Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 we just went back up to 3. I think, not sure, we were on 2, brain fog! Re: Re: Cortef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 First, get an appointment book and mark all med changes in it. Also, keep a daily diary of how you feel after raising. So you are on 2 now? If so, stay there for 6 weeks. Then test! That will give you a baseline. If you are going to play with doses which may not be a good idea, at least keep really accurate records so you know what changes you will need next. By the way, I feel much worse overmedicated than undermedicated. Over medicated was the worst feeling in the world to me.Anyway, I am sure many people will have comments on my suggestions. Enjoy the mail. LOL Re: Re: Cortef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Ya know I use to keep records when we first started and when we backed down I forgot it. Fatigue and brain fog has been really bad. Re: Re: Cortef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 That is why it is important to keep notes. As much as I tease (topper) about her pill box that she made, I now at 49 have an old lady pill box that I put my meds in for the week. That keeps me from making a mistake and either under dosing or overdosing. Sometimes I swear that I didn't take some med, but I can see in the days section whether I did or not! It was hard to do it ego wise, but such a little concession to feel better and not poison myself. I keep all medicine bottles till I have logged the dates down somewhere. Re: Re: Cortef Ya know I use to keep records when we first started and when we backed down I forgot it. Fatigue and brain fog has been really bad. ----- Original Message ----- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 I went back and looked at my records and I was on 180mg and hubby was on 150mg when tested in Jan. Due for another test 8 March. willbe on 3 grains then. Pill box a good idea. Re: Re: Cortef Ya know I use to keep records when we first started and when we backed down I forgot it. Fatigue and brain fog has been really bad. ----- Original Message ----- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 I would stay where you both are med wise till after the next test if I were you, but it sounds like you keep intending to increase even with these numbers. Re: Re: Cortef That is why it is important to keep notes. As much as I tease (topper) about her pill box that she made, I now at 49 have an old lady pill box that I put my meds in for the week. That keeps me from making a mistake and either under dosing or overdosing. Sometimes I swear that I didn't take some med, but I can see in the days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 I too use a pill box and have for years. This way I know when I take take or don't take something. Can't rely on my brain. mary Re: Re: Cortef Ya know I use to keep records when we first started and when we backed down I forgot it. Fatigue and brain fog has been really bad. ----- Original Message ----- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Smile I read this, Jamy.... I'm proud of you... it's not a concession.. I consider it a way of making the job easier as you help your body heal and get healthy again.... I won't tease you, much... At least I'll try not to... .... hmmm.. maybe I should shut off the computer for the day and then I'll forget by tomorrow? *wink and a grin* Topper () *46, who loves the simple act of looking at the box and knowing for SURE - no doubts, no worries, no skipping doses, and NO double dosing* On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 08:11:23 -0800 "JAMY" writes: That is why it is important to keep notes. As much as I tease (topper) about her pill box that she made, I now at 49 have an old lady pill box that I put my meds in for the week. That keeps me from making a mistake and either under dosing or overdosing. Sometimes I swear that I didn't take some med, but I can see in the days section whether I did or not! It was hard to do it ego wise, but such a little concession to feel better and not poison myself. I keep all medicine bottles till I have logged the dates down somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 I almost added But I refuse to grow long hair on my legs! LOL Have a good Sunday!!! Hey I take 8 thyroid pills a day. I get way too confused if I don't use the box! Re: Re: Cortef Smile I read this, Jamy.... I'm proud of you... it's not a concession.. I consider it a way of making the job easier as you help your body heal and get healthy again.... I won't tease you, much... At least I'll try not to... .... hmmm.. maybe I should shut off the computer for the day and then I'll forget by tomorrow? *wink and a grin* Topper () *46, who loves the simple act of looking at the box and knowing for SURE - no doubts, no worries, no skipping doses, and NO double dosing* On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 08:11:23 -0800 "JAMY" writes: That is why it is important to keep notes. As much as I tease (topper) about her pill box that she made, I now at 49 have an old lady pill box that I put my meds in for the week. That keeps me from making a mistake and either under dosing or overdosing. Sometimes I swear that I didn't take some med, but I can see in the days section whether I did or not! It was hard to do it ego wise, but such a little concession to feel better and not poison myself. I keep all medicine bottles till I have logged the dates down somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 If you ever change your mind with the legs...... I'll teach you how to do french braids! *wink* Topper () On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 11:39:02 -0800 "JAMY" writes: I almost added But I refuse to grow long hair on my legs! LOL Have a good Sunday!!! Hey I take 8 thyroid pills a day. I get way too confused if I don't use the box! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Thanks. I will keep that in mind and add that image to my growing mental picture! ROTF. By the way, bows on the end of the braids??? Re: Re: Cortef If you ever change your mind with the legs...... I'll teach you how to do french braids! *wink* Topper () On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 11:39:02 -0800 "JAMY" writes: I almost added But I refuse to grow long hair on my legs! LOL Have a good Sunday!!! Hey I take 8 thyroid pills a day. I get way too confused if I don't use the box! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Chris------I've been studying this for quite some time, and I do understand all the aspects and scenarios you're putting forth, but there is one more situation that can make this situation even more complicated. Sometimes, in Hashimoto's antibody attacks, BOTH the thyroid can be lame AND the antibodies can be attacking at the site directly on the pituitary or the hypothalamus, causing more TRH release (hypothalamus) and/or more release of TSH at the pituitary, all still trying to stimulate a thyroid that still won't produce on it's own. I haven't gone back to post #5888, but I could have sworn that she said that her husband had a TSH that was too high. Since she said that they had not had Hashimoto's antibodies testing (I think this is what I remember?), then I'm thinking that this is a strong possibility. In the more complicated situations like this, I believe that most of us need a doctor who's an unusual sort, who truly understands every single aspect of the thyroid/adrenal/hypothalamic/pituitary axis. Some people can still be clinically hypothyroid, but the blood tests just still are not intricate enough, even in this day and age, to sort it all out. Under these very complicated circumstances, I would say that they need further " pictures " of those parts of the brain that are involved,i.e., scans of pituitary and hypothalamus. This is the conclusion that I have come to in this situation. Also, the adrenals have EVERYTHING to do with the thyroid function, both directly and indirectly. This is one thing that so many doctors do not understand because they spend what----maybe one day in medical school studying the thyroid? Maybe more than a day, but definitely not enough. EVEN endocrinologists. Most endocrinologists are specialists in diabetes, not thyroid. There are a handful who truly have the thyroid understanding. As for some lighthearted posts, I'm finally beginning to turn up the corners of my mouth again, for the first time in a couple of yrs. Many who come to these boards are desperately seeking information, yes, and I have a tendency to concentrate on the many technical aspects of getting down to the business of attempting to " pull people away from the fire " before they get into the depths of despair (like I did), or help them get out of it, if they're already there, but the other things, like some jokes and humor here and there, I can appreciate fully. These are almost intimate things shared by people who have begun to understand each others' problems, miseries, and the little details of what makes up this disease. Gee, you know, for us women (I don't know about you guys), we spent our lives shaving our leg hairs, but one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism is losing the outer third of the eyebrows and the leg and arm hair. Now most of us used to curse having to do this dastardly deed, but now, because of all the hair loss in different parts of the body on account of this disease, we desperately wish for it to grow back, mostly for the reason of seeing that our thyroid meds and adrenal supplements are working properly. In my case, my eyebrows are now showing signs of life. This is VERY important to me, being as the eyebrows give the eyes their expression, and who the heck wants to be painting on eyebrows where there are none. You can call all this vain or whatever, but it's part of what makes a woman feel like a woman, etc.....I'm sure you get the picture. Hence, these are ALL very important things to us, and are ALL very involved in our treatment, including the body hair and our adrenals. We all learn from each other, including me from you. Tx Re: Cortef > Look at post 5888 (scrowl to the middle to find tests, think its > husbands). I explain in post 5888 why he is hyper and not hypo. > > TSH tells you (after looking at T3 and T4) if the pituitary is the > cause or not. To treat the thyroid you don't even need the TSH level > really. Take his TSH out of the picture and the T3 and T4 still > shout hyper. Then throw in the TSH. If TSH is High along with high > T3 and T4,then pituitary is causing the hyper (hyperthyroid secondary > to pituitary also called secondary hyperthyroidism). > > If TSH is low, then you know that the thyroid itself it causing the > hyper (primary hyperthyroid). The pituitary stops making TSH because > thyroid does not need it, the thyroid went crazy and is making T3 and > T4 anyway without any help from pituitary. That is why his TSH was > bottomed out, his thyroid is sending signal to hypothalimus " look at > me, I don't need any help " , so hypothalimus does not release TRH to > the pituitary " thyroid is fine or to high so pituitary don't > manufacture TSH " . > --------------------------- > If he were HYPO, then His T3 and T4 would be at the low end of the > range or beyond the low end. If the pituitary is low TSH along with > low T3 and T4 Then Pituitary is causing the low thyroid. If the > pituitary is high TSH with T3 and T4 being low, then the pituitary is > trying get the thyroid to work, but the thyroid can't produce no > matter how how high the pituitary TSH goes. > > So if the doctor does this right he ignores the TSH, and looks at the > T3 and T4. If they are in range, but the patients exhibits symptoms > of hyper or hypo and if he has a brain he will treat them. > > I know someone personally who was turned away by an endo because her > T3 and T4 were just within the lower range and her TSH was 5.5 > (sitting on edge of upper range for TSH), plus the hypo symptoms were > major. Most endos won't touch you if you if you are within range, > they tell you it's all in your head, see a shrink. > > I never seen posted anywhere this detailed an explanation. > You all may have to read this more than once, I suggest you make a > chart on paper to help if need. It wasn't long ago I thought > interpreting Thyroid test was mind boggling, but it really isn't. > If you have real questions or want to give me what if questions, I'll > be happy to help. > > Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 , Thanks so much for the explanation. Your right my husband is over the limit for TsH and we have not had hashis testing but I am going to insist the next time we have blood work. the Cortef we are on just doesn't seem to be setting well with us so we are going to switch to Enzymatic Therapy. We are having absolutely no signs of being hyper quite the opposite still very hypo. Maybe we haven't yet figured out what all is at play here. Deborah Re: Cortef> Look at post 5888 (scrowl to the middle to find tests, think its> husbands). I explain in post 5888 why he is hyper and not hypo.>> TSH tells you (after looking at T3 and T4) if the pituitary is the> cause or not. To treat the thyroid you don't even need the TSH level> really. Take his TSH out of the picture and the T3 and T4 still> shout hyper. Then throw in the TSH. If TSH is High along with high> T3 and T4,then pituitary is causing the hyper (hyperthyroid secondary> to pituitary also called secondary hyperthyroidism).>> If TSH is low, then you know that the thyroid itself it causing the> hyper (primary hyperthyroid). The pituitary stops making TSH because> thyroid does not need it, the thyroid went crazy and is making T3 and> T4 anyway without any help from pituitary. That is why his TSH was> bottomed out, his thyroid is sending signal to hypothalimus "look at> me, I don't need any help", so hypothalimus does not release TRH to> the pituitary "thyroid is fine or to high so pituitary don't> manufacture TSH".> ---------------------------> If he were HYPO, then His T3 and T4 would be at the low end of the> range or beyond the low end. If the pituitary is low TSH along with> low T3 and T4 Then Pituitary is causing the low thyroid. If the> pituitary is high TSH with T3 and T4 being low, then the pituitary is> trying get the thyroid to work, but the thyroid can't produce no> matter how how high the pituitary TSH goes.>> So if the doctor does this right he ignores the TSH, and looks at the> T3 and T4. If they are in range, but the patients exhibits symptoms> of hyper or hypo and if he has a brain he will treat them.>> I know someone personally who was turned away by an endo because her> T3 and T4 were just within the lower range and her TSH was 5.5> (sitting on edge of upper range for TSH), plus the hypo symptoms were> major. Most endos won't touch you if you if you are within range,> they tell you it's all in your head, see a shrink.>> I never seen posted anywhere this detailed an explanation.> You all may have to read this more than once, I suggest you make a> chart on paper to help if need. It wasn't long ago I thought> interpreting Thyroid test was mind boggling, but it really isn't.> If you have real questions or want to give me what if questions, I'll> be happy to help.>> Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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