quality of life issues now or osteoporosis later

[Guest guest]

I posted a couple of weeks ago with my test results. I was afraid my

doc would want to lower my dose of armour because my t3 was slighly

over the reference range but turns out he wants to lower it because my

TSH level was microscopic. I have been supplementing a lower dose of

Armour with Synthroid because he wanted my T4 to be in the high range

of the reference.

My doctor's very concerned about osteoporosis and I have to admit that

it scares me too. My grandmother passed away just a year ago due to

complications from the disease.

I've spent the last couple of weeks reading the actual medical studies

from Pubmed and scholar.google and the files section you have here.

There are studies that prove either way. It seems to me that there are

not enough studies done on people on long-term thyroid hormone

replacement suppressing their TSH to levels below euthyroid levels to

be definative. I'm still scared.

The quandry is that I really can't function on this lower dose of

armour, even with the synthroid. I feel awful. The fuzzy thinking is

my first and most distressing symtom. Just when I need to be able to

reasearch and make decisions I am unable to finish a sentence. I'm

embarassed to admit how long it's taking me to write this.

I have a hard time keeping up with all of the messages here, but it

seems most of you aren't really worried about osteoporosis. I can't

bring myself to totally discount it but I can't live like I am now. I

am willing to risk a future possiblity of illness for the known

control of an illness in the present.

Now comes the task of convincing my doctor. I really believe that he

is acting out of concern for me. He takes Synthroid himself (I'm

working to convert him to Armour!) and both of his parents had

osteoporosis so he considers himself high-risk. I have 5 family

members who are willing to write personal notes to the doctor stating

that I am not myself without a larger dose of armour and go into

detail (it's so bad that one out of state sister can tell over the

phone when my thyroid is low as I don't finish sentences and she has

to turn up the volume on her phone to hear me). I am willing to sign a

disclaimer that I am aware of the risks and he can keep it in my file.

What do you think? How do other people handle this?

I know some of you order your meds on-line. What do you tell your doctor?

Suzanne, of the fuzzy brain