Hypothyroidism Support Group
Hypothyroidism is the disease state caused by insufficient production of thyrohormone by the thyroid gland. There are several distinct causes for chronic hypothyroidism, the most common being Hashimoto's thyroiditis and hypothyroidism following radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroidism. Advanced hypothyroidism may cause severe complications, the most serious one of which is...
So it happened for the first time ... I swung HYPER on my meds. My last set of labs on the previous dose of 65mg NatureThroid was FT4: 1.10, FT3 2.4. ---- Since that time I had increased to 97.5 NT and was not feeling so well. My labs from 97.5mg dose: FT4: 1.33 and FT3: 3.6.
I didn't have that last bloodwork result in yet, but I knew I felt bad! Oh my word, the last four days I've had racy heart, heart palps, bad chest tightness (which makes it hard to talk). Can you say MISERABLE!!
Monday I had an appt scheduled to see a new nurse practitioner to discuss adrenals and mal-absorption issues. I felt horrible that morning and when I got to her office I felt even worse with racy heart/palps/anxiety symptoms. The nurse checked my pulse and it was 120 twice during visit. They did an EKG which they said just showed fast heart rate. This Nurse-P told me to cut my dose in half, so 48.75, for a week.
I just got off the phone with a nurse at my 'thyroid Drs' office and she said to go back to the 65mg dose that I was on previously. She said if I go too low I'll get HYPO symptoms which won't be good.
Ahhhh!
I didn't have that last bloodwork result in yet, but I knew I felt bad! Oh my word, the last four days I've had racy heart, heart palps, bad chest tightness (which makes it hard to talk). Can you say MISERABLE!!
Monday I had an appt scheduled to see a new nurse practitioner to discuss adrenals and mal-absorption issues. I felt horrible that morning and when I got to her office I felt even worse with racy heart/palps/anxiety symptoms. The nurse checked my pulse and it was 120 twice during visit. They did an EKG which they said just showed fast heart rate. This Nurse-P told me to cut my dose in half, so 48.75, for a week.
I just got off the phone with a nurse at my 'thyroid Drs' office and she said to go back to the 65mg dose that I was on previously. She said if I go too low I'll get HYPO symptoms which won't be good.
Ahhhh!
While I'm sorry to hear about the symptoms, I know I'd want to see my most recent labs before making any dose adjustments.
All of the symptoms you are dealing with can also be caused by hyPOthyroidism.
It sounds like your doctor is looking at your TSH .02 and declaring you hyper when, in actuality, that's the *exact* type of TSH level a person taking a med like NatureThroid should have.
"True" hyPERthyroidism is over-range FT4/FT3 levels.
The labs you shared for the 97.5mg dose were far from hyper. In fact, if those labs were done without meds in your system, many people would feel great with them. I'd be dealing with easily 20+ hypo symptoms if those were my labs.
If you really need a dose reduction, going down to no less than 75mg is much more appropriate than the other doses being discussed.
But, again, I wouldn't be inclined to do anything without seeing the results of the most recent labs.
(how is it that you have the "newest TSH" result to share but no FT4/FT3?)
If I read your post correctly these are your current labs ( on 97.5 dosage?). I'm using "standard" ranges from my lab, but if your ranges are different, please let me know:
TSH .02
Hmmm...
If I read your post correctly these are your current labs ( on 97.5 dosage?). I'm using "standard" ranges from my lab, but if your ranges are different, please let me know:
TSH .02 -- not a big deal at all unless you're doc is a TSH worshipper - My TSH has been zero, and I felt fine.
Free T4
Lab Range: 0.600 -2.000
Result: 1.330
Percent of Range: 52.14% You need an increase NOT a decrease
Target Range: 1.65-2.00
Free T3
Lab Range: 2.300 -4.200
Result: 3.600
Percent of Range: 68.42%
Target Range: 3.73-3.82
MOST people feel well when they're in the upper 1/4 of those ranges.
What your suffering from is HYPO not HYPER symptoms.
I've been dealing with the same thing myself as of late. When my T4 takes a dip...my heart beats fast, because my bp drops. Increase T4 and feel better. But that's me.
I think they simply looked at your TSH and made a decision based on erroneous information.
Good luck JeepGirl.
This Nurse-P (1st ever visit with her) was going off my symptoms and she said with a pulse rate that high and symptoms I needed to cut back on my dose. She actually scolded me and said she couldn't believe my 'thyroid dr' had me on meds when she saw my lab copy from the -previous month- showing the results of T4: 1.10, and T3: 2.4.
I also gathered at that visit that she doesn't see eye-to-eye with my "thyroid Dr" as far as using a narrower range and treating on symptoms. I love my thyroid Dr!! [**I gather she (the N.P.) is 'old-school' on thyroid].
But yes, I posted above my very recent labs from last Friday: My labs from 97.5mg dose: (FT4: 1.33 and FT3: 3.6 and TSH: 0.02).
Could it be then that I'm feeling 'hyper' because of such a jump in T4 and T3? For the longest time my numbers wouldn't raise up. I was stuck, but just now they raised. This is all so very new to me so I appreciate any and all advice offered!!
Really appreciate you taking the time and figuring the calculations. I should have included my labs ranges -- here they are:
FT4 (0.93-1.70)
FT3 (2.0-4.4)
TSH (0.27-4.20)
In all honesty, the only reason I made the appt to see this nurse-p is because my regular Dr's office suggested her because they knew she deals with adrenal fatigue at her practice. However after meeting her I gather she just doesn't get 'thyroid' health. =/ It is such a Maze trying to navigate thru good vs bad doctors!!
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/adrenal-info/
Free T4
Range: 0.930 -1.700
Result: 1.330
Percent of Range: 51.95% Still need an increase NOT decrease
Target Range: 1.51 -1.70
Free T3
Range: 2.000 -4.200
Result: 3.600
Percent of Range: 72.73%
Target Range: 3.65 -3.76
That's how it shakes out. Your TSH doesn't mean a thing unless of course it's over 1 (then it can be of "some" little value). Once you start thyroid treatment (hormone supplements) it's of absolutely NO value in deciding on med increases/decreases.
Helerown could be correct, and it wouldn't hurt to have your adrenals checked out.
My experience goes something like this: I get an increase - I feel like I'm about to jump out of my skin for a few weeks but if I white-knuckle it on through for a few weeks - I return to a "normal" state. I look at it this way: Homeostasis is where our body wants to be (in balance). But, when we're monkeying around with hormones, it takes a while for the body to say, "Hey, we gotta adjust to this new normal level of hormones, so let's compensate." After a few weeks...my body "gets in line" with the new levels of hormones and I feel better and less jittery and freaky.
That's not to say that this can occur when you're truly HYPER (high levels of Ft3 and/or Ft4). When that happens, we gotta back off the dosage. TSH simply won't tell you that.
Good luck sister