Stay on a certain regimen of regular meds for at least 6 months - with using flexible dosaging level changes on one particular type of hormone replacement and see how things go.
Some of the meds you are on besides thyroid - alters thyroid levels along with adding iodine that changes things up too.
Regulation is key that you need to look for. You may find going through the hump and finding some stability will decrease your needs for those additional medications/
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