Thank you cd3764, I was just looking into that test so I can take it with me next week. She wasn't understanding me on the phone so she just added a cortisol test to my blood work. I do go in next friday to see her, I just did my labs this morning. I am sooo frusterated. I am going to push for that test. I really feel that I do need the Armour, I agree though, that my dosage isn't right. I was told that the elavil would help me sleep and it did the first 3 days on it, but now I can't sleep worth beans!!!! And I thought my stomach issues were getting better, until yesterday and this morning, but the doc did say it would take 2-3 weeks to really notice anything, so I don't know. I'm nervous he's going to up the dose on that too. I am just confused on everything. I feel like they need to be addressing my autoimmune issues, but they aren't. I'm thinking of seeing a ruematoid doctor as well. I was told I may have something else too. Who knows. but I am definately getting that test done though. I also saw someone on here that is taking 1 pill twice a day with armour and has been doing great, I am wondering if thats a normal dosage, I definatly feel when mine is wearing off. I guess I'll find out next week. I hate waiting and I am nervous she won't let me try it. Thanks

Since Armour contains T3 which is pretty fast-acting, it's not uncommon to feel some positive effects within a few days.

The return of symptoms is a sign a dose increase is in order.

I must admit that the sleep pattern you describe is one I dealt with when my thyroid hormone levels were too low for me. It's called "interrupted sleep" and is a classic hypo symptom.

And, yes, some people do take 2 doses/day of Armour - this is done mostly to spread the T3 dose out throughout the day.

I take T3 in the form of liothyronine (generic Cytomel) and I've always divided my dose into two/day....it helps prevent an afternoon crash.

Bottom line, your labs will tell you what your body needs.

You are on the right path but, will need patience for the process. Treating hypothyroidism isn't like taking meds for a headache. And, yes, it's a frustrating process but, so very worth it in the end.

K, just saw my doctor. She won't do the TSI test because they only do that test for pateints with Graves disease and I don't have that. I thought it was dumb, but whatever. My cortisol was off, but she said that was from my birth control which is dumb too, I think. I will be asking my Reumatoid about that one. But as far as everything else, my reverse T3 is in normal range and so is my free t3 and t4 and normal t4. The only thing that is low is my T3 uptake it's at a 23.2 and the normal range is 23.4-42.7. She is leaving me on my regular 15 mg of armour once a day. She won't see me until 3 months from now. So I'm not sure what to think. I told her my bowels are still having problems, but she said that was IBS, I see the GI doc next month, so I'll be asking him alot about it. Maybe he needs to up the elavil, who knows. Very frusterating. I also came down with a sinus infection, so I'm pretty miserable. And I haven't been able to take anti biotics recently, so I'm going to be miserable for a while. Don't know how people live this way. I need a job I can do from home.......

Having levels in the normal range isn't good enough when we're talking about thyroid disease.

Each of us has his/her own normal within the ranges of normal.

The fact that you are still dealing with symptoms tells us that your levels aren't your normal.

Do you have the actual results to share?

And, 3 months is way too long to go between labs. My doctor has her thyroid patients get labs every 8 wks. once they've stabilized on a dose.

I don't know a single person that takes 15mg Armour as a therapeutic dose.

You might want to consider trying to find another doctor - one that is more thyroid-savvy.

I know, I am a bit frusterated. I asked her if I would do better if I took one pill in the morning and then another in the afternoon, but she said that would be way to much. So I don't know. My numbers are:
T3 uptake 23.2 (normal range 23.4-42.7
T4 9.5 (normal range 4.5-12.5)
T7 index 2.2 (normal range 1.2-4.3)
TSH 3.09 (normal range 0.45-4.50)
Free T4 1.0 (normal range 0.8-1.7)
Reverse T3 32 (normal range 11-32)
Free T3 3.0 (normal range 2.0-4.8)
and my cortisol was 41.1 (normal range 4.0-22.0)
That seems really high, but whatever. I am very frusterated. I might need to see another endo, my husband wishes she would watch me for another month at least. I don't like that she is ok with my T4 still not being in the right range. I don't know. I will hopefully be seeing a Reumatoid before I see her next and we'll see if there is anything else going on. I have been sleeping through the night the past few nights, but I have also been busy during the day so I think I'm just running out all my energy. Or it's the fact that I now have a sinus infection and my body just doesn't have the energy to fight it and makes me even more tired, either way I am happy I am sleeping through the night. I am just sick of feeling sick and having stomach issues. so I don't know.

Well, the only thyroid test results that really matter are the FreeT4 and FreeT3 levels.

Yours have room for improvement. I'm sorry your doctor is like many others - satisfied to get the patient's levels in the normal range and calling the job done.

Most healthy people have FreeT4/T3 levels around 60-80% of range. This is published in thyroid textbooks.

Based upon your lab's ranges, a healthy person would have a FreeT4 level 1.34- 1.6.

And, using the same principles, a FreeT3 level 3.68 - 4.24.

Now, each of us has his/her own optimal level but, it makes sense for doctors to aim for the types of levels healthy people have and then tweak the dose to address any residual symptoms.

This is what my doctor (thyroid doctor #5) did for me. As things turned out, I need my levels higher than most. I need my FreeT4 level at 95% of range (and still feel good with it at the top of the range) and my FreeT3 level at 85% of range (and still feel good at the top of the range.)

And, even though we don't look at TSH for dosing decisions, the fact that yours is well above 2.0 tells us there is room for improvement.

People who are optimally medicated on Armour usually have a below-range TSH due to the T3 in Armour.

I take T3 in the form of Cytomel and, on a "good" day, my TSH is .011.

I wouldn't necessarily seek the advice of another endo. They aren't usually the best with thyroid disease.

Oftentimes, a "whole body" doctor is more thyroid-savvy.....a DO, holistic doctor or an internist.

After 3 clueless endos and a now-former clueless GP, I found my "charm" in the form of an internist.

Hey vanillabear

I stumbled upon this article:

http://www.joybauer.com/photo-gallery/common-ibs-trigger-foods.aspx

Some of the foods they suggest avoiding are also foods people dealing with hypothyroidism should avoid - such as cruciferous veggies (raw is problematic for hypothyroidism).

And, lactose and gluten intolerance can happen in people dealing with hypothyroidism since they can have deficiencies in digestive enzymes.

Maybe you will have some improvement with your IBS-type symptoms if you follow some of the suggestions in the article.

Thank you. I just went to my gen doc the office has a new internal medicine doc. She is running a basic blood test for autoimmune stuff and refering me to a reumatoid. I'm really concerned though, because she wants to put me on another anti depresant and a sleeping aid or somethin that gets rid of anxiey. I need to call them to figure everything out because she wasn't clear on what they were or how they would help. So far the elavil isn't working for my IBS crap going on. So I don' know what to do. As far as the thyroid doc goes, I'm waiting the 3 months and see where my levels are at then and then if they haven't improved where they are, I will find someone else to hopefully listen to me. I just know something is wrong, my stomach has been back to acting up more and I have been super exsessively more tired than usual lately and I've been sleeping through the night. So why am I still tired? Right now, I've been sick with a cold, or sinus infection, not sure what it is, so that could be why. I'm just tired of everything. I'm ready to give up. I'm tired of waiting for results, I'm tired of waiting to get into doctors. I'm just tired.

You really need a more thyroid-savvy doctor.

Any doctor that remembers what he/she read in thyroid textbooks will know that most healthy people have FreeT4 levels towards the higher end of the range and FreeT3 levels above mid-range.

And, doctors that Rx Armour should have read the prescribing information:

http://www.frx.com/pi/armourthyroid_pi.pdf

You will note that, under dosage and indications, paragraph 2 states that Armour thyroid tablets are indicated:

2. As pituitary TSH suppressants, in the treatment or prevention
of various types of euthyroid goiters, including thyroid nodules,
subacute or chronic Iymphocytic thyroiditis (Hashimotos),
multinodular goiter, and in the management of thyroid cancer."

Based upon this information, your TSH is way too high.

I suggest you call some local pharmacists (including compounding pharmacists) and get contact info for doctors that Tx Armour.

I am aware of the fact that this idea has helped other thyroid forum members find a thyroid-savvy doctor.

It just might work for you.

Ok, so I've had some other labs done, my thyroid levels are high again (after my thyroid doc telling me they were in normal range and I didn't need to be seen till march)
T3 uptake is 22.8 L (norm 23.4-42.7
TSH 5.64 H (norm 0.45-4.50 mu/L
So yes I will be calling my thyroid doc and see what she says, but now what I am concerned about is my HDL cholesterol is elavated to a 45L (norm >45 mg/dl and my LDL Cholesterol is elevated to 131 H (norm

SO sorry to hear of your continued struggles.

Your TSH is high which means your thyroid hormone levels are too low for you.

Too-low thyroid hormone levels can cause an increase in cholesterol levels.

The body is moving in slow motion when our levels are too low for us so, that's why cholesterol (and glucose) doesn't clear as fast.....and why digestion can slow down.

You really need to make sure your doctor is checking your actual thyroid hormone levels each time - FreeT4 and FreeT3.

All other tests are outdated and inaccurate.

Now, if your doctor did check your FreeT4 and FreeT3 levels and is telling you they are "normal", that only means the results fell within the normal range.

The fact that your TSH is SO high tells us that your FreeT4/T3 levels are too low for you.

I think I linked the Armour prescribing information for you - it clearly shows that TSH should be suppressed (below-range) if the patient is optimally medicated.

I forgot to mention that your labs indicate the need for a dose increase - I sure hope your doctor agrees to one.

Thank you, Me too. I'm so frusterated that she isn't monituring me regularly. So far (from calling several doctors) My GI specialist cut my elavil in half and said it could be a side effect, I read online that it's rare and if it happens the risk is heart attack or stroke. So I am really hoping by cutting back that all my levels will straighten out, but we will see. I will be calling the endo soon and see what she thinks. A cardiologist thinks its a good idea if I go in and get checked out. I'm just frusterated, if I am reacting to the elavil then that means I have to live with this stupid diarrhea issue forever. Maybe there is something else they can give me to help but won't cause other serious side effects.

I just got off the phone with my thyroid doc, I'm waiting on a call back, she might want to redo labs, I'm hoping she just skips that part and up my dose so I can start feeling better. I feel like my levels are just going to keep going up and down and they may not know how to handle that. Depending on what happens with my heart stuff and my second opinion today, I might be switching doctors all across the board. I've even considered going to a chinese medicine doctor. But we'll see.

My daughter who is only 30 years old had her thyroid removed a year ago and she has changed drastically. The doctors said she had graves disease. Later on she found out they were wrong. Shes a registered nurse. She feels they removed her thyroid unnecessarily. Now most of the time shes depressed, annoyed, agitated, tired, very, very argumentative. She has become cold and distant. I hardly recognize her anymore. To be quite honest I am really starting to HATE her. Literally hate her. Shes cold towards everyone except her husband. Her and her brother use to be so close and now he sees her as this morose, negative, hardly ever laughs anymore nuance. She takes Armour for thyroid replacement. She also started taking Lexapro for depression. I would really appreciate it if someone, anyone can tell me what to expect now that she has no thyroid. Is her behavior normal considering her thyroid has been removed? What effect does NOT having a thyroid have?