# help, new to boards



## thryoidhelp (Mar 17, 2014)

Posted this on the newbie board a moment ago:

"34 y/o male here. To this point I have only seen a primary care and am working on getting an appointment with and Endo, but they are booked out weeks, and I have an upcoming vacation and proposal with my girlfriend of 11 years, and I feel miserable, helpless and hopeless. What is going on here?

1/15/14 - routine physical showed TSH of 10.56. Doctor ordered Thyroid panel

1/17/14 - thyroid panel showed TSH of 7.18, Antithyroglobulin Ab Antibody 2.0 (high) & TPO Ab 367 (high). T4 was 1.05 (normal) and T3 was 114 (normal). I Diagnosed with Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism and put on 30mg of Armour.

3/12/14 - thyroid panel showed TSH of 7.370 (that's right, it increased after being on Armour for 6+weeks. T3 & T4 were both still normal 123 and 1.03 respectively.

Doctor upped my does from 30mg to 45mg. I seem to feel even worse a couple days later.

This doesn't make much sense. I have never heard of anyone who's TSH increased on thyroid meds. Is it even possible? Am I resistant? I don't know what to do until I see an endo but I am scared, anxious, depressed. since the increase I have had overwhelming anxiety to the point where I am so cloudy and miserable. Should I get off amount until I see an endo? Can a batch of meds be bad? Is the only answer that I need more Armour?

Only other health related issue is slightly elevated ALT liver enzyme (fluctuated in low 50's during the 6 week period.

Thank you to anyone that can offer some insight. I am at my wits end.

Yes, I know I spelled thyroid wrong in my username."


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

I'd get on the phone every morning to the Endo's office and see if there's a cancellation. Don't be content to simply be put on a cancellation list.

Hang tight: others with much better information than I have should be posting soon.


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## thryoidhelp (Mar 17, 2014)

I am on the cancellation list and made a future apt. I will call every morning until I leave. Going away has never stressed me out like this before. Biggest symptoms are all day anxiety, mental state is really cloudy, and some depression. Appetite is suppresed when anxious. Clearly this is a trigger for anxiety only making it worse. Some night sweats too where I wake up soaked. I will say that I am clearest and suffering no symptooms in the evening and night hours. I dose first thing in the am.

T4 test was free and reference range was .82-1.77. I was 1.03 most recently. T3 was total and is 71-180 with mine being 114. I must admitt I don't understand too much what this means and I also know that I shouldnt focus too much on TSH, but when it is seemingly unresponsive to Armour it seems really odd.

What is also odd is that in two days my TSH went from 10.56 to 7.18 without any meds (original bloodwork and then thyroid panel). Then after 7 weeks on meds it ticked up to 7.37. Maybe one of the readings was false?

Maybe I have a pitutiary tsh secreting tumor, maybe my body can't absorb it, maybe there is an off reading, bad batch, who knows. I do take it on time every day though, so I know it's not me.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

It is necessary to start the patient out on a low dose so it is quite conceivable that your TSH has kept on rising. Meanwhile, I strongly recommend an ultrasound of your thyroid.

Titration of any thyroid med is supposed to be in small increments and over a reasonable time (say 8 weeks) every time.

Welcome to the board. Insist on an ultrasound of your thyroid!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

thryoidhelp said:


> What is also odd is that in two days my TSH went from 10.56 to 7.18 without any meds (original bloodwork and then thyroid panel). Then after 7 weeks on meds it ticked up to 7.37. Maybe one of the readings was false?


If you have an autoimmune condition (and it sounds like you might), the changes in TSH while not on meds really isn't too surprising. You've got antibodies that are futzing around this your thyroid function and those antibodies wax and wane, so you'd expect swings in TSH. The difference between 7.18 and 7.37 is negligible -- all I'd take that to mean is that you weren't on enough meds. As Andros stated, it's common (and very much appropriate) to start low and build up.

Your GP should order an ultrasound now, so you have it ready when you go to the endo. I agree that this should be your priority at this point.

Good luck!


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## thryoidhelp (Mar 17, 2014)

Some new developments:

I'm in the endo office right now, got a cancellation but not at my first choice.

I had a urologist appointment yesterday where they tested my testerone and I asked if they would check my tsh just for the heck of it. Just got the results and it dropped to 3.86.


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## thryoidhelp (Mar 17, 2014)

I do wish I asked for other blood work too (t3&4) but was just happy they they agreed to do my tsh.

I am wondering how many of my symptoms are thyroid related and how many are anxiety/fear related. 3 days into a higher does and a pretty big tsh drop. I have to wonder if the results of the previous was wrong.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

For future reference:

There is a difference between:

T3 and Free T3

T4 and Free T4

You want the "Free's."

The previous results probably weren't wrong. It's just as Joplin wrote: the autoimmune antibodies wax and wane until they're grounded. There is often a lag time between activity and test results, too. I'd be more likely to trust the most recent TSH as being the most representative of the real picture. In all, it seems like it's working.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Has anyone suggested a TSI?? Just saying with your TSH movement


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