Nancy, I think you missed one of my posts up there - about supplements and meds.

Oops! I did... thanks for pointing that out.

My current supplement and OTC list include:

Melatonin
Antihistamine (benadryl)
Omega 3 capsules
Calcium (problem, eh?)
Multivitamin/mineral (without iron)

I do have trouble falling asleep and the melatonin helps me with that. I'll check out your supplements too.

Thanks for the pointer to that test. Gonna do it! I think I'll get it done before I see a doctor just so I can be fore-armed.

Just so you don't miss them, there's another further down with the links to references that should help you get the treatment you need.

I also had Graves' Disease, and now am "normal" with all the symptoms you describe. I finally went to a Naturopathic Dr. and she tested for low thyroid. Their peremiters are much more narrow but I still fall in the normal range. However, I seem to have exhausted adrenals with a lot of the same symptoms as low thyroid. If you get your best sleep from 7-9 am, hit a serious dip at about 3 pm (but who doesn't?), get tired in the evening and then tend to hit a second wind if you're awake from 11-about 2, then you might want to check it out. Other symptoms: I can't handle stress, I am crabby (Sam-e helps me a lot) and I have fatigue all the time. I also wake up suddenly at night at least 3 times toward morning. The ND has me on 5htp at night, and in the morning licorice mixed with gengsing. She's testing for allergies and that should help. Hope this is useful for you, one way or another. --Gail

Nat, which thyroid test should I have done, Comprehensive Thyroid II?

Yes, that's the one, Nancy

Nancy, just wanted to comment that I had to stop taking Melatonin. My real obvious fluid retention was made much, much worse when I took it. Since I don't know the ins and outs yet of the fluid retention, can't say why that would be so. Also, OOO made it worse. Go figure.

I also used to take the benadryl/melatonin cocktail. But now the benadryl makes my snoring much worse too.

I've learned to make myself stay up past when I feel tired (which is usually about 9:00 pm), cause I just don't seem to sleep past six hours I don't care how tired I am.

Gail, my understanding and own experience from adrenal fatigue is that you are extremely exhausted around 8:00 am (can't sleep on road) which was a really telling sign for me cause I usually hit the ground running in the a.m., and then you are very energetic (or feel your best) around 6:00 pm or so. My afternoon slumps had become so severe I would actually feel sick because I couldn't sleep. There is a really good website (can't remember where right now) that compares adrenal to thyroid and mixed of both. In a lot of symptoms, they are opposite of each other. Usually you start producing cortisol as part of your "awakening" in the morning and it continues on until the afternoon. AF makes it so you don't do that. I never fully understood the feeling better around dinner time thing. never had it explained to me. But I am much better (sort of) now.

quietone, it would depend on which stage of AF you're at. For some it's the AM cortisol that's supressed, for others it's evening. (and all the permutations in between). AF usually starts with high cortisol as well, which has different symptoms, then heads toward low cortisol as the adrenals get too tired to keep up.


That would be Dr Rind's website and his metabolic scorecard. About.com also has a very knowledgeable board for AF, although it's a little hard to navigate (at least that what I find).

Thanks quietone, I did get a book from the library called Adrenal Fatigue, and feel I have that and possibly the low thyroid too. My Mom and one sister also have the symptoms, and after years of suffering both recently got the diagnosis of low thyroid. I even asked for the more in-depth tests, and was told I'm fine. (by the reg. Dr.) It's frustrating, but I'll keep at it. If you find the site that addresses that, please let me know...thanx! --Gail

Gail, I posted the site.

OOps! Sorry, I missed it. Thanks a lot, I'll check it out now. Gail

Interesting... I think I have mild fluid retention issues, but thyroid lowness can make that happen too. I really sleep well with the melatonin. Funny you call it a cocktail, I didn't know other folks were taking it too. I do have issues of having a hard time falling asleep and that really helps a huge amount.

Not sure if I snore or not, my cat doesn't complain about it. Although maybe that's why he wakes me up at 4am? All this time he was trying to tell me to shut-up and I thought he wanted to be petted!

Thanks for the lead on the site about FA or low Thyroid. I put it on my favorites list and as soon as I have time, I'm going to take the test, and educate myself. -- Gail

This was back in July, not April like I thought.

Thyroxine, Free: 1.45 [0.89-1.76] (free T4?)
Total T3: 1.38 [.60-1.81]
TSH: 1.997 [.350-5.500]

I just ordered my test and I'm going to start calling doctors on Monday. Today is definitely the worst I've felt.

Nancy, your FT4 and FT3 look not bad in those labs - both are just below the upper range, where most of us feel better, but your TSH is still almost 2.0, a little high, a sign your body thinks it would like more T4 and T3. How did you feel in July when these were taken?

I'd bet your FTs are lower now and your TSH is higher. Let us know how the tests come out.

Nat