I had TSH done about 2 months ago and it was .14 so I had my .150 levothyroxin decreased to .137 for another 2 months. This time is was .11. I am losing ground!!!!! I do not do well when I am this low.
I am irritable, cry easily, weak, can't think worth $&%* and can't get anthing done cause of the weakness, endurance, brain freeze, etc. I also have these same symptoms when my TSH is like 9.0, 12.8 or 14.5. All of these readings caused me to be the same way.
I have decided that many times when I think I am nutz and out of sorts that my thyroid is "playing with me". I had so many times like this over the years and I just plain thought I was a weakling. My humble opinion is that my body is not co-operating at all. Just get one thing under control and something else flares up. Like duh!!!!!
I am just ranting cause between hubbies stroke and other stuff and then my thyroid it has been a pretty unproductive summer. I had planned to get more done when it cooled off and here I sit. Crap!!!!! Now, I feel better. I have to say that "crap" is really a very, very good word. Says it all. Thanks for listening. Irish ;D
But, you look so good!!! ;D :D ??? ::)
Irish
But you (or your postings) always look good to me. I'm sorry you are having to go through all this crap, but you are an inspiration to me. I always read your posts and think to myself, 'that lady knows her stuff'.
Sending my very best wishes to you and your hubbie.
Kathyx
But.....Irish.....I can tell from your posts that your are one tough, strong lady full of courage.
I send you my get-well-wishes.
Irish,
Sending you a big hug. It is so frustrating when we can't do half what we wish we could. Hopefully your endocrinologist will get this under control.
Anna
Irish,
Having Sjogren's means you have been touched by the fickle finger of fate, that's why your thyroid is fickle.
HI Irish, When YOU say you feel like crap, we all know you must be feeling really poorly,
as it is usually us waiting for your advice on one thing or another, sooooo my friend,
curl up ,take it easy and don't fret over what you don't get done.
Praying you soon feel better. Take care, we need you , Hugs, Dolly
((((((Irish))))))
"Crap" is a wonderful word to describe so many things that we may be feeling or going through!
I sure hope that you can get that thyroid under control and soon.....I never realized how much it can affect how we feel both physically and emotionally when it isn't right until mine went haywire!
Take good care of yourself......
Gentle hugs my friend! And don't ever think that you're any less than the very capable and wonderful lady that you are!
Take special care of yourself and hubby -
Patze
Hi Irish
So sorry you are feeling this way. I swear my thyroid has more to do with emotional changes and moods than SjS does. You're right - it sucks! I also feel the same whether its on a hypo or a hyper swing. The 'sweet' spot is good - but it seems to be horribly transitory.
Hope they manage to balance it out for you again. Also agree - stress doesn't help.
Take care - Scottie :)
Say 'fickle sucker' 10 times fast...
fickle sucker----fickle sucker, ficke thcker, fickly thucker, thickly thither----oh crapola!!!!
gphx, that was such a funny thought you came up with!!!!
Thanks to all who always cheer me up. I appreciate you all. I have been so short of patience the past 5 months or so. Here I thought that my TSH would be higher and I am still stuck in this no mans land.
On top of that I had another infection a couple of weeks ago and hardly off the antibiotic and another one started. Back on antibiotic. My ENT will see me the day before my next infusion and we will be setting a date for another exploratory, investigative, whatever you want to call it, under anesthesia. He has done this 3 times I think and just can't find the source of these infections. Also, I have had more cat scans than you can shake a stick at to look for infection. I have even had a cat scan looking for bone infection in my face. Not a darn thing shows up nor can he find it in surgery. The darn membranes just stick together and hide.
I can feel different things going on in my sinuses and in the palatine bone which is the hard palate. I swear that there is a fisutla that goes from the hard palate area up into the bottom of my maxillary sinus on the left side. I never get these infections on the right side---always the left. When I have the noise crackling, etc plus the pressure in the left sinus and have to hold the left nostril shut so the infection can come out the right nostril it makes for some concern!!!!
They don't even culture me much anymore because cultures are either MRSA, hemophilus or another one that I can't remember. I only have about 3 antibiotics that I can take and immunologist is really slow to do the IV antibiotics because he is very concerned about allergic reactions.
I am very concerned because I am wondering if I will need some type of surgery to remove tissue or possibly bone from my palate, sinuses, etc. My ENT is an awesome surgeon and extremely smart and patient and I trust him a lot. However, when you get sick and have to go to the hospital these days it is scary!!! Then try having low t-cells. I am almost afraid to breath when I am in the hospital. Never know what kind of antibiotic resistant bug one might pick up!
I have to tell you as a patient who has had MRSA many times. I don't want anybody elses MRSA. I have my own MRSA and we seem to hang in there with each other. Some one elses might make me sicker. Now is that weird or what, but I am starting to think that way.
Then there is the insurance issues. I am hoping that I can get all this stuff done before the end of the year. I go to an insurance meeting put on by my agent concerning the medicare supplement and the new laws. Will see how bad it is going to be. All things do resolve themselves in one way or another. Have to keep the Faith. Thanks again! Irish ;D
As if you don't have enough medical issues, Irish, without yur thyroid getting whacked out on you. I'm reaaly soory to hear that it's causing you so mush distress.
I don't have thyroid issues, but am on "alert" for them since AI disorders like to buddy up, but wonder how often I should get my thyroid tested since thyroid disease mimics other AI issues?
Irish:
I'm so sorry you are having to work through all of this. When I get in a bad place I always think, "God willing, this too shall pass." If that doesn't work there's always, fickle sucker, fickle sucker, fricker suckler, sickle #@cker. ;D
Hugs,
LeoLady
Hi Irish,
I recognise much of your experience.
About the same time as Sjogren's was discovered, my thyroid played up.
The DR put me on thyroid meds and an array of symptoms hit me. The worst being sky high anxiety, depression and feeling out of it. I did a little research and stumbled upon a study reporting different experiences between patients on normal thyroid meds and biological ones (dessicated pig's thyroid - yuch!).
Nevertheless I decided to swith - and hurrah, I returned to earth.... Natural thyroid meds really are a BIG difference to me.... Only downside is the cost. My health insurance won't refund it, but I can deduct it from income tax.
I can't find the study again on Google, but is has to be there somewhere....
I hope this information is of some use to you!
BonusMom, I think that once a year is the usual time interval for testing the thyroid. However, with that being said, that is only if you are stable.
I was diagnosed in 1989 with hypothyroid and know that I had it about 3 years prior to diagnosis. I did really well the first years and would have my dosage changed every so often but nothing traumatic.
About 5 years ago or so I started needing to have my dosage changed and then when it was rechecked in 2 months I would need another change in med. Sometimes I would end up changing my dose 3-4 times in a row before it settled down. I would assume that this big upset is caused by the autoimmune disease that is attacking my thyroid. Hashimotos is found in many people with the thyroid issues. If we don't have it when we get diagnosed we can end up with it down the road.
All I know is that the anxiety, irritability and depression are not welcome guests in my home. They interfere with life!!!! When I get like this I just want to lock myself in a closet til it passes. I don't enjoy anybody and nobody enjoys me. I just sit and look at what needs to be done and my mind is just a blank.
On the bright side I also had my glycosated hemoglobin done to check my blood sugar and it was 5.9 and I could not believe it. It was 5.8 in April. I have no idea why it has stayed down other than losing that 25 pounds probably makes me less insulin resistant. I am eating more than I used to and eating more ice cream also. Ice cream is "happy food" and heavens only knows I need that lately.
When I first started in nursing we used a lot of the dessicated thyroid extract as I think it was called. It was made by Armour from thyroids of pigs. I have heard it said that some people swear that their body has a different odor when on this med. I never heard anyone "oink" though.
Now with all the new thyroid meds people are taking more of the synthetic. I know that when I started my doc told me to stick the the Synthroid. I haven't been on that for quite a few years and may bring this up to my doc. Might be a change in medication would make things more stable. Irish ;D
Quote from: irish on October 24, 2010, 10:21:54 PM
When I first started in nursing we used a lot of the dessicated thyroid extract as I think it was called. It was made by Armour from thyroids of pigs. I have heard it said that some people swear that their body has a different odor when on this med. I never heard anyone "oink" though.
I never noticed the smell or the oinks - but lately I noticed my pony tail becoming more curly... ;D ;D ;D
Thanks to all of you for the laughs! ;D Best wishes for improved thyroid function!
Cheryl
Well, one thing is apparent...thyroid dysfunction doesn't effect sense of humor!
The biggest difference between synthetics like Synthroid and naturals like Armour, (other than source and possible perfume) is the presence of T3 in the natural compound which is missing in the synthetic. T3 increases the bioavailability of T4, and if it's low, no matter how "normal" our T4 level and TSH, we may just not be able to use the T4, and the body, sensing a normal amount, doesn't call for more (TSH is "thyroid sensing hormone" and if it senses a normal amount, it stays in normal range).
Irish, there is synthetic T3 supplementation available, if your doctor is married to the idea of synthetics (and theres a practical reason for this, as the naturals can cause sensitization in some people, much like beef and/or pork insulin used to do). I realize you probably already know this stuff, Irish, but I'm the type that, when my thyroid levels fluctuate one of the first casualties is my functioning knowledge of nursing pharm, and it can all bear repeating once in a while.
Thanks Linda, I just called my immunologist also as I am wondering if he has anything to add to this mix. I did talk to the triage nurse about going back to the Synthroid as I was told years ago to never take anything but Synthroid. However, the insurance companies like to tell us what to use, thus my change to the levothyroxin.
Yeah, I know about the brain going!!!! Mine is always gone when I am sicker than the norm. I really hate that cause one can't make any important decisions, etc when your brain gets like this.
By important decision I mean, should I make sloppy Joes or meat loaf from my hamburger!!!!!! Any decision becomes mind boggling and very hard to understand. Thanks Linda. I wish I could see the curl in Maria's ponytail!!!! 8) Irish ;D
What do you guys think of the dessicated thyroid help sites like http://forums.realthyroidhelp.com/ (http://forums.realthyroidhelp.com/) and http://www.thyroidboards.com/index.php (http://www.thyroidboards.com/index.php) and http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/causes-of-hypo/ (http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/causes-of-hypo/)?
I have been on synthetic for 3 years, but my mother takes the dessicated. I'm beginning to realize the synthetic is not working well for me. I did OK at first, but all my hypo symptoms are returning, despite increase in dosage.
I am learning a lot from those forums---especially that none of these meds are simple "fixes" and must be approached with knowledge, caution, and patience.
My doctor keeps telling me that "Oh, the synthetic hormone is preferable because it is more exact dosage-wise." That's about the extent of her comments. But what's different is our body's uptake and conversion. I read that having gastrointestinal problems can interfere with hormone conversion----GI issues---THAT is definitely me. It's a "chicken or the egg" thing----when I get hypo, I can't digest anything---or maybe when my GI problems get bad, I go hypo. Who knows?
Calli
Hi :)
Usually the difference between the synthetic and the animal thyroid is that the synthetic does not include T3 unles it's added. Some people find it hard to convert T4 (Synthroid/thyroxine/levothyroxine) into T3 which is what we need to do to function.
Selenium - either a supplement or eating brazil nuts (high in selenium) can help that conversion but some people just don't convert - and need additional T3 to be able to.
Correct dosage for the thyroid does not seem to be an exact science. Even experts diagree on an optimal TSH range - and I'm not expert enough to know whether they disagree about optimal T4 T3 and free T3 and T4.
Take care - Scottie :)
Hi Irish,
Sorry to hear you're feeling like "crap" these days.
I know how you feel because my TSH goes up and down like a roller coaster...grant it, it's a slow roller coaster. ;) This has only been in the last fours years. For the twenty years prior, my TSH had been relatively stable. These days I have to change the dosage two or three times annually.
Any thoughts on the cause?
carebear, I don't have a clue as to the cause of this. It seems to go in streaks and usually I can just decrease or increase the one time and seems to be the answer. This time I have felt so darn terrible. I can lost my temper at the drop of a pin and have to really work hard to maintain equilibrium.
When I did a search for the symptoms of over medicating which causes the hyperthyroid symptoms I had every single symptoms that was listed.
I think that someone mentioned the absorption of the medication and that really makes sense. Especially when one takes meds for GERD. I hope someone can come up with a more specific explaination. Thanks Irish ;D
Everybody already said it.....you are the bomb, my dear. I know many things can throw the readings off. Take it easy and just know that we love you and send you our hugs and kisses to feel better asap. We need you! ;)
Hats off to all of you who not only fight the brain fog of SjS, but then the fickle thyroid. With this blonde, I would be living up to every stereotype there is....and then some! I don't know how you remember what you do or decipher what you're told, but W0W! My brain is tired just reading about it. I think I'd better go take a nap.