I'm so glad you found someone to help you! (YAY!!!!)

My doctor also told me that my symptoms were depression. It was so . . . depressing to not be taken seriously!! I ended up taking the antidepressant until I could get in to see the endocrinologist three months later. Now I've stopped the antidepressant and I'm still in the 'tweaking' phase for my thyroid meds. They still aren't right. I go back in August. I'm not losing weight and some days I am very tired. I want to call and move my appointment up. I may do that today.

It's frustrating that we have to feel so bad for so long before we can get help, isn't it?

Congrats Shell1370! Your FT3 is still kind of low and interestingly your TSH is rather high still. Is your new doctor going to increase your meds?

Give it a few weeks Shell and you should feel loads better.

I had heart palpitations when I took Armour (no chest pain, just irregular heart beats), so I went on a compound and like it much better, but I know many who really like Armour.

You will find you will have to fight for your right to take the meds you need. I had a horrible experience when I switched insurances. The endo took me off my compound and would only write a new script for t4. He too told me I had depression, and wanted to treat it with prozac...oh heck no....

I literally walked out of his office mid sentence and told him to try reading a book written on hypothyroidism written in the last 5 yrs! (old school doc from out of the country, he had a real god complex to boot)

Anyway paid for it out of my pocket, but I am now back on the right on t3 and t4 and feel great...

Just remember it takes a few weeks to adjust your blood levels...read everything you can and self-advocate for yourself, you are worth it!

Btw...some doctors are give patiences low doses of cytomel (t3) for depression...instead of prozac, but only if the TSH is over 2...most doc that I know would father use prozac or other anti-depression drugs with t4 though...

anyway do a google search and you can read about it...

here is an article:
http://www.drmirkin.com/morehealth/G171.htm

Im seeing a doctor at the moment, I have ALL the symtoms of hypothyroidism but the tests came back negative. I want to cry because ive been to so many doctors and spent so much money but none will help me. =/ I want to give up this diet because I don't actually lose weight on it, ill gain.. but I know if I give up ill gain more. I cant win!

Which tests? What were your values and the ranges? Post them, maybe we can help.

They tested all of them, he didn't give me the paper though, ill have to go back and ask for it.
=] thanks.
Its just I really don't believe it cause if its not hypothyroidism why is my body so screwed up?

Beez, Kelrivas and Nancy thank you very much!

Sorry I am so late getting back to this. My parents decided to stay longer and are still here, in addition I have a full house on many nights of family who come over to visit. They are leaving tomorrow and things will hopefully quiet down.

I have gained back 10lbs..uck. Some of it is my fault, with my parents here who are non LC'ers. I am having to cook for them and all the rest of the family who comes over. I am going back to induction phase today for 2 weeks no matter what. I have convinced them to try Atkins and momeven bought the NAFANY. I want them to read it before they start.

Back to hypothyroid. I go to the NP tomorrow for my f/u labs and tweaking of my meds.

Nancy to answer your question..my NP will see me every three weeks to draw lab and tweak my T3/T4. Yes, the NP commented on how low the T3 was but, started me on a low dose of T3..14mcg, she will tweak it up at tomorrows visit I'm sure.

Beez, did you make that appointment? If so how did it go? Very frustrating when we do have to wait to find a good doc!

Kelrivas..I'm still educating and reading everything I like how you walked out of that appointment in mid sentence! HAHAAAAAAA. You are like me in that way. I would of done the same thing and said the same thing. I paid for my meds out of pocket and sent claims in for them. I got a letter back saying they were applied to my copay. Non formulary drugs have a copay of $45 with BCBS. The script was $32. I tried.

How am I feeling? I would rank myself as 65-70% better. Not quite there yet. I sleep beautifully at night thanks to the progesterone. I wake up sluggish, no energy some days and rested on other days. Depends on my activity the day before. I still tire easily and find myself exhausted by 6pm. If I am tired, mild chest pain, if I am severly exhausted, moderate chest pain. Some s/s have gone away or improved. I still have classic s/s such as dry skin and hair falling out. My hair began falling out a month ago and still continues. I don't have much to lose since my hair is thin and fine anyways. My period just ended and lasted only 7 days, as opposed to the 14 days it does last in the past. So s/s wise, things are looking up.

I will post tomorrow and let you know how the appointment went

Peace and love everyone!
Michelle

SlimJen,

Did you get your lab paperwork from the doctor yet? It is yours to have, you have a right to it. Just ask for a copy. It is a patients right and in the Patient's Bill of Rights. If you have got that lab, then what is the results with the normal value reference ranges?

Next, I highly recomend to start reading and educating yourself by visiting different websites and books that are recommended. You will be an informed patient when you go into an appointment and that is half the battle in itself. There are links to the websites to them under the hypothyroid FAQ. I recommend Thyroid-info.com and Stopthethyroidmadness.com for starters.

Eventhough your thyroid labs are normal but, you feel icky suggest something is not right. What s/s are you experiencing?

I suggest going to Thyroid-info.com and researching the doctors list on there. They are recommended by other thyroid patients. That is how I found my new nurse practitioner/doctor.

Keep us informed, we are here to help as much as we can.
Michelle

To f/u on the NP visit last week.

I got my thyroid med tweaked. I am now on 18mcg of compounded T3 and 76 mcg of compounded T4. I started taking Idoral which is a iodine/potassium supplement along with my thryoid med. I began taking supplements of super B complex, L-tyrosine and selenium.

Feeling better day by day. I'm just taking it one day at a time.

Have you had a thyroid antibodies test? Idoral will flare up your thryoid if you have Hashimotos. You also need to start off on TINY doses and work your way up, because you will get detox symptoms if you start off at high doses.

I took it and after a few days the front of my neck started to ache and then the next day it felt like someone had kicked me in the thyroid. I figured out it was the Idoral and stopped taking it, but it took several days for the front of my neck to stop hurting. It was awful!

I did go to the endo on the day I went to get my blood drawn, I felt awful and the lab tech suggested I try to be seen right away. They told me to double my Cytomel (T3) until my May 31st appt.

Here are my labs that they did yesterday:

TSH 0.012 (Per dr, this is normal for someone treating their thyroid.)
Free T4 1.68 (Per dr, goal should be 1.7)
Free T3 2.8 (Per dr, goal should be 3.5)

They also switched me from generic to all name-brand Synthroid and Cytomel. I hope I can see a difference soon!

Hi Beez,

No I have not had a Thyroid AB done. I have my requisition for my next lab work in July. I might call and see if I can add it to the list, or just do it myself. I only take one Iodoral a day and today it has been a week. So far so good, I can tell a difference with it than taking my T3/T4 alone. That's sucks on how it made you feel, funny how the endocrine/hormone system effects us differently. There really is no cookie cutter way of treating us who suffer. Treatment has to be tailored to our needs.

That T3 is low, I hope the doubling of the Cytomel helps until the appointment. When you feel bad, it seems like FOREVER until the appointment. I do know when I worked as a nurse in a doctor office, that many Hypo patients would request their thyroid medication ONLY in the brand name of Synthroid not any generic form because it was not as effective. I too found myself like these patients 3 years down the road into my Hypo. Maybe this change will help you also.

Oh, I just heard last week that a study was released from England in regards to Hypo patients being treated and keeping their TSH levels below 1 and how it does not effect them in any way including and s/s of Hyper. I haven't had time to find and read the article.

I have done so much research and read articles lately that I am information overloaded. Eat low carb, don't eat low carb, exercise or exercise in small doses to keep the Adrenals from stressing or it will be all in vain. It can be confusing. I will remain on Atkins OWL because of my insulin resistance and it has helped made other problems go away that I dealt with on a monthly basis.

Hang in there Beez!!!!! Wishing you the best!

Thanks, Shell! (((hugs)))

You too!

Hi Shell1370,

I'm new here and was just reading your post. I was wondering what were the symptoms you were having with your hormonal problems. I am also hypo, exhausted and I am 45. I have gained 45 lbs mostly around belly and thighs. What I have read about this says it could be low progesterone. Anything you can share would be helpful!

Thanks, Kim

Hi Kim,

Here is a complete list of my s/s that I was having with my thyroid that I handed my to my NP at my appointment. She pointed out that I was having s/s of hormones too...the sleep patterns, low sex drive, ect. Which I just thought at the time of my appointment that I was only having thyroid issues.

Low stamina
No energy
Long recovery period after any activity
Often feeling cold, Cold hands and feet
Puffy face and eyes
Dry, gritty eyes
Pounding heart at times.
Left sided chest pain that radiates down left arm and up in to jaw...EKG, Cardiac enzymes done and normal
Hard stools
Constipation
thinning outer eyebrows
Dry Hair
Hair Loss
Hair breaking
Dry, snakey skin
Requires naps in the afternoon
Inability to concentrate or read long periods of time
Unrested after a night of sleep
Forgetfulness
Foggy thinking
Inability to lose weight
NO sex drive
Moody periods
PMS
Nausea
Swelling/edema/puffiness~ Pitting edema +2-3 ankles and shins
Aching bones/muscles /joints- ANA lab negative
Exhaustion in every dimension–physical, mental, spiritual, emotional to the point of non functional
Inability to work full-time due to exhaustion
Complete lack of motivation
Broken/peeling fingernails
No Appetite at times
Low body temperature
sore swallow
Headaches and Migraines

I was prescibed progesterone every night and compounded T3/T4. I was just at the NP office on Monday for a 2 month f/u and had my thryoid medication increased a full grain, I now take T3 27/ T4 114 mcg since I was still having s/s of thryoid. Also, she wants me to start the HCG diet. Which I will be doing when my supplies arrive. I am only doing the 23 day, but may extend it out to 30 days.

I hope this helps you somewhat. Be sure to check out the Sticky's to the hypothyroid forum...lots of useful information in there! If you need anymore help, just ask

Michelle