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...
Hi all, I'm a newbie to the forum and to be honest after stumbling across you guys I've got to say your insights are the only thing that are keeping me positive that perhaps my body is actually doing what it's supposed to be doing as I go through titration for this god awful disease.
It would be an amazing help to get your feedback and advice as I struggle through this process as as you will know it's just as much a mental struggle as it is a physical one so thank you in advance for any support.
I'm based in the UK and as many have been seriously let down by the medical establishment - undiagnosed for years, lost everything - my husband, job, very nearly much my sanity through being fobbed off. Couldn't possibly have thyroid problems despite awful pain radiating from my thyroid in the years prior. Eventually I got myself to the delightful Dr Peatfield who made the link, for the first time got my T3 tested and lo and behold it was awfully low. However I have struggled since then to get to the right levels after being awfully undermedicated on Armour (completely the wrong ratio for me) and useless endos that don't have a clue, surprise. I would always see the benefit of the thyroid meds so it was clear that was my trouble but never realised the importance of optimizing both FT3 and FT4 - thanks to you for that :)
I've been working with the most thyroid savvy doc I'm likely to get this side of the pond who works from a private clinic in London. She deals with my dosages and my local GP then dispenses based on her recommendations. However they are both starting to get a bit jittery about further dosage increases as I'm getting over 60% of the range now. My GP I know finds it hard to ignore the TSH (as much as I tell her to) and my private specialist has declared that 'we are there' and 'any tiredness you still have (my main symptom) can't be to do with your thyroid'.......ut oh.
Hence I thought it was a good time to join this forum to harness opinions of people who I believe know their stuff. knowledge is power and all that. My private doc has said to wait 3 months come back and then what I tell her is gospel and she just doesn't want me going out of the top of the range so I think I've got some more mileage with her but it's so deflating to have to keep fighting all the time.
We've been titrating up for the last year, started on t4 only which got me lovely high T4 but T3 didn't budge so that revealed part of the problem. I'm now on 20 T3 and 125 T4 (have been for 8 weeks now) and I am a lot better than I was no doubt. I seem to have a great 2 weeks once my new t4 dose kicks in but then I fall back again. My body is such a confusing thing to be in at the moment, sometimes I feel so much better others like I did before I was on any meds. The inconsistency from day to day is astonishing.
From reading your posts CD and Mbutterfly I think my body is reacting normally to titration, I can see an improvement but there just simply not enough hormone to sustain my body all the time.
My latest labs are
FT3 5.8 (2.8-7.1)
FT4 19 (10-24)
Which I think equates to roughly 70% and 64% of their ranges respectively. My plan is to tough out the next couple of months (as I have no choice) and then if symptoms still persist ask for an increase of 12.5 T4.
I'm sure it'll be like the equivalent of asking for heroin.
Blimey that's quite a ramble, if anyone has made it this far I apologise in advance, as if we aren't exhausted enough :).
If anyone has any thoughts on where my labs stand etc I would be eternally appreciative of any help, I feel like I'm fighting a war that no one wants me to win nor anybody understands.
Thanks ladies and gents
It would be an amazing help to get your feedback and advice as I struggle through this process as as you will know it's just as much a mental struggle as it is a physical one so thank you in advance for any support.
I'm based in the UK and as many have been seriously let down by the medical establishment - undiagnosed for years, lost everything - my husband, job, very nearly much my sanity through being fobbed off. Couldn't possibly have thyroid problems despite awful pain radiating from my thyroid in the years prior. Eventually I got myself to the delightful Dr Peatfield who made the link, for the first time got my T3 tested and lo and behold it was awfully low. However I have struggled since then to get to the right levels after being awfully undermedicated on Armour (completely the wrong ratio for me) and useless endos that don't have a clue, surprise. I would always see the benefit of the thyroid meds so it was clear that was my trouble but never realised the importance of optimizing both FT3 and FT4 - thanks to you for that :)
I've been working with the most thyroid savvy doc I'm likely to get this side of the pond who works from a private clinic in London. She deals with my dosages and my local GP then dispenses based on her recommendations. However they are both starting to get a bit jittery about further dosage increases as I'm getting over 60% of the range now. My GP I know finds it hard to ignore the TSH (as much as I tell her to) and my private specialist has declared that 'we are there' and 'any tiredness you still have (my main symptom) can't be to do with your thyroid'.......ut oh.
Hence I thought it was a good time to join this forum to harness opinions of people who I believe know their stuff. knowledge is power and all that. My private doc has said to wait 3 months come back and then what I tell her is gospel and she just doesn't want me going out of the top of the range so I think I've got some more mileage with her but it's so deflating to have to keep fighting all the time.
We've been titrating up for the last year, started on t4 only which got me lovely high T4 but T3 didn't budge so that revealed part of the problem. I'm now on 20 T3 and 125 T4 (have been for 8 weeks now) and I am a lot better than I was no doubt. I seem to have a great 2 weeks once my new t4 dose kicks in but then I fall back again. My body is such a confusing thing to be in at the moment, sometimes I feel so much better others like I did before I was on any meds. The inconsistency from day to day is astonishing.
From reading your posts CD and Mbutterfly I think my body is reacting normally to titration, I can see an improvement but there just simply not enough hormone to sustain my body all the time.
My latest labs are
FT3 5.8 (2.8-7.1)
FT4 19 (10-24)
Which I think equates to roughly 70% and 64% of their ranges respectively. My plan is to tough out the next couple of months (as I have no choice) and then if symptoms still persist ask for an increase of 12.5 T4.
I'm sure it'll be like the equivalent of asking for heroin.
Blimey that's quite a ramble, if anyone has made it this far I apologise in advance, as if we aren't exhausted enough :).
If anyone has any thoughts on where my labs stand etc I would be eternally appreciative of any help, I feel like I'm fighting a war that no one wants me to win nor anybody understands.
Thanks ladies and gents
I shall carry that image with me to my next doctor's appointment :) I always have to imagine slapping him upside the head with something prior to the visit, so I can restrain myself :)
Hang in there, and you'll be ok. You still have your sense of humor intact, so that's a powerful weapon. :)