Somewhat Damaged

Don't think you sound crazy. I went to my doctor 2 years ago severely depressed, among other things, and asked to have my thyroid tested. When he simply said, "it's normal" I was absolutely. devastated. I cried for the rest of the day, and suffered with worsening symptoms for another full year before educating myself and getting real help.

It sounds like your doctors know quite a bit more than some... that's a great start!

laneygirlid

If your doctor writes "Synthroid brand only with no generic substitutes" the insurance company really can't do anything. Just tell them you'll be seeking some legal counsel on the issue if they give you any push back.

jjkrhbb

My GYN who ran the bloodwork called me on Tuesday. Was concerned about my TSH of 3.2 and my T3 was elevated. T4 was normal. So she is sending me the results in the mail and wants me to make an appt with my primary doctor to discuss results and what to do from there. Now I realize my GYN may not be completely updated in this field, but she essentially pawned me off on my primary doc. I have a primary doc appt on Friday.

I hope my doc will do something. I am sick of being passed around and nothing being done. You know what I mean?!

Will update you all on Friday.

rock_sister

When I was first diagnosed in January, my TSH was 16. After taking the 50 MCG dosage of Levothyroxine for about a month or so, it dropped to 5.7. My doctor upped me up to the 75 MCG dosage and I'm gonna be seeing him next week to see if it reached a normal number.

leandermes

Hi,

I got my lab work done last week- my TSH level was 12.02. I started levoxyl this morning...due for my next blood work in about 3 months...will see how it goes...I really hope it works because I'm so sick of being exhausted all the time!

Turtlegirl68

__________________

Renee (25), DH (32)

Metformin2000mg,Glyburide2.5mg,

Synthroid 300mcg, Prenatals

Surprise BFP 3/3/08

M/C 3/27/08

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to weep, a time to laugh, A time to mourn, and a time to dance."

Ecclesiastes 3:1,4

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elocinintherain

just an update... got my 6 week test results back, and my tsh is now a 1.97!

Vern

My situation is practically identical. 5.7 initial TSH, .5 at 8 weeks later, on 50mcg.

SoSilly

I was just diagnosed a week ago. My TSH was 7.58. They'll recheck in 6 weeks. I am on 50mg of Synthroid. I had my levels drawn back in November and my TSH was 2.98. Amazing how much it changed within a few months huh?

Scarlett1125

Well, I'm not trying to win any prize here, but my DD told me I should post on here, so others wouldn't feel so bad about their situation. Long story short is that I am un-diagnosed PCOS simply because I have not pursued a diagnosis, but both daughters have been diagnosed with it.

My TSH level when diagnosed 15 years ago was 474 ..... not a decimal error here, but 474. The docs at the teaching hospital that I was referred to IMMEDIATELY said that they had NEVER seen a level that high in the entire endo dept. for all the years they had practiced. I was told that I was simply lucky to be alive.

First off, I'm now more or less "out to pasture", as I have had two children (with great difficulty) and have had a hysterectomy. Secondly, the diagnosis that I had sought for almost 20 years was falling on deaf ears, as doctor after doctor basically said "lose 50 pounds and call me in the morning". If there had been an internet when I was diagnosed, I am sure I would have pursued a diagnosis with more diligence. However, when you are turned away from 20 doctors over 20 years and told that you are simply too young to have a thyroid disorder, you give up on having that magic prescription written. My thyroid was showing poor performance in my early teens (also prior to the TSH test as we know it now) and it was not until I was 33 that it got bad enough for somebody to actually pay attention to something besides the fact that I was fat!

Symptoms included everything that you have ever heard, seen, witnessed and then some. The "biggie" that finally made someone take notice, was the fact that I had galactorrhea (sp?). I had gestational diabetes, lots of miscarriages, the whole messed up monthly thing, weight issues, etc. They initially thought that perhaps I had a pituitary tumor, but upon having an MRI and taking the Synthroid for a few months, I was billed simply as a Hashimoto case. I started out on 225 mcg daily and have been on a maintenance dose for the last ten years of 125 mcg. Long term, the effects of this disease have been primarily on my metabolic system. My basal body temp is always low, my heart beats only around 60 bpm, my eyebrows have receded and as always, weight is still an issue. I take meds for HBP and Spiro for the hair issues. On the positive side, I am the only 50ish woman I know that does not have hot flashes!

I have no intention of pursuing a diagnosis for PCOS, as it would not benefit me at this stage of my life. I'm simply trying to keep all the pieces together that are left. My daughters are diagnosed and that is good enough for me, as they will have many more years to deal with all of this. These boards are a terrific find for my 17 yo that struggles with more of the issues than her 19 yo "thin cyster". I applaud all that post and wish everybody success in the future. There IS a life after Hashimotos ....... you may just not be as skinny in that life as you'd like! As for me, I've come to terms with the fact that my 5'2" 225# self is never going to look like a super model. Just be happy you're here!

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Scarlett
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Loongirl

Before I was Dx with Hashimoto's my TSH was 7+. Now it is .75. I am currently on 125mcg of Synthroid. It has teken me a year to get it to that level.

neems

At start roughly 5.5 and sick as a dog. No doctor would treat me at that tsh. So I paid and sent away for my OWN antibody test and free t3/t4 tests.

I went to the Dr and showed him and he said oh yeah that's what we thought. Uh no we didn't and he gave me Synthroid. I was so sick at this point I was too scared to take it and it made me feel weird.

I did some research and yes armour (pig) IS consistant but it's cheap and synthroid agents don't like losing money and put that rumor out themselves even though there were statistics showing synthroid was actually inconsistent. Whatever you use try to use name brand but be consistent with brands.

So I found out how much better Armour was than synthetics (Synthetics only have T4, armour has the entire T's including T3). I went to my doctor who refused. Said only cavemen use this stuff. (Gotta love uneducated doctors) But I knew this about doctors and I brought my husband and mom as arsenal. Everytime he said no we ALL said No, armour would be best for her I think you should let her try it. It was awesome tbh. He gave it to me and I actually started to feel like that bus got through running me over.

So I move and go to a new doctor who randomly gives me Levothyroixine (T4 generic synthroid). It was tiny and I was stronger so I thought whatever. She said she only deals with how people feel and upped my armour too to 1.5 grains.

I always wondered what would it feel like to be taking too much. Was hard to tell because I felt so random. Well Now I know. I was almost awake for one which is realllll weird for me. But mostly I felt this flutter in my chest and i kept feeling like I was going to vibrate out of my share. And I was babbling pretty bad. Usually I'm asleep through out the day. I think I said some embarrassing stuff because I didn't know what was going on. I thought a boy must be doing this.. you know... it gave me that anxious falling in love feeling. How embarrassing. So I went back down to 1 grain. TSH was .03 btw when I felt vibraty.

So I went back to 1 grain and started clomid. I read on their site can effect thyroid. I asked two doctors who said they never heard of that and dismissed me. Well, I suddenly got that feeling again of being beaten the heck up with a baseball bat. Couldn't move my left arm again. Couldn't point or drink with it. Felt like it was broken literally. And I told the nurse and went in for another test. tsh 4.4. She suddenly said oh that's normal buh bye.

What?!?! Miss I don'tgo by numbers?? I knew I actually felt better closer to 0 I was. I ALSO knew I was trying to conceive and it needed to be under 2.0 to prevent birth defects and infertility. I told this to this nurse's nurse who poo poo;d me and said Oh we only require mother's to have a tsh under 1.8 in their third trimester. Uhhh.

So I begged and the registered nurse ignored me so I upped it back to 1.5 grains slowly on my own. I could start to move my arm again. Still hurts though and I can't point high or straight though. I still feel sick. But I'm too old to be dealing with inadaquate doctors anymore. I will Not DIE because THEY have a stick up their butt and apparently have no access to endo magazines or even the internet for God's sake.

Btw clomid didn't work and so I'm going off of it. I'm going to have to figure out my own script needs and I'm a little worried about it. More so because my nurse doesn't get it and will probably mess it up if she can.

btw i called in my old script and she didn't even know and ok'd it so that's how I can still have 1.5grains. She also got a little mad when I asked for an endo referral. She has yet to give me one though. Said she would a few times... and here we are.. no endo.

Took me a long time to realize I am not a child and the dr/nurse the parent and whatever they say goes. I am a client. I am a customer. And I'll be damned if I'm paying for inferior consultations. They work for ME not the other way around.

so now i have zero idea what my tsh is... but I can guess it's about 3.5. I can just feel it.

Victoria070505

Well I went to my endo today and she has decided my level is good. It is down to 2.20 it was 4.731 when I was dxed. I am on 112mcg. I am sill a little concerend about that level since I read that to get pregnant it is better to be 1.0 or around that level. I am still tired sometimes but I do feel a lot better compared to how I was. Should I address that at my next appt in 4 months?

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Somewhat Damaged

Scarlett, it sounds like you are still having hypo symptoms.... the thinning eyebrows, low body temp, heart rate, etc., should cease once you get on the right drug and the right dose. *please* check out http://www.realthyroidhelp.com (and no, I don't work for that site )

Mariposie

Mine was 4.5, but my doctor figured that since that's borderline and I have many symptoms of hypothyroid that I could benefit from a small dose of synthroid. I'm so glad, because I feel so much better now. My temperature still never goes higher than 97.6 unless I'm sick, though.