# Brand new to Hashi's Need some help!



## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

I was just diagnosed three weeks ago after feeling horrid for over a year. My TSH is 3.9 (which is down from 4.62) and my T3 & T4 are in range, but are very low. TPO is 439. Doc put me on Thytrophin pmg, a slew of vitamins, gluten free diet because my gut was killing me and she wants to start Nature Throid soon. We were trying to get my immune system to calm down a little before I started it and I am having the wonderful hyper/hypo swings which make it hell to use the medication. I have ringing in my left ear and this weird off balance thing when I move my head. Not dizzyness, just this weird feeling and it won't go away! Anyone else have this? I am starting to think I am the only one. Does anyone else here use just Thytrophin and not hormone meds? I really think my Hashi's was caused by my gluten intolerance and my thyroid is still trying to function. I am hoping to get the gluten out of my system and stay on the Thytrophin and avoid the Nature Throid as long as possible.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

sjmjuly said:


> I was just diagnosed three weeks ago after feeling horrid for over a year. My TSH is 3.9 (which is down from 4.62) and my T3 & T4 are in range, but are very low. TPO is 439. Doc put me on Thytrophin pmg, a slew of vitamins, gluten free diet because my gut was killing me and she wants to start Nature Throid soon. We were trying to get my immune system to calm down a little before I started it and I am having the wonderful hyper/hypo swings which make it hell to use the medication. I have ringing in my left ear and this weird off balance thing when I move my head. Not dizzyness, just this weird feeling and it won't go away! Anyone else have this? I am starting to think I am the only one. Does anyone else here use just Thytrophin and not hormone meds? I really think my Hashi's was caused by my gluten intolerance and my thyroid is still trying to function. I am hoping to get the gluten out of my system and stay on the Thytrophin and avoid the Nature Throid as long as possible.












First let me say you have a good doc who is right "on it" for you. So many of us never get diagnosed and never receive medical intervention.

That said, "Yes................tinnitus is a bummer and many here have it!" Sometimes it is part and parcel to autoimmune thyroid disease.

Has your doctor run an ultra-sound of your thyroid? It would be a good idea if not.


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

Hi and thanks for the welcome!
No - I haven't had an ultra sound. My idiot PCP told me in 2008 that "4.62 was a normal TSH level" I had another TSH done in 2011 and it went down to 4.4. Still normal according to "Dr. Doesn't Know Anything about Hashi's", and he never listened to the fact I was having symptoms. I finally found a naturopath and I love her. She was the one that ran all the tests and diagnosed the Hashi's. Now am just hoping to hold off the meds as long as possible. I did take Levothroid (prescribed by Dr Doesn't Know anything about Hashi's #2,,,,) and I took it for 3 days - 100mcg. On the fourth day I thought my head was going to explode. Totally through me into hyper and I ended up in the ER where there were more Dr Doesn't know Anything about Hashi's! 
A few days later I tried to decrease the dose and even at 25mcg I was thrown in hyper so I stopped taking it. My natural doc wants me to try the Nature Throid 1/4 grain which is only 16mcg, but I am so scared to try it after what happened with the Levothroid. 
I have good days and bad days, but it's only been a short period of time. I have only been on the Thytrophin for two weeks. I just want to feel normal again.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

sjmjuly said:


> Hi and thanks for the welcome!
> No - I haven't had an ultra sound. My idiot PCP told me in 2008 that "4.62 was a normal TSH level" I had another TSH done in 2011 and it went down to 4.4. Still normal according to "Dr. Doesn't Know Anything about Hashi's", and he never listened to the fact I was having symptoms. I finally found a naturopath and I love her. She was the one that ran all the tests and diagnosed the Hashi's. Now am just hoping to hold off the meds as long as possible. I did take Levothroid (prescribed by Dr Doesn't Know anything about Hashi's #2,,,,) and I took it for 3 days - 100mcg. On the fourth day I thought my head was going to explode. Totally through me into hyper and I ended up in the ER where there were more Dr Doesn't know Anything about Hashi's!
> A few days later I tried to decrease the dose and even at 25mcg I was thrown in hyper so I stopped taking it. My natural doc wants me to try the Nature Throid 1/4 grain which is only 16mcg, but I am so scared to try it after what happened with the Levothroid.
> I have good days and bad days, but it's only been a short period of time. I have only been on the Thytrophin for two weeks. I just want to feel normal again.


You probably were in the hyper phase to begin with. Have you had FREE T4 and FREE T3 run? You should before you start any thyroid med.

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.

http://www.drlam.com/articles/hypothyroidism.asp?page=2#diagnosis: standard laboratory test

And maybe your doc would run some of these; especially the TSI?

TSI
Normally, there is no TSI in the blood. If TSI is found in the blood, this indicates that the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin is the cause of the of a person's hyperthyroidism. 
http://www.medicineonline.com/topics/t/2/Thyroid-Stimulating-Immunoglobulin/TSI.html

TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), 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/


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

Yes - All the test were run. Here were my numbers:

TSH - 3.9 (range .03 - 3.0)
T3 - 0.9 (range 0.7 - something I can't remember)
T4 - 2.8 (range 2.5 - 4.5 (I think)
TPO - 439

Started Thytrophin a week and a half ago, but it wasn't really making me feel all that better, so I finally started the Nature Throid the doc gave me. I was holding off as long as I could. I just started it and I already feel a little better. I have also been gluten free now for two weeks. That was the smartest thing I ever did. My gut is better already. Only time will tell.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

sjmjuly said:


> Yes - All the test were run. Here were my numbers:
> 
> TSH - 3.9 (range .03 - 3.0)
> T3 - 0.9 (range 0.7 - something I can't remember)
> ...


The T3 and T4 are the Totals, not the FREES. However, the Totals are bound and unbound hormone and while in the range, very very low.

See if you can get the FREE T3 and FREE T4 as per the link I enclosed for you regarding the subject matter.

And your TPO is up there which is "suggestive" of a myriad of things including thyroid.

Here is info on that.

Anti-microsomal Antibodies- TPO Ab
Negative test is normal; you should not have any of these antibodies. And the healthy person does have a low titer of TPO.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003556.htm

Glad you have started on the Nature Throid. Your body was starving for it.

I have been Gluten Free for many many years. Would not dream of ingesting glutens ever again.

An ultra-sound would probably be a good idea.


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## shellebean (Oct 12, 2011)

You're not the only one feeling this way. I had been feeling really crummy for a long time, dragging BADLY, hit a wall around 2:00 every day, horrible night sweats, and many other funky symptoms that I thought were just from "getting old". Long story short, last October an ultrasound suggested Hashi's, TPO suggested it as well with count nearly 900. Had nodules so did FNA that confirmed the Hashi's. Finally found a Doc that started me on Synthroid. Took only 50 mcg and still felt crummy for weeks, but stayed with it. Then, one day (it was a Friday-I remember so well) a switch went off and I had a GOOD DAY! That was after being on the Synthroid for over 4 weeks. I started feeling better and could actually function. I do feel that I'm leveling off again and starting to drag and have some funky symptoms again. I have an 8 week follow up for labs coming up and think it may be time to up it just a little. It is a SLOW process sometimes. At first, I could tell sometimes I felt hyper and some hypo. The Synthroid for me has helped there not be such a dramatic feeling between the two (that or I'm just over the hyper part and staying hypo). 
You are not alone, ask lots of questions and make sure you get a doc who listens to you and considers how you feel, not just the numbers. The numbers are important, they are what they are, but they do not always reflect how you feel.

I agree with Andros, you should have an ultrasound if you haven't already. The ultrasound will tell you if there are any other issues going on as well. An FNA will confirm whether or not you for sure have Hashi's.

HANG IN THERE!!!


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

Well I just don't get this. Felt crappy Saturday and started my Nature Throid. Felt great Sunday - best I had felt in a long time. Then here comes Monday and back to feeling like CRAP again. A little jittery this morning, yet blood pressure and temperature are normal, but I feel like my legs weigh 400 lbs each. What is the deal????? I am on a very low dose of Nature Throid because I just started taking it and can have hyper swings. Do I just stick with it and keep taking it? I am so sick of this.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I've found that with the replacement hormone stuff, it tends to be a once step forward, one step back kind of a thing. Yes, I would suggest sticking with it. You'll have good days and bad days while you adjust...the key is to find the dose that gives you lots more good days than anything else!


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

It just plain BITES. I am about the most impatient person I know and my expectation is that if I take a pill, I should feel better. Not the case with this I see. I am only taking 1/4 grain of Nature Throid which is only about 16mcg because if I take too much I swing hyper. The doc wants me to increase this to 1/2 grain by next week and then we will see. 
I hate this disease and would rather have a raging case of hemorrhoids instead.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

sjmjuly said:


> Well I just don't get this. Felt crappy Saturday and started my Nature Throid. Felt great Sunday - best I had felt in a long time. Then here comes Monday and back to feeling like CRAP again. A little jittery this morning, yet blood pressure and temperature are normal, but I feel like my legs weigh 400 lbs each. What is the deal????? I am on a very low dose of Nature Throid because I just started taking it and can have hyper swings. Do I just stick with it and keep taking it? I am so sick of this.


Yep; you have to stick w/it. Your body is startled that it received some med. Hang in there.


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## ionela_hi (Jul 24, 2015)

sjmjuly said:


> I was just diagnosed three weeks ago after feeling horrid for over a year. My TSH is 3.9 (which is down from 4.62) and my T3 & T4 are in range, but are very low. TPO is 439. Doc put me on Thytrophin pmg, a slew of vitamins, gluten free diet because my gut was killing me and she wants to start Nature Throid soon. We were trying to get my immune system to calm down a little before I started it and I am having the wonderful hyper/hypo swings which make it hell to use the medication. I have ringing in my left ear and this weird off balance thing when I move my head. Not dizzyness, just this weird feeling and it won't go away! Anyone else have this? I am starting to think I am the only one. Does anyone else here use just Thytrophin and not hormone meds? I really think my Hashi's was caused by my gluten intolerance and my thyroid is still trying to function. I am hoping to get the gluten out of my system and stay on the Thytrophin and avoid the Nature Throid as long as possible.


Can you please tell me the quantity of Thyrotropin PMG per day and for which amount of time you have to take it? Thank you.


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