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Unexplanable symptoms
Approximately 6 weeks ago I experienced some very strange symptoms such as losing focus, head fogginess (an almost out of body experience) and feeling very very tired. I'm taking Levothyroxine and have been for several years. The dosage has fluctuated from time to time, but I've never felt anything quite like this. My husband took me to the eye doctor where my eye pressure and optic nerve checked normal. I started wondering if my thyroid was the problem so I scheduled an appointment. They did an examination and I had blood work done. Levels were at 8.5 where it should be at 0.4 - 4.5. They increased my medication from 0.112 to 0.125. I really thought I started to feel better but then the symptoms returned a couple of days ago. I scheduled another visit to the doctor, but this time the doctor said that it's probably NOT my thyroid and that it could be something else. They did a Sed rate test and going to schedule an MRI and MRA to follow. I'm just a little nervous about all of this and hope it's nothing serious. Not sure what they're looking for this time. If this sounds familiar to anyone, please respond.
It's worth a try. I usually take my thyroid medication early morning separate from everything else. I take the multivitamin mid morning with food, since the multivitamin always make me nauseous. Fish oil, and the rest are taken afternoon, then simvastatin in the evening. Not sure if there is a 4 hour window, but there's at least 3.
Thanks.
Thanks.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Not sure about the iron, but if you are sensitive to either the iron or fillers in the pills, that could be a cause, as could any of the vitaimins/minerals you were taking or binders/fillers in them.
Would suggest that you stop all vitamins/minerals for a couple of weeks, to get it all out of your system, then reintroduce them, one at a time, waiting at least a week to see if you react, before adding the next.
I don't do well on either multivitamin or glucosamine.
Are you making sure that you separate your thyroid medication dosage, from vitamins/minerals by at least 4 hours?
Would suggest that you stop all vitamins/minerals for a couple of weeks, to get it all out of your system, then reintroduce them, one at a time, waiting at least a week to see if you react, before adding the next.
I don't do well on either multivitamin or glucosamine.
Are you making sure that you separate your thyroid medication dosage, from vitamins/minerals by at least 4 hours?
Results on the MRI brain scan came back negative. However, there were areas that could represent chronic migraines & white matter degeneration. Now I'm off to see a neurologist in 3 weeks.
I'm going out on a limb here, but while on vacation I had started the increased dosage of levothyroxine 0.125 after my first visit to the doctor. I started to feel better after about 4 days. I had also stopped taking my supplements during that time, such as multi vitamin, fish oil, glucosamine chondroitin and calcium because I didn't want to carry a bunch of pills around for 2 weeks. When I returned from vacation, I started back up on the supplements. 4-5 days later, I started experiencing those wierd symptoms of blurred vision, eye & head pressure, being tired, etc. I just looked at the multi vitamin and it has iron in it of 18 mg. Would that be something that could trigger or affect my levels?
I'm going out on a limb here, but while on vacation I had started the increased dosage of levothyroxine 0.125 after my first visit to the doctor. I started to feel better after about 4 days. I had also stopped taking my supplements during that time, such as multi vitamin, fish oil, glucosamine chondroitin and calcium because I didn't want to carry a bunch of pills around for 2 weeks. When I returned from vacation, I started back up on the supplements. 4-5 days later, I started experiencing those wierd symptoms of blurred vision, eye & head pressure, being tired, etc. I just looked at the multi vitamin and it has iron in it of 18 mg. Would that be something that could trigger or affect my levels?
COMMUNITY LEADER
I agree that your FT3 is too low in the range, indicating a possible conversion issue.
You should talk to your doctor about adding a medication containing a T3 component. This can be done with addition of a synthetic T3, such as cytomel or its generic liothyronine, or by switching to a desiccated porcine medication, containing both T3 and T4.
While many doctors are reluctant to prescribe medications with T3 in them, there are those that will. You might ask for a small trial dose to start. If your doctor refuses, you should be prepared to start looking for another doctor, because your current one will keep you ill.
You should talk to your doctor about adding a medication containing a T3 component. This can be done with addition of a synthetic T3, such as cytomel or its generic liothyronine, or by switching to a desiccated porcine medication, containing both T3 and T4.
While many doctors are reluctant to prescribe medications with T3 in them, there are those that will. You might ask for a small trial dose to start. If your doctor refuses, you should be prepared to start looking for another doctor, because your current one will keep you ill.
Sorry for the d elay, i haven't been on in a minute.FT3 is too low which is why you are having hypo symptoms. You may be in need of a T3 med to increase the FT3 level but good luck because not to many people find it easy to get, including myself.
The ranges are 71 - 180 for T3. .82 - 1.77 for T4. Sed rate 0 - 20 which indicates my 24 reading is a little over the normal range.
I phoned my doctor this morning and she informed me that FT3 & FT4 testings were completed. FT3 - read 88, FT4 read 1.30, TSH is at 8.5, Sed rate read 24. MRI is scheduled for next week to see what they find, No MRA scheduled just yet.
COMMUNITY LEADER
I agree that your doctor should be testing the biologically active hormones, FT3 and FT4. You may not be converting adequately, as noted above.
While the increase from 112 mcg to 125 mcg might not, ultimately, be enough, it's a start, since it's always best to make small increases, with adequate testing 4-6 weeks after each.
While the increase from 112 mcg to 125 mcg might not, ultimately, be enough, it's a start, since it's always best to make small increases, with adequate testing 4-6 weeks after each.
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Without testing for the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4, you are really flying blind. TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many variables it is totally inadequate as the sole diagnostic. Even though TSH is supposed to accurately reflect levels of Free T3 and Free T4, it cannot be shown to correlate well with either, much less with symptoms, which are much more important.
With you being on Levo for several years, I would be suspicious that your body is not converting the T4 to T3 adequately. This results in low Free T3 levels, even when Free T4 may be adequate. The only way to know for sure is to test for Free T3. The reason that is so important is that scientific studies have shown that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate.
I would not get worried at all at this point. Just go back and request to be tested for Free T3 and Free T4, along with TSH. If the doctor resists and says it is not necessary, just insist on it and don't take no for an answer. While there I also recommend testing for Vitamin a, D, B12, and ferritin. All of these are frequently low for hypo patients, thereby adding to the symptoms.
Also, be aware that having FT3 and FT4 levels in the low end of the range doesn't mean that is okay for you. Those levels are frequently accompanied by hypo symptoms. The ranges are far too broad to be functional ranges. Members here, myself included, report that symptom relief for them required that Free T3 was adjusted into the upper third of its range and Free T4 adjusted to around the middle of its range.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting free T3 and free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.
When test results are available, please post results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.