Re: New to the site

[Guest guest]

What did the endo say about your labs? Did she offer you an increase in your Armour? What dose are you on now?

Your TSH is much too high. Your Total T3 and Free T4 are quite low in their ranges. And you have antibodies out the wazoo.

Most of us need to have our Free (or Total) T3 and Free T4 in the upper half of their ranges to feel well. Thyroid Manager states the TSH treatment goal for Hashi patients to be 0.3-1.0. Some good alternative docs like it even lower.

>> Hello all! I am 31 years old, married and a mother to 3 girls (6 yr > old twins and a 7 month old). I was diagnosed with hypothyroid when > I was 18 years old, at which time I was put on Synthroid. I had been > on the Synthroid until 2 years ago. It apparently just stopped > working for me. Everytime I went to the doctor, I would get an > increase in my medication. Then I learned about Armour and I found a > doctor to give it to me. I did okay with the switch, but never knew > (and still don't know) if I am on the right amount. I can't seem to > find a doctor who will do the entire thyroid panel. I did however > finally resort to an endocrinologist last week who did her version of > the thyroid panel. She also did an ultrasound of my thyrid and told > me that it is enlarged and that I have a decent sized nodule on the > left side of it. At any rate, I have been in horrible shape > lately!! I am beyond exhausted, I am moody, I am so cold sensitive > that my bones literally hurt, my scalp is extra dry and peeling > constantly, I am losing an obscene amount of hair (I don't have that > much as it is so this is a huge deal for me), and the list > continues... At any rate, I got my results back from her today and I > am wondering if any of you can give me your take on the situation. > She told me I have Hashimoto's. My labs are as follows:> > Thyroglobulin Antibodies - 31 H (<20 - normal)> Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - 1000 H (<35 - normal)> T3, Total - 91 (60-181 - normal)> T-3 Uptake - 28 (22-35 normal)> T-4, Free - 0.9 (0.8-1.8 - normal)> T-4 (Thyroxine), Total T-4 - 5.9 ( 4.5-12.5 normal)> Free T4 Index - 1.7 ( 1.4-3.8 - normal)> TSH - 34.81 H ( 0.40-4.50 - normal)> > I am at a loss!! I am so sick of being sick! I just want my life > back and my hair would be nice too!> > Your input is very much appreciated!!>

[Guest guest]

Tammy---The full round of testing done here (except for the FREE T3, what is

available for use, almost the most important test, which you don't have

here) shows just how inaccurate the Free T4 Index can be. It is done by

doing some math with a couple of the others and is an *estimate* of the Free

T4. I don't even know why in the world they did it, since they already ran

the Free T4, which is the most modern version, lol! It is going to be the

Free version that is accurate, and you are low low low. The question now is

What is your doctor going to do about it, considering that your pituitary is

hounding the heck out of your thyroid for more hormone (TSH)? That is a

terribly high TSH and shows that your body is asking for a lot more hormone

than what you have. What is this doctor going to do? Surely not just leave

it as is!

New to the site

> Hello all! I am 31 years old, married and a mother to 3 girls (6 yr

> old twins and a 7 month old). I was diagnosed with hypothyroid when

> I was 18 years old, at which time I was put on Synthroid. I had been

> on the Synthroid until 2 years ago. It apparently just stopped

> working for me. Everytime I went to the doctor, I would get an

> increase in my medication. Then I learned about Armour and I found a

> doctor to give it to me. I did okay with the switch, but never knew

> (and still don't know) if I am on the right amount. I can't seem to

> find a doctor who will do the entire thyroid panel. I did however

> finally resort to an endocrinologist last week who did her version of

> the thyroid panel. She also did an ultrasound of my thyrid and told

> me that it is enlarged and that I have a decent sized nodule on the

> left side of it. At any rate, I have been in horrible shape

> lately!! I am beyond exhausted, I am moody, I am so cold sensitive

> that my bones literally hurt, my scalp is extra dry and peeling

> constantly, I am losing an obscene amount of hair (I don't have that

> much as it is so this is a huge deal for me), and the list

> continues... At any rate, I got my results back from her today and I

> am wondering if any of you can give me your take on the situation.

> She told me I have Hashimoto's. My labs are as follows:

>

> Thyroglobulin Antibodies - 31 H (<20 - normal)

> Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - 1000 H (<35 - normal)

> T3, Total - 91 (60-181 - normal)

> T-3 Uptake - 28 (22-35 normal)

> T-4, Free - 0.9 (0.8-1.8 - normal)

> T-4 (Thyroxine), Total T-4 - 5.9 ( 4.5-12.5 normal)

> Free T4 Index - 1.7 ( 1.4-3.8 - normal)

> TSH - 34.81 H ( 0.40-4.50 - normal)

>

> I am at a loss!! I am so sick of being sick! I just want my life

> back and my hair would be nice too!

>

> Your input is very much appreciated!!

[Guest guest]

The endo didn't say a whole lot about my labs. All she said was that

my thyroid has stopped functioning and that I have full blown

hashi's. I was on 270mg of Armour and she increased me to 300mg.

As far as the antibodies are concerned, is that what dictates the

hashi's? Will the antiboidies ever go away or go down at the very

least? I do believe this is the first time I was ever tested for

antibodies. Most doctors I have gone to in the past have only tested

TSH.

How do I get my Total T3 and Free T4 up? Will the increase in Armour

alone do that or is there something else I should be aware of?

Do you know of any really good Armour docs in the mid-cities area

that will actually work with me to get me feeling better and not be

driven by TSH alone? The endo I went to recently is not opposed to

the Armour, but I can tell that it isn't her medicine of choice. She

tried to switch me back to Synthroid, but with Cytomel. I was

opposed and asked to stay on Armour. She obliged me this time, but

she did say that when I go back, if my levels aren't any better, she

is going to switch me to that combo.

Also, for the past two weeks, it feels as though something is stuck

in my throat. I feel it every time I swallow. It is on the left

side... Could that be the nodule on my thyroid that I feel? If so,

should I be concerned about this?

> >

> > Hello all! I am 31 years old, married and a mother to 3 girls (6

yr

> > old twins and a 7 month old). I was diagnosed with hypothyroid

when

> > I was 18 years old, at which time I was put on Synthroid. I had

been

> > on the Synthroid until 2 years ago. It apparently just stopped

> > working for me. Everytime I went to the doctor, I would get an

> > increase in my medication. Then I learned about Armour and I

found a

> > doctor to give it to me. I did okay with the switch, but never

knew

> > (and still don't know) if I am on the right amount. I can't seem

to

> > find a doctor who will do the entire thyroid panel. I did however

> > finally resort to an endocrinologist last week who did her

version of

> > the thyroid panel. She also did an ultrasound of my thyrid and

told

> > me that it is enlarged and that I have a decent sized nodule on

the

> > left side of it. At any rate, I have been in horrible shape

> > lately!! I am beyond exhausted, I am moody, I am so cold sensitive

> > that my bones literally hurt, my scalp is extra dry and peeling

> > constantly, I am losing an obscene amount of hair (I don't have

that

> > much as it is so this is a huge deal for me), and the list

> > continues... At any rate, I got my results back from her today

and I

> > am wondering if any of you can give me your take on the situation.

> > She told me I have Hashimoto's. My labs are as follows:

> >

> > Thyroglobulin Antibodies - 31 H (<20 - normal)

> > Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - 1000 H (<35 - normal)

> > T3, Total - 91 (60-181 - normal)

> > T-3 Uptake - 28 (22-35 normal)

> > T-4, Free - 0.9 (0.8-1.8 - normal)

> > T-4 (Thyroxine), Total T-4 - 5.9 ( 4.5-12.5 normal)

> > Free T4 Index - 1.7 ( 1.4-3.8 - normal)

> > TSH - 34.81 H ( 0.40-4.50 - normal)

> >

> > I am at a loss!! I am so sick of being sick! I just want my life

> > back and my hair would be nice too!

> >

> > Your input is very much appreciated!!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Since your Total T3 and Free T4 numbers are in about the same part of their ranges, one or more increases in your Armour may do the trick.

Our Texas Armour Docs list is in Files on our site. There is also a database where members can evaluate docs.

I am the one who said, "They can take away my Armour when they pry the bottle from my cold, dead fingers. . . . ."

> > >> > > Hello all! I am 31 years old, married and a mother to 3 girls (6 > yr> > > old twins and a 7 month old). I was diagnosed with hypothyroid > when> > > I was 18 years old, at which time I was put on Synthroid. I had > been> > > on the Synthroid until 2 years ago. It apparently just stopped> > > working for me. Everytime I went to the doctor, I would get an> > > increase in my medication. Then I learned about Armour and I > found a> > > doctor to give it to me. I did okay with the switch, but never > knew> > > (and still don't know) if I am on the right amount. I can't seem > to> > > find a doctor who will do the entire thyroid panel. I did however> > > finally resort to an endocrinologist last week who did her > version of> > > the thyroid panel. She also did an ultrasound of my thyrid and > told> > > me that it is enlarged and that I have a decent sized nodule on > the> > > left side of it. At any rate, I have been in horrible shape> > > lately!! I am beyond exhausted, I am moody, I am so cold sensitive> > > that my bones literally hurt, my scalp is extra dry and peeling> > > constantly, I am losing an obscene amount of hair (I don't have > that> > > much as it is so this is a huge deal for me), and the list> > > continues... At any rate, I got my results back from her today > and I> > > am wondering if any of you can give me your take on the situation.> > > She told me I have Hashimoto's. My labs are as follows:> > >> > > Thyroglobulin Antibodies - 31 H (<20 - normal)> > > Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - 1000 H (<35 - normal)> > > T3, Total - 91 (60-181 - normal)> > > T-3 Uptake - 28 (22-35 normal)> > > T-4, Free - 0.9 (0.8-1.8 - normal)> > > T-4 (Thyroxine), Total T-4 - 5.9 ( 4.5-12.5 normal)> > > Free T4 Index - 1.7 ( 1.4-3.8 - normal)> > > TSH - 34.81 H ( 0.40-4.50 - normal)> > >> > > I am at a loss!! I am so sick of being sick! I just want my life> > > back and my hair would be nice too!> > >> > > Your input is very much appreciated!!