# Dear Thyroid, please cooperate.



## kl2010 (May 10, 2010)

So I'm new here...just wondering if anyone experiences the same thing as me.

I have had hypothyroidism since August 2007, and have since been seen by a family doctor and 3 endocrinologists, each who have passed me on because they dont know what is wrong with my.

Original diagnosis was due to low t3/t4, high TSH. After about a year on synthroid, I still felt tired and found out that i was SEVERELY anemic. (Strange..because I do not get my period). I have never achieved "normal" levels with replacement therapy because each of the 3 doctors are afraid to give me too much replacement.

Currently I have unexplained iron deficiency anemia, which is not corrected by taking a "mega" dose of iron. My levels are worse than they have ever been despite the addition of cytomel and a higher synthroid.

Now here's the strange part...my tsh is low also. How can I have low tsh/t3/t4? Please respond if you have had this issue also.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

kl2010 said:


> So I'm new here...just wondering if anyone experiences the same thing as me.
> 
> I have had hypothyroidism since August 2007, and have since been seen by a family doctor and 3 endocrinologists, each who have passed me on because they dont know what is wrong with my.
> 
> ...


How much Synthroid are you taking per day and how much Cytomel per day? Are you taking iron to address the anemia? If you are anemic, that does interfere with the efficacy of your thyroxine replacement. And of course we all know that iron should be taken 4 to 5 hours away from thyroxine. These are 2 separate issues.

There are a couple of things that can cause TSH, T3 and T4 to be low ( and I am assuming that you never had your FREE T4 and FREE T3 tested?) ; that would be adrenal fatigue (severe) and estrogen dominance and also the pituitary. Have you had your pituitary tested?

Have you ever had any antibodies' tests?

Here you can read the difference between T4, T3 and Free T4 and Free T3..................

Understanding thyroid lab tests.....http://www.amarillomed.com/howto

Do you have recent labs you can share with the ranges intact? Different labs use different ranges.


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## kl2010 (May 10, 2010)

wow thanks for the link! I do not have my actual labs in front of me, but I am almost positive it was my free t3/t4.

Right now I take 88mg synthroid and 10mcg cytomel (both at 6am), and I take 2 slow fe supplements around 8pm so I don't think they should be interfering with each other. Also - I am on a gluten free diet to rule out any other absorption issues.

I have not yet had my pituitary "tested" (i'm guessing you mean via an MRI?). I have been told that my hormone levels are low across the board, but this seems strange because they have all dropped since my initial diagnosis in 2007. (at that time everything else was "normal" but my thyroid was not).

I have had antibodies tested - and I am positive which indicates that this is/was autoimmune. Not suprising because my sister has type 1 diabetes and my aunt has addisons/type 1/lupus.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

There are several different blood tests to check the pituitary function. If they are abnormal and there is still a question about the cause, an MRI might be warranted.

It would be helpful to see your lab results when you can post them.


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## hillaryedrn (Dec 14, 2009)

Hmm, this is interesting!! I don't have anything to add just now, on top of what's already been said, but I will do some research and let you know if I find something!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

kl2010 said:


> wow thanks for the link! I do not have my actual labs in front of me, but I am almost positive it was my free t3/t4.
> 
> Right now I take 88mg synthroid and 10mcg cytomel (both at 6am), and I take 2 slow fe supplements around 8pm so I don't think they should be interfering with each other. Also - I am on a gluten free diet to rule out any other absorption issues.
> 
> ...


Not yet on the MRI but I would suggest you read this about various lab tests re the pituitary and talk to your doctor about it.

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/pituitary-3.html

Those with low thyroid functioning have a predisposition to low ferritin. I presume that your diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia was based on a lab test for ferritin which ideally should be 50 to 100?


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## chopper (Mar 4, 2007)

Maybe we can swap a few quarts of blood. 

My iron is way too HIGH...I can use a little "regular unleaded" versus my 94 octane stuff.

Seriously though, it sounds like it could be a pituitary issue and like the others have said, more testing is required.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

I had lots of endocrine things go bananas on me about a year ago. Prior to that I had been well regulated with meds for 20 years.

Ask your doctor to run B12 and Vitamin D blood tests. Once I resolved those issues, my TSH, etc., went back into normal gear. Also run Cortisol [early AM] and Prolactin.


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