# Update; Had to drop my doctor. Now considering self medicating. Thoughts?



## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

Update 3: So I went to the consultation, and it wasn't the answer I was hoping for. For starters, the clinic is really expensive. I would have to sign up for a year long program, and it's $2338. The woman there was so kind, and said that they usually treat people for a whole host of hormone issues, and it's usually people that are older than I am. She said she didn't feel comfortable taking my money for just thyroid treatment. She wanted me to try other doctors, even out of network (which, after doing the math, ends up being just as expensive, or at least really close). I called her back after learning this, and it basically boils down to: she won't treat me if I'm pregnant, so my options are:

1.) Put off having a baby for a year and try to scrounge together the $2338 for treatment. And there may be other costs than just that, not sure.

2.) Try another in network doctor, at a different location.

3.) Try an out of network doctor, with or without a second insurance that will cover it. (Insurance just for this ends up costing way more than the $2k, so that's out. No insurance costs about the same as the clinic once everything is said and done.)

4.) Forgo treatment and have a baby, try the clinic after having a baby.

So without many other options, I've chosen option 2. I have two shots from here. First, I have an appointment with an ENT on the 20th. Maybe he'll be able to help. Secondly, I have an appointment with a new PCP. Don't have a lot of hope for either of these, but these are my only options without paying a fortune we can't afford.

I'm not going to have a baby without medication. Everything in me is telling me that it's a bad idea, and all of my research is too. Wish I could get an appointment sooner than March 31st, but it's like every single doctor in town is booked out like crazy.

Wish I had a better shot. Wish I could get a straight answer from someone who actually knows what they're talking about as to whether I can try to conceive right now safely (pretty sure I can't). And absolutely wish I didn't have to feel this way for another 2-3 months at least. Really disheartened right now.

Update 2: This happened SO FAST. In my last thread, my3gr8grls recommended looking up naturopathic or functional medicine doctors in town, and Pamzilla13 recommended calling a Compounding Pharmacy. I called and in a matter of minutes was directed to a new place. Called them and heard some sweet, sweet words of magic: "Our range is 0.4-4.5, but we focus on the whole picture, and on the OPTIMAL levels." I had a long talk with the woman and she was so sweet and amazing and I'm sitting here crying because they prescribe only natural medicines, were kind enough to waive the consultation fee, have a good reputation, and the lab costs won't be too bad. All that's left to worry about is the cost of medicine. But still, I am absolutely floored at how perfectly this worked out. If I hadn't posted here, I never would have gotten even this far. I have some hope again and it feels incredible. Thank you all so, so much!!

Hey guys. I met with my doctor again today and I am seriously floored by how terrible she is. I could rant and rave about what happened but I'll spare most of the details. Long story short, I had the misfortune of catching yet another cold, so I was once again wheezy for this appointment. This was apparently HORRIBLE news to her, and now she thinks I have allergies (I don't), asthma (I don't), and depression (she's causing it, and it's nothing major). She prescribed a steroid inhaler, a nose spray, a chest x-ray, and a dietician. She refused to listen to anything I had to say, including about how I have a family member with all the same symptoms, very active, that's also exhausted now and gaining weight, or how her 1100 calorie diet did nothing for me, or how I used to be able to exercise really well and now I can't. She says that me wheezing when sick is abnormal because she doesn't wheeze when she's sick, so it must be asthma and allergies.

When she tried to lean me towards getting my depression treated, I got angry, and said "Why is it that you'll throw me on an anti-depressant when I'm telling you I'm not depressed, just in case, but you won't test me on a low dose of NDT when I'm telling you my TSH is too high?" And I got the typical, "Those symptoms can be caused by many other things."

Mentioned that I want to have a baby - she didn't care. Mentioned that many doctors believe even a 2.X TSH is too high, and she didn't care.

So I took none of her prescriptions and I dropped her today. I'm so frustrated I can't stand it. All they care about is the labs. She came in so smug and mean, saying, "You saw a professional endo, they said you're not hypo, and I agree." When she hasn't even tested my T3.

She refused to do any of the other tests I requested either, like the T3/Reverse T3/Free T3, Ferritin, B-12, D, and so on. I had questions to ask her and she never even gave me a chance.

So now I'm here looking for some help. I found this (edited out) - does anyone have any experience with this? I'll be doing my own research, too, but I'm wondering if, one, it'll help, and two, if it's safe to take while pregnant and while taking a prenatal vitamin.

Secondly, would it be possible, and would it help, for me to start myself on a low dose of T3 like I wanted the doctor to do for me? How would I go about doing this? How unsafe is it? Can I do it while trying to conceive, while pregnant, and while on that thyroid support supplement I listed above?

Pretty sure I'm just stuck without a doctor for right now, until insurance laws change and I can get a different provider. I don't trust any of the doctors in my network and can't afford to go out of network right now, though I do have the appointment with an ENT coming up. I just don't think they'll take this any more seriously than the gyno, PCP, or endo did. Even then, there are no doctors in my city on the recommended doctor's list, so I really don't know what to do.

I'm desperate to feel better, to not be so weak, and to definitely not be so dry. My nose is in scabby agony. I touch my forehead and dry skin snows down in front of my eyes. My eyes are dry and sore. And now I feel like I'm not going to be able to have kids, or I'll have a miscarriage, or I'll be too tired to be a good mother.

Any advice would be much appreciated. I'm going to be calling around to see what my options are.


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## Pamzilla13 (Sep 9, 2013)

Do you have any labs with ranges to share? Sounds like you need to find another doctor. I understand how frustrating it is ...what you are going through. Don't give up!


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## ssMarilyn (Nov 15, 2013)

*After years of similar MDs.. I found my current MD here and he let me try Armour, which gave me my life back, plus he listens and even thanked me for all the research I did. Most MDs get upset when we educate ourselves. Here is the link of GOOD thyroid docs listed by state - Scroll down to find the states -* http://www.thyroid-info.com/topdrs/


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I wouldn't suggest over the counter thyroid "support" medications. The one you posted about it really loaded with iodine and very few people are actually iodine deficient.


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## ssMarilyn (Nov 15, 2013)

*This is an older article, but there is a lot of research out there that shows many of us are iodine deficient and not aware. http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2011/10/the-silent-epidemic-of-iodine-deficiency/page-01 Also, iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of breast cancer - http://jeffreydachmd.com/iodine-treats-breast-cancer/*

*There are also some really good books written by some very wise MDs on iodine deficiency.*


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

Pamzilla13 said:


> Do you have any labs with ranges to share? Sounds like you need to find another doctor. I understand how frustrating it is ...what you are going through. Don't give up!


Here are all of my results:

Insulin: 10.0 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Antithyroid Peroxidase Antibody: <5 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Glucose: 97 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Urea Nitrogen, Blood: 13 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Creatinine: 0.67 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Un/Crea Ratio: 19 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Sodium Level: 141 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Potassium Level: 4.0 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Chloride: 101 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

CO2: 22 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Anion Gap: 18 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Total Calcium: 9.6 (no range given, but listed as abnormal [in red], but PCP has never brought this up and I received no phone call)

Aspartate Aminotransferase: 13 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Alkaline Phosphatase: 112 (no range given, but listed as abnormal [in red], but PCP has never brought this up and I received no phone call)

Total Bilirubin: 0.4 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Total Protein: 7.9 (Reference range is as much as 0.5 g/dL higher in ambulatory patients.)

Albumin: 4.1 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

eGFR: >60 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

eGFR if Afr/am: >60 (Chronic Kidney Disease is considered if eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 sq meters Kidney failure is considered if eGFR is <15 mL/min/1.73 sq meters. )

HCG, total Beta: <1 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Free T4: 1.3 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Testosterone Total: 38 (Reference range: 2-45)

Testosterone Free: 3.8 (Reference range: 0.2-5.0)

Testosterone Bioavailable: 7.7 (Reference range: 0.5-8.5)

Sex Hormone Bind Globulin: 40 (Reference range: 17-124)

Albumin: 4.4 (Reference range: 3.6-5.1)

TSH: 3.41 (their range is 0.3 - 3.0) [As of 12/15: 2.14]

Follicle Stimulating Hormone: 8.3 ( *Follicular*: 3.5 - 12.5 mIU/mL *Midcycle*: 4.7 - 21.5 mIU/mL *Luteal*: 1.7 - 7.7 mIU/mL *Postmenopause*: 25.8 - 134.8 mIU/mL *Pregnancy*: low to undetectable)

Prolactin: 17.7 (no range given, but not listed as abnormal)

Estradiol: 70 pg/ml (** Follicular Phase*: 0-160 pg/mL **Follicular Phase*, d 2-3: 0-84 pg/mL *Periovulatory* +/-3d: 34-400 pg/mL *Luteal Phase*: 27-246 pg/mL *Untreated Postmenopausal*: 0-30pg/mL *Oral Contraceptives*: 0-102 pg/mL )



ssMarilyn said:


> *After years of similar MDs.. I found my current MD here and he let me try Armour, which gave me my life back, plus he listens and even thanked me for all the research I did. Most MDs get upset when we educate ourselves. Here is the link of GOOD thyroid docs listed by state - Scroll down to find the states -* http://www.thyroid-info.com/topdrs/


I'm glad you were able to find a good, helpful doc! Mine accused me of Googling a list of symptoms for hypo. Like I was lying about how awful I felt.

Thank you for the link. I tried that list and have actually scheduled an appointment with one of the clinics listed on there. I was hesitant before, because it's out of network and expensive. But I don't have a whole lot of choice anymore.



joplin1975 said:


> I wouldn't suggest over the counter thyroid "support" medications. The one you posted about it really loaded with iodine and very few people are actually iodine deficient.


Thank you for the information. I'll double check with the new person I'm going to see since she'll be testing my iodine and we'll go from there, but I won't get any without some guidance.



ssMarilyn said:


> *This is an older article, but there is a lot of research out there that shows many of us are iodine deficient and not aware. http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2011/10/the-silent-epidemic-of-iodine-deficiency/page-01 Also, iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of breast cancer - http://jeffreydachmd.com/iodine-treats-breast-cancer/*
> 
> *There are also some really good books written by some very wise MDs on iodine deficiency.*


Thanks for this!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> Free T4: 1.3


My FT-4 ranges are (.82-1.77) and (.69-1.76) and this has been for the last 8 years so based on that - your result would be falling at mid range.



> TSH: 3.41 (their range is 0.3 - 3.0) [As of 12/15: 2.14]


TSH does move around quite alot but last result is completely unacceptable.

Would you consider ordering private labs? Just to see what your levels are? You can get FT-4 and FT-3 for around $60 and if you want TSH $80 for all 3.


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

Lovlkn said:


> My FT-4 ranges are (.82-1.77) and (.69-1.76) and this has been for the last 8 years so based on that - your result would be falling at mid range.
> 
> TSH does move around quite alot but last result is completely unacceptable.
> 
> Would you consider ordering private labs? Just to see what your levels are? You can get FT-4 and FT-3 for around $60 and if you want TSH $80 for all 3.


Is mid range bad, or okay?

By last result, do you mean the 2.14 or the 3.41? 2.14 was most recently, and it made me terrified I'd have even less chances of being treated. Which is exactly what happened with my PCP.

I would, but I think my main issue is finding someone that will even care about those labs. Saw a naturopathist/hormone expert today and she was fantastic. She right off the bat suspected I was hypo based on my symptoms, was disgusted when I told her about my PCP refusing to test T3 and absolutely wants me to have my T3 and multiple vitamins tested, as others suggestewd in my last thread. The problem is that she can't treat me while I'm pregnant, and we're planning on trying in March, but I strongly, strongly believe I need to be on medication while pregnant to prevent chances of miscarriage, still birth, and development defects. So she's not an option for now.

She recommended me to a doctor out of my insurance network, so that's the hurdle I'm dealing with now. Trying to find a way to afford treatment for this. The naturopathist was also very expensive, and said she didn't want to take my money for such an expensive treatment plan when all I need is thyroid help, but that there would be no other option through her.S

So for right now I'm kind of stuck. I have two more places in network I can call, and then if not that, I'll have to try to pick up a second insurance just for my thyroid issues. :/


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> By last result, do you mean the 2.14 or the 3.41? 2.14 was most recently, and it made me terrified I'd have even less chances of being treated. Which is exactly what happened with my PCP.
> 
> I would, but I think my main issue is finding someone that will even care about those labs. Saw a naturopathist/hormone expert today and she was fantastic. She right off the bat suspected I was hypo based on my symptoms, was disgusted when I told her about my PCP refusing to test T3 and absolutely wants me to have my T3 and multiple vitamins tested, as others suggestewd in my last thread. The problem is that she can't treat me while I'm pregnant, and we're planning on trying in March, but I strongly, strongly believe I need to be on medication while pregnant to prevent chances of miscarriage, still birth, and development defects. So she's not an option for now.


TSH closer to 1

FT-4 and FT-3 somewhere between 1/2 - 3//4 of range.

Since you are having such a hard time getting a PCP to prescribe, I highly suggest you start med's if this naturopath is offering replacement hormone. Once you are on medication - many PCP will renew prescriptions you show up to their office on.

If you are attempting pregnancy - being hypo could make conception and even carrying the child more difficult. Your issue needs to be addressed prior to attempting pregnancy.

I speak from experience on dosing - worked with 3 PCP's post surgery for 5 years, fired 3 endo's post TT surgery ( because they only cared about TSH) before I dialed in my dose to where I am today and have been for approx 7 years. I was close to my current dose for several years but just did not feel "right". I moved alot slower than most do knowing how frequent thyroid hormone changes can affect a person, questioned my doctors constantly and at one time had 2 doctors writing prescriptions and running lab's. I refused to not feel as good as I felt I should and kept trying different combinations until I did.


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

Lovlkn said:


> TSH closer to 1
> 
> FT-4 and FT-3 somewhere between 1/2 - 3//4 of range.
> 
> ...


Thanks for responding.

See, that's my whole problem here. We were going to start trying in March, but everything in me is telling me that I should be on medication first. Which would be fine if I could just get some. The clinic that would actually treat me can't treat me if I'm pregnant. So she wants me on the program for a year (you have to be on it for a year, or nothing), which is $2338 + lab tests I think. So that means I can't have a baby for another year, and at that point, I'll have to hope and pray that one of the PCPs in my network will continue the prescription. After the experiences I've had with my own PCP, I'm not so sure that they would do it so easily.

I've been studying pregnancy and hypo a lot lately, and the miscarriage factor alone is offputting, but then there's also the developmental disabilities and potential for stillbirth. If I got pregnant now it could be really, really bad, and it would be entirely my fault for not being more patient. However, the thought of having to wait another year when I'm already 28 and want several kids also doesn't work well. I feel like I'm closed into this tiny box of time where things need to happen perfectly in order for things to work out. If that makes sense.

I'm really frustrated. I just got an appointment for March 30th seeing a new PCP in network to start this whole process all over again, and that already puts me over a month of when I initially wanted to start trying. I can't find anywhere that can get me in sooner, in or out of network, except for the clinic that I could go to if not trying for a baby.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

If you can afford the cost. Being medicated for an entire year should be enough for a PCP to continue the prescription.

I think 3-6 months would probably do it.

Have you spoken with an OBGYN about it yet? Being hypo.


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

I'd be willing to try to deal with the cost, it's just the inability to have a baby while in that program, and the uncertainty of whether or not one of the doctors in my network would continue the medicine when the program is over.

I first went to an OBGYN because I thought it was something reproductive, possibly. First went to Planned Parenthood, they suspected hypo possibly but did no tests, referred me to an in-network OBGYN. She first suspected pregnancy, then hypo and/or PCOS. After my TSH came back 3.41, she dropped hypo and switched to PCOS and stuck with it even when my U/S was normal.

When I called to schedule an appointment at a different clinic in network yesterday, I asked if an OBGYN would be better than Internal Medicine for getting a prescription, and was told no, they couldn't.


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## BurntMarshmallow (Feb 26, 2016)

So many doctors use TSH as the gold standard to assess your thyroid, but many things can cause TSH to be low even though you are very hypothyroid. I've done a ton of research on it, and here's the list so far:

1) Chemicals in tea - black, green and white tea - skip the tea

2) Fluoride - it's in the water and is used in pesticides. Avoid grapes and grape juice.

3) Low zinc levels - you need zinc to make TSH. Low zinc = low TSH

4) Low b6 - you can't make TSH without B6

My TSH went from 2.9 to 9.5 in a matter of weeks. It happened when I gave up tea, and then took a trip to New Orleans where I ate oysters every day, a food higher in zinc than any other food. Immediately after that trip I felt a change. In fact, I wish I'd been tested right after that trip, I bet my TSH was even higher. By the time I got tested with the 9.5 TSH, I was beginning to feel much better because my body was finally giving my thyroid the right messages.

(FYI - too much zinc can eventually lead to low copper - so make sure to get copper with zinc, if you decide to supplement)

Vitamin A is another one to consider. Retinyl palmitate, not beta-carotene. Beef liver is very high in vitamin A and eating some gave me a huge boost to my thyroid. Also, pregnancy uses up a lot of vitamin A, and to compound things, you can't take vitamin A while pregnant. So it's a good idea to supplement now, before you get pregnant.


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

BurntMarshmallow said:


> So many doctors use TSH as the gold standard to assess your thyroid, but many things can cause TSH to be low even though you are very hypothyroid. I've done a ton of research on it, and here's the list so far:
> 
> 1) Chemicals in tea - black, green and white tea - skip the tea
> 
> ...


Thank you for responding!

Huh. I'm confused now. I just read the other day that Vitamin A is important when pregnant, and you need something like 4,000 UI of the stuff, and at least 2,000 UI should come from beta-carotene. I just started a prenatal vitamin and it has 4,000 UI Vit A, 50% as beta-carotene. Even though she was extremely rude and dismissive, when my doctor addressed my question about which prenatal to take, she said any of them are fine. I made sure to research but never saw anything about beta-carotene.


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## BurntMarshmallow (Feb 26, 2016)

aerixia said:


> Thank you for responding!
> 
> Huh. I'm confused now. I just read the other day that Vitamin A is important when pregnant, and you need something like 4,000 UI of the stuff, and at least 2,000 UI should come from beta-carotene. I just started a prenatal vitamin and it has 4,000 UI Vit A, 50% as beta-carotene. Even though she was extremely rude and dismissive, when my doctor addressed my question about which prenatal to take, she said any of them are fine. I made sure to research but never saw anything about beta-carotene.


Yes, sorry, you're right. I just threw in that last part about vitamin A without much detail.

So one thing about beta-carotene - this is a precursor to vitamin A. It's not vitamin A. Your body has to convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is one reason taking beta-carotene is very safe. Converting beta-carotene to vitamin A is a process that is impaired during hypothyroidism, which is why a lot of hypothyroid people have a yellow tint to their skin - it's all the beta-carotene their bodies can't use and it is deposited in the skin. When you are hypothyroid for a while, vitamin A stores can become depleted because you can't use beta-carotene from the diet.

Retinyl palmitate is the form of vitamin A the body can use directly. Small amounts of retinal palmitate are okay during pregnancy - like less than 5,000 IU, but the doses you'd need to help your thyroid are too high to take during pregnancy. The amount in the prenatal vitamins is going to be low enough to be safe. But also too low to improve your vitamin A stores.

Check out this study:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23378454

It's a study done in 2012 on subclinical hypothyroidism, where women had normal TSH but had hypothyroid symptoms. They were given 25,000 IU of vitamin A every day for four months, and their TSH, T4 and T3 improved as did their symptoms.

So I started researching vitamin A and found that it's very common to be low after pregnancy because the baby uses a lot of it, and prenatal vitamins won't help because they can't have very much vitamin A in them.

I thought if you want to try taking 25,000 IU of vitamin A for a while to see if it helps you, then it would be good to do it now. It's a good idea to build up your stores anyway, before you get pregnant.

Also, zinc is required to make the protein that carries vitamin A in the body, so taking zinc along with vitamin A is important.

Hope that helps


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

Wow, that's really fascinating. Thank you! I'll definitely look into this more and bring it up with my doctor, too. It's a shot in the dark, but it's something, haha.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Bringing studies up with my doctor always seems like a wonderful idea - then the doc completely plays a defensive move and discounts any info I present.

Be prepared - bring copies of what you are talking about - be prepared to hear the Dr. Google comment- be strong and keep asking for what you want!!


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

Lovlkn said:


> Bringing studies up with my doctor always seems like a wonderful idea - then the doc completely plays a defensive move and discounts any info I present.
> 
> Be prepared - bring copies of what you are talking about - be prepared to hear the Dr. Google comment- be strong and keep asking for what you want!!


Oh yeah, this has already happened to me just when I was listing my symptoms. I'll be going in totally prepared.


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

I don't want to start yet another new thread, but hopefully someone will see this update.

Over the past week my heart has been increasingly racing. Started with just when I did something slightly exerting, then it happened when I stood, and as of today it decided to do it whenever. I was also having trouble feeling like I was getting enough air. Had to keep taking big, deep, slow breaths and they still didn't satisfy me. And my left arm was feeling numb/tense/sore. My anxiety has also been up. Not as a result of not being diagnosed or stressed, but for no reason at all. It just washes over me suddenly. I've had anxiety issues all my life and I'm used to 'triggers'. This time there are none.

So I panicked and went to the ER, just because everything felt wrong. It felt like I was on Speed. My appetite has diminished a good amount, and I'm back to being insomniac.

So at the ER, they asked my symptoms and immediately said I sounded hyperthyroid. When I talked to the doctor, he agreed, and when I told him my other symptoms, he said that definitely sounds hypo. He sent his boss in to talk with me, who said it could be several things. It could be hypo, it could be Cushing's, and it could a pituitary tumor. He didn't mention Hashi's. His boss also said that if my TSH is normal, my T3 has to be normal, so there's no sense in testing that. So they checked only my TSH, which came back as 2.80. I don't have ranges yet but I believe it's .4 - 4.0. My doctor also felt my lymph nodes and thyroid and said he felt nothing abnormal, but I know my right lymph node has been swollen for years so I'm going to follow through with my ENT appt. tomorrow, because I may as well.

So my sweetheart doctor who apologized profusely for my ex-PCP and all doctors like her being so hung up on the numbers, said that they can't do much in the ER about testing, but he could at least test my electrolytes and TSH, and we'd go from there. He gave me a note to hand to my new PCP I'll be seeing March 31st (if I can't get it moved sooner), suggesting they follow up on my symptoms and order more testing. Unfortunately, he wasn't specific about what tests.

But what I'd like to know is this: I feel like I'm swinging hyper (or maybe really hypo, but without the extreme fatigue?). If this is the case, why is my TSH still normal? I know my TSH could be normal and my antibodies could be out of whack, but my TPOAb was tested in Oct. and deemed normal. I have no range for this, but the result was >5, I think, and I believe they said anything under 5 is normal, or something along those lines. So if it's not my TPOAb, where does this leave me? My results are all pointing to me not being hypo or hyper so far, despite having literally almost every single symptom, as well as the swinging between hypo and hyper indicating a possibility of Hashi's.

I really don't think I have Cushing's. And I don't know what to say about the possibility of a pituitary tumor. Would rather not think about that.

If my results are all going to come back as normal, how do I stand any chance of getting treated for this? I'm still going to push to have all of my vitamin levels checked and the doctor encouraged that as well. But again, I'm at a brick wall.

There's so many hurdles to deal with. I have to get all of the proper tests done. Come to some kind of a conclusion as to what's wrong with me. Get put on the proper medicine (I want Armour, so that's going to be a huge challenge, I just know it). Then I'm going to have to wait until everything is fixed. And THEN I can finally start trying for a baby.

At this point, it feels like I definitely won't be having one this year, and that is absolutely killing me right now. We've been working on the nursery and everything, in hopes everything could move faster. I even had to sadly turn down my husband's offer to try (!!!!) for the first time, and that's still breaking my heart. I just don't know what to do. I'm sick of these huge gaps between appts. where my only choice is to wait and keep getting worse. My entire life is at a stand still until they get this figured out. And I'm not getting any younger.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

You should ask them to test TSI. Your antibodies can change drastically from day to day. Especially if you have TSI.


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

Okay, I'll do that for sure.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Agreed! TSI can really skew everything (speaking from experience, too); I think of it as the one antibody that's the hardest to control.


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

Well, I went the the ENT yesterday and much to my amazement, he ordered all of the tests with no argument. I double and triple checked that it would cover everything. He said they couldn't order TSI but everything else, like T3, RT3, TPO and TGAB and so on would be tested.

So I went to get my blood drawn today, and what were they testing? TSH, T4, T3, and TPO. Not even half of a full thyroid panel even though he said that's what it was.

I'm glad to at least be getting a T3 test, but good lord. I am so sick of this.

Has anyone used healthonelabs to get their own tests done?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> Has anyone used healthonelabs to get their own tests done?


Yes and HealthcheckUSA . They use the same lab's your doctors office does many times. The blood draw is often at a Labcorp or Quest office.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I use Health Check USA all the time. I can pick what tests I want without having to argue with a doctor and it's actually cheaper since my insurance stinks.


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

Thanks guys. I'm waiting for the few bloodtests they ordered and if those don't tell anything I'm going to order a REAL full panel and go from there.


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## aerixia (Jan 10, 2017)

New update. My results have come back and I'm confused all over again.

On the 19th, My TSH was 2.82. Two days later on the 21st, my TSH was 1.54. It hasn't been that low since all of this started, not once. The range is .4 - 4.2.

FT4: 1.2 (0.8 - 1.7)

TPOaB: >5 (0-5 range)

T3: 122 (87 - 187 range)

The nurse told me everything was normal.

Decided to go ahead and order labs, and will have results in a few days.


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