TSH Way Down/Saw Doc Today

[Guest guest]

Chuck, Marla, Crystal, Nancie and Others,

Thanks for your thoughts on what seems to be going on with my TSH after 6 weeks

on

Levoxyl, and where I maybe want to go from here.

Saw my internist today, who managed to give me about 40 minutes (he never makes

you

feel rushed even though you normally have to wait 1-2 hours after your

appointment

time), even though he was also deluged with local high school students, for whom

his

practice provides athletic physicals as a public service.

He knows from experience that patients can be as low as .01, for example, and

still be

normal, without hyper- thyroidism. We agree it is a very individual thing, and

must be

monitored closely.

He was open to the idea that, since my symptoms were at least as high as before

the

Levoxyl, maybe the T-4 was not being converted into T-3 adequately. He gave me

a scrip

for Cytomel (T-3), not thinking there woudl be any real downside. We'll see

what

things look like in 6 weeks. I asked him about a T-3 test now, but he may have

forgotten. Do you think I need that NOW as a " baseline, " or is trying the

Cytomel

enough. He didn't increase the

Levoxyl, I realized afterwards. But, when you're making too many changes at

once--sometimes even more than

one--you come out the other end not knowing whether a particular change made a

difference or not.

I've also been concerned about Vitamin B-12, since my diabetes drug Metformin,

decreases absorption by some 30 percent, in addition to reduction due to aging

and a

diet low in B-12. He gave me a B-12 shot, and we'll

see if that seems to help within a month...

I should emphasize that I plan to get with an endo--a new endo from the one I've

been

seeing--but it is a bit dicey. We didn't have time to get into that today, and

I had

already dissed the urologist he had referred me to

(for good reason). This internist DOES listen, he's very likable, and he's not

dogmatic; he admits how complex and confusing endo matters are. But I have in

mind

most likely trying to transfer to one of two women in the same medical group as

the

present endo, and my internist. So there are politics and feelings involved,

although

as someone observed, it's your health, and you have a right to be seen by

whoever you

want to...

The internist didn't feel we need to test for antibodies quite yet....And that,

now

that I'm on far better sleeping schedule than a year ago, we can probably get

more

accurate readings on adrenal, pituitary and other tests with early morning blood

draws.

Finally, we agreed that low testosterone COULD be the factor from which various

other

problems have emerged--

from depression,to hypertension, to apnea, to the hypothyroidism, and much more.

But

I' leery about getting testosterone replacement when there is always an

unknowable risk

that hidden cancer is already present,and would be ignited by T supplementation.

And

PSA'S are very imperfect tests, though something better may be

available this year or next.

P.S.--This doc has learned to take it in stride when I come in with my legal pad

filled

with two pages of things

to mention or discuss!!

________________________________________________________________________________\

___________________________

--- hypothyroidism wrote:

> There are 19 messages in this issue.

>

> Topics in this digest:

>

________________________________________________________________________________\

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[Guest guest]

brian,

You wrote:

>

>

> He was open to the idea that, since my symptoms were at least as high as

> before the

> Levoxyl, maybe the T-4 was not being converted into T-3 adequately. He

> gave me a scrip

> for Cytomel (T-3), not thinking there woudl be any real downside....

Cytomel has a short biological half life, so you might be more

comfortable, and spike the TSH less, if you take half of your daily dose

in two 12-hour increments. Same dietary and supplement restrictions as

with T4, though.

As for getting an endo involved, you might do better with the doctor

that actually listens to you.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

IMO you would feel like a new person on Armour, testosterone and iodine. See

Hormone Solutions by Thierry Hertoghe MD.

Gracia

Chuck, Marla, Crystal, Nancie and Others,

Thanks for your thoughts on what seems to be going on with my TSH after 6

weeks on

Levoxyl, and where I maybe want to go from here.

Saw my internist today, who managed to give me about 40 minutes (he never

makes you

feel rushed even though you normally have to wait 1-2 hours after your

appointment

time), even though he was also deluged with local high school students, for

whom his

practice provides athletic physicals as a public service.

He knows from experience that patients can be as low as .01, for example, and

still be

normal, without hyper- thyroidism. We agree it is a very individual thing, and

must be

monitored closely.

He was open to the idea that, since my symptoms were at least as high as

before the

Levoxyl, maybe the T-4 was not being converted into T-3 adequately. He gave me

a scrip

for Cytomel (T-3), not thinking there woudl be any real downside. We'll see

what

things look like in 6 weeks. I asked him about a T-3 test now, but he may have

forgotten. Do you think I need that NOW as a " baseline, " or is trying the

Cytomel

enough. He didn't increase the

Levoxyl, I realized afterwards. But, when you're making too many changes at

once--sometimes even more than

one--you come out the other end not knowing whether a particular change made a

difference or not.

I've also been concerned about Vitamin B-12, since my diabetes drug Metformin,

decreases absorption by some 30 percent, in addition to reduction due to aging

and a

diet low in B-12. He gave me a B-12 shot, and we'll

see if that seems to help within a month...

I should emphasize that I plan to get with an endo--a new endo from the one

I've been

seeing--but it is a bit dicey. We didn't have time to get into that today, and

I had

already dissed the urologist he had referred me to

(for good reason). This internist DOES listen, he's very likable, and he's not

dogmatic; he admits how complex and confusing endo matters are. But I have in

mind

most likely trying to transfer to one of two women in the same medical group

as the

present endo, and my internist. So there are politics and feelings involved,

although

as someone observed, it's your health, and you have a right to be seen by

whoever you

want to...

The internist didn't feel we need to test for antibodies quite yet....And

that, now

that I'm on far better sleeping schedule than a year ago, we can probably get

more

accurate readings on adrenal, pituitary and other tests with early morning

blood draws.

Finally, we agreed that low testosterone COULD be the factor from which

various other

problems have emerged--

from depression,to hypertension, to apnea, to the hypothyroidism, and much

more. But

I' leery about getting testosterone replacement when there is always an

unknowable risk

that hidden cancer is already present,and would be ignited by T

supplementation. And

PSA'S are very imperfect tests, though something better may be

available this year or next.

P.S.--This doc has learned to take it in stride when I come in with my legal

pad filled

with two pages of things

to mention or discuss!!

__________________________________________________________

--- hypothyroidism wrote:

> There are 19 messages in this issue.

>

> Topics in this digest:

>

__________________________________________________________

Be a better friend, newshound, and

know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

http://mobile./;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

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