I'm new here but wanted to respond to this thread.
I have postablative hypothyroidism so my thyroid does not function at all. I have been on Synthroid since September currently 137 mcg but since I don't have a functioning thyroid I will need higher doses.
Anyway I gained 30 lbs quickly from Graves Disease (yes, a majority of the people gain with graves due to the increased appetite and then the fatigue) and the time I was going from hyper to hypo.
Once I got on Synthroid and got my energy back I joined Weight Watchers and have consistently lost an average of 2 lbs/week. I made goal in 18 weeks. I do have to watch my intake of whole grains (only 1-2 servings a day) but other than that nothing. I always had to watch my carb intake so nothing really new there.
BTW I am 40 years old so I am at the age where it is supposed to be difficult to lose weight.
I read all the Mary Shoman and Elaine Moore books and have spent hours on the thyroid site at about.com plus researched conventional methods as well. I have made my choice and it seems to be working for me.
The Synthroid works for me. My endo checks more than tsh he checks free t4, free t3, and tsi ( for graves antibodies which never go away). Everyone is different and needs to take the route that best suits them.
Maestra, I'm so glad that you are feeling well and that you have done a lot of research into the thyroid stuff - that's awesome!
Just wanted to comment tho that I noticed you've been on Synthroid since September. What I have found is that some folks do alright on Synthroid for 10 years or so - maybe even 15 - bec I think it takes about that long for the undertreated hypo to show up in some. After that time, it seems that many people are on other medications for symptoms that are actually hypo related.
I was wondering do you not have any hypo symptoms at all?
or do you find that you have to take other medications besides the Synthroid?
I truly hope that you continue to do well, but I'm also glad that you've researched the thyroid stuff and know about Armour Thyroid (or about adding Cytomel to the synthetic) - that way you will know where to turn if you start noticing hypo related symptoms.
And congrats on having an Endo that is running those thyroid tests. That is encouraging to hear.
I would love for you to keep in touch and keep me posted about how you are doing.
Hey gang - this message was posted tonight at the yahoo naturalthyroidhormone group. I thought it might help to post it here and show how unreliable the TSH really is. You will notice this lady's TSH looks fine (the lower the number supposedly the better your thyroid, and the higher the number is suppose to be evidence of low thyroid - sounds backwards I know but that is how that one goes) but the Free T3 and Free T4 tests show that her thyroid is actually low.
Anyway - I thought perhaps it might make better sense to see some numbers and hear this story.
on the test result - the first number is the result - the number in paranthesis is the "normal range"
hope this helps someone
Cathy
"Message: 12
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:58:22 -0000
From:
Subject: Don't go by TSH alone!!!
Hope you ladies don't mind me posting this, but I thought it was important to show soemone who might think that they have hypothyroidism but are told by their doctors that their levels are "normal".
I have a friend/co-worker who has a family history of thyroid disease. Her previous doctor tested her TSH & thyroid antibodies. Her antibodies were both elevated, but her TSH was normal. Her doctor told her this was normal, despite the fact that she had many of the symptoms, one being headaches, which her doctor was treating.
I told my friend I would bring her to my doctor, since he's really good & sees 5 to 6 thyroid patients a day. He tested her antibodies, TSH, FT4 & TT3. Here are her results with the reference ranges in parenthesis.
TSH - 1.7 (.4-5.5) btw this range is wrong it should be 0.3 to 3.0 but still TSH would look totally normal
FREE T4 - .7 (.8-1.8)
FREE T3 - 90 (60-180)
Also, her antibodies were 126 & 146.
So, my doctor has started her on 30 mgs. Armour & is going to restest her in 6 weeks.
So, this just goes to show you that even though your TSH may be "normal", your thyroid hormones (T4 & T3) may be low. If you have symptoms of thyroid disease & your doctor tells you that your TSH is "normal", INSIST on further testing."
Here is my update....apparently my 2 hr test is good (thank god), my thyroid function is good for now also, he will check again in a couple months. I am still waiting on the cortisol test, it wont be done until tomorrow. He did say I have 'seasonal affective disorder' he said it is common and his wife has it also, so he gave me stuff for that. He doesnt want to change more than one thing at a time, but he did say that I can take the Armour if I want to, but he wants me to wait until this other medicine has time to kick in before he changes it. So, I have 3-4 weeks to see what happens, with that stuff. But I may have to wait a little longer depending on the results of the last test tomorrow. Wish me luck! I am NOT IR!!!! WOOOHOOOO
My fasting blood sugar was 81 and then 2 hr later it was 90 (OH MAN IS THAT ORANGE STUFF GROSS!!!!)
Hey I was happy to find this thread! I had a large tumor removed from my thyroid in July 04 and right before and since my weight has ballooned out of all proportion. I am hypo and take L-thyroxine. It has been a discouraging time but I am determined NOT to give up and get back in shape! I am choosing just a healthful eating plan and exercising since I am not a believer at all in diets but need something to live with.
Hi there- Thought I would jump in-have been on Armour thyroid for years and am going to be tested again today. My dose got lowered last year but I am getting symptoms so I want to be checked again.When my dose was correct, I never thought it interfered with weight loss. I have gained lately because I have been on cortisone for asthma and it makes me hungry!!! And then I don't feel well becvause of wheezing so I don't walk. I saw wheezing was a sign of low-thyroid. Anyone know about that? Mima
Mima, that is encouraging about it not interfering with weight loss if you are on the right dose. I was on a very low dose and my doctor just increased it; I was glad as I was having all kinds of classic symptoms. Now I really want to get in shape and am ready to work at it!
I have a question for you guys this morning, i Have been taking synthroid for about 1 year now, and all is fine, but loosing weight, I still strugle, now I have heard of hydroxycut and lypo6 to increase your energy(metabolism).
Is anyone ever tried those? I am reloctant to try this, so I would like to know if some of you have something else to recommend or should I stay away from this..
Hey Mima (and everyone taking Armour Thyroid) - please make sure that you DO NOT take your Armour Thyroid on the day that your blood is drawn. Wait and take it after they draw your blood. The T3 in Armour spikes and causes the numbers to look higher than they actually are and a lot of people are having their Armour reduced based on those higher numbers that are skewed due to taking their Armour on that day. If you can get your doc to treat you based on your hypo symptoms - which you are obviously dealing with again - you will receive better treatment and feel better.
And yes - definitely - wheezing, asthma, sinus & bronchial stuff can be due to low thyroid and for many it gets better on the proper dosage - as you found out when you were on the higher dosage. Also the fact that you were losing weight and are now gaining on the lower dosage is another indicator that your dosage is too low to treat your symptoms.
Also, most people find that they need between 3 to 5 grains (180 mgs to 300 mgs) of Armour. A lot of docs mistakenly think that 2 grains (120 mgs) is good dosage of Armour for treating hypos and that is usually not the case.
I do have info I can share with you that shows most people do best on 3 to 5 grains if you would like.
GonnaLooseitagain - you and I have been talking so I know you don't mind my questions
What dosage of Armour are you on? - sorry I forgot
When you saw your doc yesterday did he run blood work and dose you based on that?
If you did do bloodwork, did you take your Armour on that before before they drew your blood?
If you got copies and don't mind me looking at it - can I see what tests they ran and what your numbers were.
The reason for some of my questions is bec I was offered antidepressants by every doc I saw - I didn't need them I needed my thyroid problem treated. Once I was on the proper dosage of Armour, I no longer dealt with depression, anxious feelings, and my obsessive compulsive personality (not disorder) is not so "uptight". I feel great! and everybody knows it!
There are a lot of people that start on antidepressants - like my son - that find once their thyroid problem is treated - that they don't need the antidepressants. There are hundreds that have come thru our thyroid group with the same story.
Soooooooooo I'm just trying to make sure you are taking enough Armour to treat your hypo symptoms. Some docs don't realize how many psych problems a low thyroid problem can cause.
He has not put me on Armour yet, he wanted to wait to see what my numbers are like, I dont have the actual numbers yet, they are going to call me today to give me more results. I am still on Synthroid. I did the 2 hr glucose test and fasting was 81 and then after the 2 hr it was 90. I will ask about my actual thyroid numbers when they call me back today. I have taken AD's before and did pretty good on them, but I have never taken them for Seasonal Affective Dissorder.
If they ran the Free T3 test, you will probaby find that your Free T3 is low, probably just barely within the normal range. That is just the way it goes on Synthroid. It is a T4 only product. Most people need their Free T3 level in the upper 1/3 of the range. My son's stays a little over the range in order for him to feel well and not deal so much with anxiety, depression, ocd, etc.
If it were me, and this is only my opinion (you can take it for what it is worth) I would want to be on Armour and on the correct dosage where my hypo symptoms were treated, before I thought about taking or adding any other med - especially any psych drugs. They are really hard to go on and off of. A lot of people find they only need the Armour - once they are actually taking the proper dosage.
If you want to talk about it - please ask exactly what tests they ran - the name of the test, the result and the range for that test, and jot it all down and let me know.
thanks girlie for putting up with my nosey rosey-ness
Cathy
