Re: Appt with Endo at 24 weeks pregnant - advice needed for appt

[Guest guest]

Hi Emma

> you may remember I posted a while back that the Endo i am seeing whilst

pregnant has advised no additional treatment despite my T4 being only 10.8 at

last test.

Were you on Armour before, when you had your first child? If so, what dose?

Did you have similar results then? Was your first child healthy while you were

on this dose?

> I am seeing him again on Wednesday and am desperate for some resolution.

What do you want him to do? (Sorry, but it's not clear to me)

> I sent a three page letter explaining why I was so concerned for both mine and

my baby's health and suggesting that my gestational diabetes could easily have

been attributed to low T4 and he now wants to talk to me.

Do you want him to reduce your armour and add some t4?

> I have been suffering from anxiety and depression type symptoms again now for

a few weeks and am very tired.

Do you feel this may be low t4 related? Or something else? Have you ever felt

like this before (perhaps before thyroid treatment) and if so what did it turn

out to be? When were you last feeling ok, and what dose of thyroid were you on

then? was anything else different then? did you feel like this when you had

your first child?( though bear in mind that Armour was reformulated in 2009, i

think)

>On top of this my Grandma died suddenly from a pulmninary embolism last week

and we were very close indeed so I am finding it very hard to cope with so with

all of this my relationships are suffering as I am so down and I really need

this Dr to help me.

That would be very hard to cope with even if you didn't already feel bad.

> I have done some research re low T4 in Pregnancy, but wondered if anyone has

any further advice, I am concerned about the fact that I can't prepare for

everything he might say.

Am i right in thinking you'd like him to increase T4 and reduce Armour? If

not, please advise

Chris

[Guest guest]

>

> Were you on Armour before, when you had your first child? If so, what dose?

Did you have similar results then? Was your first child healthy while you were

on this dose?

Hi no I was diagnosed after I had Imogen (now 14) and was prescribed

Levothyroxine. I had terrible problems and was suffering overactive and

underactive symptoms at the same time so I went to see Dr P in 2006 and

transferred to Armour.

>

>

>

> What do you want him to do? (Sorry, but it's not clear to me)

Something - i.e. advise me and perhaps add in T4. he is saying he does not

understand Armour and so cannot help me and has written to my GP saying no

action to be taken.

>

>

> Do you want him to reduce your armour and add some t4?

Perhaps

>

>

> Do you feel this may be low t4 related? Or something else? Have you ever felt

like this before (perhaps before thyroid treatment) and if so what did it turn

out to be? When were you last feeling ok, and what dose of thyroid were you on

then? was anything else different then? did you feel like this when you had

your first child?( though bear in mind that Armour was reformulated in 2009, i

think)

I think it is Low T4 related as I previously felt like this while on thyroxine

some years ago. A chain of events began which included panic attacks, continunal

fear of impending doom even in every day situations and fear of driving or being

alone. The same feelings have been returning and it is affecting my relationship

with my Partner. My marriae of 8 years ended in 2007 for similar reasons.

>

>

>

> That would be very hard to cope with even if you didn't already feel bad.

Yes it is and with the rest of how I feel being so low I am struggling to pull

myself together.

> >

>

> Am i right in thinking you'd like him to increase T4 and reduce Armour? If

not, please advise

i think so - I had considered adding in T4 but not considered reducing Armour.

>

>Thank you for your help

Emma xx>

[Guest guest]

You need to know what your FT3 and FT4 levels are. Your FT4 is too low, if FT3

is too low too then you can just take more Armour. If your FT3 is going over the

top (you might be like me and convert T4 to T3 better in pregnancy) then you

need to add in some T4 (which is what I had to do, whilst I also dropped a grain

of Erfa). It is normal in pregnancy to have to take 25-50mcg more of

levothyroxine. Have you increased your Armour at all?

I'm afraid it seems your endo doesn't understand what your thyroid levels in

pregnancy should be... I've refused to see one this time and just get my GP to

do a FT3 and FT4 test every couple of months and adjust accordingly.

Ideally your FT4 levels should be in the top half to a third of the range, and

FT3 at a similar point in the range. At which point you shouldn't have any

symptoms but that's more difficult in pregnancy as tiredness and pregnancy go

hand in hand...

Good luck and if you can go with a couple of scientific papers that discuss the

importance of FT4 level in pregnancy.

Cat.

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you Cat I am in this afternoon to see this Endo and I feel really nervous.

With losing Nan last week and all the funeral arrangements I have not had time

to do the research I was hoping for.

Dec-11

T3 = 5.4 Range 3.5-6.5

T4 = 10.8 Range 11-23

These were last done in early December and I have not been tested since.

I have not increased my Armour as I used to suffer with too much T4 in the blood

and had awful anxiety and palps so I get scared to be honest. I know I need to

do something as I am definitely suffering with borderline depression and anxiety

again.

I have tried to look for some good research but it is all from abroad and I was

hoping for something UK based I could throw it am.

you know what these Endos can be like!!

Thank you for your help. xx

>

> You need to know what your FT3 and FT4 levels are. Your FT4 is too low, if FT3

is too low too then you can just take more Armour. If your FT3 is going over the

top (you might be like me and convert T4 to T3 better in pregnancy) then you

need to add in some T4 (which is what I had to do, whilst I also dropped a grain

of Erfa). It is normal in pregnancy to have to take 25-50mcg more of

levothyroxine. Have you increased your Armour at all?

>

> I'm afraid it seems your endo doesn't understand what your thyroid levels in

pregnancy should be... I've refused to see one this time and just get my GP to

do a FT3 and FT4 test every couple of months and adjust accordingly.

>

> Ideally your FT4 levels should be in the top half to a third of the range, and

FT3 at a similar point in the range. At which point you shouldn't have any

symptoms but that's more difficult in pregnancy as tiredness and pregnancy go

hand in hand...

>

> Good luck and if you can go with a couple of scientific papers that discuss

the importance of FT4 level in pregnancy.

> Cat.

>

>

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Sorry I didn't see this before you went to your appointment. How did it go?

Based on your FT3 and FT4 results I would say that no, you shouldn't increase

Armour, you need to add in some levothyroxine to get your FT4 level up.

Hopefully this is what they have advised you to do. If they are worried that

your TSH is suppressed the obvious answer is that it will be because you are

taking a form of T3.

I hope they've given you a prescription for levothyroxine! Otherwise is your GP

approachable, they might be willing to write you a script for 25mcg or 50mcg?

Take care,

Cat.

>

> Thank you Cat I am in this afternoon to see this Endo and I feel really

nervous.

>

> With losing Nan last week and all the funeral arrangements I have not had time

to do the research I was hoping for.

>

> Dec-11

>

> T3 = 5.4 Range 3.5-6.5

> T4 = 10.8 Range 11-23

>