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...
Second visit with my endo today, it went very badly! I'm on 60 Armour and having some severe depression and an unrelenting headache that I'm about to give up on.
This is all that he said to me:
: Your TSH is 1.62 thats too low, we should decrease your dosage.
:The free t's are an outdated inaccurate way of testing, we only go by TSH.
:Thinks I am hyper now because I was upset with him. I've had an excrutiating headache for three weeks now am I am at the end, I mean I am thinking of doing uh... something drastic ( coupled with my depression I can't take it anymore!)
:Says MOOD has no bearing on thyroid! Depression is NOT part of thyroid!
: Offered me antidepressants.
:Only wanted to check my physical symptoms as in my knee reflexes and if my throat was swollen.
:If I stay on my dose I run the risk of heart attack and bone density loss.
That's all I can remember for now, I was just so shocked when he said all this to me! It goes against every single thing I have read and heard! My first visit he seemed like such a caring guy, did my T3 test even though he didn't want to, took me off Synthroid and gave me Armour when I asked him.
And now I'm stuck, he did blood work and may call me in 4 or 5 days. I'm to see him again in 6 weeks. Guess I should have made it more clear I am having suicidal thoughts. 6 weeks is too long.
This is all that he said to me:
: Your TSH is 1.62 thats too low, we should decrease your dosage.
:The free t's are an outdated inaccurate way of testing, we only go by TSH.
:Thinks I am hyper now because I was upset with him. I've had an excrutiating headache for three weeks now am I am at the end, I mean I am thinking of doing uh... something drastic ( coupled with my depression I can't take it anymore!)
:Says MOOD has no bearing on thyroid! Depression is NOT part of thyroid!
: Offered me antidepressants.
:Only wanted to check my physical symptoms as in my knee reflexes and if my throat was swollen.
:If I stay on my dose I run the risk of heart attack and bone density loss.
That's all I can remember for now, I was just so shocked when he said all this to me! It goes against every single thing I have read and heard! My first visit he seemed like such a caring guy, did my T3 test even though he didn't want to, took me off Synthroid and gave me Armour when I asked him.
And now I'm stuck, he did blood work and may call me in 4 or 5 days. I'm to see him again in 6 weeks. Guess I should have made it more clear I am having suicidal thoughts. 6 weeks is too long.
I'm a little different though because I was born without the gland and on levothyroxine (T4 only) for 30 years. Just switched to Armour a year ago, and have felt much better on it, but it is easier to find the right dose for me. There's no spurts of life from a dying thyroid which can throw things off.
Antidepressants don't/can't work if your digestive system is out of whack due to being hypothyroid. The dr ought to know that T3 controls the metabolism of EVERY cell in the body. It is VERY MUCH connected to mood/cognition/perception.
When people feel like crap, they act/think crappy. It is NOT your fault and don't beat yourself up like some of us have because that won't help. I fought suicidal ideation starting in my early teens until this last year. Once I found a dr to listen to me things got better because I was on the right amount of what I need to be taking.
I also had migraines on T4 only (was hypo because my body doesn't convert it to T3 well). I've had 2 healthy kids, but postpartum depression was the hardest - the obgyn cut the levothyroxine from 300 to 150!! When my second baby was 3 months, I attempted suicide and thankfully failed. I was convinced that my kids would be better off without me because I was in such a bad mood all the time, angry and crying - the only thing that held me was that I nursed them, they wouldn't take a bottle.
I got help after, but no amount of talk therapy helps when all your body's chemicals are off due to hypothyroidism.
SO! Best news ever today! I got a hold of a naturopath the next town over, actually a microbiologist/np........and he said exactly what I needed to hear!
I am underdosed BASED ON MY SYMPTOMS AND NUMBERS INCLUDING THE FREE T's! I should be on at least 60 if not more of Armour.
He thinks I may be having adrenal issues and wants me tested for that. I'm to ask my endo, which I think will be a 'no way you don't need to know that!' so then the np can do it.
He asked if I wanted to be tested for any allergies including gluten. OKAY!!
He prescribes Armour/Naturthroid,... pretty much all the dessicated ones and has lots of patients on them!
I had dropped my dose of Armour 60 down to 45 thinking maybe the endo was right, even though I KNEW he wasn't, but I am at the mercy of his amount of pills he gave me! Well the np gave me a website he says is very reliable to order my pills from at a very reasonable cost. I no longer have to stay at this dose, which by the way after three days of the lower dose I had all those nasty symptoms coming back... the weakness, bigger depression, shaky, bloating, etc....
Now I still have this blinding headache....actually today I threatened to punch a coworker in the face and break her nose. :O
Oh my god I don't do that! I don't even know how to make a fist! I've never hit anyone in my life! I need to get out of this!
Luckily Motrin Super Strength Migraine is helping. And I am so elated I can see a way out of this hell I'm in, my depression has lifted just from talking to this knowledgeable man! It will take time with labs being done and just getting in to see him but I can see, I can see a way out!
Thank you all for sticking by me and CD for keeping on telling me I am underdosed, I felt just so stuck with that endos diagnosis. I am so glad I found a good doctor so fast, I only hope others struggling can do so quickly also.
I'm glad you found someone to validate things for you and, better yet, offer proper treatment. Endos seem very good at creating smoke screens - maybe to hide their actual lack of knowledge. I know that was the case with my 3 former endos and all that did was delay my healing.
Please keep us posted.