Re: Austin - hypothyroid and TSH tests

[Guest guest]

Three to five grains is not full replacement for everyone. I know this is stated over and over on certain other websites, but there is no documentation for that statement. What each person needs is highly individual. There are folks who need less than one grain and others who may need eight or more. I know more than one person who has crashed and burned trying to follow the advice given on those websites. Then at the other end of this spectrum of stupidity are the docs who will not prescribe over two grains, "because that is all your thyroid gland makes." The official position of the Texas Thyroid Groups is that there is no one thyroid medication and no one dose or range of doses that are right for everyone. What each person may need is highly individual. The flying pig on our home page indicates our preference for Armour, but that is all it is, a preference. . . . . Kate Guynn wrote: Marta,180mg or 3 grains is not a lot. I'm on 4 grains. Full replacement is 3-5 grains. There are some people on more than that, most between 3-5 grain when they have a doctor that goes by symptoms. The reason for the resistance, $nythroid! The drug reps poison the doctors and tell them lies about Armour. They want you to purchase

$nythroid, it costs more. Then they want to keep you undermedicated so they can sell you cholesterol drugs, anxiety drugs, heart drugs...etc. They are also trained by the same the company that the TSH is gold standard.Bottom line you must research and give your doctor articles. Look at Shoman's website and check the files section for this group.KateAt 07:09 PM 7/31/2006, you wrote:>55 yo, have been hypothyroid most of my life with an Iodine uptake>test done when I was 18 documented a small marginally functional>thyroid gland. On Synthyroid on and off through the years depending>on whether I was able to find a doctor willing to prescribe. Finally>found a doc three years ago willing to let me try Armour and it is>like waking from a coma. No, I didn't lose weight, but the difference>in mental clarity and mood is everything. And that is what it is>about for

me.>>On Armour my T3 & T4 came back mid-range, TSH suppressed. That doc>joined a different practice and I wasn't able to see him anymore.>Went to another who has been good up until this issue and when he did>my annual in April he was only willing to run the T4 and TSH. T4 came>back 10.1 with a normal range of 4.4 to 12.5 and the TSH at less than>0.1. He dropped the dosage by 60 mg and retested 6 weeks later - by>that time I have had problems again with typical hypothyroid issues>like headaches and constipation and sleeping through the weekends when>I don't have to work. TSH still came back less than 0.1 and dropped>it by another 60 mg and told to come back for another TSH in 4 weeks.> Am now fighting off depression, forcing myself to continue to work>out in the gym and walk 1/2 mile (with an old dog) in the evenings.>>I do understand that I am still on what is

considered a high dosage of>Armour (180 mg). But I am getting very concerned he is going to>continue to cut until I am a "3.0" on the TSH at which point I feel dead.>>I had NO adverse affects on the high dosage of Armour - NO>palpitations, bone mass came back as good as a 26 yo (pushing weights>helps). You would think I was asking for massive dosages of some>narcotin!! Why are so many docs so very resistant? How do I get him>to at least look at the T3 level too? It is all about the TSH and the>only reason I feel that he even did the T4 was to make sure if I was>taking the prescribed dosage.>>What can I do to help educate this physcian and for him to at least>consider something else? __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

The doctor that started me on Armour ran an antiquated thyroid panel on me. There is absolutely no way that I was going to take what little energy I have to educate him. If he does not even know what the lab work should be I felt he was not the one to be treating my thyroid. I am keeping him as my local family doctor for when we need antibiotics, etc.

Kim

From: Texas_Thyroid_Groups [mailto:Texas_Thyroid_Groups ] On Behalf Of carol77096Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 11:02 AMTo: Texas_Thyroid_Groups Subject: Re: Austin - hypothyroid and TSH tests

Kim,

I know what you mean about not having the energy to educate doctors. A couple of months ago when I was looking for a doctor I was too sick to even call and make an appointment. I made the decision to go to Dr. R. and asked my husband to make the appointment and travel arrangements. He's had to go with me both times I've been so far, all I could do was 'be there'. When I can go by myself I'll really be happy.

Also, from some things I have read on the web, some doctors seem to have a strong bias against Shomon. Of course, those are probably not doctors we would be interested in.

Carol

> > >55 yo, have been hypothyroid most of my life with an Iodine uptake> > >test done when I was 18 documented a small marginally functional> > >thyroid gland. On Synthyroid on and off through the years depending> > >on whether I was able to find a doctor willing to prescribe. Finally> > >found a doc three years ago willing to let me try Armour and it is> > >like waking from a coma. No, I didn't lose weight, but the difference> > >in mental clarity and mood is everything. And that is what it is> > >about for me.> > >> > >On Armour my T3 & T4 came back mid-range, TSH suppressed. That doc> > >joined a different practice and I wasn't able to see him anymore.> > >Went to another who has been good up until this issue and when he did> > >my annual in April he was only willing to run the T4 and TSH. T4 came> > >back 10.1 with a normal range of 4.4 to 12.5 and the TSH at less than> > >0.1. He dropped the dosage by 60 mg and retested 6 weeks later - by> > >that time I have had problems again with typical hypothyroid issues> > >like headaches and constipation and sleeping through the weekends when> > >I don't have to work. TSH still came back less than 0.1 and dropped> > >it by another 60 mg and told to come back for another TSH in 4 weeks.> > > Am now fighting off depression, forcing myself to continue to work> > >out in the gym and walk 1/2 mile (with an old dog) in the evenings.> > >> > >I do understand that I am still on what is considered a high dosage of> > >Armour (180 mg). But I am getting very concerned he is going to> > >continue to cut until I am a "3.0" on the TSH at which point I feel> dead.> > >> > >I had NO adverse affects on the high dosage of Armour - NO> > >palpitations, bone mass came back as good as a 26 yo (pushing weights> > >helps). You would think I was asking for massive dosages of some> > >narcotin!! Why are so many docs so very resistant? How do I get him> > >to at least look at the T3 level too? It is all about the TSH and the> > >only reason I feel that he even did the T4 was to make sure if I was> > >taking the prescribed dosage.> > >> > >What can I do to help educate this physcian and for him to at least> > >consider something else?> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >