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Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: St. Louis, MO
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Hi there,
Synthroid is a T4 replacement medicine. T4 is one of the thyroid hormones that your body produces. Many docs use the TSH alone to determine the need for treatment, and the treatment is often only a T4 drug like Synthroid. However, it is important to also check your T3 level (T3 is the metabolism thyroid hormone). Docs don't routinely do this because T4 is converted to T3, so they think that just replacing T4 will take care of any T3 defiency as well. So, the general logic by most medical professionals in the US has been to give people synthetic T4 (brand name Synthroid) and let the body convert it to T3 as needed. The problem with that line of thinking is that some people have trouble converting T4 to T3. If T3 levels are deficient, no amount of T4 is going to make them feel better. In those cases, a T3 med (Cytomel for instance) can be taken along with a T4 med (like Synthroid). Armour is a natural thyroid replacement med that contains both T4 and T3 (along with other thyroid hormones). There is controversy in the medical community about whether to prescribe Armour (which some feel has consistency problems) or whether to just treat with a T4 med alone. Many thyroid patients who didn't feel well on Synthroid notice a big difference once they switch to Armour, however.
Hashimotos Thyroiditis is the most common form of hypothyroidism, and it is commonly found in women with PCOS. It is an autoimmune disease in which the body produces antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. Over time, the thyroid gland eventually poops out, but until then there are fluctuations in thyroid production, and one can actually experience bouts of hyperthyroidism until full hypothyroidism sets in. Many people with Hashi's don't convert T4 to T3 well. The most common test for Hashi's is a TPO antibodies test, which will show levels of antibodies present, if any. People with Hashi's are more likely to develop other autoimmune disorders, and that is more likely to happen the longer treatment is delayed and the antibodies run rampant. One of the other autoimmune disorders is fibromylagia. People with fibromylagia experience constant aches and pains.
Because of your symptoms, I think it would be wise to ask your doc to run a Free T3 and a TPO antibodies test to help determine the cause of your hypothyroidism and the best treatment for you.
Many people who take Synthroid feel better. However, you should know that once you start replacement thyroid therapy, your thyroid gland will not be producing as much thyroid hormone on its own, and it will take frequent testing and titering to get your levels optimized. So, after the first few weeks you may actually start to feel a bit worse until the doc increases your dosage to the appropriate level. Optimizing your meds can take a long time so you will have to patient. Also, some people experience water retention and some weight gain when starting on Synthroid, but everyone's different.
HTH,
Linda
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dx pcos 1984, type II diabetes 2001, also hypertension
Met 2000mg since 2001, started Glucophage XR 4/22/04, then switched to Met ER 6/04; also: multi, Vit. C, Vit. E, B12/folic acid combo, fish oil & borage oil combo, garlic capsules, cinnamon, Vitex, calcium with magnesium/zinc, biotin, CoQ10, selenium,iron
Other meds: Verapamil and Altace(for blood pressure)
Started laser hair removal 7/29/03, completed 3/04 (it works!)
UAE for fibroid 3/24/03 and 3/16/04 |
