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...
I saw my doc and after no change in my Free T 3&4, he increased my dose from 60mg to 90mg Armour Thyroid. He was also surprised that my numbers did not change since the last increase. I asked if I could have Adrenal Fatigue and he said it wasn't a bad idea and gave me a 24hr saliva test. He also said I might be thyroid resistant. Can anyone help me understand what the saliva test will tells and what is thyroid resistance?
Thanks,
Dawn
Thanks,
Dawn
Do you have labs to share? That might help us make more sense of what's going on. However, you DID say your numbers didn't change at all.
Glad you got an increase (since your numbers didn't change). My numbers actually dropped after starting armour - that tends to happen until you start to get toward optimal. It's all because armour has a higher ratio of T4/T3 than humans need (it's pig thyroid after all). That usually starts to work itself out once you go up in dosage a few times. Perhaps you have a few more dosage increases to go? It's hard to say without labs, but that's my guess.
The saliva test will help your doctor determine whether or not you've got an adrenal issue. You'll most likely have to spit into a bottle 3 or 4 times in a 24 hour period. No biggie.
The reasons for Thyroid resistance is not clearly understood by the medical community. Even if you have "thyroid resistance" the treatment is the same - you get more thyroid treatment (more meds) as in the case of insulin resistance. Just because someone is labelled "insulin resistant" doesn't mean they stop rx'ing insulin, ya know?
Here's more on that from someone who has more letters behind his name than I do: http://thyroid.about.com/cs/testsforthyroid/a/isityourthyroid_3.htm
Just try to keep in mind that hypothyroidism is more like diabetes than say a headache or a sinus infection. For diabetes, you are regularly tested and adjust medication based on those test results. (same applies with the thyroid). It's not like taking an aspirin for a headache or an anti-biotic for a sinus infection.
This is an on-going thing.
One thing I'd advise you to do is this: Get copies of your labs. Make sure your doctor is testing (and looking) at your Free T3 and Free T4. If he's only looking at TSH...you're screwed.
6/28/12
No meds
TSH 1.19 (.4-4.5)
Free T4 .9 (.8-1.8)
Free T3 2.7 (2.3-4.2)
10/2/12
30mg Armour Thyroid
TSH 1.24 (.4-4.5)
Free T4 1.0 (.8-1.8)
Free T3 2.7 (2.3-4.2)
Total T4 5.1 (4.5-12)
Total T3 80 (78-181)
11/6/12
60 mg Armour Thyroid
TSH .62 (.4-4.5)
Free T4 .9 (.8-1.8)
Free T3 2.7 (2.3-4.2)
Total T4 5.3 (4.5-12)
Total T3 77 (78-181)
My dr said that other drs are always worrying about the TSH going below zero, but that he would look at my Free T 3&4 and keep giving me an increase until I felt better. He said he would increase my dose until I felt "jittery." I have to take 90mg and see him in a month and get new labs. I think he's a good dr. CD told me to look on the Thyroid Change website and that's where I found him. This disease is new to me so I'm all over the place in my thoughts. I read other people's posts and I wish I could give some advise, but I don't know what the heck's going on with me. I've never been this tired or unenthusiastic in my whole life. And in a world where everything is practically done in an instant, this isn't a quick fix.
Thanks for your ear ;)
Your numbers DID actually change, but not by much. The increase was a good idea. I think you'll start to feel better after the next increase or two. At least I hope so!
Hang in there...
It is also possible to order it yourself online, but you have to get the test at the same time as you get free T3, free T4 and TSH.
This sounds like the problem you are having. Conversion will get better if you clean up the liver and improve diet.
He put me on some IMD (Intestinal Metal Detoxifier) that I've been using every day. He said this would help detox my liver. I don't know about the reverse T3 test b/c I'm taking Armour and I know it has both T4 and T3 in it.
MB,
The only change I felt was a little brain fog lift. I am an avid cyclist and I used to be able to get my heart rate into the 190's and now I have to work really hard to get into the 150's when I'm on my bike. Also, I gained about 7lbs and the scale won't budge. I'm pushing myself really hard and nothing's happening. Very frustrating!!
Instead, it looks like you have had a typical response to starting thyroid meds. Unfortunately, things can get worse before they get better.
I had SO many symptoms during the meds titration process and things really didn't start to get better until both my FreeT4 and FreeT3 levels were well above mid-range.
The "getting better" certainly doesn't mean that I no longer had symptoms. It means that they weren't as bad.
It wasn't until *after* my levels optimized that the final symptoms dissipated.
Just to give you an idea of what "slightly off" levels can do to a person, you might be interested in plodding through this recent thread of mine:
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Hypothyroidism/forum/17664573-i-broke-through
Hang in - better days are coming.
You'll see that "just" having one level being 13% lower than I need to be symptom-free brought on a bunch of symptoms.
The further we are away from our optimal levels, the more symptoms we'll have and the greater their intensity.
Sorry to say, with levels such as yours, it's unrealistic to expect much symptom improvement.
However, with appropriate dose increases and regular labs, your levels should slowly increase.....and you will slowly feel better.
And, there's no way to predict *how* you will feel better....or what symptoms might be eliminated first. Unfortunately, until levels optimize, we can also experience the return of some symptoms.
It's all part of the body adjusting to new levels of hormone.
Please know that it takes close to a year, if not slightly longer for levels to optimize.....that's *if* the patient is working with a thyroid-savvy doctor.
Treating thyroid disease truly requires a patient patient - blech.
FYI Here is a write up on Reverse T3.
I am using IMD(intestinal metal detoxifier) 5 days/wk. I had a really bad headache the first week or so after I started taking it. My dr said this is normal if you have some mercury in you. I am going to finish the small vial and then do it again when he tells me to.