Need some backup when talk to doc

[Guest guest]

Hi Val,

I've posted off-and-on here and at STTM, where I first found you.

I've been on HC and Armour for over 18 months, and have felt little

improvement. I do feel somewhat better, but I believe any

improvement I feel is due to adding adrenal support (based on my

history of HC dosing/symptoms/temps--I was in stage 7 adrenal fatigue

according to my saliva test from DiagnosTechs). I believe my

adrenals are now adequately treated (at 32.5mg HC taken

15/7.5/5/2.5/2.5...I take it every 3 hours from wakeup, with the last

dose at bedtime). When I reduce HC, I notice I do feel a little

worse.

However, most of my symptoms have not improved in the over year and a

half since I've been on this regimen. My latest labs (which I don't

unfortunately have in front of me at the moment) showed that my T3

and T4 levels are high (top or over range) in BLOODWORK, but they're

incredibly low in urine testing. I believe (and I could be wrong

about this...I'm not familiar with urine testing and its reliability)

that this shows the hormones are not getting into my cells, but that

they're pooling in my blood.

I've been graphing temps, and my 3x/daily averages have been between

98.3 and 98.5 for the last 2 weeks. This leads me to believe my

adrenals are adequately supported. I'm on 4 1/4 grains of Armour.

I still have crippling fatigue. I fall asleep driving, my eyes feel

heavy, my skin is dry, I lose a lot of hair, I'm very achy, I have no

stamina whatsoever and don't even ask what happened to my libido...it

went the way of <$3 gas prices. I have brain fog and difficulty

concentrating. I can literally sleep all day...could lay my head

down on my desk and sleep right now. I get overheated/sweaty very

easily (very slight activity), but when I am still for a period of

time, I do get cold...have very cold feet.

I have an appt. with my DO next week. He has been, for the most

part, very willing to go along with my requests for

medications/doses, and I've returned the favor to him...when he's

suggested increases/decreases, I've gone along and he'll make

adjustments according to symptoms, not labs. The fact that my T3/T4

are at the top of the ranges doesn't concern him...he believes they

need to be for the patient to feel better. But I DON'T feel better.

I called his office today to request a lab Rx to get my RT3/free T3

tested. He just called back to say that he wanted to see me first,

before doing the labs. I insisted, so we'll see what happens...but I

really wanted to have ammunition when I talk to him, you know? I

checked out Dr. Lowe's website, but it confuses me more than

anything...he says that the T3 resistance is only temporary? I found

this quote: " Many doctors mistakenly believe that patients should use

T3 because they have impaired T4 to T3 conversion and, as a result,

low T3 levels. But this has never been the reason for our patients

using T3. Unfortunately, we're not certain why some patients must use

T3 to free themselves from hypothyroid-like symptoms. " That's not

going to help me convince my doctor... I am not sure if I have any

signs of thyroid resistance or a T3 conversion problem or high RT3,

or whatever we want to call it...but at this point, it's my last

hope. I can't imagine what else could be preventing my symptoms from

improving...I take the HC as well as B12, Vitamins C and D,

magnesium, DHEA and my ferritin has always been between 70-120...so I

don't think I'm missing anything that would be preventing the thyroid

hormone from working.

So, to summarize, I guess I have two questions for you:

1. Do you think I sound like a " typical " thyroid resistance case?

2. Do you have a specific passage or link about RT3 that I could

bring to my doc, and say " Look, I read this, and I want to check out

if this could be my problem " ? I haven't found anything on Dr.

Lowe.com that helped...but maybe you have a specific passage from him

or Dr. that would help?

Sorry for the long message...I can't seem to post without a bazillion

words each time!

Thanks,

Teressa

[Guest guest]

I could tell a similar story. I didn't get releif until my doctor

switched me to Cytomel. I am up to 100 mcg and I feel soooo much

better. My temps have risen but they are still low so I have to

slowly increase my dosage even higher. See if your doc will switch

you to Cytomel. If you are resistant, you need regular Cytomel

because the slow release won't work for you. If your RT3 is high, it

is time to switch to all T3 because you are not converting T4 to T3.

BTW, there are numerous reasons we produce RT3 instead of T3 and not

all of them can be corrected. You may need to remail on T3, which

isn't so bad since it works so well.

>

> Hi Val,

>

> I've posted off-and-on here and at STTM, where I first found you.

> I've been on HC and Armour for over 18 months, and have felt little

> improvement. I do feel somewhat better, but I believe any

> improvement I feel is due to adding adrenal support (based on my

> history of HC dosing/symptoms/temps--I was in stage 7 adrenal

fatigue

> according to my saliva test from DiagnosTechs). I believe my

> adrenals are now adequately treated (at 32.5mg HC taken

> 15/7.5/5/2.5/2.5...I take it every 3 hours from wakeup, with the

last

> dose at bedtime). When I reduce HC, I notice I do feel a little

> worse.

>

> However, most of my symptoms have not improved in the over year and

a

> half since I've been on this regimen. My latest labs (which I

don't

> unfortunately have in front of me at the moment) showed that my T3

> and T4 levels are high (top or over range) in BLOODWORK, but

they're

> incredibly low in urine testing. I believe (and I could be wrong

> about this...I'm not familiar with urine testing and its

reliability)

> that this shows the hormones are not getting into my cells, but

that

> they're pooling in my blood.

>

> I've been graphing temps, and my 3x/daily averages have been

between

> 98.3 and 98.5 for the last 2 weeks. This leads me to believe my

> adrenals are adequately supported. I'm on 4 1/4 grains of Armour.

>

> I still have crippling fatigue. I fall asleep driving, my eyes

feel

> heavy, my skin is dry, I lose a lot of hair, I'm very achy, I have

no

> stamina whatsoever and don't even ask what happened to my

libido...it

> went the way of <$3 gas prices. I have brain fog and difficulty

> concentrating. I can literally sleep all day...could lay my head

> down on my desk and sleep right now. I get overheated/sweaty very

> easily (very slight activity), but when I am still for a period of

> time, I do get cold...have very cold feet.

>

> I have an appt. with my DO next week. He has been, for the most

> part, very willing to go along with my requests for

> medications/doses, and I've returned the favor to him...when he's

> suggested increases/decreases, I've gone along and he'll make

> adjustments according to symptoms, not labs. The fact that my

T3/T4

> are at the top of the ranges doesn't concern him...he believes they

> need to be for the patient to feel better. But I DON'T feel

better.

> I called his office today to request a lab Rx to get my RT3/free T3

> tested. He just called back to say that he wanted to see me first,

> before doing the labs. I insisted, so we'll see what happens...but

I

> really wanted to have ammunition when I talk to him, you know? I

> checked out Dr. Lowe's website, but it confuses me more than

> anything...he says that the T3 resistance is only temporary? I

found

> this quote: " Many doctors mistakenly believe that patients should

use

> T3 because they have impaired T4 to T3 conversion and, as a result,

> low T3 levels. But this has never been the reason for our patients

> using T3. Unfortunately, we're not certain why some patients must

use

> T3 to free themselves from hypothyroid-like symptoms. " That's not

> going to help me convince my doctor... I am not sure if I have any

> signs of thyroid resistance or a T3 conversion problem or high RT3,

> or whatever we want to call it...but at this point, it's my last

> hope. I can't imagine what else could be preventing my symptoms

from

> improving...I take the HC as well as B12, Vitamins C and D,

> magnesium, DHEA and my ferritin has always been between 70-120...so

I

> don't think I'm missing anything that would be preventing the

thyroid

> hormone from working.

>

> So, to summarize, I guess I have two questions for you:

> 1. Do you think I sound like a " typical " thyroid resistance case?

> 2. Do you have a specific passage or link about RT3 that I could

> bring to my doc, and say " Look, I read this, and I want to check

out

> if this could be my problem " ? I haven't found anything on Dr.

> Lowe.com that helped...but maybe you have a specific passage from

him

> or Dr. that would help?

>

> Sorry for the long message...I can't seem to post without a

bazillion

> words each time!

> Thanks,

> Teressa

>