Problem with Thyroid Meds-

[pallyhorse]

Just wanted to let everyone know of this new development, it could help someone else hopefully.
I have been on and off phentermine for 3 years. I did really great for a while lost about 40lbs and then it slowed a little. I was feeling a little bad and went to my regular Dr. for a check up and he did bloodwork. Well, he said my thyroid levels were a little low-but not low enough for medication. When I went back to see my diet Dr., he said well, could be you do need a little medication. So he put me on a small dose of the Armour. Ok. I thought all was good. But I will tell you-I did not lose another pound. All I have done is gain and lose 15 to 20lbs for over a year now. I have not gotten rid of the tired feeling or brittle hair or other symptoms. So, this past month I decided to go to the general Dr. and he ran tests again-my THS or TSH? level was off. I had to go through the Radioactive Uptake scan-well-since I had to be off the meds for 4 weeks before he would run the test-my thyroid looked real good and it doing what it was supposed to do. Which-don't get me wrong I'm relieved. I think I was given that Armour (which was increased for about 6 months or so) without enough diagnosis. That made my real tests look like I was hyperthyroid. That also gave me these weird heart palpatations and other stuff. The phen itself doesn't give me bad side effects. But I never thought the Armour would. Anyway-point is-DO NOT LET A DR. GIVE YOU MEDS WITHOUT PROPER TESTS! I could have done damage to my heart or who knows. Also-just so you guys know-hyper might make you lose weight, but it can do the reverse because your appetite increases. So, just be sure to get them tests run before you decide to take thyroid meds. Some of these "phen" Doctors give this to you on just a symptom basis which is not enough!! Happy Holidays

[Jasp]

Unfortunately too many doctor will incorporate thyroid pills with weight lost. For some this will work but for others it can produce hyper symptoms which are really horrible. I for one would avoid this feeling at all costs or hypo symptoms because your only giving the body a little bit.

No one should take a med without first knowing and understanding just what the med is for and how it will affect you along with possible side effects. Taking something for a condition that one does not have is just asking for problems. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

When one is taking thyroid meds there is a reason why it's important to find the correct dose. It's not just something you take a "Little bit of" to give yourself a boost. In fact this can cause just the opposite effect. You see when you take thyroid meds your body senses that your body is being supplemented so it tells the body to back off some. So in reality you can become more Hypo then when you first started. Most old timers will use a drug called Cytomel which is a T3 med and has the ability to increase metabolism but most now are afraid of it with just cause.

Simple labs like Free T3 , Free T4, TSH, Anti bodies, ect. would have told you weather or not you needed thyroid meds and a on going blood test would have told you if you were at the proper dose. Seems the doctor did not do this and gave you a one pill fits all.

Glad you are doing better now. Also not all people who go hyper lose weight. I for one was one of the ones that gained weight while hyper. When hyper everything speeds up which includes your appetite. Many of the hypo and hyper symptoms will also overlap making it hard to know if you are hyper or hypo.

[mscasanova]

Do you know what the "normal" number is for the thyroid test? I googled it and found that up to 5 is ok. But Dr's want it changes to 3 bc by 5 your already hypo. My dr said mine is 2.5 and Im borderline so he gave me Iodine and Thytrophin. But Im scared to take it... :/

[Jasp]

First you need to rethink what is normal. Normal is a setting on a dryer not with ones chemical profile. If your speaking of what the lab range is for TSH that depends on the lab's range. The new Endocrine society states that 0.3-3.0 is the new range. But TSH is not a thyroid hormone. TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) is a pituitary hormone this is why Free T3/T4 levels need to be ran. Free levels are those that are available to the body to be used and is unbound. I don't trust any doctor that relies solely on TSH. Estrogen can bind thyroid hormone so even though you have enough in the blood stream your body can not use it. Many believe in the medical community that anyone with a TSH over 2 should be strongly suspected that they have hypo.

Case in point. When I started meds my TSH was. 2.65 well within range and that should of been that but, My total T4 was 5.2 (4.5-12.0) at the very bottom. When my Free levels were tested for my lab ranges my FT4 was 0.8 (0.8-1-8) My FT3 was 239 (230-420) As you can see I'm sub clinical. Now my first doctor put me on Levoxyl .25 mcg's which is a very tiny dose but his thinking was I was only out of wack a little bit...LOL. Well 7 yrs later I now take 2 grains of Armour (120 mgs) and .25mcgs of Levoxyl. The combine dose is equal to taking 225 mcg's. As you can see a far cry from the very small dose I was put on in the beginning. I explained why taking 1/2 the dose will not work in a prior post.

My labs are now:

TSH <0.001 Supressed (0.3-3.0)
FT3 379 (230-420)
FT4 1.4 (0.8-1.8)

As you can see if you went by my TSH I would be considered hyper but look at my other numbers. I'm not. My BP is 110/70 and I have been for years. We looked at labs but also with symptoms and weight gain was the least of my worries. I also have hypo reflexes. If I was hyper I would have hyper reflexes. My temps are low and I had 20 different symptoms. I have greatly improved with meds. I'm due to go for new blood work next week.

Next time you are at the doctors ask them if they feel that the TSH is the "Gold Standard" for testing thyroid what did they do prior to 1972 when they didn't have TSH. Doctor's used other tools to aid them in correctly diagnosing thyroid problems. Many will stumble with this question.

Also I can't say this enough. GET COPIES OF ALL LABS AND KEEP THEM IN A FILE FOR YOURSELF. This way you can see what's going on with your own body. I keep a file and write on the labs how I am feeling and what is going on at the time. If you expect a doctor to be your hero then you are going to stay sick. Very few will go the extra mile to get you to feel great. All they need to do is get you to feel OK and that's good enough.

I posted links that will help you answer a lot of the questions that you have. Be your own advocate. The links are on a prior post.

Good Luck.

[mscasanova]

I have suspected that I was hypo for a while. I didnt realize til my dr starting asking me about common symptoms that everything I was experiencing was related. Brittle hair/nail, fatigue, weight gain, weakness, dry skin... you get the idea. I have had the complete thyroid work up before and my Dr. at the time said it was "within normal range, even tho its on the low side" so he advised me to "keep an eye on it" That was 4 yrs ago and I was only 20-21 so i didnt know even what he was talking about at that point.


Thanks Jasp, I will get a copy of my labs next week.

The meds that my doc gave me are the "natural" pills. But Im still scared to take them...

[muelkm]

I was recently diagnosed as hypo and my doc put me on levothyroxine. I have been on it for 6 weeks and went back in to get my TSH levels checked. They were 3.87, and I was told up to 4 is "normal". The whole time I was exercising and eating healthy and lost no weight. Now my doc put me on phen. Maybe when I go back at the end of the month I will ask him to run my T3 & T4. He did run some other tests tho because he told me I had the antibodies in my system.

[Jasp]

Search for my other posts about thyroid and you will find some really good links to websites to help you understand what is going on. Also if you have antibodies your TSH needs to be down to around 1. Start to keep a journal about symptoms and doses. I was on Levoxyl (T4 only med) for 2 years and I never felt good no matter how high we went and they managed to cause me to go hyper several times. Not fun for me because I get panic attacks when I go hyper. I also don't sleep and I'm wired but tired and weak. I would rather walk on glass barefoot then to go hyper. It's not a good place for me.

It took a lot of time and trial and error before I got to a good place.

Read, Read, Read and Read some more. Only then will you be able to know when your meds need to be adjusted or changed. You'll also be able to know if the doctor is trying to help you or kill you.....

Check out the website www.about.com/thyroid. If it wasn't for them I would still be sick.

[Jasp]

Search for my other posts about thyroid and you will find some really good links to websites to help you understand what is going on. Also if you have antibodies your TSH needs to be down to around 1. Start to keep a journal about symptoms and doses. I was on Levoxyl (T4 only med) for 2 years and I never felt good no matter how high we went and they managed to cause me to go hyper several times. Not fun for me because I get panic attacks when I go hyper. I also don't sleep and I'm wired but tired and weak. I would rather walk on glass barefoot then to go hyper. It's not a good place for me.

It took a lot of time and trial and error before I got to a good place.

Read, Read, Read and Read some more. Only then will you be able to know when your meds need to be adjusted or changed. You'll also be able to know if the doctor is trying to help you or kill you.....

Check out the website www.about.com/thyroid. If it wasn't for them I would still be sick.