As soon as more women with hypothyroid who don't do well on T4 alone find out he feels that way he will have a lot more time to golf and read.

And you'll have to tell him to 'not be so sensitive' over not having a lot of hypothyroid patients.

People (especially WOMEN who are the majority of Hashimoto's autoimmune hypothyroid 'victims') need to know the measurement of their hormones to be adequately replaced. The human thyroid, when it is working well, converts T4 into T3 (portion of it). When antibodies (TPO AB) have destroyed the thyroid, than the body doesn't convert the incoming T4..especially with Hashimoto's!

It's just WHY thyroid patient advocates keep lists of doctors who know more than just 'TSH TEST'. It's why I received emails and letters and phone calls from allll over the world for 23 years.

Need to get your education/knowledge. There are many very good websites out there for that, one of which is stop the thyroid madness .com

Just to add to this thread.. I was sitting at a standstill with my weight loss for over a year before I took responsibility for my thyroid treatment. My doctor had dosed me with 50, then 75, the 100mg(?) of synthroid. I would feel better (thinking, energy, muscle aches) for a bit, then nothing. I had my doctor do a full hyoid panel including t4, free t4, t3, rt3.. Even though my rt3 an t3 was "in range" the t3 was at the very bottom, and the rt3 was at the very top. The ratio was off. I also was well out of range with my leptin levels, which I believe to be the primary issue I am experiencing. 2 5 mcg pills per day of cytomel, one in the am and one in the afternoon did the trick. It's like I got my youth back, it made such a total difference. Also, my weight loss picked back up. I had been stuck at 325 to 345 for a year and a half.

LOL at the idea that "t3 is bad for you"..

Hi, all. After doing Atkins for 11 months, I am seeing a return to low thyroid symptoms--cold, hair loss, brittle nails. I have an appointment to get my levels rechecked, but last time I had them tested after 6 months on the LC way of eating, I was told I did not need more of a dose. I am worrying that I may need to add carbs, and undo all the good this WOE has brought. Any thoughts?

Are you in any way eating any wheat products? (low carb tortillas, pitas, etc?). I think when I consume wheat is when I get these issues. My hair is definitely thinning very badly (not just judging at the huge globs that come out in the shower), my skin is so dry that my face flakes all day no matter what or how much lotion I use, and my nails break and flake as well. Not to mention I'm as cold as the 80 pound girls I work next to (seriously 80 pounds, they're all short and very thin).. I notice if I eliminate wheat all together, things get better. I also think I have thyroid issues, but I haven't found a doctor that will listen to me when I tell them what tests I want done. Also, if you ADD carbs, it doesn't need to 'undo' the good.. You can add way more leafy greens (or juice them if you can buy a juicer online from Amazon or somewhere else for cheap) or other healthful beneficial veggies.

Great suggestions! I do eat the Atkins bars for breakfast, so maybe that is the cause. And adding good veggie carbs does seem to be a moderate step before giving up on low curb entirely. Thanks for the advice, it is much appreciated.

I just read a Dr Eades article that says that sometimes low carb WOE "decrease the activity of the enzyme that converts T4 (the inactive form of thyroid hormone that is released from your thyroid gland) to T3, the active form. " In which case they give their patients small doses of T3.

Dr. Eades

Scroll down a bit through the other Q & A.

BTW, the exact advice Pam suggested.