Re: *New endo & hypo vs hyper

[Guest guest]

>>>> I know for a fact that most people who end up

>hyperT, are treated and made to live hypoT. Dr's are ignorant in

>both. I'm living proof of that.

SandyE~Houston<<<<<

Sandy,

Do you mind briefly explaining that to me? Why do you end up HYPO when

treated instead of merely down in a normal range?

~Inga

[Guest guest]

Ingrid, when finding out I was hyperT/Graves, at the end of 2001, I was given

methimazole (30 mgs) which is usually the highest dose (appropriate at least).

Insurance changed about 4 weeks later, and I couldn't go back to the original

Endo. Had to find another. Enter Dr O. He is well known in the community and

seems to have a great following. Takes 2-3 months to get in to see him.

Normally, Methimazole (generic Tapazole) is given for 6 -8 weeks at a starting

dose. Then it starts getting reduced. Dr # 2, never once lessened the dose.

Instead, he kept me at 30 mgs until I was about 6-8 months into first taking the

anti thyroid drugs. He then decided that since my TSH had come up, I was

somehow over the hyperT. WRONG. Dr #2 only tested TSH, T3 and T4, never

FreeT's. He had no clue other than I went from a TSH of 0.01 to whatever it was

at that time, which he saw as progress. rofl. Within a week, all hyperT

symptoms are back, because TSI (found only in Graves/hyperT) patients is keeping

the hyperT going. Most people have to stay on atd's for anywhere from 18 mths

to 2 yrs to indefinately. Dr's refuse to tell you that there is no time frame

for hyperT meds, but they are scared, just like with natural thyroid

replacement. They also hate to test for Antibodies and I had them. At least

TSI which confirmed the Graves which is always hyper.

Anyway, twice, Dr O takes me off atd's cold turkey. Same thing happens. I go

back to hyperT. I also start having periods every 17-18 days. I'm hypoT by

now, but from being overmedicated on anti thyroid drugs that originally are

meant to suppress my overactive thyroid. He then tells me, " I'm not fitting

into his game plan " . lol. *gag*

One thing is for sure with hyperT/Graves. As long as those antibodies are

running amuck, and the atd's are being dished out in too high of a dose, the

only thing you're gonna find yourself in is in hypohell. I became very familiar

with hypo. Lived that way for well over a year. Insurance changes, and I can

go back to orginal Endo who seems to be smarter? He shakes his head when I

repeat what has happened. He says that is 'not' the way anybody with hyperT

should be treated. Of course, the brotherhood that they share has to mean that

I'm certainly 'misunderstanding' what all happened. lol. Uh huh. Right!

After having to have to see an Ob-gyn because by now, every 17-18 days isn't

happening, I just start skipping periods. Sometimes none, and my bloodwork

doesn't show menopause. Oh geeze, next thing is a D & C because i'm not shedding

the lining of my uterus as I should be. Have to rule out cancer. Even Ob-gyn

told me that with the amt of atd's I was given, it set me up for hypo, yet well

known dr doesn't know this? hmmm. Endo is not as smart as some would think he

is. lol.

Finally, second year, after 15 months on 30 mgs of Methimazole, I've gained a

ton of weight, been unable to stay awake by lunchtime, falling asleep daily at

my computer while I'm trying to do work, and hurting in every joint I have in

this tired body, I'm like one of the living dead. There is no fight left in me,

unless you make me angry, and then I just want to kill somebody. Not particular

about who, anybody will do. lol. After not being able to walk, feel good, or

even care what is going on around me. Nothing registers, and I have to

constantly ask what I'm supposed to do at work in situations that I should know,

but they elude me? I am not illiterate, nor have I ever had a speech problem,

but I can't pronounce words I should know....? To walk from one end of my house

to the other sounded like I was getting ready to fall over and die. My hubby

used to really be concerned about this. I would have to stop midway, just

trying to get a load of clothes to the kitchen to put in the washer. Trying to

stand up to cook is the most excruciating pain I've ever felt. Carpal tunnel

syndrome that is tested by a neuro, who says: you have severe damage to your

left wrist. Has to be fixed? Requires surgery. Oops, once the meds started

being reduced, releasing me from the overmedication on hyperT drugs that made me

hypo, my carpal tunnel mysteriously disappears? Who'd have thunk it? It's just

gone? lol. No more braces or talk of surgery. I'm not a fan of surgery

anyway.

Unable to even hold my grandbaby at Christmas time unless I was sitting down,

and even then, I was so worn out, I was ready to pass him off almost as soon as

I got him. I was dead, but walking, or aimlessly stumbling through life. I

cared about nothing. I came home from work, hit the bed by 5:30 and was asleep

shortly after. I couldn't stay awake. In order to get up by 6 the next

morning, (12 hours of sleep will kill you) and it's not normal, I am spending

all my time in bed, and sitting at work wondering what I'm supposed to do next.

My hair is turning grey, I can hardly move, life is slipping by and all because

of a dr who had no clue how to treat hyperT/Graves. I get TSH tested, along

with FT3 and FT4, after weaning off the atd's, which made me live hypoT that

year, and my TSH is 3.17. I thought that felt great, but I'd been hypo for so

long because of over medication so long, I didn't know what feeling good felt

like? Anything was better than what I was living. FT3 and FT4 were in lower

ranges, but dr says: your labs don't warrant anything for thyroid replacement

like synthroid? This is the dr who told me if I had RAI, I could have armour or

anything else I wanted. lol. Things sure changed. That wide variety of range

on labs no longer works for me, at all. TSH was 0.01 when I was diagnosed as

hyperT/Graves. FreeT3 and FreeT4 were both over range. But it was different

with the antibodies running rampant. Not like now when those same labs work for

me. Dr's aren't much smarter with hyperT than they are with hypoT. They all

freak when they see certain ranges and swear some of you are hyper because of a

TSH that is suppressed. To this day, my TSH HAS to stay under 1., and my FT3

and FT4 have to be in the upper ranges. There is much more to hyperT, like not

being able to control the shaking hands which I forgot to mention earlier.

Eating means it's going to run right through you most likely and it'll resemble

those pills people take to keep from absorbing fat (difference in just diahrrea)

cuz if you see that fat in the toilet water, yes, you can sure be hyper. I

don't have that anymore. While coming off those suppressive thyroid drugs, I

started keeping up with labs and specific symptoms. Funny how they disappear

once the levels get 'normal' for you. Not that vast lab ranges that the dr's so

willingly go by. Before I found out about the thyroid problems, I would swallow

that crap from the dr's and their 'normal' statements. No more.

I finally gave it 6 months, & knowing I was hypo and it was confirmed through

somebody who's worked in this field for years, when I let a bird that I'd raised

from a baby escape because I couldn't think clearly, and had such dull

reflexes.....I said enuff. I had already been here, knew the symptoms of hypo,

and knew I was there....and it wasn't going away. I chose to self medicate.

You guys don't have any easier of a time than anybody who is truly hyper and

being treated. The dr's still have chit for brains. lol. It wasn't until this

was all over that I went to one last Endo who tested me for antibodies TPO

(thyroid peroxidase) that I found out mine were 958. That is what antibodies

those who have hashis would have, and mine are high. Explains why Armour

thyroid works so well for me. Doesn't matter that I once had HyperT/Graves, I'm

now considered autoimmune thryoid disease and without Armour, I don't function

or live well as puts it. Not all people go the route I did, being hypo

with having to have something in the amts I do, but it happened to me. I prolly

had both antibodies because my first Endo told me one day my thyroid would kill

itself off? He seems to be correct. He just refused to give me anything to

help with all the symptoms. So I fired him. lol.

SandyE~Houston

Re: *New endo & hypo vs hyper

>>>> I know for a fact that most people who end up

>hyperT, are treated and made to live hypoT. Dr's are ignorant in

>both. I'm living proof of that.

SandyE~Houston<<<<<

Sandy,

Do you mind briefly explaining that to me? Why do you end up HYPO when

treated instead of merely down in a normal range?

~Inga