Re: Re: Need a good thyroid Doctor in Houston +Hormones

[Guest guest]

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. It can

play all kinds of tricks with the production of hormones, including

overproducing, underproducing, and normal production, all in one package,

unless it has totally burned out the thyroid very quickly. Many people have

issues with this for yrs on end because the antibodies have not finished

doing their dirty deeds for a long time. This is what I have, and it can

cause an unbelievable amt of confusion in treatment. It's important to have

these antibodies tests run, so that you will know where it's all coming

from. It is a disease that has to be watched very closely, when it comes to

the hormone replacement. You can have bouts of inflammation in your

thyroid, ongoing. Mine has never completely burned out, and it has kept me

in a state of ups and downs of treatment, like it has so many people.

Tx

Re: Need a good thyroid Doctor in Houston

+Hormones

> I have no first-hand knowledge of Dr. Borochoff, but Jan has given

> you a good recommendation. It seems that any doctor that is not

> terrible is worth a try.

>

> For me, it was essential that I have the free T3 done. I had plenty

> of T4 and a suppressed TSH, which causes most doctors to brush me

> off. But my Free T3 is low and apparently, I have quite a hard time

> converting the T4 to T3. I will see my latest test results

> tomorrow. Without the T3, I couldn't sleep well, hurt all over, and

> was Soooo tired. I was and still am pretty cold. I know it is tough

> to work through this when you feel so awful. Hang in there.

>

> There are other areas to test that I have not dealt with. Many

> people have adrenal, cortisol, and other testing done as well as a

> test for Anti-bodies. Since these don't seem to be issues for me, I

> cannot give you any guidance in that department.

>

> Good luck!

[Guest guest]

One of the reasons why I ended up in these groups was because I can't find

one doctor in this area who knew what they were doing, when it comes to the

thyroid. I've been through 4 doctors here and then an endocrinologist in

Alvin who knows absolutely nothing about the thyroid. His statement to me

was " Once the thyroid fails, it stays the same " . Duhhh! You can see why I

never went back to him after the first visit. That's when I started

undertaking my own treatment, out of necessity and survival. I can't afford

to skip around from one doctor to the other on a regular basis. It is

unbelievable that a doctor refused to run a TRH on you, but that's par for

the course in this area----the doc may not even have known what it was and

just didn't want to admit it (pride). One of the Houston docs looks like

our best bet, but lack of funds and no insurance keeps me from going out on

these adventures. I've been doing my own treatment for the last 5-6 months

and feel better than I have for the last 4 yrs or so, but I wouldn't

recommend that for everyone, and it certainly doesn't work if there are

nodules or a tumor, etc....then you've absolutely got to be under the care

of a doctor for that type of management and testing. There is noone here

that I would recommend for any form of thyroid treatment. If I did, I would

be homicidal. I'm surprised that Dr. Dalal is, that's news to me, but I've

never used this doctor since before I undertook my own treatment.

Hashimoto's antibodies attacks are one of the most common reasons for

destruction of the thyroid gland and eventual hypo, but when it first starts

the game, you will more than likely have hyperthyroid bouts as well. BTW,

you can order your own TRH test through www.healthcheckusa.com, inaddition

to many other tests, including the Free T3, T4, TSH, and a whole thyroid

panel. I just got my second round of tests back from them, which I'm going

to post on here as soon as I get them all back.

Tx

Re: Need a good thyroid Doctor in Houston

+Hormones

> ,

>

> Wow! I did not realize that I had such a close neighbor in this

> group. Do you have any Angleton or Lake doctors to

> recommend? Dr. Dalal is working with me at the moment, but I really

> have to be prepared to show why I need the treatment I want. Going

> to a new doctor seems like playing the lottery to me. I am on my 4th

> doctor in one year. Dr. Boyd (Dr. Feaver's PA) threw up her hands

> and sent me on my way when I refused to have my meds decreased at the

> beginning of all this. I was suffering from hypo, not hyper symptoms.

>

> As for testing - I have had my antibodies tested and they came out

> normal. Tests run were " Antinuclear Antibodies " and " Thyroid

> Perioxidase " . I don't know what to ask for to get the Adrenals

> tested, but when I read the symptoms, it didn't seem to fit me. I

> have been taking my Basal temperature before getting out of bed over

> the last two weeks. My average with a new digital basal thermometer

> is 96.2 and with a 20-year old glass basal thermometer, it is 97.0.

> I don't know which thermometer to trust - I can't find a new glass

> basal thermometer.

>

> I noted two items from my history while reading books. I grew up 300

> miles from a nuclear testing site in New Mexico AND I was sick

> constantly with strep throat while growing up - I had it every 6 to 8

> weeks like clockwork until I moved out of the area. Don't know if it

> was caused by climate or family tension. I have read that both of

> these can cause pituitary problems. Can't get anyone to run a TRH on

> me - do they still do that? I was diagnosed at the age of 10 because

> I was freezing. Things seemed to go fine (although I have always

> been somewhat tired) until I hit menopause and now I have been

> struggling for the last year to get my meds right. Before last year

> I was on 2 grains of Thyrolar (100 mcg T4 and 25 mcg T3). I am

> currently on 88 mcg T4 (synthroid) and 15 mcg (cytomel). Most of my

> symptoms have resolved except that I still freeze and am somewhat

> tired. I have also lost 54 lbs in the last year.

>

> I would appreciate any advice. I had concluded that I was simply

> Hypo and did not have the Hashi. Is that considered thyroid

> disease? I never know how to answer the medical questionaires.

> Thanks for taking the time to give me some feedback on my individual

> situation.

>

> Jill

>

[Guest guest]

Freezing in South Tx---HeHe! The way it's been around here lately, you have

to take your snowsuit with you when you go anywhere, even though you may

have worn shorts when you walked out the door. And the

rain----Agghhh!!----I've had terrible problems with being cold in 75-80

degree weather, but I think that is changing somewhat, due to the Armour.

BTW, I do take mine in split doses (3 at this time, but soon to be 4, when I

up it to 120 mgs) because the T3 part of it is quick acting, but shorter

acting. T4 is the storage hormone that builds gradually, and supposedly

converts to T3 (many of us just don't convert that well here though). T3,

however, is approximately 4 times more powerful while it is doing it's work,

so I don't think that taking all of it at once is wise to do because it has

powerful effects very quickly, over a period of, I think, around 4-9 hrs or

so, then it dissipates and is more or less gone. Since I am a night worker,

I take my first dose of the day (30 mgs) when I get up in the evening around

6 pm, then 2nd dose at work (30 mgs) around midnight, then a third dose

around 7am, when I'm off work (30 mgs). I don't know whether we can mimmick

the way the thyroid constantly dumps a little bit at a time into the

bloodstream, but it's the closest I can get at this time. Taking this med

OR Cytomel all at once is a no-no for me because that is a huge bolus of T3

all at once, only for the effects to be lost within 12 hrs. The synthetic

T4s can be taken that way because their effects are not all at once. I've

not had any problem sleeping, for the most part, and, as a matter of fact,

if I miss my bedtime dose, I feel much more sluggish when I rise out of be

because it's been something like 17-18 hrs since I had my last dose, when I

do forget it.

I've gotten my Armour from two different sources, www.myrxforless.com, and

www.internationalanti-agingsystems.com. I ordered the last time from MyRx,

but I think I will go back to IAS because they are a little more reputable,

and frankly, they get it here faster. There is no prescription required for

these types of drugs from certain foreign countries, since 1988. With the

advent of online bargaining, it has made it so much more accessible. I

would not recommend that everyone treats themselves if they do not have much

interest in learning about the labs, symptoms, and keeping up with the ups

and downs of it, but I have not found a reputable doc directly in our area.

It sounds like I may have now, but that's going to depend on whether or not

he wants an arm or a leg for payment also. Oh, I wanted to ask how much Dr.

Dalal relies on the TSH test, or does he rely on the Free T3 + Free T4. I

was thinking that you said that he ran the Free T4, but not the Free T3. As

long as he is relaxed about letting the TSH go lower than the so-called

normals and treats by symptoms and the Frees.

Tx

Re: Need a good thyroid Doctor in Houston

+Hormones

> ,

> I am back from my doctor's appointment with Dr. Dalal. I am very

> pleased. He asked where I was learning so much on the internet. Then

> he said that things had changed, that people used to not be able to

> look things up, then he paused and said that it was a good thing that

> people could learn about things. Whew! I told him it was easier for

> me because I was only concerned about one thing and didn't have to

> know about everything like him. So many doctors get threatened and I

> wanted to be very careful. I think Dr. Dalal is going to be a

> keeper. Apparently, he is one of the few based on what you have said.

>

> I have a new prescription for Armour, 120 MG, and plan to give it a

> whirl starting tomorrow. My FT4 and FT3 did not move any at all from

> slightly below midpoint by increasing the cytomel from 10 mcg to 15

> mcg a day, BUT I have been having a great deal of trouble trying to

> take calcium 3 times a day and cytomel 3 times a day. Maybe taking

> Armour only once a day will fix things. Do you find that there are

> any issues with taking all of your T3 at once? Dr. Arem and others

> say it is not good to take it all at once. It worked for me before

> with Thyrolar, I hope it does again with Armour.

>

> You say that you are treating yourself. Where do you get the thyroid

> hormone prescriptions? I had considered this earlier before I found

> Dr. Dalal, but really did not know how to go about it. I am glad

> that you are feeling good, but sorry that you have had such a bad

> time with doctors. I sure understand the feeling. It is hard to

> believe that there is sooooo much incompetency these days, especially

> with health where it really matters.

>

> I just wanted to share. I feel upbeat for the first time in a long

> time. Most of my symptoms are gone except for freezing all the

> time. It is a good thing I live in South Texas.

>

> Jill

[Guest guest]

Forgot to say that 1 grain (60 mgs) of Armour has 38 mcgs of T4 and 9 mcgs

of T3 in it, so you would be getting 76 mcgs of T4 plus 18 mcgs of T3 in

once big bolus. This is why I split doses.

Tx

Re: Need a good thyroid Doctor in Houston

+Hormones

[Guest guest]

As far as splitting your doses, would it be possible for you to take all

your calcium at once at bedtime? This is how many of the people who take

split doses of thyroid are taking the calcium because of what you're

describing. Also, as long as your thyroid gland isn't being stimulated too

much by TSH to MAKE more T4, I don't see the deal about the blood test

saying that the T4 is a little low. If your TSH started rising too much,

showing that this is happening AND, together with feeling worse, then I

would say you're not getting enough T4. The gland itself would ordinarily

produce a lot more T4 than it does T3, but in the case of administration of

the hormone from the outside, it will depend on how your pituitary is

" geared " . Again, it will depend on the way that you FEEL after making this

change. I've got different people telling me that it is the T4 that makes

them feel warmer, but, in my case, it has been the T3 making me feel warmer,

so we're talking individual people here, and what makes each person feel

better. I couldn't get warm at ALL without the direct T3.

Tx

Re: Need a good thyroid Doctor in Houston

+Hormones

> If you split the dose, I don't know how to get in the 3 doses of

> calcium I am supposed to get. I have been so inconsistent with my

> second two doses of cytomel. I get it down, but at different times

> of the day and sometimes pretty close to my calcium. I took 2 grains

> of Thyrolar for years and years all at once and it had 100 mcg of T4

> and 25 mcg of T3. At the time, I didn't know anything about T4 or T3,

> just took it as it said to take it. It bothers me that the increase

> from 10 to 15 mcg cytomel did not show up at all in my bloodwork. But

> I also increased my exercise, so maybe that had something to do with

> it.

>

> As for Dr. Dalal, he started out ordering Total T4 and T3 and TSH

> along with all the other general stuff, but after I talked with him,

> he began ordering the Free T3 and Free T4. He always makes sure he

> gets a Total T3, though. Yesterday, he left off the Free T3 and I

> asked him to add it, which he did. We had quite a discussion about my

> TSH when I saw him earlier. It had decreased down to .01 yesterday

> (My earlier post was incorrect - it should have said .03 instead

> of .3) and he didn't even mention it. Years ago, my TSH came back as

> <.003. If you make a logical case for what you want, I think he will

> do what you need. But I know you have to be careful because of

> insurance or lack thereof. I actually got his name from a lady at

> Weight Watchers who recommended him.

>

> Thanks for the info on how to order meds. I will keep it handy in

> case I need it. Who is the doctor you are thinking of seeing if he is

> not too expensive? Oh, and one last technical question - if T4 is

> only used to convert into T3 and assuming that one doesn't convert

> well, is T4 of much importance? Changing to Armour will increase my

> T3 by 3 mcg and decrease my T4 by 12 mcg. I hope the T4 won't be too

> low.

>

> Thanks,

> Jill