Cystic Acne and Dosage

[Guest guest]

Hi, I am a lurker here for the past few months, mainly because you all post so

much I can

barely keep up. I was very interested to read the connection between thyroid

problems

and cystic acne. I have always had very clear skin all my life until recently.

To back up, I had half my thyroid out due to a very large growth 5 years ago,

and had the

remainder out 3 years ago. Like everyone, it took me forever to find a doctor

who would

treat my symptoms rather than my numbers. So I had my symptoms under control and

was feeling better. Then this summer, the doctor thought we should try Armour.

Armour

turned out to be a disaster, I gained 20 pounds in 2 months, felt horrible, etc.

I've read

your statements that problems with armour can be associated with adrenal

problems. I've

never had my adrenals tested, and I am not sure my doctor would even consider

it.

that's not my question today, though, This past October I switched back to

levoxyl and

cytomel. I immediately began to feel better. But the problem with cystic acne

that started

when I switched to Armour has continued. I have never had acne like I have had

the past 6

months.

So now, I have had follow-up blood tests after being on Levoxyl and cytomel for

6-8

weeks and have the results, and a new prescription as a result of those blood

tests. I am

currently on Levoxyl 137 mcg and 5mcg. my doctor wants me to drop down to

levoxyl 125

mcg. I am debating whether to stay on the higher dose for a while longer since

it is

winter (I am in school in nyc but see a doctor in houston) or drop down to 125.

here's my lab results

t-4 free 1.4 range .8 - 1.8

tsh (3rd generation) .10L range .40-4.50

t3, free 303 range 230-420

The doctor wants my TSH between .7 and 1.7 . I know you all are not doctors and

cannot

offer medical advice and I am not asking for that. I need to know for myself the

difference

between being on the higher T4 dose and the lower T4 dose. Will the lower dose

help the

acne and the out of breath feeling? or am i doing ok on the higher dose for a

little while

longer. What exactly is the connection between cystic acne and hypothryroidism?

When

you are hypothyroid you tend to get more acne?

Can someone help me figure this out? My brain is having a hard time muddling

through all

this. Thanks.

CBW

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to offer this product.. My mom had me use this over

Thanksgiving while I was at her house..

I had a really bad breakout of cystic acne when I arrived.. when I

left, it was almost gone..

I bought some for my house and I have had a clear face for a month

now!!!

http://us.fesflowers.com/self_heal_creme.htm

[Guest guest]

I am not that educated on cystic acne, although, that may be what I have. I had nonstop acne after I started Armour for a year. Now that I am up to a " close to stable " dose, it has almost completely gone away. And, yes, acne is a side effect of being hypoT.

Hi, I am a lurker here for the past few months, mainly because you all post so much I canbarely keep up. I was very interested to read the connection between thyroid problems

and cystic acne. I have always had very clear skin all my life until recently.To back up, I had half my thyroid out due to a very large growth 5 years ago, and had theremainder out 3 years ago. Like everyone, it took me forever to find a doctor who would

treat my symptoms rather than my numbers. So I had my symptoms under control andwas feeling better. Then this summer, the doctor thought we should try Armour. Armourturned out to be a disaster, I gained 20 pounds in 2 months, felt horrible, etc. I've read

your statements that problems with armour can be associated with adrenal problems. I'venever had my adrenals tested, and I am not sure my doctor would even consider it.that's not my question today, though, This past October I switched back to levoxyl and

cytomel. I immediately began to feel better. But the problem with cystic acne that startedwhen I switched to Armour has continued. I have never had acne like I have had the past 6months.So now, I have had follow-up blood tests after being on Levoxyl and cytomel for 6-8

weeks and have the results, and a new prescription as a result of those blood tests. I amcurrently on Levoxyl 137 mcg and 5mcg. my doctor wants me to drop down to levoxyl 125mcg. I am debating whether to stay on the higher dose for a while longer since it is

winter (I am in school in nyc but see a doctor in houston) or drop down to 125.here's my lab resultst-4 free 1.4 range .8 - 1.8tsh (3rd generation) .10L range .40-4.50t3, free 303 range 230-420

The doctor wants my TSH between .7 and 1.7 . I know you all are not doctors and cannotoffer medical advice and I am not asking for that. I need to know for myself the differencebetween being on the higher T4 dose and the lower T4 dose. Will the lower dose help the

acne and the out of breath feeling? or am i doing ok on the higher dose for a little whilelonger. What exactly is the connection between cystic acne and hypothryroidism? Whenyou are hypothyroid you tend to get more acne?

Can someone help me figure this out? My brain is having a hard time muddling through allthis. Thanks.CBW------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

When you are hypothyroid, you will have more acne. It's one of those symptoms that you either have or you don't. I have had an awful time with acne since my hypothyroid symptoms started 10 years ago, and it has only really started to improve in the last year when I was finally able to find a doctor who would treat me for my Hashimotos.

Are you having any other hypo symptoms besides the acne and shortness of breath? I wonder if the doctor did not have the conversion right when you switched to Armour, so it made you really hypo and your body is still trying to recover? Others can comment more on the synthetic to Armour switch than I can.

-> To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups > Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:52:59 +0000> Subject: Cystic Acne and Dosage> > Hi, I am a lurker here for the past few months, mainly because you all post so much I can > barely keep up. I was very interested to read the connection between thyroid problems > and cystic acne. I have always had very clear skin all my life until recently.> > To back up, I had half my thyroid out due to a very large growth 5 years ago, and had the > remainder out 3 years ago. Like everyone, it took me forever to find a doctor who would > treat my symptoms rather than my numbers. So I had my symptoms under control and > was feeling better. Then this summer, the doctor thought we should try Armour. Armour > turned out to be a disaster, I gained 20 pounds in 2 months, felt horrible, etc. I've read > your statements that problems with armour can be associated with adrenal problems. I've > never had my adrenals tested, and I am not sure my doctor would even consider it.> > that's not my question today, though, This past October I switched back to levoxyl and > cytomel. I immediately began to feel better. But the problem with cystic acne that started > when I switched to Armour has continued. I have never had acne like I have had the past 6 > months. > > So now, I have had follow-up blood tests after being on Levoxyl and cytomel for 6-8 > weeks and have the results, and a new prescription as a result of those blood tests. I am > currently on Levoxyl 137 mcg and 5mcg. my doctor wants me to drop down to levoxyl 125 > mcg. I am debating whether to stay on the higher dose for a while longer since it is > winter (I am in school in nyc but see a doctor in houston) or drop down to 125.> > here's my lab results> t-4 free 1.4 range .8 - 1.8> tsh (3rd generation) .10L range .40-4.50> t3, free 303 range 230-420> > The doctor wants my TSH between .7 and 1.7 . I know you all are not doctors and cannot > offer medical advice and I am not asking for that. I need to know for myself the difference > between being on the higher T4 dose and the lower T4 dose. Will the lower dose help the > acne and the out of breath feeling? or am i doing ok on the higher dose for a little while > longer. What exactly is the connection between cystic acne and hypothryroidism? When > you are hypothyroid you tend to get more acne?> > Can someone help me figure this out? My brain is having a hard time muddling through all > this. Thanks.> > CBW> > > ------------------------------------> >

[Guest guest]

Thanks for everyone's comments about acne. I think you are all on the right

track and have helped jogged my memory.

I think my original dose was 125 mcg of levoxyl and 5 of cytomel then he

switched me to 125 mcg of levoxyl and 30 mg of armour. in late june/july. I

think when i went back to the doctor in october complaining about how miserable

i was, the doctor commented that my numbers were low. i can't find the copy of

the lab report now to compare, but am going to go on a mission to find my lab

reports.

I have never actually been diagnosed with Hashimotos if indeed that's what I

have/had nor have i ever had my antibodies tested. Rather, I had such a larger

growth, that it had to be removed, some of the cells were suspicious but not

actually cancer. Then when the remainder of my thyroid, the nodules doubled in

size in two years, and the doctors felt that this was an unacceptable rate of

growth. again not cancer.

This last visit, the doctor even throughout the suggestion of me taking a higher

dosage of cytomel. I have found some old cytomel from the spring when i switched

to the armour, i think i am going to use it to double up on the cytomel for a

bit and see if that helps. I am also going to continue on the higher dose of

levoxyl.

For the most part, I am feeling well, though I feel like I have been losing a

little bit of hair lately, and my knees ache when climbing stairs, and once

again I am severely out of breath at the top of them. but I am much, much better

than when my levels were all off when taking the armour this summer.

I know dosage is tricky, and it takes playing with, it's just a little

depressing to think that every season or every blood test will require playing

with dosage.

Thanks so much for all your comments and suggestions.

cbw

> >

> > Hi, I am a lurker here for the past few months, mainly because you all post

so much I can barely keep up. I was very interested to read the connection

between thyroid problems and cystic acne. I have always had very clear skin all

my life until recently.

> >

[Guest guest]

We do not recommend that you self-increase your dose. If your current doc will not work with you, then you need to find one who will. If you cannot find one in-network, you might consider that you do not need to see your thyroid doc very often. You might want to save your pennies, give up latte, take an extra part time job and go see someone who will help you.

> > >> > > Hi, I am a lurker here for the past few months, mainly because you all post so much I can barely keep up. I was very interested to read the connection between thyroid problems and cystic acne. I have always had very clear skin all my life until recently.> > >>