Re: Newbie and Lost-Hopeless

[Guest guest]

Hi Kristie,Your experiences are quite typical.  1/2 grain is quite a low dose. It is good for them to check adrenals, but you're right they are really incompetent to think that your dosage is adequate when you still have quite severe symptoms. It is very common to have a recurrence of symptoms and sometimes worsening if you are not on an adequate dosage - there's lots of reasons for that.  

While your TSH might look " normal " , your Free T4 is on the lower end of the range and they did not measure your Free T3, so they really are silly if they think that your labs look good.You do need to find another doctor that will treat based on symptom resolution and not a piece of paper.  Did you ask the pharmacist what doctor they use since they have Hashi's?

B.

 

Hello all,

My story will be long, but isn't all of ours Any help/guidance you can provide would be appreciated as I feel so alone and hopeless. When I was first diagnosed, I thought- " ok you will go on meds, maybe lose a pound or two and be fine " Ha ha ha ha- if it were only that easy!

My story:

After years of stressful events I finally surrendered to fatigue and could not longer chalk it up to my demanding life, something was wrong. Having my thyroid checked two years ago (normal TSH 1.8) I knew it wasn't that, but really concerned about heart disease from all the chest pains and abnormal fatigue. I am pretty athletic (really extreme workouts are my thing- never losing a pound mind you)- and could no longer even train with my trainer lifting 10 pound weights- SOMETHING IS WRONG.

Oct 10th '11- Annual physical to address symptoms (Family Wise Health- TX)

Labs run: all okay except:

Vitamin D -low at 27 (ok take a supplement)

TSH 3.8 - you are subclinical - Doc suggests meds Synthroid or Armour

After doing days of research I won the battle! Not only did a doctor recognize level of 3.8 but will also prescribe Armour- I hit the lottery!

Oct 27th- Decided to go ahead and accept treatment and after convincing doctor to go compounded version (more research) I found a pharmacist who compounds and formulates to old Armour AND has Hashimoto's...( Family Drug). I hit the lottery again!!!

I started my 1/2 grain of Compounded Armour/ natural thyroid.

October 30- November 10th- HOLY CRAP I feel good. How was I functioning for so long the way I was? Im now making full blown dinners, cleaning closets- I really feel like super-woman... no not hyper- just human

November 12th- Little tired but I need to get my fat butt back to the gym, I will start out by taking a boot camp class. Then go food shopping. WRONG! I was exhausted after. Need to go home and rest. Don't push yourself so hard next time I tell myself. - never went food shopping was lazy and tired rest of day.

November 13th. still tired today, but still need to get my fat butt back to the gym... gonna do a light walk uphill on the treadmill then really need to go food shopping.- After walking only 15 minutes, came home DRAINED. Laid around house tired all day- Something is wrong.

November 14th- Called Doctor asked if this was normal- they said " NO " come in.

Doc stated that my body got a good dose of medicine and I might want more (From my research I knew, she knows her stuff) or she says it could be something else. I felt safe and in really good hands.

Labs Drawn again:

TSH 1.34

Free T4 1.10 (.82-1.77)

T3 (Total) 99 (71- 180)

The head Doctor from that office calls me that Thursday and tells me everything looks good on my labs and they suggest I come in to do a depression test. Ive heard of TSH suppression but what is this Depression test? " Well you sit down and go through thoughts and feelings and it takes an hour " I ask them like I'm " Sad " Depression? I told them that I am not Depressed that I am EXHAUSTED. " Well, you know depression manifests itself in many ways and causes fatigue " UGH!!!!!! I wanted to reach through the phone and strangle her!

Back to square one, I feel worse than when I started the meds. I went back to my friendly pharmacists since she knows so much and she mentions adrenal testing. I pay her large sums of money to take saliva testing to ZRT labs (24 hour cortisol) and will get results this coming Tuesday. The more I research the more complex all of this is and the more I find that there are alot of doctors around Dallas who really dont know enough about adrenals, suppression, etc.

Any similar stories where you felt great and then crashed so badly for so long would be greatly appreciated. I am functioning but am " thyroid " tired if you know what I mean. The crash is not as bad as it was that 2nd week, but its like I was before any treatment. It would help at least give me some hope that things will get better.

BTW: Im no longer hungry AT ALL! and have gained 8 pounds in 4 weeks. (granted haven't worked out in two months- but not eating either- literally cant finish food on my plate- which is NOT like me) I was always hungry before treatment,ate soooo much, then would eat again 2 hours later

Based on suggestions from this board, am trying to get an appointment with Dr Gutsmann and currently have an appt set up with Sheldon.

I will tell you one thing, if I am not depressed now, I soon will be. This is no way to live.

THANK YOU all in advance for your support

Kristie

[Guest guest]

I saw Dr G today, she recommends going off the Compounded Natural Thyroid and

taking straight Armour. She basically said that we need to " play around " (in

doctors terms) to see what works well for me as every body responds different.

She also recommended that I stop taking thyroid meds in morning and try taking

them at night before bed.

She is running all Antibodies, RT3, TSH, and Frees. She is also running

hormones via blood labs and will compare against saliva but says that cortisol

has a perfect decline throughout the day.

Thank you all for the Doctor Recommendation.

More to come next week!

Happy Holidays.

-K

> >

> > > **

> > >

> > >

> > > Hello all,

> > >

> > > My story will be long, but isn't all of ours Any help/guidance you can

> > > provide would be appreciated as I feel so alone and hopeless. When I was

> > > first diagnosed, I thought- " ok you will go on meds, maybe lose a pound or

> > > two and be fine " Ha ha ha ha- if it were only that easy!

> > >

> > > My story:

> > > After years of stressful events I finally surrendered to fatigue and could

> > > not longer chalk it up to my demanding life, something was wrong. Having

my

> > > thyroid checked two years ago (normal TSH 1.8) I knew it wasn't that, but

> > > really concerned about heart disease from all the chest pains and abnormal

> > > fatigue. I am pretty athletic (really extreme workouts are my thing- never

> > > losing a pound mind you)- and could no longer even train with my trainer

> > > lifting 10 pound weights- SOMETHING IS WRONG.

> > >

> > > Oct 10th '11- Annual physical to address symptoms (Family Wise Health-

> > > TX)

> > > Labs run: all okay except:

> > > Vitamin D -low at 27 (ok take a supplement)

> > > TSH 3.8 - you are subclinical - Doc suggests meds Synthroid or Armour

> > > After doing days of research I won the battle! Not only did a doctor

> > > recognize level of 3.8 but will also prescribe Armour- I hit the lottery!

> > >

> > > Oct 27th- Decided to go ahead and accept treatment and after convincing

> > > doctor to go compounded version (more research) I found a pharmacist who

> > > compounds and formulates to old Armour AND has Hashimoto's...( Family

> > > Drug). I hit the lottery again!!!

> > > I started my 1/2 grain of Compounded Armour/ natural thyroid.

> > >

> > > October 30- November 10th- HOLY CRAP I feel good. How was I functioning

> > > for so long the way I was? Im now making full blown dinners, cleaning

> > > closets- I really feel like super-woman... no not hyper- just human

> > >

> > > November 12th- Little tired but I need to get my fat butt back to the gym,

> > > I will start out by taking a boot camp class. Then go food shopping.

WRONG!

> > > I was exhausted after. Need to go home and rest. Don't push yourself so

> > > hard next time I tell myself. - never went food shopping was lazy and

tired

> > > rest of day.

> > >

> > > November 13th. still tired today, but still need to get my fat butt back

> > > to the gym... gonna do a light walk uphill on the treadmill then really

> > > need to go food shopping.- After walking only 15 minutes, came home

> > > DRAINED. Laid around house tired all day- Something is wrong.

> > >

> > > November 14th- Called Doctor asked if this was normal- they said " NO " come

> > > in.

> > > Doc stated that my body got a good dose of medicine and I might want more

> > > (From my research I knew, she knows her stuff) or she says it could be

> > > something else. I felt safe and in really good hands.

> > > Labs Drawn again:

> > > TSH 1.34

> > > Free T4 1.10 (.82-1.77)

> > > T3 (Total) 99 (71- 180)

> > >

> > > The head Doctor from that office calls me that Thursday and tells me

> > > everything looks good on my labs and they suggest I come in to do a

> > > depression test. Ive heard of TSH suppression but what is this Depression

> > > test? " Well you sit down and go through thoughts and feelings and it takes

> > > an hour " I ask them like I'm " Sad " Depression? I told them that I am not

> > > Depressed that I am EXHAUSTED. " Well, you know depression manifests itself

> > > in many ways and causes fatigue " UGH!!!!!! I wanted to reach through the

> > > phone and strangle her!

> > >

> > > Back to square one, I feel worse than when I started the meds. I went back

> > > to my friendly pharmacists since she knows so much and she mentions

adrenal

> > > testing. I pay her large sums of money to take saliva testing to ZRT labs

> > > (24 hour cortisol) and will get results this coming Tuesday. The more I

> > > research the more complex all of this is and the more I find that there

are

> > > alot of doctors around Dallas who really dont know enough about adrenals,

> > > suppression, etc.

> > >

> > > Any similar stories where you felt great and then crashed so badly for so

> > > long would be greatly appreciated. I am functioning but am " thyroid " tired

> > > if you know what I mean. The crash is not as bad as it was that 2nd week,

> > > but its like I was before any treatment. It would help at least give me

> > > some hope that things will get better.

> > >

> > > BTW: Im no longer hungry AT ALL! and have gained 8 pounds in 4 weeks.

> > > (granted haven't worked out in two months- but not eating either-

literally

> > > cant finish food on my plate- which is NOT like me) I was always hungry

> > > before treatment,ate soooo much, then would eat again 2 hours later

> > >

> > > Based on suggestions from this board, am trying to get an appointment with

> > > Dr Gutsmann and currently have an appt set up with Sheldon.

> > > I will tell you one thing, if I am not depressed now, I soon will be. This

> > > is no way to live.

> > >

> > > THANK YOU all in advance for your support

> > > Kristie

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Are you seeing dr in San ?

Ellis Ecke, LPC, LCDC

www.thetraumaqueen.com

> I saw Dr G today, she recommends going off the Compounded Natural Thyroid and

taking straight Armour. She basically said that we need to " play around " (in

doctors terms) to see what works well for me as every body responds different.

>

> She also recommended that I stop taking thyroid meds in morning and try taking

them at night before bed.

>

> She is running all Antibodies, RT3, TSH, and Frees. She is also running

hormones via blood labs and will compare against saliva but says that cortisol

has a perfect decline throughout the day.

>

> Thank you all for the Doctor Recommendation.

> More to come next week!

> Happy Holidays.

> -K

>

>

>

>>>

>>>> **

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Hello all,

>>>>

>>>> My story will be long, but isn't all of ours Any help/guidance you can

>>>> provide would be appreciated as I feel so alone and hopeless. When I was

>>>> first diagnosed, I thought- " ok you will go on meds, maybe lose a pound or

>>>> two and be fine " Ha ha ha ha- if it were only that easy!

>>>>

>>>> My story:

>>>> After years of stressful events I finally surrendered to fatigue and could

>>>> not longer chalk it up to my demanding life, something was wrong. Having my

>>>> thyroid checked two years ago (normal TSH 1.8) I knew it wasn't that, but

>>>> really concerned about heart disease from all the chest pains and abnormal

>>>> fatigue. I am pretty athletic (really extreme workouts are my thing- never

>>>> losing a pound mind you)- and could no longer even train with my trainer

>>>> lifting 10 pound weights- SOMETHING IS WRONG.

>>>>

>>>> Oct 10th '11- Annual physical to address symptoms (Family Wise Health-

>>>> TX)

>>>> Labs run: all okay except:

>>>> Vitamin D -low at 27 (ok take a supplement)

>>>> TSH 3.8 - you are subclinical - Doc suggests meds Synthroid or Armour

>>>> After doing days of research I won the battle! Not only did a doctor

>>>> recognize level of 3.8 but will also prescribe Armour- I hit the lottery!

>>>>

>>>> Oct 27th- Decided to go ahead and accept treatment and after convincing

>>>> doctor to go compounded version (more research) I found a pharmacist who

>>>> compounds and formulates to old Armour AND has Hashimoto's...( Family

>>>> Drug). I hit the lottery again!!!

>>>> I started my 1/2 grain of Compounded Armour/ natural thyroid.

>>>>

>>>> October 30- November 10th- HOLY CRAP I feel good. How was I functioning

>>>> for so long the way I was? Im now making full blown dinners, cleaning

>>>> closets- I really feel like super-woman... no not hyper- just human

>>>>

>>>> November 12th- Little tired but I need to get my fat butt back to the gym,

>>>> I will start out by taking a boot camp class. Then go food shopping. WRONG!

>>>> I was exhausted after. Need to go home and rest. Don't push yourself so

>>>> hard next time I tell myself. - never went food shopping was lazy and tired

>>>> rest of day.

>>>>

>>>> November 13th. still tired today, but still need to get my fat butt back

>>>> to the gym... gonna do a light walk uphill on the treadmill then really

>>>> need to go food shopping.- After walking only 15 minutes, came home

>>>> DRAINED. Laid around house tired all day- Something is wrong.

>>>>

>>>> November 14th- Called Doctor asked if this was normal- they said " NO " come

>>>> in.

>>>> Doc stated that my body got a good dose of medicine and I might want more

>>>> (From my research I knew, she knows her stuff) or she says it could be

>>>> something else. I felt safe and in really good hands.

>>>> Labs Drawn again:

>>>> TSH 1.34

>>>> Free T4 1.10 (.82-1.77)

>>>> T3 (Total) 99 (71- 180)

>>>>

>>>> The head Doctor from that office calls me that Thursday and tells me

>>>> everything looks good on my labs and they suggest I come in to do a

>>>> depression test. Ive heard of TSH suppression but what is this Depression

>>>> test? " Well you sit down and go through thoughts and feelings and it takes

>>>> an hour " I ask them like I'm " Sad " Depression? I told them that I am not

>>>> Depressed that I am EXHAUSTED. " Well, you know depression manifests itself

>>>> in many ways and causes fatigue " UGH!!!!!! I wanted to reach through the

>>>> phone and strangle her!

>>>>

>>>> Back to square one, I feel worse than when I started the meds. I went back

>>>> to my friendly pharmacists since she knows so much and she mentions adrenal

>>>> testing. I pay her large sums of money to take saliva testing to ZRT labs

>>>> (24 hour cortisol) and will get results this coming Tuesday. The more I

>>>> research the more complex all of this is and the more I find that there are

>>>> alot of doctors around Dallas who really dont know enough about adrenals,

>>>> suppression, etc.

>>>>

>>>> Any similar stories where you felt great and then crashed so badly for so

>>>> long would be greatly appreciated. I am functioning but am " thyroid " tired

>>>> if you know what I mean. The crash is not as bad as it was that 2nd week,

>>>> but its like I was before any treatment. It would help at least give me

>>>> some hope that things will get better.

>>>>

>>>> BTW: Im no longer hungry AT ALL! and have gained 8 pounds in 4 weeks.

>>>> (granted haven't worked out in two months- but not eating either- literally

>>>> cant finish food on my plate- which is NOT like me) I was always hungry

>>>> before treatment,ate soooo much, then would eat again 2 hours later

>>>>

>>>> Based on suggestions from this board, am trying to get an appointment with

>>>> Dr Gutsmann and currently have an appt set up with Sheldon.

>>>> I will tell you one thing, if I am not depressed now, I soon will be. This

>>>> is no way to live.

>>>>

>>>> THANK YOU all in advance for your support

>>>> Kristie

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>

>>

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi. No I am in Dallas. I am seeing Dr Gutsmann right now and I have to say

that so far I like her.

Happy Holidays

> >>>

> >>>> **

> >>>>

> >>>>

> >>>> Hello all,

> >>>>

> >>>> My story will be long, but isn't all of ours Any help/guidance you can

> >>>> provide would be appreciated as I feel so alone and hopeless. When I was

> >>>> first diagnosed, I thought- " ok you will go on meds, maybe lose a pound

or

> >>>> two and be fine " Ha ha ha ha- if it were only that easy!

> >>>>

> >>>> My story:

> >>>> After years of stressful events I finally surrendered to fatigue and

could

> >>>> not longer chalk it up to my demanding life, something was wrong. Having

my

> >>>> thyroid checked two years ago (normal TSH 1.8) I knew it wasn't that, but

> >>>> really concerned about heart disease from all the chest pains and

abnormal

> >>>> fatigue. I am pretty athletic (really extreme workouts are my thing-

never

> >>>> losing a pound mind you)- and could no longer even train with my trainer

> >>>> lifting 10 pound weights- SOMETHING IS WRONG.

> >>>>

> >>>> Oct 10th '11- Annual physical to address symptoms (Family Wise Health-

> >>>> TX)

> >>>> Labs run: all okay except:

> >>>> Vitamin D -low at 27 (ok take a supplement)

> >>>> TSH 3.8 - you are subclinical - Doc suggests meds Synthroid or Armour

> >>>> After doing days of research I won the battle! Not only did a doctor

> >>>> recognize level of 3.8 but will also prescribe Armour- I hit the lottery!

> >>>>

> >>>> Oct 27th- Decided to go ahead and accept treatment and after convincing

> >>>> doctor to go compounded version (more research) I found a pharmacist who

> >>>> compounds and formulates to old Armour AND has Hashimoto's...(

Family

> >>>> Drug). I hit the lottery again!!!

> >>>> I started my 1/2 grain of Compounded Armour/ natural thyroid.

> >>>>

> >>>> October 30- November 10th- HOLY CRAP I feel good. How was I functioning

> >>>> for so long the way I was? Im now making full blown dinners, cleaning

> >>>> closets- I really feel like super-woman... no not hyper- just human

> >>>>

> >>>> November 12th- Little tired but I need to get my fat butt back to the

gym,

> >>>> I will start out by taking a boot camp class. Then go food shopping.

WRONG!

> >>>> I was exhausted after. Need to go home and rest. Don't push yourself so

> >>>> hard next time I tell myself. - never went food shopping was lazy and

tired

> >>>> rest of day.

> >>>>

> >>>> November 13th. still tired today, but still need to get my fat butt back

> >>>> to the gym... gonna do a light walk uphill on the treadmill then really

> >>>> need to go food shopping.- After walking only 15 minutes, came home

> >>>> DRAINED. Laid around house tired all day- Something is wrong.

> >>>>

> >>>> November 14th- Called Doctor asked if this was normal- they said " NO "

come

> >>>> in.

> >>>> Doc stated that my body got a good dose of medicine and I might want more

> >>>> (From my research I knew, she knows her stuff) or she says it could be

> >>>> something else. I felt safe and in really good hands.

> >>>> Labs Drawn again:

> >>>> TSH 1.34

> >>>> Free T4 1.10 (.82-1.77)

> >>>> T3 (Total) 99 (71- 180)

> >>>>

> >>>> The head Doctor from that office calls me that Thursday and tells me

> >>>> everything looks good on my labs and they suggest I come in to do a

> >>>> depression test. Ive heard of TSH suppression but what is this Depression

> >>>> test? " Well you sit down and go through thoughts and feelings and it

takes

> >>>> an hour " I ask them like I'm " Sad " Depression? I told them that I am not

> >>>> Depressed that I am EXHAUSTED. " Well, you know depression manifests

itself

> >>>> in many ways and causes fatigue " UGH!!!!!! I wanted to reach through the

> >>>> phone and strangle her!

> >>>>

> >>>> Back to square one, I feel worse than when I started the meds. I went

back

> >>>> to my friendly pharmacists since she knows so much and she mentions

adrenal

> >>>> testing. I pay her large sums of money to take saliva testing to ZRT labs

> >>>> (24 hour cortisol) and will get results this coming Tuesday. The more I

> >>>> research the more complex all of this is and the more I find that there

are

> >>>> alot of doctors around Dallas who really dont know enough about adrenals,

> >>>> suppression, etc.

> >>>>

> >>>> Any similar stories where you felt great and then crashed so badly for so

> >>>> long would be greatly appreciated. I am functioning but am " thyroid "

tired

> >>>> if you know what I mean. The crash is not as bad as it was that 2nd week,

> >>>> but its like I was before any treatment. It would help at least give me

> >>>> some hope that things will get better.

> >>>>

> >>>> BTW: Im no longer hungry AT ALL! and have gained 8 pounds in 4 weeks.

> >>>> (granted haven't worked out in two months- but not eating either-

literally

> >>>> cant finish food on my plate- which is NOT like me) I was always hungry

> >>>> before treatment,ate soooo much, then would eat again 2 hours later

> >>>>

> >>>> Based on suggestions from this board, am trying to get an appointment

with

> >>>> Dr Gutsmann and currently have an appt set up with Sheldon.

> >>>> I will tell you one thing, if I am not depressed now, I soon will be.

This

> >>>> is no way to live.

> >>>>

> >>>> THANK YOU all in advance for your support

> >>>> Kristie

> >>>>

> >>>>

> >>>>

> >>>

> >>

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

> >