# Newbi and Need Help



## tele0507 (May 22, 2011)

45 male

My face is RED and Puffy and I feel flushed all the time or like I have a fever. I have gained 18 lbs I can not loose. I am depressed all the time.

Having gastro problems aswell. Thinning hair and FATIQUE

I stopped the synthroid medication due to making me feel worse and chest pains.

trying to exercise and start eating more fruit.

Anyone else going threw this ?


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

tele0507 said:


> 45 male
> 
> My face is RED and Puffy and I feel flushed all the time or like I have a fever. I have gained 18 lbs I can not loose. I am depressed all the time.
> 
> ...


Hi and welcome! Let's back up a bit. Why are you on Synthroid? I take it you were diagosed with hypothyroid? What was the diagnosis exactly and when did you start on the Synthroid?

When was the last time you had labs and how much Synthroid were you on before you quit and how long has it been since you quit?

Do you know for sure you don't have Angina or some sort of heart problem?

This is a worrisome situation. I hope we can be helpful but it does sound like you need to see your doctor.

Are you on any other meds that you think we should know about?


----------



## tele0507 (May 22, 2011)

thanks

I was in a study using interferon/riboviran/placebo to treat hep c last year.

I had quit the study 4 weeks early because of the same issues I am having now. Thyroid issues at the time though my face was not red and blotchy as it is now. The good thing is my liver blood work AST/ALT or normal and no detection of the virus. I have been on the same treatment many times but the virus came back a month later this time with this new placebo what ever that was did the trick.

In the study they monitor your thyroid and my thyroid level was not in the norm. so they sent me to a specialist who put me on a low dose of synthroid 10mg. I think this made my condition worse. I was on this for 2 months and had to get off of it because it made me feel bad and I started in with chest pains. I have been off of the synthroid now for 5 months now, the only meds. I am on is zanex and zetia. I am going to the doctor tomorrow and get blood work done on everything.

panic attacks, this is why I am on Zanex.

My son is 10 and he needs me now more than ever. He has a touch of Autism
I need another 10 years with him praying for more.

:sad0049:


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

tele0507 said:


> thanks
> 
> I was in a study using interferon/riboviran/placebo to treat hep c last year.
> 
> ...


And I will pray with you about that. Keep the faith, that is 99% of the battle!

When you get those labs, please share them if you like and please include the ranges as different labs use different ranges.

That Hep C is a bummer; I am sorry for what you are going through.


----------



## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

You are not alone. Hello from another liver chemo treatment survivor. I can't believe they had you go through _multiple_ episodes of treatment with Interferon & Ribavirin. You are definitely a trooper -- pat yourself on the back and give yourself some well-deserved congratulations, you deserve it!

Some quick reading I did recently indicates they are testing with adding a third treatment drug to the Interferon & Ribavirin mix to increase successful response rates. I'd be willing to bet that's what they did for you. So glad to hear things are looking better this go around and your ALT/AST labs are returning to normal.

As it was explained to me by my gastroenterologist, the chemo treatment has a tendency to push underlying thyroid issues out of the woodwork. I noticed this myself towards the end of my yearlong treatment. Sure, my routine labs were down due to the chemo, but there seemed to be something else going on. I was fatigued, nauseated, dizzy, brain fog, felt sick, no appetite, depressed, anxious, irritable, weak; you name it, I had it. Finally we got ahold of my TSH labs and they stuck out like a sore thumb -- so began treatment after chemo for hypothyroidism on 50 MCG of Levothyroxine soon after (although it felt like an eternity). Then we discovered my testosterone was tanked, too. Began 5 GM Androgel shortly thereafter.

My best guesstimate? Your thyroid levels (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, etc.) need to be checked again and you likely need to be on thyroid medicine. And don't stop there -- ask your doc about checking thyroid antibodies, testosterone levels, iron levels, Vitamin B-12 levels, and Vitamin D levels.

That chemo is nasty stuff and doesn't just do a number on the Hepatitis C. It pushes on everything else, too. Hang in there and don't give up! There is far more to this story than you just being anxious. You need to get the underlying causes addressed & treated.
:anim_32:


----------



## tele0507 (May 22, 2011)

Thanks Andros and Bigfoot

My liver score - ALT 17 and AST 15 Good news !

My TSH was 1.24 also good news ?

My doctor said every thing looked good, I asked about FT4 and TPO and she said they do not usually look at those ?

I stopped taking the Zetia a colesterol medicine 2 days ago and my face seems alittle better in which I told the nurse this and she said to stay off of it for a few more days and call back if it does not get better.

(I still feel bad !) I will give it another week - Thanks


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

tele0507 said:


> Thanks Andros and Bigfoot
> 
> My liver score - ALT 17 and AST 15 Good news !
> 
> ...


This drug may increase the risk of liver damage (when taken with a "statin") or muscle damage when taken with a fibrate or "statin". Tell your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: signs of liver problems (such as severe stomach/abdominal pain, persistent nausea/vomiting, yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine), muscle pain/tenderness/weakness (especially with fever or unusual tiredness).

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-64336-Zetia+Oral.aspx?drugid=64336&drugname=Zetia+Oral

Good grief; looks like you are the poster child for the above symptoms. What really gets to me is your doc knows you have Hep C yet Rx'd this med? Huh?

Too scary in my most humble opinion.

Also, when you were on the low dose of 10 mcg. of Synthroid; how long were you on that? If kept like that, it had you at a very bad place. This med is to titrated upward about every 8 weeks by small amounts until the patient feels well.

Since you still feel pretty bad, it is too early to say if TSH of 1.24 is good for you.

And, FT4 and TPO????? You might benefit greatly by finding another doctor. That is what I think.


----------

