New member introduction - Margaret

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone,

I would firstly like to introduce myself. I live in Bedfordshire and

my name is Margaret and have been retired for a few years now. I

have joined the group after having seen the TPA web site as I have

been treated for hypothyroidism with thyroxine for the last five years

but still feel that I have symptoms suggesting that it is still low

although my GP declares that my levels are now 'normal'.

The only tests which I have had have been for TSH & T4. The local

path lab at our hospital apparently refuse to check T3 and the endo

consultant at the hospital (I am told) also thinks that T3 is

unnecessary. My results over the last 9 years are :

Dec 98 14 4.98

Jul 02 12 7.21

Oct-02 14 9.05

2003 14 4.58

Feb 2004 16 3.28

Jul 2004 19 2.04

May 2005 17 2.46

Jun 2006 15 3.8

Jun 2007 18 2.54

Sep 2007 19 1.67

I having been taking 50mg of thyroxine per day for most of this period

although about 6 weeks before the last test this was increased to

75mg. I have also recently been tested for auto-immune antibodies and

this test came back strongly positive.

In 2000, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and I also have

osteo-porosis and had a hip replacement in 2004. For many years I

have suffered with joint & muscle pains and tender points and still do

to this day. I also seem to have a number of digestive problems for

which I have had a number of investigations but the only specific things

identified so far have been diverticulosis and some inflammation of

the duodenum.

I have felt very poorly for some time now with digestive pains &

discomfort alongside the joint & muscle pains. On many days I feel

that I have a tight steel band around my ribs. I do not sleep well &

feel constantly weak & fatigued (at a deeper level than just feeling

tired). I can only walk 50 to 100 yards.

I currently have the following symptoms:

Poor mental state

Pain where the ribs meet the sternum

Constipation

Joint & muscular pain, sluggishness and weakness

Digestive problems

Poor sleep

Lethargy & fatigue

My question to the group is : although my GP has declared my current

T4 / TSH to be normal, is there a chance that the thyroid is to blame

for some or all of the above symptoms and if so, where do I go from here?

My GP is very cautious and conservative and I do not expect him to be

very supportive of any treatment / investigation outside the 'mainstream'.

Sorry that this has been so long & if you have got this far, thank you

very much for reading it.

Regards,

Margaret

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the forum Margaret.

There are many who feel that being treated with thyroxine can cause

osteoporosis This is one of the reasons why doctors try to keep TSH

highish in order to avoid it because a suppressed TSH will also mean

the thyroid doesn't make calcitonin which is vital for bone health.

When a person is treated with armour it supplies calcitonin and some

T3 plus various other elements which some people respond very well

to.

The fact that you've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia (many feel

this is simply part of HypoT) dispite being on thyroid meds does

indeed suggest that you are either undermedicated or need a change

in meds.

There certainly is a chance that those symptoms are related

to your thyroid problems and that they might be eased by a different

approach to treatment.

I think that your next step would be to read as much as you can

about armour and T3. You will find much on the internet, some good

some bad and it will help you to make your own decision. There is

also a good deal of info on the TPA site. As regards T3, this

might be an option but you would need to get advice about this. It

makes sense also to read up on thyroxine and gauge for yourself if

you feel it's for you.

Finding a GP who would consider prescribing armour is fairly

difficult and this may be something you only consider after reading

the pros and cons of treating with armour.

You are not alone, some of our members have been unable to walk

without assistance, many have had to give up jobs but through

educating themselves about the choices available they have been able

to regain their health.

I hope that we can support you in getting well.

Luv Bella

>

> Hello everyone,

>

> I would firstly like to introduce myself. I live in Bedfordshire

and

> my name is Margaret and have been retired for a few years now. I

> have joined the group after having seen the TPA web site as I have

> been treated for hypothyroidism with thyroxine for the last five

years

> but still feel that I have symptoms suggesting that it is still low

> although my GP declares that my levels are now 'normal'.

>

> My question to the group is : although my GP has declared my

current

> T4 / TSH to be normal, is there a chance that the thyroid is to

blame

> for some or all of the above symptoms and if so, where do I go

from here?

>

> My GP is very cautious and conservative and I do not expect him to

be

> very supportive of any treatment / investigation outside

the 'mainstream'.

>

> Sorry that this has been so long & if you have got this far, thank

you

> very much for reading it.

>

> Regards,

> Margaret

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Hello everyone,

>

> I would firstly like to introduce myself. I live in Bedfordshire and

> my name is Margaret and have been retired for a few years now.

>

>

Hi Margaret,

I am sorry to read that you still have many symptoms similar to mine

when I was taking 50mcgs of T4 per day. I was told I was euthyroid

and that everything was fine - and yet I had never felt so bad in my

life! We are unable to get the FT3 test in my area too - this is a

scandal, as many of the symptoms you describe can be attributed to

poor conversion of T4 to T3. I'm afraid I had to pay for a private

lab test with NPTech (details in the files) to find out about my FT3

levels. My problems of fatigue were also not helped by the fact that

my ferritin level was quite low, leaving me breathless and with a

pounding heart after a short brisk walk.

Hope you get all the information you need to get well again. There is

plenty to read on this site and it certainly helped me.

Luv,

Anne

[Guest guest]

Hello Margaret

I couldnt quite figure out your blood test results - Im not an expert but sometimes other people's experiences are helpful so thought I would reply! From what I understand 50 mcg of thyroxine is actually quite a low dose but at least someone has agreed you are hypothyroid - which is a start!! (My experience is that at 75 mcg the aches and pains started to settle after a while) the protocols for treating hypothyroidism are that the GP can treat if in the so called normal range. It sounds like they are just going on your blood results. I think I would ask around for who the 'sympathetic, sensible endocrinologists in your area - there are some - I found one in Huddersfield!! People on this forum will help and then ask for a referral - if you can sit tight with your GP and keep saying ' yes but' ... to everything the GP says to avoid a referral 'yes, but I would really like you to refer me to an endocrinologist' I think you should get the referral - make sure its to someone who may be open to treating with armour thyroid or T3 and not just thyroxine. I think GPs are ignorant about hypothyroidism and if your bloods come back into the 'normal' range they think that's it and forget there is a person behind your symptoms.

My story is that I too was diagnosed with fibromyalgia - aches and pains all over, memory and concentration problems, no energy, didnt sleep well - amitryptylene helped me with the sleep and the pains (though many people dont agree with taking this but it really has helped me enormously) and then after getting my TSH, T3 and T4 done through the NPTech labs (£33 for all 3) I used these results (which were normal but at the bottom end) as a battering ram to my GP for a referral. Started on thryoxine by the endo and am so much better - Im more like me though not 100% yet and Im now on 75 mcg.

I had so much help from this forum and you will too - just be prepared that the GPs are very ignorant and really just toe the line and treat if your results are outside the range - I think you do have to find things out yourself unfortunately, but TPA will help you!

Gill

New member introduction - Margaret

Hello everyone,I would firstly like to introduce myself. I live in Bedfordshire andmy name is Margaret and have been retired for a few years now. I

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