I am wondering if any other Hypos out there have this symptom (puffy face)...and if so is there any pain or discomfort involved? This has been my most bothersome symptom. In the first year I only noticed it in my forehead and around my eyes. Gradually it has spread throughout my face and neck. Although it is difficult to detect in the mirror when I touch my face it almost feels like a water balloon. It seems that I have worse headaches and muscle pain when I am very swollen. It causes very bad jaw and eye pain and I believe it has caused me to develop TMJ. Now that I have increased T4 &T3 the swelling seems to have gone down some (like a half-filled water balloon). It is worse when I wake up. Every Hypo symptom list I've seen includes puffy face...but what causes the puffy face? My doctor ignores me when I ask about this. I've read about mucopolysaccharides and I'm wondering if thats what I have, my doc says no, he says it only occurs in extremely Hypo people. Now that I am less swollen my eyes and eyelids are very sticky...my tears are sticky as well and if my face warms up it is also sticky. Anyone know what may be causing this...will it ever go away? Now that I have seen Hypo before and after pics of me there is no mistaking the facial changes but my doc is "still unimpressed" (his words). Any comments about this would help.
Rachel

The puffy face is caused by the water retention, Rachel. Think PMS and you're on the right track. Thyroid hormones interact with all your other hormones so when they're out of whack the other ones (estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, cortisol) will be as well.

PMS is caused by the balanced between progesterone / estrogen. When it's really out of whack you feel quite awful. Try a google on Estrogen Dominance and Dr. Lam. When estrogen is high progesterone is often very low; you need progesterone for thyroid hormones to work well. It's a viscious circle.

I think you need something else, quite seriously: A new doctor.

Yes, it will go away, when things are 'fixed' and the balance is restored.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't your TT3 count a little low? And you've not had a FT3 done, right? If yes, how could your doctor know just how 'very hypo' you are or aren't? That like me saying "Oh Rachel, you're fine, really - I can tell by the way you typed that last post"! It's preposterous.

Nat,
I just got my lab results back...I'm pretty surprised at the results. My last results which I had already posted were:

TSH - 1.1 (.5-5.5)
FT4 - 1.6 (.9-1.8)
TT3 - 101 (70-200)
My new results are:
TSH - <.004
FT4 - 1.6
TT3 - 344
FT3 - 768 (230-420)

I obviously need to cut back on the Cytomel. I have no Hyper symptoms which is why I'm surprised at the results. My pulse has quickened but thats about it. No palpitations, sweating, shakiness, etc. My appetite has not increased either. I am still retaining fluid...can this still be caused by the imbalance even though I have gone in the other direction? Can I still have Hypo symptoms with these test results? I know things do not change overnight but I thought I'd notice something since I started the Cytomel. When I was symptom free before RAI my TSH was usually about <.002. FT4 was around 2.0 and TT3 around 180. This is what I'm trying to get back to. I'm starting to wonder if something else may be causing my problems since nothing seems to improve...but I have not had good doctors so I've been on a roller coaster with my thyroid levels. I do want to switch docs, I am in S.F. Bay Area and I know there are some good ones around but I have Kaiser and cannot switch yet. My doc never even called with these results...I called and was told my labs were excellent! I called again for the numbers & was very surprised. Also I did have my Cholesterol levels checked. The results were good (I think)
total cholesterol 120mg/dL
triglycerides 97mg/dL
HDL 47mg/dL
LDL 54mg/dL

IMHO - new doc, even if you have to pay out of pocket! One appointment will only be one or two hundred dollars, and this is your health we're talking about.

Carl Ebnother's practice is in Santa Clara. Other than that, go to www.armourthyroid.com. Go to the "find a Doctor" section and put in your zip code. You'll get a list. Ebnother's practice is mostly staffed by people he's trained, not by him himself, but it's a good practice. Worth the trip.

Friday,
I think I will call his office first thing in the morning...shoulda done it a long time ago.

Tip - see if they have any cancellations, tell them your FT levels are on a rollercoaster and your face is swollen. It might get you in sooner.

Will do...hopefully I can get in there asap.
Thanks

Let us know, ok? Nat's gonna have a fit when she sees those numbers.

Rachel, did you take your meds before you had your tests done? If yes, then those are not real numbers, which I suspect is the case. A FT3 of 768 is either a mistake by the lab or the result of you taking your meds w/in 8 hours of being poked. You're taking your cytomel 3x a day, so there'd be quite a bit still in your system even after 8 hours, T3 has a half life of 48 hours, it peaks around 8 hours after you take it, but it's still going to be in your system for a minimum 16 hours later.

I agree with Friday about your doctor. Fire his ass. If he thinks those labs are excellent he's really whacked. He should be questioning those numbers and your symptoms. Unreal.

Wow, ya learn somehting new every day! Thanks Nat.

Friday

*lol* But it doesn't usually happen so early in the day, huh?

The 'rules' for testing are eight hours prior to your tests do not take your meds if:

• you are taking Synthroid (or any other T4-only med) and you are having your FT4 tested. It will skew your FreeT4 test and possibly your TSH, but not Total T4, Free T3, Total T3, or T3 Uptake.
  
• you are taking Armour (or any combination of T3 and T4) and you are having your Free T3 and Free T4 tested. It will skew your FT3/FT4 and possibly your TSH but shouldn't have an effect on Total T3, Total T4, or T3 Uptake.
  
• you are taking Cytomel and you are having your FT3 tested. It will skew your FreeT3 test and possibly your TSH, but not Total T3, Free T4, Total T4 or T3 Uptake.

YMMV, some of us metabolize slower than others, so the effects might still be felt for more than 8 hours later.

N

Yes, if it's going to happen before 8 am, please keep it short and use small words. My T3 thanks you.

Nat,

I am taking the T3 6 hours apart 3 times daily starting at 7:30 am. I took the test at about 10 am. I did that intentionally because what I remember reading is that due to fact that T3 is so quick to metabolise you should test within 3 hours of taking your dose. It is not good to have large surges of T3 throughout the day, too much stress on the heart or something like that. Testing within 3 hours will show if this is happening. I suspect if I had waited or skipped a dose these numbers wouldn't look so whack but then I would be unaware of the surges that are occuring due to high amounts of T3. I am confused I do notice now that I have been waking up at night a little sweaty and feeling my heartbeat loudly. This only happens late at night for some reason and some nights I do not experience it. I think I went overboard with the T3. My doc wanted me to start out taking 5 mcgs twice daily and I had read that this is the typical dose unless you've had thyroid cancer and are trying to supress TSH. The problem is that he said that dose is currently unavailable, I'm not sure why, but he has not been able to prescribe it recently. He said the smallest dose available would be 25. He wanted me taking 12.5 once a day. I started taking it twice daily because I didn't want to have an imbalance for half of the day. Then I stupidly added a 3rd dose because I wasnt feeling any changes. I would like to take 5 mcgs twice a day and raise my Levothroid to 112 but I'm not sure how I can do this. I dont think I can acuratley split my dose into quarters. Hmmmm. I havent taken any Cytomel since I got my labs back..does this mean that in 48 hrs my T3 will be depleted again?

One word: Armour.

Two words: New Doc.

Friday,
If I get an appt. with another doc I will pay outta pocket..like you said. A couple hundred dollars is not too bad, since we are talking about my health. But I'm wondering how much they can really do for me with just one visit. I cant afford even a few visits and I'm sure they will want to do labs as well.