# Labs: Symptoms: Confusion: Oh My.



## Norton120 (Sep 26, 2010)

First this is such a marvelous forum, I feel really lucky to have found it I read it frequently, so thank you.

I was diagnosed with Hypo thyroid last July. My doc is fabulous and clearly this is not the norm. He has promised from the start to work with me until I subjectively feel improvement, and the labs show blood work improvement. He says that soo many patients need adjustments on meds because their own individual symptoms do not always coincide with the labs... Lucky!

For the first 5 months I was on Naturoid, slow but steady drop in my labs... but zero improvement in my weight, even with very strict diet and exercise...then my doctor suggested I think about switching to synthroid, because if the labs stabilized, but my weight did not change he would be able to add in some T3 if my body seemed to need it.

So, switched. For the first 2 weeks on synthroid I was euphoric, my natural state is fairly upbeat (think Tigger the tiger in Whinne the Pooh), I felt like me again for the first time in quiet a while....

This did not last, (bummer) my labs came back as in range. My doctor asked me to be on the synthroid for a total of 10 weeks, see if my body stabilized and whether the weight started to shift. And alas we are arriving at the 10 week mark, and not a drop of weight has moved. (Again, my diet is very solid, clean)...so I asked for my last (8 weeks ago) labs to be faxed over, and thought I would ask for some input from the knowledge base...

I have the following symptoms: weight refuses to move, no matter what!

I have very strange thick/dry/very rough skin on my chest I hate this I feel very unfeminine...

I am not as "tigger" as I used to be

My sex drive is very flat, I love sex when we are there, but my desire for it is just flat line...I am used to it being very very different...

I have alot of muscle pain that doesnt shift after exercise.....

(The Plus side)...I am no longer flat on the couch come 4 O'clock, since starting the thyroid, thank goodness!!

On my very first labs I did test positive for antibodies (dont currently have the number, but can get it if it will help)

Current Labs from 8 weeks ago...

Labs: TSH 1.9 uIU/ml (.450 - 4.5)
Thyroxine, Free 1.33 ng/dL (.82 - 1.77)
Free T3 2.6 pg/ml (2.0 - 4.4)

What do you think about adding in some T3, from what I have read, some folks with hypo just do not get symptom alleviation without the addition of T3, ok, thank you so very much for your time and any ideas... Sincerely!


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## Norton120 (Sep 26, 2010)

I am going to post a reply to my previous post, I ran across the website, 
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/mistakes-patients-make/, and spent alot of time this afternoon reading an understanding many of my previous questions.

I have realized today that I have made some classic mistakes: I switched off of Naturoid, before I was balanced and had symptom alleviation because my doc was planning on adding in T3, had I researched further I would have discovered that Naturoid already had T3 in it. According to some patients the naturoid is absorbed significantly better if its chewed as the cellulose can create poor absorption.

Next it sounds like from reading today that I have been allowing myself to be undermedicated because my only symptom change is I have had some return of energy, but the weight, skin, and libido issues are still serious.

Next, it sounds like from my reading that folks on naturoid are not waiting the full 8 weeks to head upwards in their dosages as the doctors experienced with naturoid/armour etc are finding patients can go up after about 2-3 weeks...

So, my brain is swimming. I feel strongly after reading through many posts today on this forum and reading the above mentioned website, that I have been following the labs myself too closely. Its clear the symptoms are still quite strong, my body is stating it is not balanced and so, I am off to see the doc and have a discussion about another increase, changing back over to naturoid, skipping the addition of the T3 because I am on synthroid...

Ok, thats alot, thanks for listening to me rant/sort this out out loud so to speak, and off to the doctor I go, with symptom alleviation as my full guide to my dosage, not the bloody labs...


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Norton120 said:


> First this is such a marvelous forum, I feel really lucky to have found it I read it frequently, so thank you.
> 
> I was diagnosed with Hypo thyroid last July. My doc is fabulous and clearly this is not the norm. He has promised from the start to work with me until I subjectively feel improvement, and the labs show blood work improvement. He says that soo many patients need adjustments on meds because their own individual symptoms do not always coincide with the labs... Lucky!
> 
> ...


I agree; your FT3 is below the mid-range and for most of us, it is ideal above the mid-range, about 3/4 from the bottom of the range. You will only lose weight when you are euthyroid. From the numbers, I suspect you are not. See if the doc will agree to get your TSH down to 1.0 or less and get your FT3 up where I suggested.

I don't know about the skin. Are spraying any kind of cologne there on a regular basis? You know; "spritzing?" Our skin is now very sensitive.


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