Hi you need to keep copies of your labs so you can find out where YOU feel goog at in the range.

I have never heard of taking 2 levothyroxines every other day, it is usally take one every day. But, docs are all different.

So you will be taking 50 mcgs of levothyroxines every other day right?

I would take 50mcgs everyday, then you would remember better..Sorry for being bossy.

Yes bad memory and loss of coordination goes with hypo plus a long list of other problems.

You've been doing that for 5 months, so when did she tell you to take one thyroid every other day? Was that recently? If so, I understand the 6 week wait; if you've been doing it awhile, then I don't. She must have just told you to do that recently then. Sorry, sometimes I get too literal when I read something.

You really need to post your lab results alon with the ranges out to the side on each one.

My cholesterol is always high, and I'm finally going to work on this more. But here's some good good news, your HDL is your good cholesterol, the LDL is the "bad". Extra high HDL is an inherited trait that is actually a good one. Mine never falls below 80, unless my LDL goes down some, it's like my body knows how to correct my cholesterol levels. I've even had it go to 100 when my LDL was higher than usual. Strange, but true.

I don't know that much about Sjorgren's Syndrome (yet ?) so I don't know how much this affects your levels and any results from them.

How high was your triglycerides? This was two tests out of five? If you don't have your lab results I would suggest getting them and posting on here for us to have a look see. I don't know if I would consider cholesterol lowering drugs without taking into account your hypothyroidism and your Sjogren's Syndrome, and your very good HDL. If you have your numbers, please post them, bm55 and cd3764, and many others, are very good at deciphering and explaining them, and there may be someone on here that could tell you if your SS could bring anything into the picture?

I'm interested in your cholesterol, etc. numbers and ranges, also....I don't happen to find many people with an extra high HDL.

I really wish this forum had an "edit" ability to fix something after you post it, lol. With the brain fog we really need this. :-)

I see now that she just started you on the extra thyroid, but I'm with bm55, why would you double it every other day. Seems (to me) it would be better to split the difference and take 1 1/2 a day.

Thanks so much for your replies. Here are my lipid levels and the ranges:
Test Name Result Flag Reference
CHOLESTEROL, TOTAL 207 mg/dl H 125-200 mg/dL
TIGYCERIDES 167 mg/dL H OR = 46 mg/
LDLCHOLESTEROL 137 H or = 20 Years 0.40-4.50

Those are my results...I tried to make it look much like it was on the papers...I hope it's legible enough. I am very grateful that my ranges were within normal limits on the last ones...I thought maybe they were slightly low...but the Dr. said I was withing normal range there, and therefore didn't want to give me another medication for the T3 hormone, but said she might if the other levels don't improve.She did say the medications have side effects such as osteosporosis, and b/c I've already have it severely now, she was reluctant to give it to me just yet. Well, I would definitley appreciate any feedbck or info that any of you might be able to give with these results...Thanks for listening, and I wish you all better days ahead. Take care.....:)
Barb

OMG...I am sorry, but my post didn't appear at all like I typed it in the comment section. I did something wrong.(!?) I'll try to clarify a bit in this one and make it better to understand. It looked perfect before I hit "Add".
total cholesterol........207 High ref. 125-200
Trigycerides.............167 High ref. < 150
HDL cholesterol.........37 Low ref. > OR = 46
LDL-choleserol.........137 High ref. < 130

PS. In the first post I added (or so I thought) my T3, T4, and TSH results...but they didn't show up.. that's why the rest of the post didn't make much sense. I'll add them here, but as I tried to say previously, my Dr. says they're within range.
T3 Free......Result: 2.7pg/mL (No flag) reference: 2.3-4.2
T-4 FREE...Result: 1.0 (No flag) reerence 0.8-1.8 ng/dL
TSH, 3RD GENERATION...Result:2.73 mlU/L (no flag) ref. mlU/L
(Don't know why there were no #'s in the reference on TSH) I've got a LOT to learn!!!
Now, it makes sense when I say those levels were within range :) Thanks again.

barbie you are having the same problems I have had with docs.

They think that if it is anywhere in the range then its just hunky dory.LOL but that is not right. Most of them do not know didly squat about thyroid.

Your Ft4 and Ft3 are on the low side.

Did you just start on levothyroxine? If you did it can take up to 6 to 8 weeks for it to build up in your system.

Your cholesterol isn't so bad.

bm55, yes, I started the levothyroxine 3 -4 months ago...but it's just that my lipids keep going up...and nothing is getting better...I've started the 'double' dosing of Levo on Mon., Wed., and Fridays last week. The reason she did it that way is because my memory is sooo bad, she figured I could remember those days easier, than every other day, lol. (It's sad, but true).

Also I've had pancreatitis twice, and my pancreas isn't working properly anymore. I don't drink any alcohol...(which is a factor in many cases of this), but Sjogren's can attack your organs unfortunately, as it's also systemic (as is lupus), in some cases. . It can cause severe fatigue, extremely painful joints, and muscles etc... the most common symptom is that it destroys all your moisture producing glands, (salivary, eyes, and even vaginal). It can unfortunately also affect the neurologic system, causing memory and cognitive issues. With the hypothyroidism added now, I fear perhaps it's a double whammy on the "brain fog". But, I'm fighting it, as we all are, and continue to keep up hope....things will get better. I'm so very thankful for this group... and I do so appreciate any and all the help with understanding these issues.

Blessings to you all..... Thanks again.

OK, your good cholesterol is your HDL, not your LDL. But on the whole, it doesn't look that bad. It's just barely over 200. Ask your doc if there's a way to work with your diet to get them down if possible. Again, the Sjogren's S. may have something to do with this or the way you have to be treated.

Your triglycerides are somewhat high, and with your other problems, let your doc decide but nothing beats being informed about what is barely good or bad, etc. So many doctors focus on the range (I call them range bound) that they could care less how you feel. Always research what they tell you and your lab results to get a better idea of what's really happening, and stay on this forum for learning and questions if you can, I'm learning a lot, still much more to go.

(My triglycerides were 90 mg/dL, but my range was 40-150 so yours being 167 doesn't seem that overly high.) 50 mg on your thyroid med seems low to me, but I have just gone up from 125 to 137.

I also use a 7 day pill compartment thingy so I can see what I have taken for that day. AND I write down the times I take the meds because I'm so bad at remembering when it was so I can't figure out when I should take another one.

Good luck.

normalpar,
Thanks for your reply. I guess I'm worrying about my labs regarding the heart, too much? They were always perfect before, so it's a bit shocking at first. I'm learning how the thyroid affects the body--- in so many ways--- it boggles the mind. I'll speak to my Primary dr. next week, and ask about perhaps lowering the #'s by dieting, and better than taking medications. Thanks again for your replies... I will be looking here for knowledge, as so many members are very well read on thyroid issues. I'll start using another pill compartment jsut for the levothyroxine...that's a good idea.
Thanks again...Take care.

The Hunt study showed the risk of coronary artery disease and tsh levels. The risk goes up the higher the tsh.There is definitely a link there.

http://jeffreydach.com/2008/10/12/hunt-study-shows-thyroid-prevents-heart-attacks-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx

Thanks for the aritcle --it's really amazing and shows there is a connection. I put it in my favorites.

I sure hope the medication will help lower my lipids, but I have been doing this for a while now...and nothing is changed. I went to my pain mgmt. dr. today and he prescribed Gemfibrozil 600 mg. b.i.d. I also have an appt. with my primary dr next week, who also ordered lipids, and he'll see this has been going on since March actually.The pain mgmt dr. said he suspects I have Interstitial lung disease (from Sjogren;s) which can damage the right lobe of the heart., so I guess this is why he prescribed that medication.

After readinig that article...I see it's extremely important to keep up with the thyroid medication-- probably at a much higher dose. I need to get the book "thyroid for dummies"..as I just remembered one of the members here recommended quite a while ago. I have so many health issues, I guess I forgot til now.. Thanks again.

Hi Barbie,

Your FT4 is in the 20% range and your FT3 is in the 21% range.

Healthy people have FT4 ranges inthe upper 80-90% range and FT3 levels in the 60-75% range.

Your TSH is also kind of high compared to healthy individuals. And when being treated for hypothyroidism, sometimes symptoms are not alleviated until the TSH is almost suppressed. This means the Pituitary gland is not requiring the put out TSH to stimulate the thyroid into producing more hormone because there is an adequate amount in the system.

Have you had your thyroid antibodies tested? If your hypo is caused by autimmune disease, then the thyroid is being destroyed and hormone supplementation is a must.

I would stress treating the symptoms and not the lab numbers.

If your doctor fights you on this, ask him/her how hypothyroidism was diagnosed and treated BEFORE the TSH test came out in the 70's. That'll stump them!

And yes, cholesterol goes all out of whack when the thyroid is not being treated properly.

Your cholesterol should lower once you have a good range to T4 and T3 in your system.

@narcoslee...Thanks for helping me to try to understand this. So, I agree, dr.'s telling you "you're fine" b/c your within range is really not true.
I'll ask about getting the thyroid antibodies tested, as I do have an autoimmune disease. As far as "symptoms" ...that's a hard one for me, as I have Sjogren's and the symptoms are similar.Actually many AI disorders are overlapping when it comes to symptoms...but fatigue, brain fog,etc... are just a couple. I'm sure there are more, I just can't think of them at the moment.

Btw, my endo was going to prescribe an additional T3 drug, but hesitated, due to the side effects, evidently they're bad on the heart. ? So, she said lets see what the lipds are in 6 weeks.

Thanks again for the replies...they're very much appreciated. Bless you all. :)