Just joined -- introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi:

Just joined here today. I am hypo, have had symptoms

for years. Had a nodule biopsied--nothing suspicious.

When I first saw my endocrinologist end of December,

my TSH was 5.8. He started me on Levoxyl 75 mcg, then

bumped it to 88 mcg when my TSH was still 1.8 (with

symptoms) in February.

I contacted the doc last week because I am still

symptomatic after being on the new dose even though my

TSH is at the target he wanted (0.2 - 0.6). I am

still fatigued, always cold, dry skin, bad memory.

SO, doc's office called yesterday and started me on

Cytomel 5 mcg twice a day and reduced my Levoxyl to 75

mcg again. We'll see how it goes.

I am a pharmacist, btw.

Will be interested to read everyone's experiences

here, and help out with drug information when I can.

Auburn, AL

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi, ....

You can send Armour to this address:

heheheh just kidding...

The doc is working in the right direction... working on clearing up

symptoms despite the TSH... but.... it might be easier to narrow this

down if he were to check the thyroid hormones, and not just TSH.

Specifically Free T4 and Free T3.

With those levels we'd get a better idea if this is a dosing issue, as in

too low a dose for your body's needs, or a conversion issue, as in your

body isn't converting enough of the T4 into T3.

By adding the Cytomel, if that does make a difference, that's good.. but

it still might be to your benefit to find out if it's a dosing thing or a

conversion thing.... if it's conversion it's something you'll want to be

aware of so as not to muck things up with a diet change or something.

Did they give you a diagnosis or just say hypo without a checking for a

cause?

On Wed, 9 May 2007 15:57:03 -0700 (PDT) shelly ducharme

shellyducharme@...> writes:

> Hi:

>

> Just joined here today. I am hypo, have had symptoms

> for years. Had a nodule biopsied--nothing suspicious.

> When I first saw my endocrinologist end of December,

> my TSH was 5.8. He started me on Levoxyl 75 mcg, then

> bumped it to 88 mcg when my TSH was still 1.8 (with

> symptoms) in February.

>

> I contacted the doc last week because I am still

> symptomatic after being on the new dose even though my

> TSH is at the target he wanted (0.2 - 0.6). I am

> still fatigued, always cold, dry skin, bad memory.

> SO, doc's office called yesterday and started me on

> Cytomel 5 mcg twice a day and reduced my Levoxyl to 75

> mcg again. We'll see how it goes.

>

> I am a pharmacist, btw.

>

> Will be interested to read everyone's experiences

> here, and help out with drug information when I can.

>

>

> Auburn, AL

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately the only test you are posting is your TSH test.

Synthroid being a T4 only medication requires the doctor to order a

T4 test.. with the Cytomel being added in , make sure the doc also

runs a T3 lab test on you..

General rules.. no meds with in 4 hours of labs.. ( T4 meds) , when

meds change, symptoms change, have the doc run the Free version of T4

and T3..the goal is to have the T4 in the upper 2/3 end of the range

and the T3 near the top depending on symptoms .. as the thyroid runs

on a feed back loop system, it takes 6 weeks for the cycle to adjust

to how well your body is going to do at that dose..so labs in 6

weeks..dose change if needed..labs in 6 weeks, dose change if

needed..this continues until both labs and symptoms are fine..then 1

more set of labs in 6 weeks to make sure you hold..

The other thing is to make sure you are getting the most out of your

meds.. so with T4 meds.. 1hr before or 2 hrs after food and 4 hours

apart from and iron/calcium.. Sellenium is suppose to help with

converting T4 to T3.. T3 has a short half life so for some they find

it easier to split up the dose suring the day..

Kats3boys

[Guest guest]

I asked my doc about checking T3 and he isn't big on

it, so as long as he is trying to adjust meds for now

I'm cool with that. I'm sure if symptoms persist with

combo therapy, we will do more testing. I am a rather

proactive patient, and as I am a clinical pharmacist

with residency training, I rigorously check the

published literature. Our cats' vets learned this

about me early on and are now quite cool with it

I am probably Hashimoto's as I have some other

borderline auto-immmune labs.

thanks for the response

Auburn,AL

--- topper2@... wrote:

> Hi, ....

>

> You can send Armour to this address:

>

> heheheh just kidding...

>

> The doc is working in the right direction... working

> on clearing up

> symptoms despite the TSH... but.... it might be

> easier to narrow this

> down if he were to check the thyroid hormones, and

> not just TSH.

> Specifically Free T4 and Free T3.

>

> With those levels we'd get a better idea if this is

> a dosing issue, as in

> too low a dose for your body's needs, or a

> conversion issue, as in your

> body isn't converting enough of the T4 into T3.

>

> By adding the Cytomel, if that does make a

> difference, that's good.. but

> it still might be to your benefit to find out if

> it's a dosing thing or a

> conversion thing.... if it's conversion it's

> something you'll want to be

> aware of so as not to muck things up with a diet

> change or something.

>

> Did they give you a diagnosis or just say hypo

> without a checking for a

> cause?

>

>

> On Wed, 9 May 2007 15:57:03 -0700 (PDT) shelly

> ducharme

> shellyducharme@...> writes:

> > Hi:

> >

> > Just joined here today. I am hypo, have had

> symptoms

> > for years. Had a nodule biopsied--nothing

> suspicious.

> > When I first saw my endocrinologist end of

> December,

> > my TSH was 5.8. He started me on Levoxyl 75 mcg,

> then

> > bumped it to 88 mcg when my TSH was still 1.8

> (with

> > symptoms) in February.

> >

> > I contacted the doc last week because I am still

> > symptomatic after being on the new dose even

> though my

> > TSH is at the target he wanted (0.2 - 0.6). I am

> > still fatigued, always cold, dry skin, bad memory.

>

> > SO, doc's office called yesterday and started me

> on

> > Cytomel 5 mcg twice a day and reduced my Levoxyl

> to 75

> > mcg again. We'll see how it goes.

> >

> > I am a pharmacist, btw.

> >

> > Will be interested to read everyone's experiences

> > here, and help out with drug information when I

> can.

> >

> >

> > Auburn, AL

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

If your doctor doesn't check your free T4 and free T3 levels, how is

he going to prescribe medication properly? If he doesn't know your

thyroid hormone levels, how does he know his treatment is proper? Both

free T4 and free T3 affect TSH production. Which will he choose and in

what dosages if he doesn't know the levels?

And since you mentioned autoimmune, did your doctor test for TPOab and

TSI levels? If not, is the Hashi diagnosis merely a guess, like his

medication dosages?

Why would he " not be big " on checking the very levels he needs to know

to treat you properly?

Think about it.

>

> > Hi, ....

> >

> > You can send Armour to this address:

> >

> > heheheh just kidding...

> >

> > The doc is working in the right direction... working

> > on clearing up

> > symptoms despite the TSH... but.... it might be

> > easier to narrow this

> > down if he were to check the thyroid hormones, and

> > not just TSH.

> > Specifically Free T4 and Free T3.

> >

> > With those levels we'd get a better idea if this is

> > a dosing issue, as in

> > too low a dose for your body's needs, or a

> > conversion issue, as in your

> > body isn't converting enough of the T4 into T3.

> >

> > By adding the Cytomel, if that does make a

> > difference, that's good.. but

> > it still might be to your benefit to find out if

> > it's a dosing thing or a

> > conversion thing.... if it's conversion it's

> > something you'll want to be

> > aware of so as not to muck things up with a diet

> > change or something.

> >

> > Did they give you a diagnosis or just say hypo

> > without a checking for a

> > cause?

> >

> >

> > On Wed, 9 May 2007 15:57:03 -0700 (PDT) shelly

> > ducharme

> > writes:

> > > Hi:

> > >

> > > Just joined here today. I am hypo, have had

> > symptoms

> > > for years. Had a nodule biopsied--nothing

> > suspicious.

> > > When I first saw my endocrinologist end of

> > December,

> > > my TSH was 5.8. He started me on Levoxyl 75 mcg,

> > then

> > > bumped it to 88 mcg when my TSH was still 1.8

> > (with

> > > symptoms) in February.

> > >

> > > I contacted the doc last week because I am still

> > > symptomatic after being on the new dose even

> > though my

> > > TSH is at the target he wanted (0.2 - 0.6). I am

> > > still fatigued, always cold, dry skin, bad memory.

> >

> > > SO, doc's office called yesterday and started me

> > on

> > > Cytomel 5 mcg twice a day and reduced my Levoxyl

> > to 75

> > > mcg again. We'll see how it goes.

> > >

> > > I am a pharmacist, btw.

> > >

> > > Will be interested to read everyone's experiences

> > > here, and help out with drug information when I

> > can.

> > >

> > >

> > > Auburn, AL

> >

> >

> >

> >