General Medicine

» cowlover614 - Mixed up Help!!!!!

In response to Mixed up Help!!!!! posted by cybee:

I had another bad night! My eyes seem worse sinse I stopped the ATD's. I tried to talk to my husband about all of this and now he's really in a bad mood! [what was I thinking] No support!!!! I forget I can't talk to him at all! I keep going over this scan they called me yesterday said she had it set up for 4/19 I told her doc said three weeks. He said this is safe and that you really didn't have to do anything after the test.If that's so how's come their sending me two pages of after test don'ts. I'm really upset today is my day for crying! I'm about as down as I can be and I feel very alone! Shirl

-- posted by cowlover614

» cybee - Mixed up Help!!!!!

In response to Mixed up Help!!!!! posted by cowlover614:

Sorry to hear you had a bad night again...did you have sweats again? Anyway, yes, I know about nonsupportive husbands! Boy, do I! It seems they may think it is all in our head or that we are over reacting..but the mind/body connection esp with thyroid matters is very real. If you do have that scan, I heard you should also have prednisone to help prevent eye problems ( Elaine can likely confirm or correct this if necessary). I read in another forum of a lady who did have eye surgery and she was very pleased and said she felt much better and you could not even tell she had had surgery. At least that is encouraging...eh? Try not to cry..but boy howdy, I know that is VERY hard not to do when upset with all this as the it makes a person feel so nervous and volatile! I know about feeling alone too. It is hard for others to understand, I think.

-- posted by cybee

» cybee - Mixed up Help!!!!!

In response to Mixed up Help!!!!! posted by cowlover614:

OOps..I meant that lady who had had eye surgery for TED said you could not tell she had had surgery ...in a good way, that is! She seemed to think she was feeling back to normal and was well satisfied with her surgery. Got to thinking my prior post could be construed in a way I did not intend! ha! B^)

-- posted by cybee

» cowlover614 - Mixed up Help!!!!!

In response to Mixed up Help!!!!! posted by cybee:

I've decided I'm not doing the scan. From what I read on a another board an ultra sound and the right lab test should tell plently. And not to let them push me into anything while my eyes are unstable. And after that bout with the prednisone I don't ever want anymore of it. Talk about feeling really bad! That stuff messed me up bad! I had read that also. What are you gonna do if you hear the same thing I was told? It just scares me. Now the nice sweet thing I'm married to is hardly talking to me.Yeah!!!! Thanks to the crying thing [you know what I mean] my eyes are kicking up. Shirl

-- posted by cowlover614

» cybee - Mixed up Help!!!!!

In response to Mixed up Help!!!!! posted by cowlover614:

Yes, I think I will do the same thing as you (if they try to push a RAI test or what not! ) No sir. It would seem sufficient to do an ultrasound plus labs. OH, I must have missed the part about prednisone with you! Terrible result? I will have to go back and look for what you wrote about that...that messed you up, eh? How so? Here I read that to keep eyes protected they give prednisone. Good to know that we need to be careful with prednisone itself! Thanks for that tip!

-- posted by cybee

» cybee - Mixed up Help!!!!!

In response to Mixed up Help!!!!! posted by cowlover614:

Ah! I found your earlier post..I had kind of forgotten you had a bad reaction to prednisone! What did it to you specifically? Well, anyway, I will really push for ultrasound and labs (no RAI) as that seems what they do primarily in the UK and they all seem to get along fine there...I suspect!

-- posted by cybee

» u25000 - Post hypo rai-lt4 dosing & symptoms

After 9/03 rai, my tsh was -01,ft's had dropped but were nice ft3 3.2, ft4 2.2 in 12/03 but endo decided to start 60mcg lt4 but then he canceled after 1mth showed ft3 Hi at 4.4; However not on meds and clearly dropped ft4 to 1.37 he okayed me to conceive. After 2 mths I could not conceive and I became uncomfortabe w/him espec as I wanted preg. Untreated until new Endo 2/05 decided I needed ptu w/out regard for the fact I had Graves-Rai and my ft's were dropping. I was only on for 2 weeks due to hives but ironically my tsh started to rise (tho my gp,endo,gyn didnt feel I need lt4 "supposedly" until a/9/05 miscarry my tsh went above range max 5.5) to 15 Jan 06. So then I was on lt4 50mcg, 6wks later tsh 1.96 (no ft's done-isn't that nice-but were 2.5, .85 respectfully in prev Oct 05. Thats my history heres my questions.
BRAND VS GENERIC:
4mths after orig start,I stopped taking Lt4 due to family death 4/06. I restarted taking due to anxiety,heart palp,breathing issues, fertility 10/06. My tsh was 5.55 and ft4 1.03. I read several books on thyroid. I had developed numbness in extremities and brain fog, hi anxiety-I'm not sure if that had to do with generic or coincidentally hypo symptoms manifest at same time of restart of meds. So I started brand Synthroid within 2 weeks. I felt much better within days. Was that logical? More expensive,should I go back to generic to see?
DOSING:
Due to reading I increased dose to 75mcg in Dec 06 (since I was in range per labs and Drs were not going to change dose for "optimal ft's) My increase presented no hyper symptoms, subtle improved energy etc. More significantly my tsh was 1.66, ft4 1.13 after 2 months, not much of a bump, so I increased to the next easy measure 75 plus 1/2 tab=112mcg within 2 weeks my tsh was .02 but my ft's were optimal at 3.8 and 1.52 respectfully (w/max range of 3.9 and 1.7 respectfully). BUT 10 days before that test I errored in doubling my dose by taking 2 tablets of 75=150 for 5 days. What does it mean when they say that labs should be done 4-6wks after dose change;for the most truest report of that dose effect on my body? Did the 5 days of double dose show up on that lab test 1 week after I stopped it (a/5 days ON)? Could that have been why tsh was so low? I am waiting for the next lab (6wks after stopped 150mcg) to determine if 112mcg is too hi and perhaps should be on 88mcg (since I had to skip that dose in having done my own increase).
As I recall, symptoms improve within 5-7 days of lt4, but lab tests don't reflect true circulation of thyroxine for 4-6 wks? Isn't dosing determined from symptoms?
HAIR LOSS:
How is hair loss effected by dose increase/decreases. Is it ongoing? I thought once treated "in range" should be fine, or do incremental dose changes up or down affect follicles.
SYMPTOMS:
I am trying to conceive so I am hoping for optimal range. I don't have any symptoms except for an occasional palpitation, and I have had softer stools but not diarrhia. I have been gaining strenght as I've been exercising 3-5x/wk for past 3 weeks I notice increased stamina. Steady weight. Numbness remained in big toe until the 112 increase, does that say something?
LONG RUN:
Should I be concerned of being on too hi dose even w/no symptoms Is it better to be on low dose. Any other adverse effects. I'm aware of Osteoporosis w/hyperactivity, how can once know if dosage is too hi that it might cause this. Once I'm on this "optimal dose" will it last forever? So that I do not have to be seen other than annually?

Please educate me. Thank you much

-- posted by u25000

» cowlover614 - Mixed up Help!!!!!

In response to Mixed up Help!!!!! posted by cybee:

Hey how are you today? In case things get to crazy this weekend,I hope you Have A Great Easter! Hope we both really start feeling alot better! SOOOOOOOOON. I started taken my ATD's again. Didn't ask anybody! But sinse I'm not doing scan another lady told me to get back on them! Also got the flexseed oil, but I don't wnat to take them till I ask Elaine. I'm still not sleeping good yes still sweating! And my hip and leg are really aching bad! I cried so much all day yesterday that my right eye looked like a goose had laid an easter egg on it! I still look like crap. I just want to at least look normal! I heard sometimes it can take a year for remission if I'm full blown graves. I still don't know for sure what I am anymore! I do know I'm sick of this! Shirl

-- posted by cowlover614

» cybee - Mixed up Help!!!!!

In response to Mixed up Help!!!!! posted by cowlover614:

Hope you have a happy Easter too! I guess Easter is a holiday of hope, and we need that, eh? B^) Anyway, yes, I stopped taking my synthroids without aksing a doc and I think it was the right thing to do. Likely, if you are not having that scan, you might as well take your ATD for sure! I also picked up some ground flaxseed and have put it in my salads and some muffins! (oops...bread product!). Anyway, take care and Happy Easter!

-- posted by cybee

» cowlover614 - Mixed up Help!!!!!

In response to Mixed up Help!!!!! posted by cybee:

I don't know if I asked but do you take a beta blocker also? I got the flax oil caps. But when I looked them up they said help with blood pressure so now I don't know with the beta blocker if it will interfere. But I know it has anti-inflamatory help. I also got the eggs today with the omega3 in them It's worth A try.{just don't know how many I can eat] Hey eariler I was at the department store and the cashier asked me if I have thyroid trouble and then she showed me her throat. Two scars! she said thirty years ago when she was twenty eight she got her thyroid abated. She had to drink that stuff she's on synthroid and now problem free. I'm glad it worked for her. But as far as me I say no thanks!! Just got done doing easter eggs! Hey I feel a little better sinse I'm back on ATD. Shirl [

-- posted by cowlover614