Sorry to hear that you are suffering so much with those symptoms. If you are getting no relief from that heavy dose of T4 medication, then it is possible that you are not converting the t4 to T3 very well. In that case it will show up as low Free T3. Free T3 is the thyroid hormone that largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions. Scientific studies have shown that FT3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while TSH and Free T4 correlated very poorly.
I suspect that your thyroid testing has been confined to TSH. TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many variables that it is totally inadequate as the sole diagnostic for thyroid. You need to be tested for Free T3 and Free T4, along with TSH each time you go to the doctor. If your doctor resists testing for FT3 and FT4, then you should insist on it and don't take no for an answer. On the off chance that you might also have problems related to excessive conversion of T4 to Reverse T3, you should ask your doctor about testing for that also. Reverse T3 is the mirror image of T3, it is biologically inactive.
This is an unusual problem, but might be worth mentioning to the doctor.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important to you, not just test results. Test results are valuable mainly as indicators during diagnosis and then afterward to track FT3 and FT4 as meds are revised to relieve symptoms.
When you have results from the Free T3 and Free T4 tests, if you will post results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report, then members will be happy to help interpret and advise further. You should be aware that if the FT3 is in the lower part of its range, that is consistent with still being hypo. Since you are already taking a large dose of T4 med, then you would need to get your meds changed to include a source of T3.
So if you will get these tests done and talk to us about them we will try to help every way we can.
I thank all of you to take the time to answer all the questions on this panel and hope someone can really direct me somewhere where I can find some relief. I have a case of hypothyroidsm so severe that has brought a series of all other illnesses to me such as: constant swelling of both my feet and knees. swelling of my face and pain in my right knee, back ache, and lately can't even walk unless a use a four legged cane to support myself. My doctor says I have a thyroid level of 77 and has prescribed Levothyrozene for the past seven months from 75 mcg to now 300 Im still swelling dry troat, knee pain etc, and don't know where to go what to do. My only insurance is Tricare and that makes it difficult for me to seek better doctors. I would appreciate very much any response.
thanks Sylvia
You are not alone on the tingling.... I just wrote about it
http://mylifewithhashimotosdisease.blogspot.com/
If you do not get a rec from members, then have a look at this listing of Top thyroid Docs in that area.
http://www.thyroid-info.com/topdrs/arizona.htm
If you read through the patient reviews on the various doctors in your area, you might find a few that appear interesting. Then you might consider a procedure I have used often to try and determine if a doctor is a prospect or a suspect. I call the doctor's office and mention that I am looking for a good thyroid doctor, but before considering an appointment, I would like to ask a nurse two questions. That has almost always worked to get a nurse on the phone. Then I ask if the doctor is willing to treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Then I also ask if the doctor is willing to prescribe meds with T3 in them. If the answer to either is no, then I keep on looking.
If you want a bit more understanding of clinical treatment, this link is a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he consults with from a distance. the letter is sent to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
Thanks, I'm in Maricopa south of Phoenix, but could be Phoenix, Chandler, Mesa also. I do take almot all of the vit. above. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.
With the exception of the TSH test, the others are somewhat outdated tests and not very useful, compared to tests for the biologically active thyroid hormones, which are Free T3 and Free T4. I really urge you to get tested for Free T3 and Free T4, along with TSH. Also, a good idea to test for the thyroid antibodies, TPO ab and TG ab. Since hypo patients are frequently deficient in Vitamin A, D, B12, iron/ferritin, zinc, magnesium, and selenium, I would also suggest those as well.
More importantly I think you need to find a good thyroid doctor. By that I mean one that will treat you clinically by testing and adjusting FT3 and FT4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.
If you will tell us what area of Arizona you are in, perhaps a member can recommend a good thyroid doctor for you.
just looked to see if tyroid was tested on last bloodwork and it was not. so numbers would not be current. the doctor sent me to a pharmasist who gave me bio-identical hormones that were supposed to help adrenals, etc. I was on them for over a year and there was no change in anything and it cost me over $100 a month. I finally stopped. Here is a blood test that shows TSH 2.502, T4 7.7, T3 uptake 29, Free thyroxine Index 2.2, T3 133.
So sorry to hear of your continuing problems. I'm sure that with all the experience and dedication among our members that we can help.
Just because your thyroid test results were within the so-called "normal' ranges does not mean that they are adequate for YOU. The ranges are far too broad for that to be the case. Would you please post your thyroid test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report, so that we can see where your results fell within their ranges?
You mentioned testing that showed adrenal problems. Did the doctor do anything to address that specific problem?