# Labs= why I can't sleep?



## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

Hi
I had my Right T taken out in April. ( only pea size of left )
Started with 125mg synthyroid and now I'm down to 100mg

I can't seem to sleep much at all. As I write this its 2 am and I'm wide awake. I maybe get 2-2 1/2 a sleep a night and I'm not tired at all the next day. I feel pretty good but my energy level gets low afternoon time 
I've also noticed that on my left side of Lowe neck between shoulder and neck it swells up everyday. I ant wear my rings as my hands swell and of course the rest of the body - weight gain.

MyDoctor has not done a ft3 yet but I will be getting that next appt in August

Any suggestions on how to get some sleep?
Also what else should I be asking my Dr

thanks ????

My labs for the last three months are as follows:
May 5, 2015
TSH 44.73. (0.35-4.94)
FT4. 0.6. (0.7-1.5)

June 2
TSH. 0.08. (0.35-4.94)
Ft4 1.3 (0.7-1.5)

July 7
TSH. 0.050. (0.410-5.400)
FT4. 1.66. ( no range given , I got these two done at my pcp office )


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## KeepOnGoing (Jan 2, 2013)

Hi, Simplyjill - I have complete sympathy with you, as I find it very difficult to sleep when my FT4 is that high (assuming the ranges are pretty much the same as the tests you had previously).

You do need the FT3 test to find out exactly what is happening. I'm a poor converter of T4 so my FT4 was sky high and my FT3 was below the bottom of the range. I feel much better (and sleep soundly) when my FT4 is no more than 75% of the range and my FT3 is above half. But it's taken me 3 years to work that out and I've yet to convince my oncologist...

Is there any reason why your TSH is so suppressed? Mine is about the same, due to the papillary carcinoma which moved them to remove my thyroid. You might feel better allowing it to creep up a bit. So it's a matter of working out if you need to cut back your T4 a bit and possibly add T3 to the mix if the FT3 test justifies it. Not a decision you can make without all the test results. How amenable is your endo to these sorts of ideas? It's really important that you have someone who is willing to work with you on this. My oncologist would like me to believe that having sky high FT4 has no effect on my sleeping, which is a little tedious... and which my personal experience tells me is not the case.

And yes, my fingers swell up too.

Time for some more investigating....


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yup, that free t4 is way too high. You need that free t3 test. You'll probably want to drop your levo and add some cytomel.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Why did you have your right thyroid gland removed?


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## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

Thanks , my ends seems to be pretty open. I will know for sure if she is at my next appt when I ask her about a ft3 test. 
I think we are working on getting the synthyroid close to right and then add t3

I did take 5 mg of cytomel a couple of weeks after starting the 125 mg because I could not even function at all but stopped it cause it made me feel,worse at that time.

I had my right thyroid removed because it was goiter of 5.5 cm and was causing swallowing issues and voice issues. My surgeon confirmed after surgery that it was a good thing I had it removed cause it look as he put it very ugly. Lol 
Thank you all for your replys


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## KeepOnGoing (Jan 2, 2013)

When I added Cytomel when my FT4 was that high, it just sent the FT4 even higher and made me feel even worse. I found that I needed to reduce the T4 meds significantly and give them a chance to work out of my body, before I could add T3. Without your FT3 result, you don't even know if T3 will be needed or not. If your FT3 is as high as your FT4, I think it could be very unwise to add more... Time to get the tests and see what that endo of yours can suggest.

For me, Cytomel (liothyronine, as they call it in the UK) has been an absolute godsend.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I'm going to agree with everyone who suggested your sleep issues are related to your high FT-4.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Ditto...T4 is too high.

Am I reading correctly that you started out on 125 mcg of Synthroid after a PARTIAL thyroidectomy? That's the problem. That's a frequent starting dose after a TOTAL thyroidectomy. You are overmedicated on T4.


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## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

They didn't start me on 125 synthyroid till a month after my surgery. At 3 1/2 weeks post surgery I pretty much crashed. That's when she started me on 125. My left side is a size of a pea and isn't doing anything. They think the antibodies attacked the left side and the right side grew to compensate.

Thanks for all the info. I am patiently waiting for my next Doctors apt in a couple of weeks


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

With your next labs, see if they'll test your Free T3 in addition to Free T4 and TSH. That may shed more light on the situation.

Hope you start feeling better soon.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

No pathology done on that thyroid?

Let us know how your appt. goes!

Sending hugs,


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## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

Yes pathology was done it was good. Thank goodness. 
Doctors appt got changed until end of August but getting blood test this week. She's only running tsh and FT4

Thought I saw some post a link to order and pay for all the extra tests on your own.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

simplyjill said:


> Yes pathology was done it was good. Thank goodness.
> Doctors appt got changed until end of August but getting blood test this week. She's only running tsh and FT4
> 
> Thought I saw some post a link to order and pay for all the extra tests on your own.


http://www.healthonelabs.com/pub/tests/test/pid/167 This group of tests includes both FT-4 and FT-3 along with TSH and a few useless tests. Cost for the package is $59

Or you could order just the FT-3 for $29 http://www.healthonelabs.com/pub/tests/category/cid/23

I want to mention that for me - they use the exact lab my doctor sends my FT-3 out to so they are legit.

I went back through the thread and interestingly enough, I have not slept well since my kids were born 22years ago which is when my thyroid issues began. I am finally going to a Holistic doctor to have a full hormone and Cortisol testing done.

I've already been found to be deficient in Vit D and Ferritin which I now supplement but have gone "thru da change" and my sleep issues seem to be worse.


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