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...
Why do I have to BEG my endo for a tiny increase when my numbers are so obviously low? Honestly, I feel like I'm asking for a major street drug so I can sell it!!! "Gimme a thousand Xanax and throw in a few hundred morphine too, I need some Christmas money!"
All I want to do is feel better, not be so puffy and tired and dry( yes I did realize I am still symptomatic when I read STTM website)!
It feels like I have to fight and argue with the man just for a 15mg increase! It was almost 20 minutes of him telling me why I shouldn't have it ( can't suppress the TSH too low....can't risk osteoporosis,.... FT3/4 doesn't count, etc...) and me refuting all he said right back. I finally just gave up, thought to myself YOU'RE FIRED! Not that we do that in Canada but I wanted to. I'd find another doc.
And he finally gave in. With the threat of decreasing me if my TSH went any lower.
Yeah, whatever, all I want to do is feel normal, only I know what normal feels like to me. I'm pretty sure if I went hyper I'd know to drop my dose down. It's my body.
All I want to do is feel better, not be so puffy and tired and dry( yes I did realize I am still symptomatic when I read STTM website)!
It feels like I have to fight and argue with the man just for a 15mg increase! It was almost 20 minutes of him telling me why I shouldn't have it ( can't suppress the TSH too low....can't risk osteoporosis,.... FT3/4 doesn't count, etc...) and me refuting all he said right back. I finally just gave up, thought to myself YOU'RE FIRED! Not that we do that in Canada but I wanted to. I'd find another doc.
And he finally gave in. With the threat of decreasing me if my TSH went any lower.
Yeah, whatever, all I want to do is feel normal, only I know what normal feels like to me. I'm pretty sure if I went hyper I'd know to drop my dose down. It's my body.
I got the old "your TSH is too supressed..osteoporosis risk" last visit too.. My endo lowered my dose of ArmourT I had just got to some sort of "good" place..I have been taking Armour since June..before that I was miserable on Synthroid. My FT3 and FT4 were still far from ideal!
My FT4 is on the very lower end..and FT3 at 2.9. I have Hashi's.
My TSH was 1.1 so he immediately went down the old "let's not overdo it route!" How do they expect us ever to feel "normal" that's all we are asking for!! It's such a frustration!
Or, perhaps you could let them in on these interesting studies:
Low thyroid levels (Free T3 in particular) can cause heart disease in women:
http://www.circ.ahajournals.org/content/108/4/e29.full
Low TSH does NOT cause bone mineral density issues:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PII0140-6736(92)92423-D/abstract
"We suggest that thyroxine alone does not have a significant effect on bone mineral density and hence on risk of osteoporotic fractures." And that is from the LANCET - not some jerk posting summaries on line.
Somebody's doctors are NOT doing their research!
Some good ta know info: (see links I posted in this thread)
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Hypothyroidism/forum/17112801-labs-results
I feel for you both. I saw SIX - count em - 1,2,3,4,5,6 Endo-crimi-nologists before I finally went to the ER via ambulance (yes it was that serious) and a GP found and treated the issue.
I have a good GP, who isn't an idiot. Doc sometimes gets lost in the TSH world, but can be reasoned with.
Is there ANY chance you could establish a relationship with a GP and get off the crazy-merry-go-round of endo-crimi-nology?
I feel your frustration.... I really do. HUGS
MB
If he does drop me lower I will either order online or go see a naturopath who will treat me correctly. I am sticking with him as long as I can because with him I get my blood tests paid for, without him I pay.
Geez how could your doc just drop you when you were feeling better? What kind of sense is that?
MButterfly I did try to tell him with Armour the TSH is supposed to be very suppressed, he just kept on with the osteo and so on. Tried blaming my not feeling good on: rheumatiod arthritis, sicca syndrome, raynauds, ms, etc....Anything BUT the thyroid!
Truly truly frustrating. What is the big deal to him to give me 15mg of a thyroid pill?
Good lucky..and I know what you're going through, except I don't live in Canada. Can you possibly see a GP for that? Or no?
I would be totally fine with a TSH of zero too. :)
It may help you to squeeze every tiny bit of T4 and T3 from your meds if you take it in the middle of the night so it is completely absorbed. If there is food in your gut, the hormones can bind to the food instead of being absorbed. And be sure you take your meds 4 hours after AND 4 hours before anything with calcium in it. That's eight hours. It's a real hassel, but we do what we have to do if we can't get cooperation from our docs.
Just my humble opinion.
I have the "Lancet" osteo article all ready to take him next visit..I copied it some time ago.. I forgot last time!
I really do not think the poor man realizes that as I have Hashis (he was the ONE who told me it's very acute) He did the ultrasound..and called my husband in to see how it was being consumed (I have only one honeycombed half remaining) I also have antibodies in the 1000's.
He doesn't know that my TSH should stay supressed to have me feel somewhat "normal" I will try to explain that to him in December when I see him again..
I tell you..TG for you guys..at least I hear some common sense..the medical profession is clueless!!
Then there's the tiny problem IF my TSH falls too low..I will hear more of the same..and he will reduce it again..ARRRGH!!
Doctors that look at TSH for dosing decisions are the ones that keep us sick. It's downright criminal.