Strange thyroid results

Posted by lgrec @lgrec, Jan 20 1:39pm

I’ve been diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years ago so kind of new to this. I have a small nodule on my right thyroid. I take NP Thyroid everyday and my TSH is reading 3.96 (previously 3.54), Free T3 is 8.27 (previously 3.54), Free T4 is .91 (previously 1.06). What am I doing wrong?

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@inminn

Where does one go to find a good doctor? My first, in college, told me unexpected weight gain despite being in several sports, riding my bicycle several miles a day to/from classes and having three pt jobs was because I was drinking too much beer and eating pizza. I was a non-drinker and ate healthfully for sports performance. My second told me I was too young to have a thyroid problem, that only old ladies become hypothyroid. My third told me he “didn’t believe” the hype behind “all this hypothyroid fervor”, said it had nothing to do with weight gain or my unexplained infertility, PCOS, or what had become by then troubling symptoms. He also accused me of looking for an excuse for weight gain for my bad habits (I was a vegetarian and he was obese). Fast forward to now, thirty some years later and I have never had my thyroid under control. My GP doesn’t care how I feel, or which symptoms I display, all she focuses on are the numbers. My TSH is “ slightly too high” but my T4 is barely in range so she keeps my medication at this current level despite hair, skin and nail issues, headaches, visual disturbances, constipation, slow gastric emptying, feeling faint and dizzy and now lethargic all day. I have told her repeatedly that, after thirty years of this I know I need to have my TSH no higher than 2 - 2.5 to feel good and have normal GI functioning and to prevent hair loss, but of course she knows better, being the almighty doctor. My current level is at 5.8, but I know that means nothing without knowing which type of test they use (honestly, standardize it already to prevent confusion between docs using different lab tests!)
The endocrinologist I had been seeing left my insurance clinic system and the department is now short staffed and none are taking new patients, at least not for almost 9 months. Worse for finding new GP’s.
I tried to be seen by Mayo but they determined that I should take it up with my GP. When I told her I would like to see an endocrinologist or internal med again, she became upset and said that I don’t need that, and she marched me to the lab for my recent blood draw.
This is the type of thing so many of us must deal with- Egos over patients’ needs.
Does anyone know of a resource for patients seeking information or ratings on doctors that keeps current and which one does not have to pay to use?

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Just google “doctors ratings” and a bunch of sites will come up.

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@difrnt1

I just started on Tirosint. It does not have the additives that other meds do. I have not taken it long enough to give you a proper review. It is expensive and my insurance doesn't pay much but the Sterling Pharmacy offers a one year discount. Cost $60 a month for the first year.

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Be very careful when starting this. It is pure and powerful. You start with lowest dose and test.

A doctor gave me 100 mg of it. I had palpitations and was hyperthyroid. Later, I ended up with AFib.

Additives and preservatives make up part of dosage with some other drugs so 100 mg of one is not equivalent to Tirosint.

It is easier to get compounded T4... and probably safer.

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Normal TSH is between 1 and 2. You need a new prescription.

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@inminn

Where does one go to find a good doctor? My first, in college, told me unexpected weight gain despite being in several sports, riding my bicycle several miles a day to/from classes and having three pt jobs was because I was drinking too much beer and eating pizza. I was a non-drinker and ate healthfully for sports performance. My second told me I was too young to have a thyroid problem, that only old ladies become hypothyroid. My third told me he “didn’t believe” the hype behind “all this hypothyroid fervor”, said it had nothing to do with weight gain or my unexplained infertility, PCOS, or what had become by then troubling symptoms. He also accused me of looking for an excuse for weight gain for my bad habits (I was a vegetarian and he was obese). Fast forward to now, thirty some years later and I have never had my thyroid under control. My GP doesn’t care how I feel, or which symptoms I display, all she focuses on are the numbers. My TSH is “ slightly too high” but my T4 is barely in range so she keeps my medication at this current level despite hair, skin and nail issues, headaches, visual disturbances, constipation, slow gastric emptying, feeling faint and dizzy and now lethargic all day. I have told her repeatedly that, after thirty years of this I know I need to have my TSH no higher than 2 - 2.5 to feel good and have normal GI functioning and to prevent hair loss, but of course she knows better, being the almighty doctor. My current level is at 5.8, but I know that means nothing without knowing which type of test they use (honestly, standardize it already to prevent confusion between docs using different lab tests!)
The endocrinologist I had been seeing left my insurance clinic system and the department is now short staffed and none are taking new patients, at least not for almost 9 months. Worse for finding new GP’s.
I tried to be seen by Mayo but they determined that I should take it up with my GP. When I told her I would like to see an endocrinologist or internal med again, she became upset and said that I don’t need that, and she marched me to the lab for my recent blood draw.
This is the type of thing so many of us must deal with- Egos over patients’ needs.
Does anyone know of a resource for patients seeking information or ratings on doctors that keeps current and which one does not have to pay to use?

Jump to this post

If i were you I would try very hard to get another doctor, your tsh is slightly too high for a normal person but for you it is giving you bad symptoms. I would take more Levothyrozine to get that tsh down and I would seriously eat the AIP diet.

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@shirleynz

If i were you I would try very hard to get another doctor, your tsh is slightly too high for a normal person but for you it is giving you bad symptoms. I would take more Levothyrozine to get that tsh down and I would seriously eat the AIP diet.

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Shirley, I will try looking that up but in case it is called something else here, what does AIP stand for, and what is it? I haven’t heard of it.

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@inminn

Shirley, I will try looking that up but in case it is called something else here, what does AIP stand for, and what is it? I haven’t heard of it.

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It’s autoimmune protocol diet which is essential if we have antibodies
https://drruscio.com/aip-diet-for-beginners/

It was a game changer for me and worth a good try. No good doing it partly.

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@mannism

Be very careful when starting this. It is pure and powerful. You start with lowest dose and test.

A doctor gave me 100 mg of it. I had palpitations and was hyperthyroid. Later, I ended up with AFib.

Additives and preservatives make up part of dosage with some other drugs so 100 mg of one is not equivalent to Tirosint.

It is easier to get compounded T4... and probably safer.

Jump to this post

TY for the info and your experience. I'm on the lowest dose and go back in 6 weeks to review.

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@inminn

Where does one go to find a good doctor? My first, in college, told me unexpected weight gain despite being in several sports, riding my bicycle several miles a day to/from classes and having three pt jobs was because I was drinking too much beer and eating pizza. I was a non-drinker and ate healthfully for sports performance. My second told me I was too young to have a thyroid problem, that only old ladies become hypothyroid. My third told me he “didn’t believe” the hype behind “all this hypothyroid fervor”, said it had nothing to do with weight gain or my unexplained infertility, PCOS, or what had become by then troubling symptoms. He also accused me of looking for an excuse for weight gain for my bad habits (I was a vegetarian and he was obese). Fast forward to now, thirty some years later and I have never had my thyroid under control. My GP doesn’t care how I feel, or which symptoms I display, all she focuses on are the numbers. My TSH is “ slightly too high” but my T4 is barely in range so she keeps my medication at this current level despite hair, skin and nail issues, headaches, visual disturbances, constipation, slow gastric emptying, feeling faint and dizzy and now lethargic all day. I have told her repeatedly that, after thirty years of this I know I need to have my TSH no higher than 2 - 2.5 to feel good and have normal GI functioning and to prevent hair loss, but of course she knows better, being the almighty doctor. My current level is at 5.8, but I know that means nothing without knowing which type of test they use (honestly, standardize it already to prevent confusion between docs using different lab tests!)
The endocrinologist I had been seeing left my insurance clinic system and the department is now short staffed and none are taking new patients, at least not for almost 9 months. Worse for finding new GP’s.
I tried to be seen by Mayo but they determined that I should take it up with my GP. When I told her I would like to see an endocrinologist or internal med again, she became upset and said that I don’t need that, and she marched me to the lab for my recent blood draw.
This is the type of thing so many of us must deal with- Egos over patients’ needs.
Does anyone know of a resource for patients seeking information or ratings on doctors that keeps current and which one does not have to pay to use?

Jump to this post

I go to a natropathis doctor having had Hashimoto"s for 32 years natural thyroid medicine at most compounding pharmacies ,was the only way to keep my Tsh under 2 and my t.4 in the low normal

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@slkanowitz

Just google “doctors ratings” and a bunch of sites will come up.

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I have done so several times, only to find they had not kept current and the doctors no longer were at the location or phone number, or in the specialty listed. I have the misfortune to be in the doctor-starved Northern U.S. and with an insurance company that is very “in network” restrictive.
If you know of any accurate site, I’d happily take a look.

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@momx5dea

I go to a natropathis doctor having had Hashimoto"s for 32 years natural thyroid medicine at most compounding pharmacies ,was the only way to keep my Tsh under 2 and my t.4 in the low normal

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So glad that is helping for you!
Unfortunately the natural thyroid hormone replacement brand I had been taking for years was removed from my insurance’s approved list suddenly, a few years ago, and ever since, I’ve had to make do with the expensive brand name because I wasn’t responding to generics.
The insurance is through my husband’s work, we can’t afford COBRA due to my pre-existing condition, and do not qualify for other programs, I’ve been hoping the company he works for will grow and offer a better plan.

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