# I think I need more meds!



## justmethatsall (Oct 1, 2015)

Endo has cut my synthroid from 44 to 37.5 with cytomel at 10. Had my thyroid removed last October. My tsi levels are finally coming down now at 311....should be under 140. My eyes are finally showing improvement. I have gained about 12 pounds and am very tired and my joints have gotten so very painful. My latest tests show:

tsh 0.25 was at 0.10 when I was on 44 mcg synthroid. That is why he cut it down.

ft3 2.5 (2.3-4.2)

ft4 0.8 (0.8-1.8)

t3 total 99 (76-181)

Please give me your opinions..........my joints hurt so bad. My gp did testing of ra and lupus and lymes and they all came back normal. My ferritin level is at 18.

Thank you so much. I will see the endo on Sept 1st. These results were just done a week ago.


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## Pamzilla13 (Sep 9, 2013)

Your doctor should be concentrating your free T3 and Free T4 levels which show you are hypo.

Your free T3 level should be mid range to 3/4 of the range (ex. 3.5 to 3.7) and free T4 should be at half the range.

TSH is a pituitary hormone that communicates with the thyroid to make more hormone. Your thyroid is obviously not making sufficient hormone. Hence, you are on synthroid and cytomel, but the dose is not high enough.

If you feel this doctor is not listening to you, find one that will. Go to a doctor who is a naturopath or one that deals with bio-identical hormones in your area.

I find that they are more open minded.

Meanwhile start researching. www.stopthethyroidmadness.com is a great source. This website is also.

Hope you feel better soon.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

justme, you need a bump up in your thyroid meds AND you need to address your painfully low ferritin. Did doc put you on an iron supplement (along with vitamin C for absorption)? Look up symptoms of low ferritin and low iron...do they match what you're experiencing? My guess is yes.)


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## justmethatsall (Oct 1, 2015)

Thank you Pamzilla.

Thank you Octavia........my endo wouldn't even address my low ferritin........he said to ask my gp about it. I did and my gp says he is afraid top put me on iron supplements because my iron levels are normal. What do you think about that? I did however manage to get him to try me on them 3 times a week. He said to get them at cvs 75mg. I will get them tomorrow.

Why is my endo so worried about my tsh and not my ft3 and ft4? I did have a microscopic very small spot of cancer in my pathology report after surgery, .Didn't have to do anything about it because it was well demarcated and contained in the thyroid which was completely removed.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Many endos are fixated on TSH alone, which is completely wrong for post TT patients or anyone on thyroid meds or anyone with thyroid issues in general. TSH is a good diagnostic tool, but once you know you've got issues, you have to focus on the Frees, which are the measure of hormones in the bloodstream that our bodies can utilize. I gave up on endos treating me after going through 4 of them and all 4 each focused on TSH alone, which kept me in a bad place. I would look for an integrative doc or holistic doc.


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## justmethatsall (Oct 1, 2015)

Thank you Jenny v.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Regarding iron/ferritin... I don't know a ton about it, but I'll share my recent experience: I complained to my doctor (well, nurse practitioner really) about being cold and tired all the time. My thyroid labs are pretty good. She added a ferritin test to my CBC and other labs. My ferritin came back at 37. She did NOT order an iron test. Due to my ferritin result, she wrote prescriptions for 65 mg iron per day (equivalent to 325 mg ferrous sulfate) along with 500 mg vitamin C, to be taken together for better absorption of the iron.

Do you have symptoms of low ferritin or low iron (google them to see)?


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## justmethatsall (Oct 1, 2015)

Yes i most definately have the low ferritin symptoms.

How do I go about finding a natural or holistic doc that deals with thyroids? We do have a group of docs here that are female gyn's that deal with bio-identical hormones I believe. But they are gyn's.

Years ago I went to a hair loss doctor before I found out about my thyroid problem. He ordered a ferritin test and put me on iron suppliments right away. Finally my hair grew back and it took at least a year I believe before my level got even close to 50 where he wanted it. At some point He stopped taking my insurance so I stopped seeing him and eventually stopped the iron.


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