underactive symptoms but overactive levels?

[clolita]

hello,

i just came back from the doctor. i went there because i was convinced that the medication for my underactive thyroid had to be increased. in the past weeks and months i was having ALL the symptoms for an underactive thyroid: rapid weight gain, extreme fatigue, dry skin. i have been taking 75 mcg levothyroxine for the past 6 month .

when my doctor told me that the bloodtest now showed an OVERACTIVE thryroid, i was in complete shock. does anyone here have any experience with this? how can it happen that my levels state an overactive thryoid, when everything i experience tells me the contrary? my doctor looked at me like she didn't believe me.

i am really desperate and would be happy about any help.

[Smilerdeb]

I always make sure that a Free T3, Free T4 and TSH are done and thats what I go by for my levels and as I said in the earlier post, I had RAI 5 months ago after being diagnosed with Graves and Hyperhtyroidism.
I have been on thyroxin now for approx 4 months tweaking my meds slowly.
Its very easy to 'mistake' symptoms as they can be very alike at both ends of the scale.
I cant help you with the levels you have posted as my Doc has never gone by the tests you have had done.
As Gimel said, a Free T3 would show if you was thyrotoxic as the Free T3 would be high.

[gimel]

The only other test I would like to see run would be free T3.  i have no personal experience to draw from regarding the effects of RAI.  If you continue to post your questions, I'm sure you will get lots of good input from members with experience in this area.  

[clolita]

thanks a lot. here a my test results:

T3 TOTAL:  236.00   (normal range 80.0 - 200)
FREE THYROXINE:  1.390  (normal range 0.93 - 1.70)
TSH SENSITIVE:   0.038    (normal range 0.27 - 4.2)

i would be really happy about any help or advice..

[gimel]

Please post the actual test results.  That way we can see what tests were run and see where the actual numbers fell,  within their range.  In the interim, I suggest that you do your own testing by checking your body temperature several times a day for several days and compare the average to the optimal of 98.6.  This will give you a good indication of your metabolism/thyroid levels.  If you are interested in this subject, here is a good site on body temperature.

http://www.drrind.com/scorecard.asp    

[Smilerdeb]

I have found that sometimes I get both symptoms with hyper and hypo and in the early stages was confused as i could swear I was Hyper when in actual fact bloods showed Hypo.
Anxiety is one of the symptoms I get both ends of the scale.
The only difference now is ....when Hyper I get mouth ulcers and sore throat.
I have no thyroid function as was hypo 5 weeks after RAI in June this year.
Its a hard condition to keep track of.