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Hashimoto Thyroiditis - What Now?
I am humbled by those of you who have endured thryoid problems for many years. Fo me, this is new and terriblt frigthening. I feel like a 55 yr old child, crying, wanting to be well again.
I do believe I have had symptoms for many months, even years. In Feb it began with a backache and I decided to go to a chiropractor for a month's worth of adjustments. Not much help (although I love my chiropractor) Then another ear ache came along, achiness, emotional upsetment, a general feeling of being so very tired,
Bloodwork showed a TSH of 7.56. Thyroid profile provided anti-TPO of 170. I was told I have Hashimotos.
Ultrasound showed nodule in both lobes. Largest was 1.4 and after FNA came back benign (at least...for now)
The endocrinologist put me on .75 Levoxyl. I know this medication helps many people - but for me it was the drug from hell. After a month I went to the endocrinologist and told her about the pressure behind my eardrums, the pins & needles like bee stings that would come & go all over my body. She shrugged and said it had nothing to do with the Levoxyl - I needed to find a neurologist. I won't be going back to this person. She saw the .4 TSH and felt that was the end of the story. I went to my PCP and convinced her (rather easily) to give me Armour. I shared that I wanted to start with 30mg (1/2 grain) 2 times a day.
Took my first does yesterday evening - had awful insomnia! I was awake off & on all night : ( Still have some tingling going on but at least not like beestings. I feel achey. I still have this bizarre pressure behind my ears! I know I should not expect miracles overnight but this is frightening me! WHAT IS this?
Has anyone else experience ear pressure problems? Neuropathy?
Right now, after one month of "treatment" I am so damn depressed and crying! I am 55 yrs old, alone, and MUST be able to continue working for many years! Yet this disease has me feeling like I will never ever know myself ever again! Good God I feel like I will NEVER be well ever again! I am sorry, I know I must sound ridiculous but Hashimoto's is AWFUL!! I am obviously still in the anger stage!
I do believe I have had symptoms for many months, even years. In Feb it began with a backache and I decided to go to a chiropractor for a month's worth of adjustments. Not much help (although I love my chiropractor) Then another ear ache came along, achiness, emotional upsetment, a general feeling of being so very tired,
Bloodwork showed a TSH of 7.56. Thyroid profile provided anti-TPO of 170. I was told I have Hashimotos.
Ultrasound showed nodule in both lobes. Largest was 1.4 and after FNA came back benign (at least...for now)
The endocrinologist put me on .75 Levoxyl. I know this medication helps many people - but for me it was the drug from hell. After a month I went to the endocrinologist and told her about the pressure behind my eardrums, the pins & needles like bee stings that would come & go all over my body. She shrugged and said it had nothing to do with the Levoxyl - I needed to find a neurologist. I won't be going back to this person. She saw the .4 TSH and felt that was the end of the story. I went to my PCP and convinced her (rather easily) to give me Armour. I shared that I wanted to start with 30mg (1/2 grain) 2 times a day.
Took my first does yesterday evening - had awful insomnia! I was awake off & on all night : ( Still have some tingling going on but at least not like beestings. I feel achey. I still have this bizarre pressure behind my ears! I know I should not expect miracles overnight but this is frightening me! WHAT IS this?
Has anyone else experience ear pressure problems? Neuropathy?
Right now, after one month of "treatment" I am so damn depressed and crying! I am 55 yrs old, alone, and MUST be able to continue working for many years! Yet this disease has me feeling like I will never ever know myself ever again! Good God I feel like I will NEVER be well ever again! I am sorry, I know I must sound ridiculous but Hashimoto's is AWFUL!! I am obviously still in the anger stage!
Tearful thanks for your response! HUGS! The truth is, I don't KNOW what my Free T3 & free T4 ranges are! Its like the best kept secret. I am going to call my (former) endo to ask for them. When I went for an "interim" appt with the endo specifically because of the Levoxyl side-effects she'd only pulled the TSH .4 mentioned above and Total T4 (storage hormone) which was 1.4 (that seems low to me) I am still trying to educate myself on the ranges. I did purchase sublingual B12, but haven't taken it long enough to experience any lasting relief.
Did your body feel as though it was betraying you? I even had these very strange *sores* appear in odd places. One evening, getting into a bath tub, I noticed a red sore the size of an eraser head with a flat powdery white top on the inside of my right calf! It was not a pimple at all. Then, another one came on the outside of my right upper arm, then the other arm basically same location. Then another one again on my right shin. I went to the local urgent care clinic thinking I was getting shingles or something. Was just given an antibiotic without any diagnosis. They healed, but left scars. Almost like chicken pox! This is TOO weird!
Is the 30mg 2X a day good enough to start with (with the Armour) do you think? I don't want to go gung-ho too soon, but ease into this. I also want to get my adenals checked because I do believe they are fatigued. My PCP has given me a prescription for AM Cortisol, Free T3, T4 and TSH to do in 4-6 weeks. I don't think she is that well-versed in Hashimotos, although she believes in treating symptoms. She did acknowledge that Hashis is more complicated.
I appreciate your comments, it gives me hope! THANK YOU!
Did your body feel as though it was betraying you? I even had these very strange *sores* appear in odd places. One evening, getting into a bath tub, I noticed a red sore the size of an eraser head with a flat powdery white top on the inside of my right calf! It was not a pimple at all. Then, another one came on the outside of my right upper arm, then the other arm basically same location. Then another one again on my right shin. I went to the local urgent care clinic thinking I was getting shingles or something. Was just given an antibiotic without any diagnosis. They healed, but left scars. Almost like chicken pox! This is TOO weird!
Is the 30mg 2X a day good enough to start with (with the Armour) do you think? I don't want to go gung-ho too soon, but ease into this. I also want to get my adenals checked because I do believe they are fatigued. My PCP has given me a prescription for AM Cortisol, Free T3, T4 and TSH to do in 4-6 weeks. I don't think she is that well-versed in Hashimotos, although she believes in treating symptoms. She did acknowledge that Hashis is more complicated.
I appreciate your comments, it gives me hope! THANK YOU!
Ear pressure yes...bad! It doesn't last forever and still seems to come and go here and there. It takes time and treatment for this to get better.
Neuropathy....oh yeah....I am toward the end of the road of thyroid destruction phase and I still have neuropathy bad! I give myself B12 shots weekly to help it, and it really works.
The big question I have for you is what is your Free T4 and Free T3 levels? You have only listed your TSH.
The Frees are the actual active thyroid hormones in your body....these are very important. TSH is a pituitary function test. Treatment should be by your free's only....especially since you have Hashi's, which throws the normal ranges out the window. Different rules apply to autoimmune. :)
You must stay ahead of the hypo ranges to keep your symptoms at bay somewhat.
This is a long road and a painful one if you don't have a good thyroid Dr who absolutely understands Hashimoto's and proper treatment with proper levels. I know....I was undertreated for over 2 yrs and got very very sick until I found an endo who actually did specialize in thyroid.
Try not to let it get the best of you and get depressed....the good news is that this is NOT forever! EVentually your thyroid will burn out and antibody counts go down and your health gets better. Hang in there!
We are here for you. :)
Neuropathy....oh yeah....I am toward the end of the road of thyroid destruction phase and I still have neuropathy bad! I give myself B12 shots weekly to help it, and it really works.
The big question I have for you is what is your Free T4 and Free T3 levels? You have only listed your TSH.
The Frees are the actual active thyroid hormones in your body....these are very important. TSH is a pituitary function test. Treatment should be by your free's only....especially since you have Hashi's, which throws the normal ranges out the window. Different rules apply to autoimmune. :)
You must stay ahead of the hypo ranges to keep your symptoms at bay somewhat.
This is a long road and a painful one if you don't have a good thyroid Dr who absolutely understands Hashimoto's and proper treatment with proper levels. I know....I was undertreated for over 2 yrs and got very very sick until I found an endo who actually did specialize in thyroid.
Try not to let it get the best of you and get depressed....the good news is that this is NOT forever! EVentually your thyroid will burn out and antibody counts go down and your health gets better. Hang in there!
We are here for you. :)
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