islandmonkey Member

If your doctor is saying 4 is an acceptable TSH by medical standard, then your doctor is not aware of the standards introduced in 2002 -- 3.0 is the top of the range for TSH, and many doctors argue is should be down to 2.5 or even 2.0. TSH is also not a thyroid hormone; your doctor should also be testing your free T3 and…

That's a pretty low dose for someone post-cancer? Are they just testing your TSH for suppression, or are they also testing your free T3 and free T4 so you can feel good and function?

Yup, I used to get breathless when hyperthyroid in particular, but found I got it when hypo as well.

You shouldn't take T3 for weight loss - you should take T3 if your body needs it. Did she do a free T3 test? What were the results?

Listening is actually a very good start! Good luck - post your blood test results when you get them (make sure to ask your doctor for a copy of the results).

Good luck!!

I take Thorne D3, and I've heard this one recommended: http://www.pureencapsulations.com/itemdy00.asp?t1=vd101 Just make sure that it's D3 and not D2; the brand you're looking at is probably good. Make sure you take magnesium at the same time, for absorption. I've heard people mention Blood Builders for iron supplements?…

I think you're tired because your body isn't making T3 from your T4-only med. I would go get your free T3 levels checked.

It makes me so angry that doctors would prescribe a T4-only med for anyone without a thyroid. 20% of the hormones a thyroid pumps out are T3, so you're already behind the game; plus people often have issues converting T4->T3 after surgery. Are you in the US? If you are you can order your own free T3 test, either through…

That's a REALLY low Vit D. I take 4000 IUs to get mine up from 41! Many ladies in your position take 10k IUs daily (under doctors supervision) for a while, to bring it up. It can possibly take months. Iron - I would most definitely look at a supplement or dietary changes. If you can't get this level up, I would look at…

Thyroid disease isn't just about some weight loss, and getting your thyroid levels normalized (if they're even off) doesn't mean weight will just melt off - it just puts people on a level playing field for losing weight through diet and exercise. If you want to have your thyroid checked, ask your doctor to run a TSH test…

This sounds incorrect to me. If you had thyroid cancer they should keep your TSH low, but your thyroid hormones high. TSH is a pituitary hormone that has a reverse relationship with the thyroid hormones. TSH is kept hyper/suppressed because it's like food for any potentially remaining thyroid cancer cells. Therefore, with…

What meds is she on? What dose? Does her doctor test her free T3 and free T4, or just her TSH? Has she been tested for Hashimoto's antibodies? Have you been tested for thyroid issues?

Autoimmune disorders like to travel in packs, and thyroid autoimmune disease (Hashimoto's) really likes to travel with other ones - PCOS, celiac, and arthritis are its favorite traveling buddies. Joint pain is very much a symptom of hypothyroid though. So your levels are actually ok, not really that low. BUT - this is a…

I've found endos in Canada not the greatest, to be honest - they seem to focus more on diabetes. You might find that the endo focuses only on TSH, or won't even test or look at your free T3 levels. Being in Ontario is bad because apparently your provincial health program is pushing back on free T3 testing, I guess because…

Yup, I get really dry eyes that get itchy.

Wow. What an *kitten*. That's a horrible comment to make, and totally doesn't make sense??? Ok honey, you are SO hypothyroid that I don't know how you're functioning. Your doctor should have put you on meds before you even hit the endo's office. What province are you in? (I'm from BC but currently in SK) Do you have the…

Good luck!! It can be hard to find a really good thyroid doctor, but please keep searching.

A definite NO!!! How long have you been on the 200 mcgs? It takes 6-8 weeks to get the full effect of dose increase. 300 mcgs is a crazy high dose. If you aren't feeling better on 200 mcgs it's probably because you're on the wrong meds. Does your doctor test free T3 and free T4? If not you need to go get those tested now.…

There seems to be a lot of debate as to whether almonds are a goitrogen or not. Honestly? I wouldn't worry about it too much. Besides, if you're on meds you want the meds to be adjusted to the lifestyle you want to live. Ex: I wait 1 hour after morning meds before I eat, but then I have coffee with delicious, delicious…

I know someone in Tucson who drives to this naturopath, just outside of Phoenix: http://barnettclinical.com/ The patient is VERY thyroid knowledgable and wouldn't go see him unless he was very good. She said it's completely worth the drive, and that they do most of the work long-distance (she gets blood tests in Tucson and…

Make sure it's "free" T3/T4, and not total.

First and foremost, your lab has the incorrect range for TSH. In 2002 the upper limit was changed to 3.0, with many educated thyroid doctors arguing for 2.5 (or even 2.0) as the upper limit. The problem with the test your doctor is ordering - the TSH reflex - is that if your TSH is ever below what THEY say is the upper…

Graves and Hashi's are two totally different diseases. Once you have graves you don't ever NOT have it, and it doesn't come back as Hashi's --- you have two autoimmune disease, graves and hashi's.

I personally would feel quite hypo with a TSH of 2.10. What were the actual results of the T3/T4 testing? Was it free or total T3/T4 that was tested? Being "within normal range" and being "optimal" or even "normal for you" are all very different things. Ex: I feel quite hypo if my free T3 is at the bottom of the range; I…

I've heard the same regarding selenium, that it can help calm down antibodies. Hadn't heard the same about iodine (sea kelp) though.

Please make sure your doctor is testing your free T3 and free T4, and not just your TSH (TSH isn't a thyroid hormone, it's a pituitary one). If you still feel crappy on the 100 mcg of T4 med, then your free T3 level might be too low. Talk to your doctor about possibly adding a synthetic T3 like cytomel.

I would ask if they test free T3 and free T4, and if they base dosage on the free T results (and not just on TSH results). You may have to just call around. Another thing you can do is ask your pharmacist which doctors/endos in the area prescribe dessicated thyroid meds. If they're open to dessicated meds (instead of just…

Riiiiight, but the point is that the OP hasn't been treated, so your first paragraph doesn't really make sense. Though I DO agree that some people think that fixing their thyroid will result in the weight just magically melting off, which is obviously not the case. It would just put them in the same class as everyone else,…

Iron is essential for converting the storage thyroid hormone T4 into the "active" thyroid hormone T3. I could absolutely see anemia having a huge impact on your thyroid issues!!