Sick and Synthroid has not bee adjusted for four years

[TamraW]

Hello, my mom had one thyroid and nodules removed 14 years ago. She takes Synthroid, but when she switched health care plans, her new family practice doc has not adjusted her levels in four years and he won't refer her to an endo. She is very sick with fatigue, heart palpitations, diarrhea and trouble falling to sleep.

Last July her TSH was 2.338
This July TSH is 0.125

She is currently taking Synthroid 125 mcg, the same dosage for four years. I told her that she should insist on seeing a real endo and lower her Synthroid levels. Her pill can be cut in half. She is contemplating doing that.

Any advice?

Thanks,
Tamra

[goolarra]

Actually, I don't think that will help you very much since you're taking a T4-only med (Synthroid).  T4 builds up in your system slowly and takes 4-6 weeks to reach a stable level in the bloodstream.  T4 is the "storage" form of the thyroid hormones, and it basically floats around in your bloodstream until it is needed, at which point it must be converted to T3 for use by your cells.  However, there would also be absolutely no harm in splitting it into two doses, either.

Do you have your latest FT3, FT4 and TSH numbers and their ranges?  It sounds like your dose may still not be adjusted properly.

[DebM1958]

Last year (2008) I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. With the removal of the whole thyroid, 1 large nodule and several lymph nodes (only 4 were cancerous) I find that I am now 6 months cancer free. The problem I'm having is the Synthoid dose. I started out low and my docs now have me up to 200mcg. It makes me feel very crappy and I was wondering if I cut the pill in half (it's already scored) and took half in the morning and the other half in the evening, would it hurt me at all? I would still be taking the same dose everyday but not so much at a time. Any help would be appreciated, ty

[TamraW]

Thanks, all! My mom didn't take her Synthroid today. I told her she needs to get back on and let the doc prescribe her the right dosage. I'm going with her to the doc tomorrow, even though she doesn't have an appointment. We are demanding he do something about her levels. She's 75 and I believe this is urgent.

:) Tamra

[goolarra]

I don't know why they're so mulish, either.  I have to go in this afternoon to have labs drawn...always have to remember to make sure FT3 is included.  It's a $10 test.  Why leave it out?

[Cynnieb4]

It does sound like that doseage is way to high, but I am no doctor. I would have the doctor do the blood work asap. If you look on the bottle, those are all the hyper modes

[Totie]

I was on the same dosage (200mcg) for 13yrs, and went into hyper mode. I was being over medicated. I am finally at 125mcg, so we did the adjustments gradually so I would not go right into hypo so quickly.

It does happen. Her doctor needs to listen to her symptoms. Her TSH level in my opinion is indicating over medicated. Hyper stage is NOT any fun...

My sister was the same way, her PCP would not listen to her symptoms only lab numbers, she finally went to new doctor who paid attention and they adjusted her medication according to her symptoms. She feels great now.

Try a new doctor or get hers to listen. Like I said, to me she is being over medicated.

[TamraW]

Thanks! I forgot to mention her T4 was a 1.17. Her doctor is calling back tomorrow. He seems to only care that she's not hypo, even if that means making her hyper.

I don't know why docs are so reluctant to test T3. My endo told me today that measuring my T3 wasn't very important, but I still insisted I wanted that measured, too.

:) Tamra

[goolarra]

You need to get further testing for your mother.  Her free T3 (FT3) and free T4 (FT4) levels should be tested along with TSH.  Her TSH of 0.125 indicates overmedication (hyper), but I would not recommend splitting her pill in half...that would probably result in her having hypo symptoms before very long.

She should really see a doctor who understands thyroid and does adequate testing, then adjusts her meds.  Don't delay, because overmedication, especially as we get older, can be dangerous.

Being overmedicated is miserable...talk to somone about adjusting her dose ASAP.