# New Labs -- Synthroid and Water Retention



## Hypoman (Aug 7, 2010)

Hi All,

After a failed attempt at Armour, here are my labs back at 150mcgs Synthroid after six weeks:

TSH *3.590 * (0.450 - 4.500) 
FT4 * 1.71 * (0.82 - 1.77) 
FT3 *3.2 * (2.0-4.4)

Here's another interesting update -- I ran out of my Synthroid 150mcgs because I'm waiting for a new prescription to get called in, and I had to resort to taking a few of my leftover Synthroid 137mcgs for three days. Here's the interesting part: my water weight fell off! About six pounds melted away after the second day. Unfortunately, by the third day my aches and pains were back with a vengeance, along with headache and depression. I got my prescription refilled, and have been taking the 150mcgs again for the last two days. Low and behold, I'm puffy again! The water retention is back!

Why could be causing this? I'm so frustrated! It was nice to lose that extra weight, and its very discouraging to have it come back essentially overnight.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
HypoGuy


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Your FT3 is way to low. It is in the mid-range. It probably should be higher. Of course you know none of us would like that TSH where yours is at and the FT4 is high which indicates non-conversion.

Have you ever had that ultra-sound?


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

I noticed a lot of water-retention and the puffy / bloating feeling, not to mention extra weight, when under-medicated and TSH in 3.x and 4.x range. I'm not exactly dialed in perfectly now, but things are way better. (My FT3 is top-end of range, FT4 is towards the bottom, TSH suppressed, and this is on 2 1/4 grains Nature-Throid.)

Another thing to look at is low testosterone and/or high estradiol. Been doing testosterone replacement for years, but when I finally addressed a high-normal estradiol level, the rest of the water retention issue seemed to vanish. If you happen to be low in testosterone, it can be due to a variety of factors, and while I wouldn't rush out for hormone replacement (need to know *why* first), it's still something to file away and maybe look into. Not to mention all the other areas that low testosterone can influence (energy, cognition, exercise tolerance, libido, mood, cardiac risk, etc.).

In the end, a lot of these hormones have a domino effect. One gets out of balance, the rest get all goofed up. And if you couldn't tolerate Armour, another angle to investigate is adrenal function / cortisol levels. Preferably in the form of a 24-hr. urine or saliva collection, broken into different time periods. The desiccated thyroid hormones are pretty powerful, and if adrenals are not up the task, can be hard for your body to tolerate. Decent amounts of Vit. C (buffered so your stomach doesn't get upset) in the area of ~2,000 - 3,000 mg/day can help adrenals. Best to split it up throughout the day, in 500mg pills, so if you get diarrhea or upset stomach you can throttle back a little. Probably best to check with doc before doing any of that, but at the worst, you'll just pee out any excess Vit. C.


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## Hypoman (Aug 7, 2010)

Andros -- I'm scheduled to get an ultrasound next doctors visit. What will that show? Nodules?

Bigfoot -- I just had my testosterone tested, so we'll see what those results say. I'm just confused as to how I'm supposed to address the high TSH when my FT4 is already on the high side? I can't take more Synthroid can I?

I think the bigger question here is, could the 150mcg Synthroid pill be causing some of these issues, given the way I felt when I skipped a few days?

So lost.


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## Hypoman (Aug 7, 2010)

How do I bring that TSH down when my FT4 is already high? Do I need a bump in Synthroid?


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