Re: Does anyone feel good?

[Guest guest]

Hi There !

I have to speak up and say I feel good. I have had only one dosage

change since I have been diagnosed with hypo... ( I have been hypo for over

10 years) . Then it was the very tired symptoms ... muscle pain, fogginess.

But Thank God My doctor upped me on my levoxil and I feel fine.... I walk

everyday... Try to get enough sleep and think positive.... So hang in

there!!!! Things will get better!!!

Hugs,

Debbie

[Guest guest]

,

I feel great! In fact, the only thing that was abnormal before my diagnoses in September was uncontrolled weight gain despite aerobic weight training 3 -4 days a week and just aerobics another 1-2 days. I credit my feeling good to really good vitamin supplement that I take.

My TSH before treatment was normal (1.86) and so was my T4 (5.1). The only thing abnormal for me was the T3 (77). My doctor started me on Armour thyroid and with follow-up appointments added cytomel. I'm now on 1 grain of armour and 25 mg cytomel. My TSH is currently less than .004 (yes that's .004) He's fine with that because he said you can't treat a low T3 based on your TSH level. My T3 is finally normal and I'm losing weight. (7 pounds in 5 weeks).

I also follow a low glycemic diet. I feel better every day even though I didn't feel that bad before my diagnosis. I believe I was hypothyroid 6 years ago when I started the vitamins which got rid of all my symptoms. Back then I had text book symptoms but my levels were "normal" (although I didn't have my T3 checked then) I believe a 2 year stint off and on Atkins stressed my thyroid and resulted in screwing things up so bad my metabolism slowed and caused me to gain weight uncontrollably. But my energy and all the other associated symptoms never came back, at least not the all consuming fatigue I had before.

Now my energy is really high and I truly feel great.

Tammy

Does anyone feel good?

Hi everyone,I was just curious...We have all heard so many horrorstories about this illness. I would like to know...Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and ifso can you share with all of us what you are doing andwhat meds you are on and what the dosage amount is ofeach thing you are taking? I'm also curious what yourTSH was before you started taking the med and what itis now. It would really help. Thanks for sharingyour info with everyone. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Tammy,

What is the normal range for T3? I really don't know that much about it. I just know that I'm a couple up from the low end of normal. I guess I need to get myself more informed if I plan on seeing any good results. What type of symptoms did your initially have, besides weight gain? Do doctors ever use Armour for anything other than Hypo-Thyroid?

Tammy Fuller <tfuller@...> wrote:

,

I feel great! In fact, the only thing that was abnormal before my diagnoses in September was uncontrolled weight gain despite aerobic weight training 3 -4 days a week and just aerobics another 1-2 days. I credit my feeling good to really good vitamin supplement that I take.

My TSH before treatment was normal (1.86) and so was my T4 (5.1). The only thing abnormal for me was the T3 (77). My doctor started me on Armour thyroid and with follow-up appointments added cytomel. I'm now on 1 grain of armour and 25 mg cytomel. My TSH is currently less than .004 (yes that's .004) He's fine with that because he said you can't treat a low T3 based on your TSH level. My T3 is finally normal and I'm losing weight. (7 pounds in 5 weeks).

I also follow a low glycemic diet. I feel better every day even though I didn't feel that bad before my diagnosis. I believe I was hypothyroid 6 years ago when I started the vitamins which got rid of all my symptoms. Back then I had text book symptoms but my levels were "normal" (although I didn't have my T3 checked then) I believe a 2 year stint off and on Atkins stressed my thyroid and resulted in screwing things up so bad my metabolism slowed and caused me to gain weight uncontrollably. But my energy and all the other associated symptoms never came back, at least not the all consuming fatigue I had before.

Now my energy is really high and I truly feel great.

Tammy

Does anyone feel good?

Hi everyone,I was just curious...We have all heard so many horrorstories about this illness. I would like to know...Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and ifso can you share with all of us what you are doing andwhat meds you are on and what the dosage amount is ofeach thing you are taking? I'm also curious what yourTSH was before you started taking the med and what itis now. It would really help. Thanks for sharingyour info with everyone. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I don't mean to toot my horn but I really don't feel that bad. I felt

pretty bad Tuesday ( brain fog and dizziness) but I it went away the

next day. I think it was really a sleep issue.

To continue, I really don't feel that bad. I'm on a Protein Power,

drinking 80 oz of water, and working out 3X week with weights, and 3X

week of cardio. Also, about 3 times a week, I walk 3 miles with my

neighbors around the neighborhood. Needless to say, I'm very tired at

night and have NO problems going to sleep.

My Levoxyl is at .075 mcg right now ( until the next reading in two

weeks). I take it at night before I go to bed because I take my multi-

vitamin in the a.m. and those two weren't working too well together.

I started working out and doing PP 4 weeks ago and so far I've only

lost 4lbs which I'm NOT complaining about!!!

Well, that's my story@

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> I was just curious...We have all heard so many horror

> stories about this illness. I would like to know...

> Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and if

> so can you share with all of us what you are doing and

> what meds you are on and what the dosage amount is of

> each thing you are taking? I'm also curious what your

> TSH was before you started taking the med and what it

> is now. It would really help. Thanks for sharing

> your info with everyone.

>

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

>Is there anyone out there that is feeling good

I am.

>can you share with all of us what you are doing and what meds you are on and what the dosage amount is of each thing you are taking?

210 mg. Thyroid (Canadian Armour); 20 mg Cortef. Also tons of vitamin supplements.

>I'm also curious what your TSH was before you started taking the med

Varied between 3.4 and 8.9.

>and what it is now.

Undetectable.

Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: Click Here

[Guest guest]

Tammy, How / when do you take the cytomel part of your medication? I assume you

take the Armour part once a day? Thank you for

writing!

Ann

Does anyone feel good?

Hi everyone,

I was just curious...We have all heard so many horror

stories about this illness. I would like to know...

Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and if

so can you share with all of us what you are doing and

what meds you are on and what the dosage amount is of

each thing you are taking? I'm also curious what your

TSH was before you started taking the med and what it

is now. It would really help. Thanks for sharing

your info with everyone.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

, another question: what is the plan for the cortef? Will you take that

indefinitely like we take the thyroid meds?

Ann

Re: Does anyone feel good?

>Is there anyone out there that is feeling good

I am.

>can you share with all of us what you are doing and what meds you are on and

what the dosage amount is of each thing you are

taking?

210 mg. Thyroid (Canadian Armour); 20 mg Cortef. Also tons of vitamin

supplements.

>I'm also curious what your TSH was before you started taking the med

Varied between 3.4 and 8.9.

>and what it is now.

Undetectable.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: Click Here

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 03/07/2002 1:31:59 PM Pacific Standard Time, dezign4you@... writes:

I was just curious...We have all heard so many horror

stories about this illness. I would like to know...

Is there anyone out there that is feeling good

I am feeling good at last! I've been hypothyroid since my mid 20s. I'm now 52. Problem for me was no doc would give me meds since the Almighty TSH test would always read normal. I had all the clinical signs and symptoms, they would order the thyroid tests, but then they would say, "Well, you can't be hypothyroid so you must just be making it all up." Or, "You must just have a lot of emotional problems." Or, "You just need to focus on something or someone other than yourself and your tiredness, etc., will go away." Or, "Well, you have five kids and a busy life so you'll just have to accept you're gonna be tired."

About six months ago, I gave the whole chronic illness thing (exhaustion, brain fog, feeling cold all the time, uncoordinated, stomach aches, headaches, feeling stupid, memory loss, anxiety, dry skin, heel cracks, muscle aches, sleep apnea, snoring, heart palpitations) another shot at getting cured. I switched from my condescending endo who (same as all the others) said I was just emotionally addicted to medicine (NOT!) because my TSH was normal (.33) so I just COULDN'T have a problem. I found a doc who is more wholistically inclined and on the first interview, he was very interested in my low body temps (average per day 97.3). New doc put me on treatment for 's Thyroid Syndrome, which is pure T3 compounded with a time-release agent so it goes into my body slowly over 12 hours.

My recovery, in just six months has been quite amazing. I'm losing weight, have more energy, my heel cracks are almost gone. I sleep much better through the night with no more sleep apnea and much less snoring. My average daily body temperature is running currently around 98.0. One of the biggest improvements is in my balance/coordination and my thinking/memory. I am getting glimpses of my old, smart self each day! I'm remembering telephone numbers again and I'm able to follow and understand complicated direction, discussions and magazine articles once more. My hair and skin are still a tad on the dry side but they've improved greatly. I've stopped having to clean out the shower drain after each shower since my hair is no longer falling out. My general anxiety level is decreasing day by day and actually, I've just been through the week from hell during a critical family emergency, and I find I'm not absolutely pasted to the floor from it as I would have been previous to the WTS treatment.

The 's treatment has been so simple, so elegant, so easy that I'm amazed it isn't in wider use and consideration for more people showing signs of hypothyroidism, particularly those with the classic symptoms, low body temperature and normal TSH tests. It has absolutely changed my life!

in LA

"We are each responsible for our own life--no other person is or even *can* be." Oprah Winfrey

[Guest guest]

,

Normal T3 at my lab is 94-170. Mine was 77 back in September. T3 is the active thyroid that does all the work. T4 converts to T3. You can have all the T4 in the world but if it isn't converting to T3 you will have hypothyroid symptoms. My symptoms 6+ years ago were extreme fatigue, low immune system, (I was constantly sick) Irregular menstrual periods (45 to 90+ days apart), allergies, headaches, inability to lose weight (wasn't gaining back then). When I went to the specialist in September my only symptoms were weight gain and a little more fatigue than usual but not the extreme fatigue I had 6 years ago.

As far as I know the only thing you'd take Armour thyroid for is hypothyroidism because it has T3 T4 and some other thyroid hormones in it.

Are you currently on thyroid replacement therapy? If you are there is a lot of medical evidence that people may benefit from T3 replacement even if their T3 is "normal" There's an article in one of the medical journals. Perhaps if you found that and took the article to your doctor he would consider adding the T3. If you're interested I'll see if I can find the article and tell you where to get it. I think I originally found a link to the article on Shomons site.

Tammy

Does anyone feel good?

Hi everyone,I was just curious...We have all heard so many horrorstories about this illness. I would like to know...Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and ifso can you share with all of us what you are doing andwhat meds you are on and what the dosage amount is ofeach thing you are taking? I'm also curious what yourTSH was before you started taking the med and what itis now. It would really help. Thanks for sharingyour info with everyone. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I take my Armour in the morning with 12.5 mg (half) of cytomel and I take the other half of the cytomel around 3:00. I chew them being careful not to get it all in my teeth and take them on an empty stomach.

Tammy

Does anyone feel good? Hi everyone, I was just curious...We have all heard so many horror stories about this illness. I would like to know... Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and if so can you share with all of us what you are doing and what meds you are on and what the dosage amount is of each thing you are taking? I'm also curious what your TSH was before you started taking the med and what it is now. It would really help. Thanks for sharing your info with everyone. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 03/08/2002 4:53:54 PM Pacific Standard Time, gberro@... writes:

How interesting. My history is almost the same as yours, except at age 22 I had a partial thyroidectomy that left me debilitated with a "normal" tsh. I really wish I could sue somebody for the damage done. Now I am taking Armour and have most of my life back, but maybe I need to add T3 to it. Are you supposed to take T3 forever?

Gracia,

I think it depends on the individual. The Doctor's Manual for WTS states that the treatment protocol w/ the T3 is meant to restart the thyroid conversion system in the body. Once that is accomplished (which you can tell by when the body temp returns to 98.6), most people don't have to take the medicine again. Dr. says there are some people who still need small maintenance doses of T4 if their thyroid gland is truly malfunctioning or partially removed, as in your case. Also, there are some individuals who are super-sensitive who need to go back to the T3 occasionally during their lives when they incur increased stress.

I just got an email from a friend who is studying to be a physician's assistant. I've been telling her about my success with WTS treatment to which she initially responded with disbelief and worry that I am involved in a "non-approved" treatment. She just had her entire thyroid removed and she is barely 30. But she wrote to me this week to say,

"Just as a side note, I spoke with a doctor at Mayo who started herself on

pure T3, and she says that it has worked like a charm. She said that she

was sick on T4 and even on the T3/T4 combination, so being a doctor, she

tried T3. She said all her problems cleared up. I think that lends some

credence to the 's Treatment thing. I discussed your situation with

her a bit, and she seemed pretty accepting of it, even though most doctor's

vilify it. Most doctors would have told her not to take pure T3, either,

saying that the body converts T4 to T3, but she says she didn't feel well

until she did and has been taking T3 for years. Screw what the docs are

saying. If 's Treatment works for you, you should do it. Obviously."

Interesting that a doctor would go ahead and do this for herself in spite of the mainline medical opinion against it. And she's found she feels well on pure T3! Maybe one day enough people will try it the AMA will HAVE to look at it and decide, for the health of millions of Americans they can afford to endorse health and well being over financial interests of drug companies.

in LA

"We are each responsible for our own life--no other person is or even *can* be." Oprah Winfrey

[Guest guest]

Splendid! That's what I do. too I think I'm learning!

Ann

Does anyone feel good?

Hi everyone,

I was just curious...We have all heard so many horror

stories about this illness. I would like to know...

Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and if

so can you share with all of us what you are doing and

what meds you are on and what the dosage amount is of

each thing you are taking? I'm also curious what your

TSH was before you started taking the med and what it

is now. It would really help. Thanks for sharing

your info with everyone.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 03/08/2002 6:36:28 PM Pacific Standard Time, gberro@... writes:

Amen Amen. I think the internet is empowering patients to bypass the drug industry and find the best treatments. I was just reading that the latest medical buzzword is "evidence based treatment" which I think means that if the patient feels good then the treatment is appropriate.

Gracia,

LOL! I think this will eventually need to become the standard for thyroid treatment once hypothyroid people begin "voting with their feet and their wallets" and gravitate toward treatments that ease or eliminate their symptoms rather than just making docs smile or frown over numbers on a piece of paper. It really seems a no-brainer to me! And why mainstream medicine won't do that now, really pisses me off! But I am fortunate enough to have made myself keep looking and keep imagining there must be a way to get feeling really, really well instead of taking such bullshit from condescending doctors who are afraid of a patient who has done her/his research and seems to know more than they do about the disease!

There IS life after hypothyroidism!

in LA

"We are each responsible for our own life--no other person is or even *can* be." Oprah Winfrey

[Guest guest]

How interesting. My history is almost the same as yours, except at age 22 I had a partial thyroidectomy that left me debilitated with a "normal" tsh. I really wish I could sue somebody for the damage done. Now I am taking Armour and have most of my life back, but maybe I need to add T3 to it. Are you supposed to take T3 forever?

Gracia

I am feeling good at last! I've been hypothyroid since my mid 20s. I'm now 52. Problem for me was no doc would give me meds since the Almighty TSH test would always read normal. I had all the clinical signs and symptoms, they would order the thyroid tests, but then they would say, "Well, you can't be hypothyroid so you must just be making it all up." Or, "You must just have a lot of emotional problems." Or, "You just need to focus on something or someone other than yourself and your tiredness, etc., will go away." Or, "Well, you have five kids and a busy life so you'll just have to accept you're gonna be tired." About six months ago, I gave the whole chronic illness thing (exhaustion, brain fog, feeling cold all the time, uncoordinated, stomach aches, headaches, feeling stupid, memory loss, anxiety, dry skin, heel cracks, muscle aches, sleep apnea, snoring, heart palpitations) another shot at getting cured. I switched from my condescending endo who (same as all the others) said I was just emotionally addicted to medicine (NOT!) because my TSH was normal (.33) so I just COULDN'T have a problem. I found a doc who is more wholistically inclined and on the first interview, he was very interested in my low body temps (average per day 97.3). New doc put me on treatment for 's Thyroid Syndrome, which is pure T3 compounded with a time-release agent so it goes into my body slowly over 12 hours. My recovery, in just six months has been quite amazing. I'm losing weight, have more energy, my heel cracks are almost gone. I sleep much better through the night with no more sleep apnea and much less snoring. My average daily body temperature is running currently around 98.0. One of the biggest improvements is in my balance/coordination and my thinking/memory. I am getting glimpses of my old, smart self each day! I'm remembering telephone numbers again and I'm able to follow and understand complicated direction, discussions and magazine articles once more. My hair and skin are still a tad on the dry side but they've improved greatly. I've stopped having to clean out the shower drain after each shower since my hair is no longer falling out. My general anxiety level is decreasing day by day and actually, I've just been through the week from hell during a critical family emergency, and I find I'm not absolutely pasted to the floor from it as I would have been previous to the WTS treatment.The 's treatment has been so simple, so elegant, so easy that I'm amazed it isn't in wider use and consideration for more people showing signs of hypothyroidism, particularly those with the classic symptoms, low body temperature and normal TSH tests. It has absolutely changed my life! in LA"We are each responsible for our own life--no other person is or even *can* be." Oprah Winfrey

[Guest guest]

Gracia,

Have you tried taking tyrosine (an amino acid available in most health

food stores and some drug stores and supermarkets) to help your body

make its own T3? Another supplement which helps the body make its own

T3 is 7-keto DHEA (not regular DHEA).

Celeste

Gracia wrote:

>

> How interesting. My history is almost the same as yours, except

at age 22 I had a partial thyroidectomy that left me debilitated with

a " normal " tsh. I really wish I could sue somebody for the damage

done. Now I am taking Armour and have most of my life back, but

maybe I need to add T3 to it. Are you supposed to take T3 forever?

[Guest guest]

Hi Celeste, I have found that DHEA (regular type) and progesterone help me,

but have not tried the tyrosine. How much do you take again?

> Gracia,

>

> Have you tried taking tyrosine (an amino acid available in most health

> food stores and some drug stores and supermarkets) to help your body

> make its own T3? Another supplement which helps the body make its own

> T3 is 7-keto DHEA (not regular DHEA).

>

> Celeste

>

> Gracia wrote:

> >

> > How interesting. My history is almost the same as yours, except

> at age 22 I had a partial thyroidectomy that left me debilitated with

> a " normal " tsh. I really wish I could sue somebody for the damage

> done. Now I am taking Armour and have most of my life back, but

> maybe I need to add T3 to it. Are you supposed to take T3 forever?

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Interesting that a doctor would go ahead and do this for herself in spite of the mainline medical opinion against it. And she's found she feels well on pure T3! Maybe one day enough people will try it the AMA will HAVE to look at it and decide, for the health of millions of Americans they can afford to endorse health and well being over financial interests of drug companies.

in LAAmen Amen. I think the internet is empowering patients to bypass the drug industry and find the best treatments. I was just reading that the latest medical buzzword is "evidence based treatment" which I think means that if the patient feels good then the treatment is appropriate.

Gracia in ME

[Guest guest]

Gracia,

I take 500 mg. of tyrosine three times a day (for a total of 1500

mg.). I take it on an empty stomach . . . about 30 to 60 minutes

before each meal.

Celeste

> > >

> > > How interesting. My history is almost the same as yours,

except

> > at age 22 I had a partial thyroidectomy that left me debilitated

with

> > a " normal " tsh. I really wish I could sue somebody for the

damage

> > done. Now I am taking Armour and have most of my life back, but

> > maybe I need to add T3 to it. Are you supposed to take T3

forever?

[Guest guest]

OK Thanks I will try it

> Gracia,

>

> I take 500 mg. of tyrosine three times a day (for a total of 1500

> mg.). I take it on an empty stomach . . . about 30 to 60 minutes

> before each meal.

>

> Celeste

>

>

> > > >

> > > > How interesting. My history is almost the same as yours,

> except

> > > at age 22 I had a partial thyroidectomy that left me debilitated

> with

> > > a " normal " tsh. I really wish I could sue somebody for the

> damage

> > > done. Now I am taking Armour and have most of my life back, but

> > > maybe I need to add T3 to it. Are you supposed to take T3

> forever?

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>what is the plan for the cortef? Will you take that indefinitely like we take the thyroid meds?

Actually, I am not sure. I'm just so glad to be finally feeling well that I'm not worrying about that yet!Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: Click Here

[Guest guest]

You chew the Armour pills? Is that supposed to make them absorb better? Maybe I need to start doing that.

Ann Staley <iamstaley@...> wrote: Splendid! That's what I do. too I think I'm learning!Ann Does anyone feel good? Hi everyone, I was just curious...We have all heard so many horror stories about this illness. I would like to know... Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and if so can you share with all of us what you are doing and what meds you are on and what the dosage amount is of each thing you are taking? I'm also curious what your TSH was before you started taking the med and what it is now. It would really help. Thanks for sharing your info with everyone. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Do you take this instead of something like Cytomel?

a1thighmaster <teroger@...> wrote: Gracia,Have you tried taking tyrosine (an amino acid available in most health food stores and some drug stores and supermarkets) to help your body make its own T3? Another supplement which helps the body make its own T3 is 7-keto DHEA (not regular DHEA).CelesteGracia wrote:> > How interesting. My history is almost the same as yours, except at age 22 I had a partial thyroidectomy that left me debilitated with a "normal" tsh. I really wish I could sue somebody for the damage done. Now I am taking Armour and have most of my life back, but maybe I need to add T3 to it. Are you supposed to take T3 forever?

[Guest guest]

My guess is that they would absorb better, it makes sense. But I don't use my back teeth because it gets stuck in them so I just break it up a little with my front teeth. There isn't much of a taste.

I honestly don't know if it helps but it won't hurt as long as you drink plenty of water and make sure you swallow all of it.

Does anyone feel good? Hi everyone, I was just curious...We have all heard so many horror stories about this illness. I would like to know... Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and if so can you share with all of us what you are doing and what meds you are on and what the dosage amount is of each thing you are taking? I'm also curious what your TSH was before you started taking the med and what it is now. It would really help. Thanks for sharing your info with everyone. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I took my first pill this morning...hope it starts to

work......

--- Tammy Fuller <tfuller@...> wrote:

> My guess is that they would absorb better, it makes

> sense. But I don't use my back teeth because it gets

> stuck in them so I just break it up a little with my

> front teeth. There isn't much of a taste.

> I honestly don't know if it helps but it won't hurt

> as long as you drink plenty of water and make sure

> you swallow all of it.

> Does anyone feel

> good?

>

>

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> I was just curious...We have all heard so

> many horror

> stories about this illness. I would like to

> know...

> Is there anyone out there that is feeling

> good and if

> so can you share with all of us what you are

> doing and

> what meds you are on and what the dosage

> amount is of

> each thing you are taking? I'm also curious

> what your

> TSH was before you started taking the med

> and what it

> is now. It would really help. Thanks for

> sharing

> your info with everyone.

>

>

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Yep,I sure do. Learned about that on this list.....

Ann

Does anyone feel good?

Hi everyone,

I was just curious...We have all heard so many horror

stories about this illness. I would like to know...

Is there anyone out there that is feeling good and if

so can you share with all of us what you are doing and

what meds you are on and what the dosage amount is of

each thing you are taking? I'm also curious what your

TSH was before you started taking the med and what it

is now. It would really help. Thanks for sharing

your info with everyone.

__________________________________________________