Synthroid Making Me More Tired

[ssemperfi]

Recovering from a Pituitary Tumor Thyroid not working .... was on Synthroid for two years no problem then it started making me more tired than without it and made it hard to thnk... Doc put me on Hydrocortisol for possible adrenaline problems but still hurting with or without it only left house 10 times in six months... Doc is at a loss for help any suggestions?

[ssemperfi]

I have only taken hydrocortisol.. the first 5 days of on 7mg I felt 100% better then effects faded. I took you advice and went to 10mg morning and 10mg afternoon Felt 90% better for again only 5 days. With the increase of cortisol the synthroid stopped making me sick... so that's a plus... my endocrinologist just increased my synthroid dosage.. Went from .112 to .125 starting today.. I have explained to her that I am not just a little tired I am completely exhausted, but I don't think she understands.   It will take 4 hours to build enough strength just to shower, but the first 5 days of taking 20mg cortisol I had so much energy I ran 3 miles on three different days.. now I am bed ridden again? Could ACTH  be a factor? Tumor was big at 4mm could it have damaged the way my brain reads my body chemistry? Why only a few days of relief and then no effect on meds?

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

were you on prednisone 5mg am and 2.5mg pm ? That is an ok dose, but many patients with hypopit do better with the hydrocortisone like you are on now but the dose may need adjustment over time especially if you are very active -- may need 25-30mg total per day and some will take 20mg AM and 5-10mg afternoon

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

usually synthroid in AM 30min before meal/meds but can also take at bedtime.

[ssemperfi]

Endocrinologist only had me on 7 mg hydrocortisol I started taking 20mg a day and feel much better still lethargic but not bed ridden anymore...thanks Is it better to take synthroid at night or in the morning?

[ssemperfi]

So tired with or without synthroid only leave house about 4 times a month. My endocrinologist has never known synthroid to make anyone worse tried changing doses and even different type of thyroid replacement same results.

[ssemperfi]

I am going to the V.A. Clinic and have access to my labs on-line I am taking 5mg cortisol in the morning and 2.5mg in the afternoon (first ten days of taking Cortisol was amazing and the effects faded) Here are some of my labs:
BASOPHILS 0.06 K/cmm 0.00-0.2
BASOPHILS/100 LEUKOCYTES 1.1 % 0.0-3.0
EOSINOPHILS 0.07 K/cmm 0.00-1.00
EOSINOPHILS/100 LEUKOCYTES 1.2 % 0.0-4.0
ERYTHROCYTE DISTRIBUTION WIDTH 12.6 % 11.5-14.5
ERYTHROCYTE MEAN CORPUSCULAR HEMOGLOBIN 31.8 pg 28.0-35.0
ERYTHROCYTE MEAN CORPUSCULAR HEMOGLOBIN CONCENTRATION 34.7 gm/dL 33.0-36.0
ERYTHROCYTES 4.9 M/cmm 4.1-5.8 Details
ERYTHROCYTES.NUCLEATED 0.00 K/cmm 0.00-0.00 Details
ERYTHROCYTES.NUCLEATED/100 ERYTHROCYTES 0.0 % 0.0-0.0 Details
GRANULOCYTES.IMMATURE/100 LEUKOCYTES 0.4 % 0.0-1.0 Details
HEMATOCRIT 44.9 % 39.3-52.5 Details
HEMOGLOBIN 15.6 gm/dL 13.1-17.5 Details
IMMATURE GRANULOCYTES # 0.02 K/cmm 0.00-0.10 Details
LEUKOCYTES 5.68 K/cmm 3.90-11.00 Details
LYMPHOCYTES 1.74 K/cmm 1.20-3.40 Details
LYMPHOCYTES/100 LEUKOCYTES 30.6 % 20.0-45.0 Details
MEAN CORPUSCULAR VOLUME 91.6 FL 80-97 Details
MONOCYTES 0.37 K/cmm 0.00-1.50 Details
MONOCYTES/100 LEUKOCYTES 6.5 % 3.0-9.5 Details
NEUTROPHILS 3.42 K/cmm 1.40-6.50 Details
NEUTROPHILS/100 LEUKOCYTES 60.2 % 49.0-78.0 Details
PLATELET MEAN VOLUME 9.0 FL 7.4-12.0 Details
PLATELETS 198 K/cmm 130-400

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Would look at hydrocortisone dose - usually 20-25 mg a day is needed and look at other pituitary hormones.  Goal for synthroid replacement with pituitary problem is keep T4 in mid-high normal range.  TSH not reliable in this situation.