Went to the Doctor!

[judy]

Originally Posted by Yorkie Lover

Hi Janet,
I was at my doctor in July and had blood work ... my TSH was 4.04 from doctor #1 and he put me on Synthroid 0.025mg (25 mcg?) and I have steadily gained 2 lbs a month (I have been on it for 15 months) ... my other doctor (#2) did the same blood work a week later and my TSH was 6.67, he prescribed 1mg Synthroid .... so I went back to the endocrinologist (#2) and he did blood work again but said I am just eating too much ... my eating habits have not changed ... and gaining 2 lbs a month surely is not what I want ..I am soooooooooo tired all the time .... I am waiting for these blood tests to come back and see what happens ....
I was wondering if you heard anything about Cytomel? It has to do with T 4? I am not sure ... I feel as if I am being sabotaged since weigh GAIN & increased appetite are side effects of Synthroid ...
Can you shed light on this for me please??? HELP!!!!

That's really confusing. Do you think you need a 3rd opinion? I'm sorry you're having
such a problem solving this!

Originally Posted by judy

That's really confusing. Do you think you need a 3rd opinion? I'm sorry you're having
such a problem solving this!

Thanks for responding Judy, I am going to get a 3rd opinion ...
that was my thought and I am glad you confirmed it for me ...
I appreciate your input ...

sometimes I just need that "push" ...

[Tink]

Your TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormones) level shows how hard your body is signaling itself to put out more thyroid hormones. If your thyroid isn't working properly, your body keeps signaling for it to spit it out and if it can't, your TSH gets high because the hormones are low.

So if that level is too high, it tells the dr that your hormone levels are too low. Synthroid, Levothyroxine, etc are synthetic replacement hormones that fool the body to make it stop sending out signals for more. If your TSH is high, your metablolism will be low and you might have trouble with added weight. It takes a fairly significant imbalance to make much weight difference though... My TSH when I was diagnosed was 61... it's supposed to be around 3. Going on the meds helped me to lose 42 lbs.

I know many who had TSH levels under 10 who went on meds and didn't lose any weight, but definitely felt better once they kicked in. It will take several weeks to correct an imbalance and if yours if significantly off like mine was, it takes months.

The downside to giving too much is that while it might help you lose weight, it also decreases your bone density, can make your eyes bulge...and other systems are thrown off by it. So neither extreme is good.

Originally Posted by Tink

Your TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormones) level shows how hard your body is signaling itself to put out more thyroid hormones. If your thyroid isn't working properly, your body keeps signaling for it to spit it out and if it can't, your TSH gets high because the hormones are low.

So if that level is too high, it tells the dr that your hormone levels are too low. Synthroid, Levothyroxine, etc are synthetic replacement hormones that fool the body to make it stop sending out signals for more. If your TSH is high, your metablolism will be low and you might have trouble with added weight. It takes a fairly significant imbalance to make much weight difference though... My TSH when I was diagnosed was 61... it's supposed to be around 3. Going on the meds helped me to lose 42 lbs.
I know many who had TSH levels under 10 who went on meds and didn't lose any weight, but definitely felt better once they kicked in. It will take several weeks to correct an imbalance and if yours if significantly off like mine was, it takes months.

The downside to giving too much is that while it might help you lose weight, it also decreases your bone density, can make your eyes bulge...and other systems are thrown off by it. So neither extreme is good.

Hi Tink,
My TSH was 4 at one doctor's and 6 at another ... nowhere near 61 So why is he even giving me the meds? It seems all I do is gain weight .... I appear to be constantly hungry ... I am not eating any differently than I did 2 years ago and then I was losing weight ... w/o trying to ... I have been on the Syntroid for about 15-18 months I think ... (I think I started January 2006)
But I thank you for your information, I did not know that my numbers were considerably insignificant (all I knew was that it was not in the norm) ....

so what would happen to me if I take the 1mg as opposed to the 0.025 mg???

Grave's disease?? Iis that what you mean about the bulging eyes, yes? Isn't that what Barbara Bush had???

Well, thanks to you and Judy, I made an appointment to speak with a doctor, and I am going to get a 3rd opinion ...

about the bone density, I was on Forteo and that helped a lot ... but I was on that for 2 years and you cannot be on that longer than 2 years. My rheumatologist wanted to give me Boniva infusions, but this endocrinologist said no ...

I am going to end up a short, fragile FAT lady by the time I am 60 ....

Thank you SO much for your help ... I really appreciate it ....

[Tink]

Yes, it causes you to react as if you have Graves disease if you get too much.

Also, I should mention that if you start the meds too fast... rather than ease into it, it's like jump starting your system with too big a jolt and can throw you into an emergency crisis as it shocks the heart and other organs. Even as "off" as I was when diagnosed, they started me on the lowest dose and slowly added to it every 6-8 weeks over many months time until I got to a normal level. It meant having blood tests each time to see where I was at, but is the only safe way to go.

[Janet]

Originally Posted by Yorkie Lover

Hi Janet,
I was at my doctor in July and had blood work ... my TSH was 4.04 from doctor #1 and he put me on Synthroid 0.025mg (25 mcg?) and I have steadily gained 2 lbs a month (I have been on it for 15 months) ... my other doctor (#2) did the same blood work a week later and my TSH was 6.67, he prescribed 1mg Synthroid .... so I went back to the endocrinologist (#2) and he did blood work again but said I am just eating too much ... my eating habits have not changed ... and gaining 2 lbs a month surely is not what I want ..I am soooooooooo tired all the time .... I am waiting for these blood tests to come back and see what happens ....
I was wondering if you heard anything about Cytomel? It has to do with T 4? I am not sure ... I feel as if I am being sabotaged since weigh GAIN & increased appetite are side effects of Synthroid ...
Can you shed light on this for me please??? HELP!!!!

I'm sorry sweetie, but I know nothing about Cytomel. My very first med for Thyroid was Synthroid too and boy did I gain. I still have high hopes for losing weight. I too have a very low metabolism. I could sit at the computer or in a recliner all day, but know I can't. It's hard to get motivated to do things and then tiring carrying the extra weigh around.

Originally Posted by Janet

I'm sorry sweetie, but I know nothing about Cytomel. My very first med for Thyroid was Synthroid too and boy did I gain. I still have high hopes for losing weight. I too have a very low metabolism. I could sit at the computer or in a recliner all day, but know I can't. It's hard to get motivated to do things and then tiring carrying the extra weigh around.

Oh No!!
so your experience with Synthroid is the same as mine??? That is not encouraging ...
I have seen other people have said that Cytomel helped them with their energy level ...
I am going back to doctor #2 and I am going to ask him about it ... I will keep you informed .... and you are right, motivation is a great factor. I am so blue about it.

Still waiting for the lab results ....
but thanks for your info ...

[judy]

Being blue sounds like a normal response to me. The thyroid is really difficult to treat
because the meds have to be just right for your body and that takes time and patience.

We're here to listen, but you know you have to just put one foot in front of the other and get it done.

Venting here can really help!

Hugs

[rivermom]

Originally Posted by judy

Being blue sounds like a normal response to me. The thyroid is really difficult to treat
because the meds have to be just right for your body and that takes time and patience.

We're here to listen, but you know you have to just put one foot in front of the other and get it done.

Venting here can really help!

Hugs

[Janet]

Tink, I know you're not a Dr., but will you please give me your take on my levels in my original post? I really would appreciate it.

[Tink]

Since I totally screwed up WW last week, I thought I'd go to the Dr. and have some blood work done and then start WW again. Well I went this morning for the results and here is what we found:

Blood pressure was 120/88 not bad, since I'm in Diovan
At our age Janet, with any other complications, a diastolic of 88 is plenty high. When looking at your blood pressure, the top number (systolic) shows the pressure exerted on your arteries when your heart beats... the bottom number (Diastolic) shows the pressure between beats when the heart is at rest. So the higher your bottom number is, the higher the amount of constant pressure on your arteries which of course is harder on the heart to hold to that level, and wears on the arteries as well.

120/70 is perfectly normal blood pressure for an adult, but 100/60 is even better because it's less work and strain on the heart and arteries. My dr has mine down to about 100/60 with a combination of lisinopryl (a diuretic) and metoprolol which is a beta-blocker.

My TSH is 1.623 and T4 is 11.7 not sure what all that is but he's upping my thyroid meds (Levothyroxin from 125 MCG to 150 I'm Hypothyroid not the Hyper..lol
Currently, the recommended reference range for TSH is from approximately 0.3 to 3.0. A much wider range of approximately 0.5 to from 5.0 to 6.0 is being used by labs and doctors who are not following the latest recommendations by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. There's a lot of debate about the new range... as it's down from the 5or 6 which had been considered the norm for many years.

There are two types of TSH, TSH3 (T3) and TSH4 (T4). The doctors mainly are looking at the T4 because they believe this is the only one that matters, although there are many debates about this. Some doctors believe that both TSH levels need to be treated in order for the patient to feel "normal" again. Others believe that by correcting T4 only is all that is needed.
Once your TSH levels are determined, your doctor may recommend you see an endocrinologist. This is a doctor who specializes in the thyroid gland.
Your TSH4 is a bit high, so that would be why your dr is increasing your synthroid. It could be that your body doesn't like the synthroid and you'd do better with levothyroxine... if the increase doesn't help lower your TSH4, I'd ask about it.

It's kind of like one person does better with aspirin, another with ibupropen, and others with Naproxyn... no one is really the best for all and how you react to them is based on your unique body system.

My good cholestral was good, but my bad was just a little high. Maybe with starting WW again and losing some weight will help.
Having elevated "bad" cholesterol might well be yet another symptom of your hypothyroid. They often go hand in hand.

He's having me stop the Protonix for the GERD and start Nexium to see if that helps better.
The Gerd I'm not even educated enough about to comment on. I have friends who deal with it, but so far I haven't had to.

I'm to go back at the end of the month to let them know how I'm feeling with the new GERD meds and the thyroid med and to see if I lose any weight. I've gained 20 freak'n lbs since I was there last. SUCKS!!!

I hope this helps make it a bit easier to understand. The thyroid testing can be confusing because it sounds backwards... if your levels are high you need supplements? But it's high signals from your body telling itself to make more that's being picked up... not high hormones. so it's like when you're calling for something and the less you get the louder you call and it's the volume and frequency of the calling that's signaling more needs to be added. I hope that makes sense. lol

If you have questions, please ask... I'm not sure if I explained things well.

[Janet]

Thank you so much Tink. My Dr. explained it but not near as good as you...I think we know what your next calling may be.....lol. I go back at the end of the month to have it all checked again and see if the meds helped. I really appreciate your help.

[Tink]

I'm glad it helped Janet. My guess is with you having recently quit smoking that THAT is probably what's caused your weight gain. My cousin quit and had always been a skinny minny... he gained 40 lbs in a couple of months and looked like a totally different person! It's hard to quit smoking and often results in packing on the pounds for a while until you adjust to going without that habit. Please try to be patient with yourself. One battle at a time is plenty... and you've done so well to be winning the one.

[Janet]

Thanks Tink....I really think I've won the smoking one. But I quit on Aug. 30 so I don't think my weigh gain is all from that. I had gained 20 lbs since my last visit to the Dr. I'll just keep my eye on things until I go back to see him at the end of the month. Thank you again for all your help.