Normal levels but still feeling tired, especially with Adderall

[Ratatattat]

I was diagnosed with grave's hyperthyroid condition over a year ago after years of feeling tired and so forth. A little more than a year ago I had my thyroid gland destroyed with radiation. I became more hyperthyroid for a time and then I started to come back down in my thyroid levels. At one point, for about 3 days, I felt great and back to normal and then I started feeling tired again. I had a checkup a few days later when I was feeling tired again and the doctor said my levels were now at normal even though I didn't feel normal. My levels continued to go down until there was basically no more activity by my thyroid gland (it was completely destroyed) and I was very hypothyroid. At this time I started taking levothyroxine. Even though I've been in normal levels for months now, I am still tired. I thought at one point that it was because I needed to wait till I was on the high side of the normal range, but I am now there and I still don't feel good. I'm on a 175mcg dose currently and my last levels were as follows:

HYPOTHYROIDISM, PRIMARY, POSTABLATIVE (244.1)
T4, FREE 2.0 (Abn: H) ng/dL 0.8-1.8
Reviewed
T3, FREE 313 pg/dL 230-420
Reviewed
TSH, 3RD GENERATION 0.44 mIU/L 0.40-4.50
Reviewed

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY (268.9)
VITAMIN D, 25-OH, TOTAL 37 (Abn: L) ng/mL 40-100

My doctor says that I have basically normal levels (though my T4 is slightly high), but that I am clinically hypothyroid because I still have the symptoms of hypothyroid. At the same time, I have ADHD and take Adderall XR for it. When I take the Adderall at even a small dose, I become even more tired. I just feel miserable and depressed and wonder if I will ever feel normal again. Is there something I'm not doing or something I should be trying? Does it sometimes take a long time for a person to feel normal, even long after their thyroid levels are normal? And, is there something about the combination of Adderall XR and thyroid problems that make symptoms even worse? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Andros]

I was diagnosed with grave's hyperthyroid condition over a year ago after years of feeling tired and so forth. A little more than a year ago I had my thyroid gland destroyed with radiation. I became more hyperthyroid for a time and then I started to come back down in my thyroid levels. At one point, for about 3 days, I felt great and back to normal and then I started feeling tired again. I had a checkup a few days later when I was feeling tired again and the doctor said my levels were now at normal even though I didn't feel normal. My levels continued to go down until there was basically no more activity by my thyroid gland (it was completely destroyed) and I was very hypothyroid. At this time I started taking levothyroxine. Even though I've been in normal levels for months now, I am still tired. I thought at one point that it was because I needed to wait till I was on the high side of the normal range, but I am now there and I still don't feel good. I'm on a 175mcg dose currently and my last levels were as follows:

HYPOTHYROIDISM, PRIMARY, POSTABLATIVE (244.1)
T4, FREE 2.0 (Abn: H) ng/dL 0.8-1.8
Reviewed
T3, FREE 313 pg/dL 230-420
Reviewed
TSH, 3RD GENERATION 0.44 mIU/L 0.40-4.50
Reviewed

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY (268.9)
VITAMIN D, 25-OH, TOTAL 37 (Abn: L) ng/mL 40-100

My doctor says that I have basically normal levels (though my T4 is slightly high), but that I am clinically hypothyroid because I still have the symptoms of hypothyroid. At the same time, I have ADHD and take Adderall XR for it. When I take the Adderall at even a small dose, I become even more tired. I just feel miserable and depressed and wonder if I will ever feel normal again. Is there something I'm not doing or something I should be trying? Does it sometimes take a long time for a person to feel normal, even long after their thyroid levels are normal? And, is there something about the combination of Adderall XR and thyroid problems that make symptoms even worse? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hello and welcome to the board. Your levels look very good. So, for that reason, I suspect low ferritin. Ferritin is the protein that stores your iron for cellular uptake. It should be in the range of 50 to 100 and the closer to 100 the better.

As to the Adderal; I looked it up and there are a lot of side-effects but being tired does not seem to be one of them. Were you taking Adderal at the time of your lab tests?

What has your doctor suggested as the reason for your tiredness?

[Ratatattat]

Is ferritin available as an OTC supplement? My doctor has no explanation for why I still feel tired, though he doesn't seem surprised that I still feel tired. I was taking the adderall at the time of the test. One doctor has said that perhaps I have become tolerant of the adderall and so now I am tired because it doesn't give me the energy it used to. That doesn't make sense to me though, because it never really gave me energy, it just helped me concentrate. And when I take it I feel MORE tired, whereas if his explanation was correct, I'd think that I'd feel the same. Do you think the slightly low vitamin D has anything to do with my tiredness? I suspect that most people are deficient in Vitamin D. Thanks for any help you can give me.

[Andros]

Is ferritin available as an OTC supplement? My doctor has no explanation for why I still feel tired, though he doesn't seem surprised that I still feel tired. I was taking the adderall at the time of the test. One doctor has said that perhaps I have become tolerant of the adderall and so now I am tired because it doesn't give me the energy it used to. That doesn't make sense to me though, because it never really gave me energy, it just helped me concentrate. And when I take it I feel MORE tired, whereas if his explanation was correct, I'd think that I'd feel the same. Do you think the slightly low vitamin D has anything to do with my tiredness? I suspect that most people are deficient in Vitamin D. Thanks for any help you can give me.

In order to bring up your ferritin levels, one must take iron. This is not a wise thing to do unless low ferritin is confirmed via a lab test as too much iron can be very dangerous.

Here is info on ferritin........

http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/~edudev/LabTutorials/Ferritin/Ferritin.html

And here is info on Vitamin D (I am of the opinion generally speaking that a few minutes in the sun daily is sufficient.) I am always wary of the latest trend or fad. However, the doctors make a lot of money at these things. Vitamin D can also reach toxic levels and as you will read in this link, it exacerbates autoimmune. Sometimes the body does know what it is doing!

http://www.physorg.com/news158425579.html

[Nova]

Hi there, I am also new to this board. I also have Grave's, my RAI was four years ago. I have also gone through the tiredness issue. The only thing that has helped me so far is trying to make sure I am eating a balanced diet (really making an effort) and advocating for myself with my endo and telling them how I am feeling and requiring some kind of solution before I leave the office. During my last appt I was told that my thryroid is probably dead now and that is why I am now in the hypothyroid range and need to be bumped up in dosage. The increased dose has been a big help - I felt the difference with a boost in energy the day after I took the first pill. Of course, everyone is different and you should always consult with your doctor but you will also need to advocate for your needs because at the end of the day we are the one's who have to live with the answers or lack of them and the resultant consequences!

[Andros]

Is ferritin available as an OTC supplement? My doctor has no explanation for why I still feel tired, though he doesn't seem surprised that I still feel tired. I was taking the adderall at the time of the test. One doctor has said that perhaps I have become tolerant of the adderall and so now I am tired because it doesn't give me the energy it used to. That doesn't make sense to me though, because it never really gave me energy, it just helped me concentrate. And when I take it I feel MORE tired, whereas if his explanation was correct, I'd think that I'd feel the same. Do you think the slightly low vitamin D has anything to do with my tiredness? I suspect that most people are deficient in Vitamin D. Thanks for any help you can give me.

If I were you, I would look to Ferritin first. A lab test for this would definitely be in order.

Here is info on ferritin which is the protein that stores your iron for cellular uptake...
http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/~edudev/LabTutorials/Ferritin/Ferritin.html

Your hemoglobulin can be fine with ferritin in the basement.

I am not hot to trot about all this Vitamin D stuff. It's a good way for the doctor's to make a lot of money though. A little sun 10 minutes a day and a glass of milk should keep you in good stead.

Actually, Vitamin D triggers the antibodies and autoantibodies and I suspect that is the reason many of us present with low vitamin D. It's the body's way of protecting it's self.

Here is info on that.........
http://www.physorg.com/news158425579.html

I think we tamper w/ things too much; that is my humble opinion.