Hi there!

[Deda-girl]

Hi...

Guess I'll be the 1st. :rolleyes:

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis in July of '03. I actually dx'd myself, after years of "not feeling quite right"...more than anything I was exhausted and felt run down all the time. I started out by taking Levothroid, and boy, did I react badly... muscles tightened up all over, (they weren't really bothering me before that), and I was as stiff as a board. I think I needed to ease into slower, but what do we know when we 1st start out?? Three months later I switched to Armour Thyroid...and did awful. Too much
T3 in it (for me), and could only take up to 90 mgs. My T3 levels were hyper and my T4 stayed in the basement. UGH!! I wasted 15 months suffering on that stuff. I know it helps some people, but it sure isn't for everyone. I was brainwashed by many people on a couple of thyroid boards, into thinking I shouldn't go back on T4 because "Armour is the best!" I've learned to listen to my OWN body from now on.

Finally went back on Levothroid, starting out slow, and after about 10 months, reached that magic #1 TSH, and my Free T4 was up to 1.7 ...which is suppposed to be so good, right? Then why did I still feel like poo?? Later I asked my endo for some Cytomel, (my Free T3 levels was right under the mid range, but you know how "they" are, they think anywhere in the range is just fine. But, she was cool about the Cytomel, and gave me some of that. It slowly worked, and my pains slowly started dissappearing. Thank God. I do feel better today, and to tell you the truth, I never thought that I would feel this well ever again. But one problem that remains is, I still get tired easily, and sometimes for no reason at all. This weekend has been the pits. I have layed around the house in my sweats all weekend, when it has just hit the 80's outside for the 1st time since last fall....that usually always motivates me. I'm not exibiting any other hypo symptoms, (that I can tell), but I fell exhausted! So...maybe this week I'll go and get my levels checked. I wouldn't be surprised if they come back perfectly normal. A lot of my girlfriends have this too, and say they have days they are so tired, they can't do much of anything. It's one of the worst things about this ugly disease. But I'll never give up on my quest to feeling as well as I possibly can.

NastyHashi....saw your name on here earlier, ....how are you, dude? Have missed seeing you on the "other" board, and was just wondering about you the other day. I figured you started feeling great and just moved on. (I was hoping)

Anyway...nice new website, and thanks for reading.

Bless all...

Cheryl-Deda

[NastyHashi]

Deda!!! How u doin??? Long time no hear. You know the Nasty.....might be down but never out.....for long at least....

How'z things?

I've been pretty well considering where I was at a few years back.

I'll private message you to talk....

[Deda-girl]

Deda!!! How u doin??? Long time no hear. You know the Nasty.....might be down but never out.....for long at least....

How'z things?

I've been pretty well considering where I was at a few years back.

I'll private message you to talk....

Nasti!!

So cool...you wrote me back! :p So great to hear from you. YES, please do email me, when you get time. I remember you had a very busy life. (was trying to keep super busy to not stress about this thyroid crap) I'm about to leave my place right now to go out to dinner with my girlfriends [from my grief group], and then we go out for coffee, usually at Border's books. I get home kinda late, but it keeps my mind off these things too.

My hubby works late nights and it's easy to start over imagining horrible things happening to me when I'm alone at night! Glad to hear you're doing well still....your antibodies must still be laying low....lucky you! I'm going to go get mine tested in a month or 2 through healthcheckusa, as my Dr. has done that test twice, and well, you know how they are....they really seem to think that test is a waste of time.
(They wouldn't if it were them with these diseases, now, would they??) :(


TTYL---Cheryl-Deda

[NastyHashi]

Yeah, for me keeping busy has been my number 1 thing that has helped me. Sitting on those message boards constantly thinking about how crummy things are was really not helping me at all. I quit the boards and put it out of my mind for a while and went to work like a maniac and ironically, my antibodies came way down.

I just did an at-home TSH test and I was 5.5....not bad for me...I seem to be hovering right at the very upper threshold, although most would say its way too high. Who knows?

Great to hear from you again and welcome to these new boards.

[Deda-girl]

Heyyyy NastyHashi!........... :p

I'm sorry I haven't replied....been too busy lately, and I forget as I go to so many message boards. (BTW...love this new website...good job!) I think I'll like this board better...I do already.....you can email people off the board, and no meanie mods like on some others boards we used to visit, trying to act like some Gestapo's...huh?? Well, I will have to email you the rest of my reply later, as it is 4:50 in the A. M. here and I need to go to bed. Upset with my hubby a little tonight, and couldn't sleep. :( Aw well.... tomorrow might be a brighter day! :rolleyes:

Oh another BTW....that's great to hear that your TSH went DOWN all the way to 5.5 The last time I talked to you, (on the other board) was last May, (my dad had just passed), and you said your TSH was 8. something....so congratulations, 5.5 is so much better!

Got my levels checked the other day...I just went over to my clinic and did it, (w/o permission) because I was starting to feel somewhat hypo-ish again. (fatigue, can't lose a single lb., bad pins n needles all over, hair falling a bit, etc) any way TSH did go up to 3.8, which is too high for me....I really don't feel well unless it's a 1 or around there...(close to) But I'm not really sure that I need an increase....I think I did a few silly things that interfered with my med absorption....just being careless, and also quite a few mornings couldn't wait the full hour to have my coffee. I think I'm going to hold off on increasing dose, and instead be x-tra careful w/ my meds for a good 6 weeks,...retest and see what happens. I don't want an increase (idf I don't need it) and chance getting hyper.

You're so dang right on about the message boards--reading all too much horrid stuff makes you think you're crazy or dying sometimes--I know this has happened to me too. I'm about to turn off this computer pretty soon for a few months so I can get some projects done, and go to the GYM and get back in shape. It will never happen with this Internet turned on. I got too hooked as I was so sick for close to 3 years...and desparately seeking help. Things are so much better now, and I don't do med boards as often. Now I'm on here more for music stuff, Hollywood gossip, weather... Lotto # results, the news, lol.

Talk with ya again, Nasty....and "Don't Change Your user Name", ya hear!!!! :rolleyes: (That chick was wack-o...LOL!)

Have a great weekend, and we'll stay in touch. Oh yeah....do those TSH home tests work well...pretty accurate? I think I heard they are pretty good.

Ciao!
Deda-Cheryl

[unichic]

WIth levels as you described, it is obvious that your high t3 and low t4 was from either low ferritin (iron stores) or most likely low cortisol. This is very common. I had the same problem and had to increase in teeny tiny amounts because my adrenals were in the pooper. It had little to do with Armour. What would have probably worked well for you was a t4/armour combo, like what I am on :).

[unichic]

A tsh of 5.5 is WAY too high, esepcially since the AACE changed the TSH range from .3 - 3.0 in 2003. It is only NOW in 2007 that lab companies are changing that info on their sheets (which sucks for all those poor folks out there with a TSH of 3-5.5 being sent home with a clean bill of health). A healthy tsh is around 1. Anything over 2.0 is likely hypo.

[rachel]

Hi,
Bless your heart you sound like me.. been told everything in the book... and yet we know that "something still isn't right".I'm thinking that my T-4 doesn't break down to T3 well .. I have the constant muscle tightening and stiffness you talk about.. I never can seem to lose any weight..Sometimes my body feels like it puts on 20 pounds overnight. ( And I'm a veggie and fruit lover) Even tho I'm from the south I hardly ever fry anything and when I do it's in
EV Olive Oil.I'm irritable and cranky my mood swings.. ugh!! I could cry at a stupid commercial and be ready to kill somthing later.. I feel like I'm losing my mind, my short term memory sucks and things that I used to be able to do well now I have trouble doing. ( Some ppl have said that it's pre menopausal) who knows.. but when you get depressed and can't seem to climb out of the depths some days.... where else can you turn????

Can you giv eme some of your symptoms and what the doctors have said?

Any help at this point is appreciated:)

Thanks!}Rachel

[Deda-girl]

WIth levels as you described, it is obvious that your high t3 and low t4 was from either low ferritin (iron stores) or most likely low cortisol.

Hi....

Actually my ferritin levels are perfect, (around 74), and have been good always... and from many others' posts I've read, it is not uncommon for people on Armour to have a LOW TSH, and a High Free T3 and a low Free T4. I've also read that T 4 is really the key to feels well, and that of course we need more T4 than we do T3... that's for sure as I am on 137 Levothrod and only .5 mcg of Cytomal, and whew....what a differance that great med made in the way I feel! :p

Yes....I do think that adding some Levothroid, (T-4) to my Armour might have helped, it probably would have...but I saw 2 different Endo docs and both would not let me try it....(I had a feeling they wouldn't anyway, so they didnt break my heart...I thought, just give it a few months and then if any of these stinkin' pains remain,..well then I'd INSIST they give me some Cytomel, (T 3),....turned out I didn't even have to beg, thank goodness,..she was just so cool about it!) woo-hoo :D

I did go for my labs after I wrote here the last time, and yep, sure enough my TSH went back up to 3.8, (I need to be at a 1, or even lower), and my Free T's were right below the midrange.....I do need em higher. So I've been on this new dose, (137 mcg) for about 4 and 1/2 weeks now, and I am starting to feel a lot better once again, It takes so long to level out...ugh!...I HATE IT!!!! :mad: My moods have really picked up too...it was pretty bad,,,lots of crying and hollering too.... my poor hubby. :p

Good luck, and thanks for your reply!
Deda-Girl

[Deda-girl]

Hi,
Bless your heart you sound like me.. been told everything in the book... and yet we know that "something still isn't right".I'm thinking that my T-4 doesn't break down to T3 well .. I have the constant muscle tightening and stiffness you talk about.. I never can seem to lose any weight..Sometimes my body feels like it puts on 20 pounds overnight. ( And I'm a veggie and fruit lover) Even tho I'm from the south I hardly ever fry anything and when I do it's in
EV Olive Oil.I'm irritable and cranky my mood swings.. ugh!! I could cry at a stupid commercial and be ready to kill somthing later.. I feel like I'm losing my mind, my short term memory sucks and things that I used to be able to do well now I have trouble doing. ( Some ppl have said that it's pre menopausal) who knows.. but when you get depressed and can't seem to climb out of the depths some days.... where else can you turn????

Can you giv eme some of your symptoms and what the doctors have said?

Any help at this point is appreciated:)

Thanks!}Rachel


Hello Rachel....

Sorrt it took me so darn long to get to see your reply....I haven't been to this board lately, as I kinda forgot about it....didn't mean too, but it does become confusing when you go to so many message boards as it is! And my mmeory realy sucks, so bad I cannot believe it, and keep hoping one day she'll come back... :confused: Rachel, honey, I'd like to post you a reply right now, but my eyes are closing....I'm so sleepy. It's 3:44 AM here right now, (CA), and I had taken a Ativan, so I can hardly figure out exactly what I'm doing here right now, but I promise that I'll get back to you real soon, and will answer all of yourr questions. Hang loose....and just hang in there kid, okay? It does, (and WILL) get better someday. (I never-EVER thought it would- ->>BUT IT DID!!! ) Suprised the $hip outta me!! I was about ready to go jump off the Golden Gate, i was beginning to feel so hopeless and too much pain!! What a way to live. I actually have some days now when I feel so normal, so good...I can't believe I just went through that 3.5 years of HELL. It pays to wait.....

TTYL....
Deda-Girl

[Deda-girl]

Say....does anyone know how to write in your profile around here? Just curious....I can't find anything,...but I am extremely sleepy. LOL Help!!! Anyone know? Thank you guys....

Deda-Girl

[GD Women]

Go to mid top left of page. Click on User CP. When page appears, to the left is a Control Panel. Click there and change or add your info.

[rachel]

Hey Deda girl.. went back to the dr.. the said that my TSH levels were too high for me at 3.49 but that they needed to be between 1-2.. but the big shocker was that I've become insulin resistance.. that's where the majority of my problems are steming from.. never give up ya'll and keep asking questions till you get some answers!~

Hope you're dong better!
Rachel

[Deda-girl]

Hi there Rachel...

Thank you!

I'm sorry that I took so long to reply...I was having a little problem posting, but obviously I'm able to post again. :p

I have been feeling so much better lately. Really this is the best I have felt since I started thyroid meds, which will be 4 years next month. (July 3) I just had a dose increase about 10 weeks ago, and I feel as if my levels are just where they should be. I'm going to the lab [probably] this Wednesday, [if I can wake up early enough] and will find out those levels the next day or so. My Tsh had gone up to 3.8, thus the increase. It's amazing to me how crappy I can feel with my Tsh at only 3.something. Even anything over a 2 and I feel lousy. I can't wait to find out those results. (My Free T levels were right under the mid range at that time also)

I will post more later...need to go back to sleep. I hope you are feeling well. What are the symptoms of insulin resistance? I see that come up quite a bit on these thyroid boards, but really don't know much about it. Hope you get things under control with that, and your thyroid too. You sound like you have the right attitude.. :::thumbsup::: keep it up, girl! ;)

TTYL...
Deda-girl

[Teresa]

Hi, I can relate to everything you had to say. I feel the same way but haven't found a doctor who will prescribe anything yet. I am on the third one so far. I am not giving up until I find someone who will help. Very depressing! Good luck, Teresa

[Deda-girl]

Hey Teresa...I wouldn't give up either, if I were feeling as poorly as you're feeling. I have seen people, [a few times] on thyroid boards who WERE lucky enough to find a Dr. to treat them, even with a TSH that was a 1.something,...as their antibodies were high enough, and their thyroid levels were low-normal.... meaning their Free T levels. (I just saw a person, [recently] like that, on another board). I do know that it WILL be difficult though....they are just so stuck on that "range" for diagnosing us.

I felt terrible for many years before my TSH FINALLY went over the range. I found old lab [results] slips in my paperwork [piles]...and found a thyroid Tsh result of 4.4, which that test was taken after I went to my GYN complaining of how extremely exhausted I was, 3.5 years before I was finally diagnosed. (I actually diagnosed myself, and went to tell my GP I was sure I had it, [and why], and luckily it did go over the range...to 8.6) I wasn't just fatigued, but had a few other symptoms too. They never bothered to test my other levels, [Free t's] and never tested my antibodies, until AFTER I was dx'd, and I had to ask for that antibody test too... as they didn't think it was necessary. :(

Today I KNOW that 4.4 is way too high for me. Actually, anything over about 1.5 seems too high for me, and I get some pretty nasty symptoms anywhere over that. Have they already tested your thyroid levels? (Besides a TSH test...hopefully your Free T4 and Free T3 levels as well?) Just curious what they were...if you could post them....and the ranges too?

Good luck..
Deda-girl