I Do not think Synthroid is working for me!

kristensmom · 05-19-2006, 09:56 PM

I still feel pretty bad on it.. Still have hair loss, still very fatigued..Now that he upped my Dose too 75mcgs 2 wks ago, I have swelling in my feet, tingling burning sensation in my arms, very, very, very mild nagging head ache.. I am thinking about stopping this med..My BBT is still very low * is Synthroid supposed too help raise your BBT?
Gaining weight, not losing it..

I just do not feel any better then I Did 4 months ago....Spent 3 months on 50mcgs... These were my labs after that dose.. When these results came back he upped it too 75mcgs, cause I was still fighting fatigue, and hair loss...
these were taking 3 wks ago.. Do they look ok?

Free T4 I am 1.2

TSH I am 1.42

T3 Total I am 1.53
T3 Free I am 3.2

I still feel like poop......

nobimbo · 05-20-2006, 12:20 AM

Missy, so sorry that you're still feeling crummy. Please list the lab ranges for your test results. Different labs use different procedures/measurement units/ranges, especially for the free's.

Linda

kristensmom · 05-21-2006, 12:20 AM

Here are the ranges Kim

T4 Ref range is ( .9-1.8 )

T3 Free and Total are

My T3 total is ..1.53, and there Ref range is ( .60-1.81 )
T3 is 3.2 ( ref range is 2.3-4.2 )

nobimbo · 05-21-2006, 01:42 PM

I searched back and found your lab results from before you started Synthroid, and your numbers have improved. Your FT4 is now at the midpoint of the range (it was near rock bottom of the range before), and your FT3 is up to the midpoint of the range now, too. It's best that the FT3 be in the upper quadrant of the lab range, though, so hopefully the increased dosage of the Synthroid will help. If not, you may need the addition of a T3 med such as Cytomel, or a switch to natural thryoid hormone (such as Armour).

Here is the typical thing to happen when first starting thyroid treatment: You feel better for a few weeks, then you feel worse again. That's because your thyroid gland reduces its own output of thyroid hormone because of the incoming thyroid hormone in the meds. The initial dose of Synthroid is low and not enough to keep up with the decrease of the thyroid gland's output, so you end up feeling crappy again. That's why the doc needs to retest after 2-3 months and increase the dosage, and again in another 2-3 months. I think that's what's happened with you. You may not remember this because you feel so yucky right now, but you were feeling good after the first month on Synthroid (when searching for your initial lab results, I saw a post of yours saying this.)

Have you had your ferritin tested (iron stores)? Low ferritin and hypothyroidism often go hand-in-hand, and the fatigue/hair loss are symptoms of low ferritin. If your ferritin tests less than 50 or so (even if it is within the lab range), you probably need to take some iron supplement.

Linda

kristensmom · 05-21-2006, 06:43 PM

Is transferrin SAT the same thing as Ferritin? I know I have like 3 Iron tests on my Labs,but do not see a ferritin lab lsited, just something called TansFerrin SAT

Anyway this ref range is 18-50, and mine was 24.9...

Thanks Kim, I stopped the Synthroid, It was causing me too have really bad swelling in my hands and feet, andit was raising my B/P pretty high. After a week of Taking the 75mcgs, I went too the ER for *VERY* High B/P, I thoughtit was a fluke, but it has been elevated alot over the past 3 wks, AFTER starting the Upped dosage of Synthroid. I called my endo and they said that my Synthroid would NOT cause this,however the ER docs, along with my regular docs seem too think that is what is causing my problems NOW.. Swelling, and High B/P... After another bout with High blood pressure yesterday, I did not take my 75mcgs pill... I had 2 wks of 50mcgs left, so I took one of those instead.

Not sure if I should call my Endo back or Not, since they seem too think the Synthroid is not the cause of my NEW problems! *sigh*....

Again... Thank you so much for you help!

nobimbo · 05-22-2006, 02:24 AM

No, transferrin or any of the other iron tests are not the same thing as ferritin. You do not have to have anemia (which the other iron/RBC tests would show) to have low ferritin. Ferritin is the test for iron stores, and you would have to request that from your doc since it isn't a routine test. My ferritin is very low even though I'm not in anemic range anymore (I was, but I take iron supplements now...can't get the ferritin to budge much because of a bleeding problem I have, but the iron keeps me from being anemic).

Hair loss in women can occur from having low ferritin (below 40, despite the fact that most lab ranges go as low as "10") even when the other iron tests are in normal range. Here is a link for more info:

http://hairsite2.com/library/article194.htm

Synthroid can cause high bp and water retention. I'm surprised your endo didn't acknowledge that. Sorry you're having so many problems with this. Maybe another thyroid med would be best for you.

Linda

kristensmom · 05-22-2006, 07:50 PM

OMG Kim......... I'm wondering if I need extra iron.. After reading what you wrote too me, and thinking back. I am wondering If I do need it!

After I had Nic, and Lost all that blood, then got transfusion.. I was given a script by my midwife.. It was for * Ferrous Sulfate *.. She told me too take 3 pills a day for one month.. I NEVER TOOK IT!

She told me if I did not take I will feel like crap, almost too the point of not being able too function. I felt good for a while after the transfusion, so I Poo-pooed what she said. I filled the script for this * but I think you can get this OTC too right? * Anyway.. I never took it.. I still have this HUGE box here in my Cabinet! I am wondering if I should take it now!

If I am even taking a good multi vit, would this still be beneficial too me?

nobimbo · 05-23-2006, 12:20 AM

Missy,

First of all, my name is Linda, not Kim.

The thing about iron is that too much of it can be more dangerous than not enough, which is why it's important to run tests first. Your transferrin SAT level, which within range, was low in the range. You should look at your red blood cell count, your iron, and your hemoglobin as well. Those are all standard tests and I'd bet those were run. Your doc would have told you if any of those were below range, but it's also important to test the ferritin. The ferritin level can be low (which according to some sources, would be less than 40 for a woman, even if it is within the lab range) even if you don't have anemia. Most docs would tell you that your ferritin is fine as long as you test within the lab range, but as you've seen in the article I posted the link for above, lowish ferritin can cause problems with hair loss. And btw, if you were to start taking a T3 med (such as Cytomel) or Armour, you would need to get your ferritin up in order to tolerate it.

So yes, iron is available over the counter, and if you need it a multivitamin isn't sufficient (you would need extra b12 and folic acid, though, since those help with iron absorption), but you really should find out what your ferritin is first. If your ferritin is at a good level and your other iron tests are normal, then you shouldn't supplement with iron. Too much iron can cause all sorts of problems (it's associated with insulin resistance and diabetes, for one).

Just so you know, if your ferritin is low, it can take a few months to get it up to a decent level so you have to be patient.

Here's some info about iron and thyroid you may find helpful:

Iron Deficiency and Fatigue

Many patients with fatigue as a main complaint are eventually diagnosed as having an endocrine problem. However, an often overlooked reason for fatigue in women who are menstruating is iron-deficiency. Iron is needed for thyroid hormone biosynthesis, including the conversion from the inactive thyroid hormone, T4, to the active hormone, T3. Women taking thyroid hormone are especially likely to benefit from treating iron-deficiency. Men are unlikely to be iron deficient. That severe iron-deficiency leads to anemia as manifested by low hemoglobin and hematocrit on a CBC blood test is well known. However, mild iron-deficiency leads to low ferritin in blood tests BEFORE a drop in hemoglobin and hematocrit occurs. An article published in the May 2003 British Medical Journal showed that patients with low ferritin, but normal hemoglobin and hematocrit, have fatigue that is reversed by iron treatment. Since Dr. Friedman’s goal is early diagnosis of treatable diseases, he recommends measuring a ferritin level in all women who have fatigue. Performing a CBC is not needed. Colon cancer can also give a low ferritin level, but it is unlikely in younger females whose main complaint is fatigue and who do not have weight loss. In men or older women, a low ferritin may warrant a colon cancer work-up, depending on evaluation by the patient’s primary doctor. The normal range for ferritin is usually between 30 and 300 mg/dL, but Dr. Friedman recommends iron treatment for everyone with a ferritin less than 60 mg/dL. The goal of treatment is to raise ferritin levels to a value between 70 and 90 mg/dL and is usually achieved with oral iron treatment. Raising ferritin levels to this range may be needed for patients with hypothyroidism to have an optimal response to thyroid hormone treatment. Ferrous sulfate (325 mg orally, available over the counter) is usually the recommended treatment. Dr. Friedman recommends one pill a day for a ferritin between 50 and 60 mg/dL, two pills a day for a ferritin between 30 and 50 mg/dL and three pills a day for a ferritin less than 30 mg/dL, Another choice is Feosol made by GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. Friedman recommends taking 1 to 3 pills a day of Feosol with Carbonyl iron which is a pure form of iron. It has 45 mg of elemental iron equivalent to 225 mg ferrous sulfate. Another alternative is to take Iron Protein Succinylate. It is available from Life Extension Institute in Florida:www.lef.org. I recommend taking Iron Protein Plus (http://www.lef.org/newshop/items/item00563.html) 300 mg, 4 tablets 2 times a day. Each tablet has 15 mg iron from Iron Protein Succinylate. Patients not responding to iron sulfate may be prescribed IV iron treatment (requiring a hospital visit). All iron products should be taken at least an hour after thyroid medication. After taking iron for 3 months, a ferrritin level should be rechecked and the dosage adjusted accordingly.Common side effects of iron treatment include constipation and black stools. Patients should increase the fiber and fluids in their diets to avoid constipation. Patients may need a stool softener such as colace, also available over the counter. For more information about Dr. Friedman’s Endocrinology clinic, please visit his website at www.goodhormonehealth.com. To schedule an appointment, please email Claudia at appointments@goodhormonehealth.com

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache...&hl=en&start=3

Linda

kristensmom · 05-23-2006, 01:41 AM

I am sooooooooooooo sorry for calling you Kim.. I have No idea why I even thought you were Kim, when I KNOW your name is Linda, I swear I know your name, I am SO SORRY

Thank you for all your help! I oredered a few book this afternoon from Online, regarding thyroid and such. I am going too read through them , when iget them.. Then call My Endo, and see if I can get in too see him.

Thanks for all your help *LINDA*, I really appreciate it!