Guest guest Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 , 3.79 for a TSH is definitely on the higher side, meaning you may be hypothyroid. I know that in order for me to feel good, I need to get that TSH down to around .5, the lowest number on the normal range. In fact, I feel best just a tad under normal. The MD's always wig out when my labs go real low, like .1, and try to get me back into normal, but I just tell them I need my TSH to be very, very low for me to feel my best. I buy my thyroid meds from a Mexican clinic that is reputable (I use Armour) so I have never had any trouble getting a supply. They are sold in bottles of 1000 tablets for $25. I like not having to be under the thumb of a doctor in order to get this prescription that I need. If you can't find a doctor to give you the thyroid meds you need to feel good, you might want to think about ordering some through on line pharmacies. Your own trial of this may give you the opportunity to see if it helps and then you will have your answer. I think fibromyalgia is considered an autoimmune disease, but I also believe there is alot of unknowns with it. I think you could get different answers from different doctors about it. I really don't know the answer to your question. But I do think alot of women with existing autoimmune diseases also have fibromyalgia. One comment I wanted to make about the green stool....that is bile. Bile is bright green in color, so if you are passing it while you have diarrhea, that basically just means the transit time is real quick, and the bacteria in the gut does not have time to do its work in breaking down the wastes and bile salts. Bacteria is what turns stools brown. As your diarrhea lessens, your stools should return to normal, and I think if I had chronic diarrhea, I would fast for a few days, drink only water, and take some good probiotics. You didn't say what you've been doing for it so far, but you may want to do an internet search for other ideas. I hope you start feeling better! Patty ----- Original Message ----- From: michelle king Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2004 7:37 PM Subject: Re: Re: hypothyrodism Patty on hypothyrodism, I seriously believe this is my problem. I'm a confirmed FMS'er which there is a link to hypothyrodism. My labs read TSH 3.79 I heard anything over 3 is now concidered by the current standard by the association for endricronologists, as Hypothyrodism. Also my T# is clearly High at 33.7 when ref. range is 19.8-33.4, my T4 seems normal which is 6.1 in a 5.0-14.0 range. I have very cold extremities and have deficulty loosing weight. I gained 50 pounds or more due to my illness. Please give me your advice. What do you know aboutadrenal gland fatigue too. I think I have that too. Question? Is FMS a connective tissue disease and an autoimmune disease? My arthritis dr. would say no, however, on some websites it says they are. thank you, Please help me with the chronic diarreah problem however, I think thats improving. I use to have IBS but now its just soft w/o taking ground flax seed daily. It was green too. I've heard this is due to bacteria in the stool but no dr. knows about it. I heard it was treted with tetracyclin. I've even been to a specialist but nothing shows up. thanks again, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 , What was your TSH when your doctor prescribed the thryoid meds for you? If I remember right, the interpretation of your labs was in error, and your doctor didn't seem to be paying attention. That was unfortunate for you. Especially since you were so into working out. I think it is dangerous to take medications that are not prescribed for you too, and I think you know how I feel about almost all drugs. I hate them. I refused to take drugs when I first became ill, and have been on an all natural program for almost 6 years now, even though I am sure the doctors would have loved to put me on anti-depressants, corticosteriods, and God knows what else. I totally believe in natural healing, and stick with God given herbs and vitamins. The exceptions were antibiotics that were needed for infection. I have been so totally happy with my approach. I have no regrets as far as my treatment goes. However, I also found that sometimes doctors (MDs)can be nearly impossible to work with, and terribly ignorant about our illnesses. Maybe it is because I don't trust doctors, and that I feel I am pretty intelligent about making decisions about my own body that I feel comfortable with making these decisions. I also have worked with clinics that support alternative therapies, and I know that many, many, many people are taking Armour thyroid without a prescription. In fact, there was even some confusion about this--Public Citizen, a public watchdog group based in WashingtonDC--insisted that Armour thyroid was not a prescription medicine and was available over the counter! (They lost alot of credibility with that claim). I guess the point I am trying to make is this: that some people need to take certain prescription only products, but unfortunately can't find a good doctor to help them with it, but rather than go without, they should carefully investigate the possibilities rather than suffer--with certain substances that do not have a terrible downside. No, I don't believe anyone should take just any prescription product willy nilly, because I know they are dangerous. But I do believe there are a few exceptions...Vitamin B12 is a great example. You can't OD on B12. But just try to get a doctor to prescribe it for you in injectable form. Good luck. I still take shots of B12 myself, and I get mine from my Mexican clinic. It is my opinion that most of us who have suffered from implants need those B12 shots. I wonder how many of us girls are getting them? They made a huge difference for me. And by the way, for those of you on this group who are vegetarian, there is no doubt in my mind that you need them! In the case of Armour, it is my opinion that there are probably a large number of us who are undiagnosed as hypothyroid. This is a frequent claim made by all the doctors who have written books about thyroid issues. I do agree that everyone should be under a doctors care for thyroid issues--I probably would have gotten my diagnosis alot earlier if I hadn't been so stubborn about NOT going to a doctor--but it was a naturopathic doctor who discovered it, not an MD. I think most doctors are ignorant of the real complexity behind thyroid issues. It is not as simple as taking a blood test, looking at the numbers, and seeing it cut and dried based on "normal" or "abnormal." Normal ranges are guidelines, but not everyone fits into the box. The real test is how a person feels, but so many doctors just won't take the necessary time to work through that. They don't have time, or they don't care. Sometimes, a trial can tell you a great deal. I think it is also quite obvious if a person does not need Armour thyroid. If you feel better, that is a good sign. If you feel worse, then you have your answer. Obviously, you didn't need it. The weird thing is that you were being given this by a doctor even when you didn't need it! Go figure! I am very much in favor of becoming educated, being able to have a dialogue with the doctor, and being proactive in your own care. I believe in being your own advocate, and working WITH a doctor in managing your illness. But where there is no cooperation, I do believe sometimes we can use outside sources to bring about our own relief. There are labs where you can have your thyroid tested, so you don't have to be doing this blindly. http://www.medicalhomeproducts.com/product_info.php?cPath=25 & products_id=41?code=283 Anyway, I do agree with you that taking prescription drugs without a doctors supervision is not a good idea. There are so few drugs that I would even agree to take. But there are certain exceptions, and for those willing to get educated about their care, there are ways to learn about treatment so you can help your doctor better care for you. Patty ----- Original Message ----- From: naturalbeauty38 Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 7:10 AM Subject: Re: hypothyrodism I am going to say right now that I think that it is dangerous to take medications that are not prescribed for you. I don't think I would mess with thryoid medication unless you are being followed by a Dr who understands this stuff. I was on thryoid meds and did not really need to be and had terrible side effects. I do not believe that buying these meds is wise unless you have a confirmed diagnosis and a medical Dr who is following your lab work carefully. Allot of people just think that taking these meds like armour esp are fine since they are a natural hormone, but from my own personal hellish experience I would say these meds can be even worse than some strong stuff I have been on in the way of bad side effects. I lost almost half my head of hair due to being hyperthyroid from Armour thyroid, and was also told it can and does cause heart problems, amongst a long list of other things that are downright dangerous. My advice is to find someone who will work with you on this issue, prescribe the meds you need, and follow your lab work closley as well as how you feel on the meds. I was eating all the time, always hungry, could not sleep even worse than normal, had no periods, extreme hairloss, hot flashes and heart palpitations all from this armour thyroid. My hair is finally growing back but I don't even know if it will ever be as thick as it was. It was horrible at one point it was just coming out in handfulls! I was not being followed closely by my Dr and was just given a script of armour and refills for a year. It was ridiculous and it was me who finally figured things out. Don't get me wrong, I know some really need it and that it works and can help allot, but it just is not really wise to prescribe drugs for yourself just cause you can buy them online does not mean that you should. Maybe synthroid is a better option for some, it varies, that is why my advice is to seek a medical Dr who is experienced and sensitive to your needs. I realize this is not always easy to do, and sometimes it is down right impossible, but i would be cautious about taking meds that are not prescribed by a dr.hugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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