# New, but not to thyroid disease, advice please..



## sweb (Nov 23, 2014)

I'm 61 yr old female. I was first diagnosed in late 30s with hashi. I never felt real well but all these yrs kept on levothyroxine 100. This past yr I have had several medical issues that I now think relate to my hashis (stomach issues, shoulder & hip pain) Pt has helped with the hip & shoulders & after an endoscopy showing polyps & severe inflammation I still take nexium. In august I started having severe hives & then angioedema. I own my own business & after realizing that this was not a reaction to an antibiotic I was taking I attributed it to stress until I had a few episodes of my face & tongue swelling (I went to see an allergist). I had already started seeing a thyroid & hormone specialist who did thyroid tests & found I needed t3 so was switched from levo to armour 60 about a month after hives etc & about 2 months before allergist.. I didn't relay my other symptoms to thyroid Dr as didn't think they related to thyroid (ugh). Now back to allergist..he knew right away that it was the hashimotos. He put me on a 12 day run of high dose predisone & allegra in am & zyrtec at pm to calm down the hives & angioedema, He called the Dr. treating the thyroid & filled her in. My reg, Dr. had always just checked the TSH & the new Dr. has been doing the other tests needed to treat the hashi & she listens to my symptoms. my initial labs were:

TSH .406 (0.450-4.500)

FT4 1.54 (0.82-1.77)

FT3 2.8 (2.0-4.4)

I was switched from 100 levo to 60 armour

after 8 wks

TSH 4.58 (same as above)

FT4 0.68

FT3 3.8

TPO anti 56 (0-34)

I was put back on 75 levo & 13.5 cytomel (compounded)

I was feeling better on armour but knew I still not there as the fatigue was still overwhelming, but did have more morning energy(also, lost around 10lbs during all this) I missed one dose of allerga & had episode of lip swelling. So allergist said to stay on both antihistamines for next 3 months (my next appt with him)

I've only been on levo & cytomel for just a wk & initially felt worst but last couple of days am feeling better.

Just wanted some opinions on my dosing &, labs & symptoms?? thank you! (sorry for length of post)


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Could I ask why you switched back to levo after only being on Armour for 8 weeks (instead of raising the Armour)?


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## sweb (Nov 23, 2014)

My Dr. said it looked like I needed T4 added back.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Liothyronine (T3)
is almost totally absorbed, 95 percent in 4 hours.
http://www.frx.com/pi/armourthyroid_pi.pdf
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Did you take your Armour before your last blood draw? There is also a lag time between the Free T3 and the TSH.

It's a shame you did not have a chance on the Armour. 60 mgs. (one grain) is a low dose. For example, I am stabilized on 3 1/2 grains and have been for years. I am 71, female.

Welcome to the board.

You might want to read the above! Let us know what you think!


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## sweb (Nov 23, 2014)

No I did not take the armour before...I've read on here that its best wait until after the lab draw. I was somewhat disappointed when I picked up my meds & saw I had been switched off armour. I feel good about this Dr. she left Internal med practice to specialize in hormones including thyroid. I don't have new labs for 8 wks. This has been a hard yr. the worst was 4 months of hives & angioedema..I'm talking my hives had hives along with huge saucer size whelps all over including feet & hands, it got scary when face & tongue begin to swell. Allergist wants to see my meds taken way up to suppress the thyroid but he admitted that the thyroid Drs arent as aggressive. He seems to know a lot about Hashis. I just hope I continue to improve however slowly.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

TSI
Normally, there is no TSI in the blood. If TSI is found in the blood, this indicates that the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin is the cause of the of a person's hyperthyroidism.
http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid-antibodies/tab/test
(Copy and paste into your browser)

macroglossia...........

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3169868/

That being the case, it would be good to have a TSI test or have the FREE T3 re-run. Something is not right w/those numbers.

Macroglossia is "usually" a sign hyperthyroid but symptoms can and do cross over.

Info above.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Armour has T4, 38 mcgs. per grain and it is normal for the FT4 to be lowish when taking exogenous T3.

Armour has 9 mcgs. of T3 per grain.

I am thinking you need a better doctor here. And as I said, "There is a lag time w/ the TSH conforming to the body receiving thyroid meds.


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## sweb (Nov 23, 2014)

Andros, thank you for the info! Let me clear something up..the tongue swelling is the typical angioendema, the left side of lower (sometimes upper also) lip & face would in a matter of seconds swell, The last of 3 times this happened the left side of my tongue also swelled it feels like you have been shot up with novocaine (very strange looking). I knew this was angioedema right away. This is usually a sign of ace inhibitors allergic reaction. However,the allergist said that when this occurs along with hives together then it is almost always Hashimotos. I'm a retired R.N. but my specialty was critical care so this is outside of my knowledge, Even though I was diagnosed in my late 30's I just accepted that I would take a pill & be good to go. I've lead a very busy life also raising 4 children so my go to reaction to most of my symptoms up until recently was "I'm just exhausted or stressed" due to my lifestyle.I actually didn't see a Dr. but once a yr probably up until the last 2 yrs. I'm trying to now educate myself, so thank you for the links! I'm not due to see Dr. again until Jan.but hope to be more informed. I will let you know how things go.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

You are most welcome and we all certainly hope to hear from you soon. We have a great group here and you can only enhance that!

Hugs,


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