Re: Labs after switch back to levothyroxine from porcine thyroid meds

[Guest guest]

For many years I had a lot trouble winding down in the evening -- was much the

night owl since childhood -- until the surgery mess that put me in the ICU 3½

yrs ago; though I had learned how to wipe my mind of everything except things

that would help me sleep. For the past several yrs I get to sleep considerably

more easily, unless I am in pain or having GI trouble. In the evening I usually

read and listen to music after taking a walk (I might look up a couple of book

reviews on the net occasionally) - started going to bed earlier recently.

Adrenal insuff was diagnosed nearly 30 yrs ago (treatment=decadron for 1-2 yrs)

-- noone has rechecked me since then. It appears that I have a number of

symptoms of some sort of adrenal problem: tendency to faint easily, early

puberty, abnormal menstruation, early growth & then shortness (shorter than all

my siblings & parents by at least 6 " and shorter than 3 of my 4 grandparents),

early menopause, medical crises after giving birth/surgery (each time). Don't

know if it is related, but I can easily fall asleep after going to lunch or at

the movies in the afternoon -- have been sleeping through movies for over 20 yrs

-- started to do this for the past sev yrs when riding in a car in the afternoon

(though I tended to get carsick until my teens).

My porcine dose was 75 grains; the switch back to levothyroxine was done as a

stop-gap/temporary thing to stabilize my gut because of the diarrhea &

mouth/nose sores the porcine meds spurred (tho the pharmacy may have been the

cause - remember they goofed & would not admit it til I asked several times:

then used something w/lactose, sorbitol & some other fillers that they knew I

cannot tolerate in it). The GI troubles from the surgical mess are finally

fading altogether so I think we can focus on getting my thyroid, hypoglycemia &

possible adrenal/hormone problems sorted out and dealt with. I am really tired

of having my hair break off, my nails break/split nearly ½-way across so far

down that I can't cut them off & the split edge catches on my clothes (ouch!),

dry/chapped skin (that peels off in patches), dry/chapped lips (that crack &

bleed)...

Want to look into the Cytomel or T3; will memorize that info to discuss when I

go for my next check-up in a few wks. Thank you.

> >

> > Before deciding what else to do, I was put back on .15 levothyroxine &

re-tested a month later - here are the results of those blood tests (normal

beside them):

> >

> > Free T3 2.6 (2.0 - 4.4)

> > Free T4 1.6 (0.82 - 1.77)

> > TSH 0.86 (0.45 - 4.5)

> > AM cortisol 15.1 (6.2 - 19.4)

> > PM cortisol 14.2 (2.3 - 11.9)

> >

> > This was a big improvement in my TSH level - which was hovering between

10-12 all last year. Though my Free T3 level is still low it is better than it

was last time - 1.9 (2.3 - 4.2).

> >

> > This is the 1st time my cortisol levels have been tested in nearly 30 yrs -

though I was treated for adrenal insufficiency back then (with decadron for

about 18 mos) after a miscarriage made my endo do more testing. From the little

I see in looking my levels, these cortisol levels are both off?

> >

> > Not sure if re-trying porcine thyroid meds is a good idea - wonder if

compounded T3 & T4 might be a better plan.

> >

>