# Um, anyone have experience NOT converting?



## diva_alicia (Jun 18, 2012)

So I'm almost four weeks out and I'm not feeling great. Quick recap (and proof I'm getting good at knowing my body and how I feel when I'm hyper/hypo). I was hyper from Graves. I took methimazole pre-surgery until I was hypo (ugh). A week after surgery I felt the dump and was hyper again (strangely it was a relief LOL). Felt amazing for a bit. Just like I used to! And it was such an eye opener showing me just how bad I had actually been feeling. Calcium and Vitamin D levels 10 days out were wonderful. Now I'm almost four weeks out and uber tired again. My muscles ache from the simplest things. I walked around in tennis shoes on black friday and had to spend half a day nursing the aching and coating myself with icy hot. Also some tingling/numbness with the tired muscles. I'm trying to lose the weight I gained while hypo pre-surgery and have cut nearly all carbs and calories down to as close to 1200 as I can stand and I'm still holding and sometimes gaining a little. My skin is crazy dry and just doesn't look like me. Did I mention I'm tired and achy? So, is this ringing a bell for anyone? I called my endo to talk about my upcoming labs (should be drawn at end of week when I'm exactly 4 weeks post-op). The orders only called for TSH and T4, I asked them to add free T3. Thoughts?

Scar looks great though!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

What medication are you on now and how much? When I was [painfully] undermedicated after surgery, I had similar symptoms.


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## diva_alicia (Jun 18, 2012)

I'm on 112 mcg synthroid once daily.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

That's on the lower side of what most of us need. Absolutely get that free t3...but I would bet they'll want to increase your dose first and then reassess.


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## diva_alicia (Jun 18, 2012)

And did I mention I'm super cold now, where before I was roasting all the time. LOL Oh this is a journey, isn't it?


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I did not convert well. I was cold and tired all of the time. Life is good now.


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## haimia (May 9, 2012)

*I am having same issues! Was hypo and badly three weeks after surgery. On 150 mcg of generic synthroid and at six weeks on upped meds was told labs "normal", but I feel FT4 was not up to par yet. Just had labs yesterday and see endo on Friday. This will be just shy of three months since TT.

Weight is an issue, only lost a little during colonoscopy prep and gained it back, tired a lot and I sleep a lot,aching a lot (just had a MRI and I see a bulging disc - go to doctor for that on Tuesday) and I run hot if I do anything and freezing cold at night. Not sure if it is just me and my mind running on overtime or if there is real issues. UGH!*


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

diva_alicia said:


> So I'm almost four weeks out and I'm not feeling great. Quick recap (and proof I'm getting good at knowing my body and how I feel when I'm hyper/hypo). I was hyper from Graves. I took methimazole pre-surgery until I was hypo (ugh). A week after surgery I felt the dump and was hyper again (strangely it was a relief LOL). Felt amazing for a bit. Just like I used to! And it was such an eye opener showing me just how bad I had actually been feeling. Calcium and Vitamin D levels 10 days out were wonderful. Now I'm almost four weeks out and uber tired again. My muscles ache from the simplest things. I walked around in tennis shoes on black friday and had to spend half a day nursing the aching and coating myself with icy hot. Also some tingling/numbness with the tired muscles. I'm trying to lose the weight I gained while hypo pre-surgery and have cut nearly all carbs and calories down to as close to 1200 as I can stand and I'm still holding and sometimes gaining a little. My skin is crazy dry and just doesn't look like me. Did I mention I'm tired and achy? So, is this ringing a bell for anyone? I called my endo to talk about my upcoming labs (should be drawn at end of week when I'm exactly 4 weeks post-op). The orders only called for TSH and T4, I asked them to add free T3. Thoughts?
> 
> Scar looks great though!


Yes your doctor should order the FREE T3. If he/she does not, there may be a problem concerning your future care regarding your thyroxine replacement.

Free T3 and Free T4 are the only accurate measurement of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the body. This is the hormone that is actually free and exerting effect on the cells. These are the thyroid hormones that count.
Dr. Mercola (FREES)
http://www.mercola.com/Article/hypothyroid/diagnosis_comp.htm


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## diva_alicia (Jun 18, 2012)

She said she uses free T3 in the diagnostic phase but symptoms TSH and free T4 for dosing purposes she said when I come in next she'll explain to me how she uses the tests and why. she's been great so far and I had the labs drawn today so fingers crossed! I've explained her my concerns about being underdosed or having trouble converting.

I'm a couple of hours from her and was relaying things through her nurse. I'm nervous though. I really wanted the free t3 but if she can get me there that's what matters, right? Ugh. But I don't want to lose faith in her as she is soooo much better than everyone else was. Know what I mean?


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

While it's possible you are not converting, I would put my money on just plain too low of a dose for now. 112 mcg is very likely not enough. It seems like most of us are in the 125 to 175 range.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Straight from the Synthroid pamphlet - dosing is 1.7mcg per kilogram of weight.

Figure out your weight in kilogram and multiply by 1.7

If you are way off your current dose ask for more. Insist they run a FT-3 on you as well as many without a thyroid do not properly convert their Synthroid to FT-3.

I was one of those ppl and until I added Cytomel 2 years post op I did not feel well. Adding Cytomel completely suppressed my TSH which prompted me to ask for a TBII antibodies test to prove to my doctor why my TSH was suppressed. She bought it for awhile then tried reducing my med's, I left her and found a doctor who understood.

If you begin Cytomel - start slow and gradually increase to your prescribed dose over a period of 1-2 weeks. Increase each dose as long as you are not having hyper symptoms.


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

Im on 340 mcg t4 and weigh 169 pounds. I am male and my labs FINALLY got to 5.0 tsh and almost mid range for the frees and it took me 9 months. That is my definition of not converting!


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

OMG my labs are nuts now. 3 weeks ago they showed me hypo

the a week later

tsh 2.15 range .4-4.50
ft3 3.8 2.3-4.2
ft4 1.7 0.8 to 1.8
RT3 JACKED UP 36 11-32

im on 345 mcg t4 they are dropping me to 330. despite these labs im still a freakin mess... tired, shaky, I think im hyper now... Look at tht RT3! ears ringing too!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Brucergoldberg said:


> OMG my labs are nuts now. 3 weeks ago they showed me hypo
> 
> the a week later
> 
> ...


Any Thyroxine the body does not use will convert to rT3. Are you pleased w/your doctors?


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## haimia (May 9, 2012)

*Went to family doc yesterday. Had my notes all written out, but she agreed to testing TSH, FT4 AND FT3. Endo would not test FT3 and I still felt hypo. So, now I will be able to find out if I am converting or not. I had TT 8-6-12 and endo thinks my labs were good at end of November. Low TSH and a little over midrange FT4 but still having hypo symptoms like cold a lot, dry skin, achy and gaining weight (which I do not need). Endo also stated that if labs in March are good, he won't have to see me for quite some time (which I did not like).

One question, I also was put on antibiotic for some cold symptoms I am having. Will this affect the testing in any way? If so, how long should I wait to get thyroid levels tested?*


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

haimia said:


> *Went to family doc yesterday. Had my notes all written out, but she agreed to testing TSH, FT4 AND FT3. Endo would not test FT3 and I still felt hypo. So, now I will be able to find out if I am converting or not. I had TT 8-6-12 and endo thinks my labs were good at end of November. Low TSH and a little over midrange FT4 but still having hypo symptoms like cold a lot, dry skin, achy and gaining weight (which I do not need). Endo also stated that if labs in March are good, he won't have to see me for quite some time (which I did not like).
> 
> One question, I also was put on antibiotic for some cold symptoms I am having. Will this affect the testing in any way? If so, how long should I wait to get thyroid levels tested?*


Yay for family doctors!! This is very good news and you must share results and ranges w/us when you get them. FT3 is most usually best for most of us in the 75% range of the range provided by your lab.

Antibiotic may affect TSH a little bit but that does depend. You just never know what is going to do what.


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## haimia (May 9, 2012)

*I am on my 3rd doctor for thyroid meds since August (actually started journey in March or April - took until June to be medicated - first doctor must not have believed my labs - did them three times before medicated). I had TT in August and the doctor I started with, left the hospital-based practice the week before I had surgery. So, associate took over. After a visit with his NP, then him, he did not want any more bloodwork/follow-up for four months! Said bloodwork was fine (only TSH and FT4 that was low) even though I complained about fatigue, dry skin, weight gain, etc., etc. So asked family doctor to test TSH, FT4 and FT3 after symptoms continued. Just had bloodwork done last week and I am running way hypo, AGAIN!

TSH is 6.945 (.4 - 4.2) 
FT4 is .94 (.89 - 1.76) 
FT3 is 2.26 (2.2 - 4.0).

Family doctor wants to increase synthroid to 175 (from 150), so we shall see. I did ask nurse to check with doctor about leaving or adding synthroid increase and adding a T3 med as well. So, it will be a surprise when I go to the pharmacy!!

This endo is on notice! I am not a happy girl!*


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