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Originally Posted by mokia102
I just had another visit last week and got my result back today and my TSH is 2.044 - slightly up but hopefully will remain around these levels.
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Hi Mokia
If I were you I'd want to get my TSH as close to or below 1.0 as possible; then I'd only be monitoring it for curiosity sake. Your doctor needs to be watching your FT4 and FT3 levels to see how you're doing; TSH becomes
meaningless once you've started taking meds.
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On my last visit to the Dr. I asked her about possible getting a suplement of T3/T4 but she brushed it off and said I didn't need it - I requested (from the nurse) today for those numbers for this time's results and she is going to call back after lunch time with that information.
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Make sure she gives you the lab ranges for the resutls as well - it matters where on the 'normal' range you fall. You can be on the low end and be very sick; an uninformed doctor will look at this and say "oh well, you're normal!" Women tend to do best around the upper 3rd of the lab range and men feel best (usually) around the midway mark.
Many Drs have, unfortunately, been brainwashed by the drug companies into believing that synthetics are better. This just isn't so. For some people they work; for others they do not. You'll get the "T4 is all you need" speech. The theory is that since your body only produces a little T3 most of what it needs is converted from T4; give the patient T4 and they'll make all the T3 they need. Only some of us are not only not making enough thyroid hormones, we're not good a converting T4 to T3. So for these people taking a med with T3 in it helps immensely.
FWIW, the meds with T3 and T4 are not supplements; they are natural desiccated thyroid glads from pigs. Supplements can be bought over the counter and don't help much; not like the desiccated thyroid does. The only exception to this is Selenium. This mineral is vital to your thyroid; w/o adequate selenium your body cannot convert T4 into T3. Selenium also attacks the antibodies that do so much damage if you're suffering from Hashimoto's. If you're not taking any I'd highly recommend you get some ASAP. 200mcg to start for about a month, then cut it down to 100mcg, you don't want to consume more than 200mcg for any extend period of time, as too much is just as bad as too little.
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Let me pose this question out to the forum - how many of u guys take Synthroid and also a T3 or T4 supplement? And do u feel better with both meds or does Synthroid alone work best? What are ur feelings out there? And how open is ur doctor to supplements along with Synthroid or similar meds?
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I addressed some of these questions above; just keep in mind that if your doctor will not treat you properly, fire him/her and find one who will! It's your right to be healthy; no doctor should stand in your way.
You can usually find a doctor in your area off the
TopDoc list I don't know where you are so I cannot recommend any to you.
You can also get your white / yellow pages out and start calling around to Drs. Ask them questions over the phone (them, or their receptionists). Ask if they treat many HypoTs. If they use more than just TSH to test. If they prescribe Armour (natural meds). If they answer 'no' then you know not to waste your time going in to see them
HTH
Nat