# Recently diagnosed with Hasimotos and have some concerns.....



## LeaEdwards (May 12, 2014)

Hi there, I was diagnosed back in August 2013 with Hasimotos. My tsh was at 6.75 and I had a small goiter on my left lobe. Did an ultrasound and everything looked fine. My only symptom I had was very tired. I weighed 115 pounds at the time. They put me on 50mg of Levothyroxine and told me to come back in 6 weeks. Well, it made me lose weight to 104 pounds, my hair started to come out, my resting heart rate was at 100 and sometimes over. I went to the emergency room one night scared out of my mind because my heart rate was 140. They did all the test, found nothing wrong and told me to come in for bloodwork in morning. I was dismissed and scared. I went in and had bloodwork and found out my tsh was now at 0.02. They were like ..oopppss thats too much medicine for your body lets cut you back to 12.5mg instead and switch you to Synthroid. I felt better for about 4 weeks. My hair stopped falling out and I felt normal. Then I got really tired again. Went in for bloodwork at the 6 week point and came back with a tsh level of 13.80. Okay......higher than before...perfect eh? So they up my dose to 18.75mg a day. I started feeling more awake but my hair started falling out again and seemed to lose more weight. I was at 98 pounds for a bit! I've always been a petite woman but come on i'm 27 not 16 anymore. They left me on that dose and it dropped to 7.47. I complained about losing hair so they tested my iron. That came back in the middle of normal. ....so they said i'd adjust to the medicine. 6 weeks later another test and it dropped to 6. Now I'm on 25mg and I have energy...I'm back to 106 pounds and my hair is still coming out. I don't have thoughts of depression or feel sad. There are some days I feel lazy but i've always had those days. I try and eat organic non processed food and very rarely eat out. I exercise and don't drink coffee. I use organic soap, deo and toothpaste with no flouride....I'm frustrated because I can't see an endocrinologist until the end of the year (waiting list). I want my hair to stop falling out and I'm not sure what to do. Also getting back to 115 pounds would be nice. I'm afraid of my thyroid getting worse and not sure if there is anything I can do to help it out. Any advice would be great. I go back for bloodtest next week to see where my levels are at yet again. Thanks for reading my story.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Welcome to the board.

The 1st issue I see is that they changed dose AND manufacturer at the same time - a BIG mistake as we all react differently to different manufacturers.

Stick to the brand you are on now - when/if you make an adjustment.

Anytime your thyroid hormones are moving rapidly - your hair will fall out. You may also have cross over symptoms of hyper/hypo as you adjust.

If your doctor is only testing TSH that is another issue as you need to test Free T-4 and Free T03 to find out the amount of unbound hormone is in your blood at the time of the lab - TSH can lag up to 6 weeks and is more diagnostic than for adjusting med's.

Most People feel best at a FT-4 and FT-3 in the 1/2 to 3/4 range and a TSH around 1. It is a balancing act and sometimes - and you can be tweaking doses for some time.

You likely need more thyroid hormone - if it were me - I would not adjust until the Free T-4 and Free T-3 have been run. You also should ask for a Vit D lab as low D can cause fatigue. Persoanlly - I would go find another doctor who will be willing to run the Free tests every time,


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Trab
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684583
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Ferritin (should be 50 to 100; the closer to 100,the better) 
http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081504.htm
(Copy and paste into your browser)

TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Trab
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684583
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Our wonderful mod Lovlkn has given you very good information.

I would like to add that you do need some antibodies' tests and I have listed the suggestions above.

If they did not run a ferritin test, you will see why they should have after you read the information on this protein.

Welcome to the board!


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## LeaEdwards (May 12, 2014)

Thanks so much for the advice. I'll definitely make sure they test for FreeT4 and Free T3 each time. My iron was at 80 and they said there was no reason to test for B12 or D because my ferritin was normal. It's frustrating because none of the doctors i've seen say the same thing. All their answers are varied. I'm still waiting to see an endocrinologist and I have a long list of questions. No one in my family has dealt with thyroid problems. So there is no one I can turn to to ask questions. I'd rather take a more natural approach to dealing with my problem if possible. I know I have to take Synthroid but if there are lifestyle changes that help I would be interested in learning. I know I have to live with this the rest of my life and I see stories of what people have gone through and it terrifies me. I've had a stressful life so far and this just makes it worse. I want to be able to live with it and get better. I just wish doctors actually knew more about it and act like they care.


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## visc (Feb 22, 2014)

You should ask yourself if your drinking enough water! A simple test is to pee into a cup and compare the color to the urine color chart (google it)

Drinking more water has help me feel and look better.

For the thyroid. It helps to understand that the early stages of the disease especially for us young folk (I'm 21 year old male) is like a second puberty.. Our hormones will fluctuate until they settle down. You thyroid is getting attacked slowly or quickly depending on how your body wishes to handle it. But once your thyroid has finally given up, you'll be on synthetics and will be normal most likely.  In time!

PS. My aunt told me that her's went wild in the beginning and then stopped, she feels great.

Hang in there! Hugs!


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

In the grand scheme of things, thyroid disease is easy to treat. Just give the meds a chance. Lifestyle changes? Heck, no. If you had cancer or Rheumatoid Arthritis or Lupus, there would be lifestyle changes. Not thyroid.

Don't give the disease power. Just take the meds, give them a chance to work, and get focused on living a normal life.


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