# Please help-hypo



## lemurgirl13 (Mar 16, 2011)

Hello, my name is Diane. I am hypo, I was diagnosed with sub-clinical about 6 years due to a slightly elevated TSH but decided not to do anything about it at the time. Two years later I was pregnant and was retested and my tsh was elevated so since then I have been on levothyroxine since. I have been pregnant 2 more times since then, this last pregnancy was the toughest on me and I blame that partially on my thyroid because I needed my dosage increased twice during it.

During this pregnancy I started noticing symptoms of hypo which I never really did before, such as indigestion, being abnormally cold, and dry cracking skin on my hands. At the end of the pregnancy I was on 100 mcg, about a month postpartum I thought I was hypo again because my hands were getting dry and I did not feel well but it turned out I was hyper from too much levothroxine instead and put me on 88 mcg. Three months later I was tested again and they said it was still too high and put me on 75 mcg. Since the reduction I really don't feel well, when I was on the 88 mcg I was actually hungry 3 times a day and generally felt well. Now I have heartburn and feel like a brick is in my stomach every time I eat, and don't get hungry for like at least 12 hours after a meal. My skin also keeps going from dry and cracked to normal then back to dry (and I don't think it is environmental factors.

So anyway I went to my dr. about this (1 1/2 months after my last dosage adjustment), he tested my tsh and did some other tests like vitamin D and cbc, ect. He said everything was normal and my tsh was in range this time at, he said I might be having gastro issues (I had surgury for GERD 10 years ago) or since I started feeling this was since my last dosage change said it still might be related to my thyroid and referred me to an endo. I made an appointment but it is a month a way and I was just wondering if anyone had similar experience to this. I am also tired even when I get 8 hours of sleep and have discomfort in the front center of my neck.

I asked him once if I had Hashi's (if anyone had done the antibody test on me), he said it did not matter because treatment was the same. He also said tsh was the best indicator of thyroid function when I asked if my T3 and T4 were in range.

So my questions are does anyone have experience like this were the tsh was in range but felt worse then when it was too low (hyper from meds). I might think my stomach problems were all in my head ( or GERD related) if it hadn't of started about 2 weeks after my dosage switch and if my skin was not changing which it is (it will get so bad it will crack and bleed then get better again, then get worse again). I am nursing currently nursing which my dr. says can effect the thryroid. This last visit he also switched me to brand name synthroid saying that it was more consist and I could be overly sensitive to slight fluctuations of generic inconsistencies to see if that helped me.

Does anyone have any advise or experience like this? What kinds of questions should I ask the endo when I finally get a chance to see him? Thank you for reading this, I know it was a bit long.


----------



## eorhythm (Jan 3, 2011)

Lemurgirl.  I have to ask, why "lemur"? I love lemurs, so maybe there's a connection to bad thyroids, hahah!

I've had GERD symptoms on and off my whole life, as well as other digestive issues (lack of appetite, vague nausea, IBS). I've had thyroid symptoms off and on my whole life. Did you know according to research, an estimate 10-15% of women suffer from some kind of hypothyroidism? "Women issues," indeed!

I just posted about abdominal pain, my thread is just below yours if you want to check it out. I do think there has to be some correlation because the thyroid affects everything, _especially_ the digestive tract.

You need your T4 and T3 checked. Any doctor who tells you otherwise is wrong. My endo checked my antibodies, T1-4, TSH and everything under the sun, when I was first diagnosed. My GP just recently checked my T3 and T4, and she's not even technically a doctor! These are essential to your health.

Also, I find that levothyroxine left me feeling incomplete with my thyroid management, and a lot of people do. I'm on Armour dessicated pig thyroid now, and feeling a lot more complete. Pig thyroid, while it sounds disgusting, is a total replacement of all the thyroid hormones you need. Prior to that, my T4 was too high and my T3 was too low. I wouldn't recommend levothyroxine to everyone, but it works for some.

I say demand that your antibodies and T3/T4 be checked, you deserve to know.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

lemurgirl13 said:


> Hello, my name is Diane. I am hypo, I was diagnosed with sub-clinical about 6 years due to a slightly elevated TSH but decided not to do anything about it at the time. Two years later I was pregnant and was retested and my tsh was elevated so since then I have been on levothyroxine since. I have been pregnant 2 more times since then, this last pregnancy was the toughest on me and I blame that partially on my thyroid because I needed my dosage increased twice during it.
> 
> During this pregnancy I started noticing symptoms of hypo which I never really did before, such as indigestion, being abnormally cold, and dry cracking skin on my hands. At the end of the pregnancy I was on 100 mcg, about a month postpartum I thought I was hypo again because my hands were getting dry and I did not feel well but it turned out I was hyper from too much levothroxine instead and put me on 88 mcg. Three months later I was tested again and they said it was still too high and put me on 75 mcg. Since the reduction I really don't feel well, when I was on the 88 mcg I was actually hungry 3 times a day and generally felt well. Now I have heartburn and feel like a brick is in my stomach every time I eat, and don't get hungry for like at least 12 hours after a meal. My skin also keeps going from dry and cracked to normal then back to dry (and I don't think it is environmental factors.
> 
> ...


Hi Diane and welcome. I am sorry for your troubles. Not feeling good and keeping up w/your little ones is quite challenging under the best of circumstances.

Right out of the gate, I would like to comment that a doctor that treats by TSH alone is not up to snuff and the patient suffers horribly because of this.

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

Please read the above and understand "why" you need FREE T3 and FREE T4.

Also, your doc should have run antibodies' tests and also RAIU or at the very least a sonogram to make sure you don't have cancer of the thyroid.

Below are recommended tests.

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/

And, where is your TSH at? By the way, when you post your lab results (just for future info), we do need the ranges also as different labs use different ranges.


----------



## lemurgirl13 (Mar 16, 2011)

Thank you for your responses. To answer your question eorythem about my screen name, in college my major was anthropology, I loved primate evolution and always had a love for lemurs (I have a tattoo of one on my right thigh.

So I made an appointment with the endo my doctor recommended but it is a month a way, fortunately I have good insurance so I can look around for another doctor to see if I can find a good one that can get me in sooner. In the mean time the current doctor gave me Nexium to help with my stomach issues. It has not improved it at all. I just start feeling awful about an hour after I eat. He also switched me to brand name synthroid and since then I have noticed the skin on my hands is better (looks normal now).

I picked up my lab results from him so I can look over them too. The only things I could find out of the ordinary are my MCH is slightly elavated at 33.8 (range is 32-36). Also my vitamin D seems to be on the low side at 33 (range is 30-100) briefly searching on that it seems low and there is a coralation with hypothyroidism?

Anyway here are my last two thyroid results, looks like he is only doing TSH and free T4. When I was on .88 mcg. (and felt good) it was
TSH .09 (.4-5)
Free t4 1.5 (0.8-1.8)

Current taken on 3/14 on .75mcg 
TSh 1.14 (.4-5)
free t4 1.5 (0.8-1.8)

So if anyone has anymore insight for my I would appreciate it, I just hate knowing that I will have to feel like this for a month with now answers or help while I wait for the endo appt. Thank you so much.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

lemurgirl13 said:


> Thank you for your responses. To answer your question eorythem about my screen name, in college my major was anthropology, I loved primate evolution and always had a love for lemurs (I have a tattoo of one on my right thigh.
> 
> So I made an appointment with the endo my doctor recommended but it is a month a way, fortunately I have good insurance so I can look around for another doctor to see if I can find a good one that can get me in sooner. In the mean time the current doctor gave me Nexium to help with my stomach issues. It has not improved it at all. I just start feeling awful about an hour after I eat. He also switched me to brand name synthroid and since then I have noticed the skin on my hands is better (looks normal now).
> 
> ...


Yeah; that TSH has to come down. That is why I recommend to all to keep labs in a folder and "mark" the ones where you feel well. So so helpful on the long haul.

When did you switch to the name brand? It takes about 8 weeks for it to fully kick in!


----------



## eorhythm (Jan 3, 2011)

lemurgirl13 said:


> Thank you for your responses. To answer your question eorythem about my screen name, in college my major was anthropology, I loved primate evolution and always had a love for lemurs (I have a tattoo of one on my right thigh.


This is SO COOL.  I was going for anthropology, too, and I just adore the sifakas. Lemurs are just too awesome, and underrated.



> In the mean time the current doctor gave me Nexium to help with my stomach issues. It has not improved it at all. I just start feeling awful about an hour after I eat. He also switched me to brand name synthroid and since then I have noticed the skin on my hands is better (looks normal now).


Oof, this sounds really familiar. Are you sure it's GERD as opposed to a gallbladder issue? I have a (so far) mild gallbladder problem that causes me some very nasty indigestion anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours after I eat. I can definitely say proton pump inhibitors and the like do very little in the face of those symptoms for me, though they can cut down on some of the burning discomfort in my duodenum where there isn't enough bile to counteract the acid. Gallbladder would make sense with hypothyroidism and pregnancy, as well.


----------



## lemurgirl13 (Mar 16, 2011)

So I finally went to see an endo today and it was absolutely no help at all. He basically said some "women, especially" seem to feel better in a slightly hyper state but he thought my symptoms are gastro related and I should pursue and that and it was just coincidence that I felt better on a higher dose. I asked about other tests and testing free T3s and he said my PCP was right antibodies don't really change the diagnoses and the best indicator of thyroid levels is THS. So basically not further testing from him, prescribed same dose and don't come back for a year.

I left crying. I don't know what to do. I don't feel it is just gastro related and I don't want to go through the horrible tests and rounds of medications when it could be a quick easy fix of tweaking my thyroid meds. I just don't understand why it is not easier for say ok try it (upping the dose a bit) and if it does not work then pursue the gastro angle.

On another note I asked for some further copies of lab results from by OB/GYN and he did test my APO ab, it was 12 (range 0-30 normal). Does that mean it is not hashi's?

I have a routine OB appt this week and I am going to talk to him, he is defiantly someone I trust. Thanks for listening.


----------



## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

You're confusing your test results. APO antibodies are not thyroid related. These have to do with cholesterol and cardiac.

You want TPO and TSI antibody tests. Thought at this stage of the game I would go see a gastroenterologist.


----------



## lemurgirl13 (Mar 16, 2011)

Sorry APO was a typo, I meant TPO. I appreciate the advice, my gut just tells me it is not a gastro issue since I felt better when I was getting more Synthroid.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

lemurgirl13 said:


> So I finally went to see an endo today and it was absolutely no help at all. He basically said some "women, especially" seem to feel better in a slightly hyper state but he thought my symptoms are gastro related and I should pursue and that and it was just coincidence that I felt better on a higher dose. I asked about other tests and testing free T3s and he said my PCP was right antibodies don't really change the diagnoses and the best indicator of thyroid levels is THS. So basically not further testing from him, prescribed same dose and don't come back for a year.
> 
> I left crying. I don't know what to do. I don't feel it is just gastro related and I don't want to go through the horrible tests and rounds of medications when it could be a quick easy fix of tweaking my thyroid meds. I just don't understand why it is not easier for say ok try it (upping the dose a bit) and if it does not work then pursue the gastro angle.
> 
> ...


I think your OB may be a huge help. I know mine always was. I am sorry for your disappointment w/ the endo. What really gets me is we have to pay them. We should not have to pay them.

You are right about "trying"; oh, so right. That is ridiculous that you cannot get your dose upped a bit.

A TSH worshipper.

You can get your FREE T3 here.

See if you have them in your area. 
http://www.healthcheckusa.com/


----------



## eorhythm (Jan 3, 2011)

Certainly no one has to make you get any tests done. If your symptoms improve with a dosage change, so be it. I dropped my Armour recently from 45 to 30, and knock on wood I'm not poopin' twice a day. But like anything, if it keeps up despite dosage change, it's worth investigation, especially considering thyroid problems can be part of a bigger autoimmune issue.


----------



## lemurgirl13 (Mar 16, 2011)

Just wanted to update and say thank you for those that replied and listened to me. I did end up taking to my OB last Wend., he agreed to up the Synthroid to the previous dose of .88 and said that might just be the level I need to be on to feel good said he did not think the increase would cause any issues, just to come back in 6 mo to him for a blood test.

I noticed the difference with in the first couple of days of taking it, I was no longer sick after I ate, it was incredible. I know people saw it can take time before you notice a difference but I always seem to feel better quickly after an adjustment. Besides feeling good digestively, I have more energy, I have my drive back to do the things that need/want to get done, my skin looks better and I feel like I look better.

I will trust my feelings/instincts on this from now on, I only wished the last month and a half had not been wasted feeling so poorly but I feel bad because I know people spend much longer then that feeling poorly with out figuring out why and how to fix it.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

lemurgirl13 said:


> Just wanted to update and say thank you for those that replied and listened to me. I did end up taking to my OB last Wend., he agreed to up the Synthroid to the previous dose of .88 and said that might just be the level I need to be on to feel good said he did not think the increase would cause any issues, just to come back in 6 mo to him for a blood test.
> 
> I noticed the difference with in the first couple of days of taking it, I was no longer sick after I ate, it was incredible. I know people saw it can take time before you notice a difference but I always seem to feel better quickly after an adjustment. Besides feeling good digestively, I have more energy, I have my drive back to do the things that need/want to get done, my skin looks better and I feel like I look better.
> 
> I will trust my feelings/instincts on this from now on, I only wished the last month and a half had not been wasted feeling so poorly but I feel bad because I know people spend much longer then that feeling poorly with out figuring out why and how to fix it.


I am so so glad to hear this and if you once again feel yourself sliding before the 6 months, do get in for labs and further titration if necessary.

This is good news so far!


----------



## lemurgirl13 (Mar 16, 2011)

Just want to share another update. I did a lot of research and kept wondering if I would feel better on porcine thyroid so I joined a local thyroid board and found a great doctor who loves treating hormones and had prescribed porcine thyroid. She is an awesome dr, she treats many by Free T3 and symptoms, and wants to keep FT3 above 3.6.

It has been about 5 weeks that I have been on it and I have to say the difference is remarkable! You never realise just how bad you feel until you feel good again. The first week or so I think I felt a bit hyper (increased appetite) but then I just felt wonderfully normal for the first time in a long time. Just wanted to share! Thanks for this board!


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

lemurgirl13 said:


> Just want to share another update. I did a lot of research and kept wondering if I would feel better on porcine thyroid so I joined a local thyroid board and found a great doctor who loves treating hormones and had prescribed porcine thyroid. She is an awesome dr, she treats many by Free T3 and symptoms, and wants to keep FT3 above 3.6.
> 
> It has been about 5 weeks that I have been on it and I have to say the difference is remarkable! You never realise just how bad you feel until you feel good again. The first week or so I think I felt a bit hyper (increased appetite) but then I just felt wonderfully normal for the first time in a long time. Just wanted to share! Thanks for this board!


I am so so happy to hear this and it is good to see you. Don't be a stranger!

So many of us do not convert very well and I personally am very grateful that we have an alternative to the standard T4 treatment which by the way works for most people.

You even "sound" different! LOL!! I can tell you feel better.


----------



## lemurgirl13 (Mar 16, 2011)

Thanks! Yeah I do feel different. I am kind of angry most modern medical practitioners for not allowing (or giving the people the option) of such a simple treatment! My brother in law is a resident paediatrician and I told him he really needs to consider porcine thyroid for paediatric patients and he replied "I don't think there is a study for that", it was just symptomatic of the way a lot of doctors seem to think. I will get off the bandwagon here.

There is one more thing I wanted to share, the first couple of times I went to see this new dr. my blood pressure was pretty high. I am pretty young, mid 30s and do a decent amount of activity and not over weight so I would not think I should have high blood pressure. I even checked it on my own a few times (thinking maybe it was just nerves from a new dr. visit) but it was a bit on the high side then too, also some symptoms I had made be think it was hight at times. This was before the switch to armour. This past week I went to get rechecked since I was starting to feel ever so slightly hypo again and my blood pressure was completely normal! I attribute it to the armour as well because I have made no other changes.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

lemurgirl13 said:


> Thanks! Yeah I do feel different. I am kind of angry most modern medical practitioners for not allowing (or giving the people the option) of such a simple treatment! My brother in law is a resident paediatrician and I told him he really needs to consider porcine thyroid for paediatric patients and he replied "I don't think there is a study for that", it was just symptomatic of the way a lot of doctors seem to think. I will get off the bandwagon here.
> 
> There is one more thing I wanted to share, the first couple of times I went to see this new dr. my blood pressure was pretty high. I am pretty young, mid 30s and do a decent amount of activity and not over weight so I would not think I should have high blood pressure. I even checked it on my own a few times (thinking maybe it was just nerves from a new dr. visit) but it was a bit on the high side then too, also some symptoms I had made be think it was hight at times. This was before the switch to armour. This past week I went to get rechecked since I was starting to feel ever so slightly hypo again and my blood pressure was completely normal! I attribute it to the armour as well because I have made no other changes.


Absolutely, GF. Your BP, your glucose and cholesterol will show steady improvements. I am so very very pleased for you; I really am!


----------



## lemurgirl13 (Mar 16, 2011)

I have been recently lurking so I thought I would share another update. Long story short, titration with armour was an up and down with me, I would feel great after a dosage adjustment then start to feel bad to my stomach again after a couple of weeks. Finally I was pretty sure I was up to the right dosage, everything else felt great and my skin looked good (if I am hypo or hyper the skin on my knuckles gets dry and cracks), but after a few days of feeling good to my stomach I started feeling bad again.

Finally I had given up and my stomach was bothering me so much with heartburn and what felt like inflammation/pain that I went to a Gastroenteritis (11 yrs prior I had a surgery for GERD so I found the same Dr.), he ordered a barium swallow and some other contrast upper GI but had no clear idea or insight of what it was other then giving me a trial of Prilosec. The next day my oldest daughter had the stomach flu, I made home made white bread rolls for her since it was bland and easy on her tummy and had gorged myself on their yumminess. I felt awful after, almost felt like my throat/esophogus was swollen, had heartburn and stomach pain. Later that night I had a meal of spicy rice noodle soup and felt a lot better then after eating the bread. I wondered if it might be the wheat/and or gluten that was troubling my stomach, it had been in the back of my mind since there were references to gluten in a lot of the thyroid literature I had been reading while trying to find answers. I thought that if it was just GERD the spicy soup would have bothered me more then the bread. This is strange but I was having unexplained rashes on my hands and noticed some weird spots on my arms that looked like some kind of hives.

I told my husband my suspicion and I think he thought I was nuts but agreed I should try going gluten free for a week and see if it helped. Slowly after about 5 days or so of being gluten free I felt completely better to my stomach so I knew it had to be it, unexplained rashes dissapeared as well. I declined celiac testing after talking to the GI and just feel like if I feel better then that is all the answers I need. There were a lot of things that have improved for the better since quitting gluten. For one thing I used to really love wine and be able to have a couple of glasses no problem, about 6 years ago for I started getting horrible hangovers no matter how much I drank. Since being gluten free I can have wine again!

I think for me some how the gluten intolerance and thyroid issues are linked but I am not quite sure how. I have read theories but I just don't think the connection is fully explained yet. I just know I feel better. Do I still think the armour helped me? Yes in so many ways and I love the Dr. I found because of it. I have been as gluten free as possible since the end of October now. I love food and am a foodie but I feel so much better I don't even think twice about ingesting gluten containing foods. I hope this might help someone still searching for answers.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

lemurgirl13 said:


> I have been recently lurking so I thought I would share another update. Long story short, titration with armour was an up and down with me, I would feel great after a dosage adjustment then start to feel bad to my stomach again after a couple of weeks. Finally I was pretty sure I was up to the right dosage, everything else felt great and my skin looked good (if I am hypo or hyper the skin on my knuckles gets dry and cracks), but after a few days of feeling good to my stomach I started feeling bad again.
> 
> Finally I had given up and my stomach was bothering me so much with heartburn and what felt like inflammation/pain that I went to a Gastroenteritis (11 yrs prior I had a surgery for GERD so I found the same Dr.), he ordered a barium swallow and some other contrast upper GI but had no clear idea or insight of what it was other then giving me a trial of Prilosec. The next day my oldest daughter had the stomach flu, I made home made white bread rolls for her since it was bland and easy on her tummy and had gorged myself on their yumminess. I felt awful after, almost felt like my throat/esophogus was swollen, had heartburn and stomach pain. Later that night I had a meal of spicy rice noodle soup and felt a lot better then after eating the bread. I wondered if it might be the wheat/and or gluten that was troubling my stomach, it had been in the back of my mind since there were references to gluten in a lot of the thyroid literature I had been reading while trying to find answers. I thought that if it was just GERD the spicy soup would have bothered me more then the bread. This is strange but I was having unexplained rashes on my hands and noticed some weird spots on my arms that looked like some kind of hives.
> 
> ...


There may or may not be a tie in to thyroid. My suspicion that "all of it" is autoimmune in nature. Many of us here have 2, 3 and even 4 different autoimmune issues.

I have been gluten-free for over 30 years. I cannot tell you how sick gluten made me but it was so insidious that you don't realize it unless you quit gluten for 30 days.

You must read all labels and get familiar with all the different names used for gluten.

Make your next project abstaining from "all" artificial sweetners. One thing at a time though. Be a good scientist.

Thank you for your wonderful post. I am positive it will turn on some light switches.


----------

