New Here- but not new to iVillage

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
New Here- but not new to iVillage
4
Sun, 03-26-2006 - 4:28am

I was diagnosed w/ Hashimotos Thyroiditis almost 4 yrs ago, though I know I was having trouble w/ it years before that though no one would listen. I have 4 kids, 5 wks after #3 was born my throat swelled almost closed. I knew it was my thyroid but my Drs didn't believe it so they tested me for everything under the sun, until I finally convinced them to run a TSH. It actually came out really low, so I finally got and endo referral for the opposite thing! LOL The endo made them run a bunch of tests so that when I saw her they would ready to "interperate". At that time my TSH was .45, free T4 was a little low (don't remember the exact #)and my thyroid anti-body was way up there at 89. The Endo said that this is fairly normal at the begining of Hashimotos. And from her it was a wait and see what catagory of Hashimotos I was in - single attack then goes back to normal thyroid function, a few attacks that do some damage but not that much, or the multipul attack person who's body is determined to completely detroy their thyroid.

Well as it turns out I'm in the last catagory. I've had 10 or more attacks (severe swelling, marked fatigue, etc) in the last 4 yrs. This last one was as bad as the first, I couldn't swallow w/o pain meds for almost 2 wks and I'm finally coming out of it. Now I'm experiencing the typical symptoms - fatigue, weight gain(even though I couldn't eat the last 2 wks), hair loss, horrible acne, ALWAYS freezing, and so on.

My problem now is that my Dr has increased my Synthroid as much as he can I'm taking 450mcg/day, but my TSH #'s aren't improving, and free T3 is still on the low side. I need to switch meds but don't really know where to go. I've been doing some research than says if your thyroid is damaged too much (like w/ Hashimotos) it can no longer convert T4 to T3 so you don't have enough of the really usable hormone even if your T4 levels are good. My Dr isn't really keen on putting me on Armour being as he's old school and thinks there are still problems with it. I've also read about Thyrolar which has synthetic T4 and T3.

I'm wondering what everyone's experiences are and if you've taken any of these drugs and the pros and cons. I need to figure out someting new because the Synthroid is definately not working. I'm pretty possitive that my Dr will perscribe anything I feel is neccesary even if he doesn't really like it. He knows this isn't working and I'm not going to stop until I find something that does work.

Any input and expertise you all can give me would be greatly appricated.

Thanks,
Meghan
balloonmom

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-27-2004
Sun, 03-26-2006 - 11:23am

Hi balloonmom,


The best way to forget all your troubles is to wear tight shoes...
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sun, 03-26-2006 - 12:09pm

April,

Thanks for the input. I do take my meds in the morning and usually don't eat for at least 2 hrs afterward, the only meds I take w/ it are my pain meds and the Pharmacists said they weren't an interaction. As for foods while I do love dairy I always wait to lunch to have them. I'm allregic to soy protien, so there's no problem w/ soy slour and such and I don't eat walnuts very often. Though I have been into Almonds as an evening snack.

I have looked into Adrenal problems just haven't ben able to convince my Dr to test for them yet. I'm not sure where that will lead.

Thank you again for your help,
Meghan

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2004
Sun, 03-26-2006 - 5:49pm

Hi:

I suggest that you try asking for a synthetic T-3 supplement (something like Cytomel) to see if you can get the T-3 levels back to normal (and the symptoms under control). Give it at least a month, but if you don't start to feel better, find someone who will prescribe the Armour. I understand that doctors are concerned about dosing reliablitiy with Armour, but some of us just don't metabolize the synthetics as we should (and typically we're the same ones who don't convert T-4 to T-3 as we should!)

When the Cytomel/Levothroid combo didn't work for me, I went to another doctor and tried the Armour for a few months until I was feeling 90% better... I then went back to my old doc (I was paying privately for the new one and really needed to go see one accepted by my HMO for financial reasons) and said that Armour was working for me and would she agree to leave me on it until or unless my levels went awry again. She agreed, so now I have the same old doc who wouldn't prescribe it in the begninning, but taking the med that works for me, so it all worked out...

Have you read Mary Shomon's book/s "Living well with..."? She has researched some great explanations for the questions you have...

Good luck,
Dee.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2004
Wed, 03-29-2006 - 12:50pm
Oh,
And I should mention that I'm on a combo of Levoth/Armour... Your doctor might like the idea of starting out by adding just a bit of Armour to your T-4 therapy... ?
Just a thought,
Good luck,
Dee.