<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

ORIGINAL MESSAGE (edited)
For the last 18
months, I have read with great interest all the terrific info submitted to
the list about treating subclinical hypothyroidism   (see also:
www.aace.com/pub/tam2003/press.php).  Every time i've had my thryroid levels
taken since getting ill in 2001 my TSH has been between 3.0 and 4.0, above
the new upper range proposed by the AACE in 2003.  My current TSH value is
3.9 (the highest ever).  I would like to talk to my doctor about getting
treated for hypothyroidism even though my TSH falls below the more widely
accepted upper limit of 5.0.

RECOMMENDED WEB-SITES:

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/thyroid101.htm - This site
has a wealth of information.  It appears to be the best site out there on
the topic.
“I have found this website to of extreme value:  thyroid.about.com  I am
hypothyroid and use this site as my main source of invaluable information.”

www.altsupportthyroid.org/tsh.php - Of particular interest is the set of
medical references on the TSH reference range (and other related topics)
that can be found on the right-hand side of this page.

www.mercola.com
www.wilsonssyndrome.com/

http://www.nacb.org/lmpg/thyroid_LMPG_PDF.stm  - description of various
thyroid tests – target audience is medical professionals

TESTS (other than TSH) MENTIONED
---Keep a Temperature Log:
“This web site may be helpful. It has a chart for you to print out and chart
your temp. Also, they have a list of doctors in different areas.
www.wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com/HowAreTempsMeasured.htm ”
see also:
www.mercola.com/fcgi/pf/1998/archive/temperature_regulation_for_thyroid_testing.htm
“Keep a log of your body temperature.  It is an almost foolproof indication
of trouble if it registers consistently low.”

---Free T4, T3, Free T3

---Thyroid Autoantibodies  “have them test for antibodies too - you can have
autoimmune thyroiditis where your antibodies attack your thyroid gland.”
* Thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAb) - associated with Hashimoto’s
Hypothyroidism
* Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) - useful for detecting autoimmune thyroid
disease in patients with a nodular goiter
* TSH receptor autoantibodies (TRAb) are heterogeneous and may either mimic
the action of TSH and cause hyperthyroidism as observed in Graves’ disease
or alternatively, antagonize the action of TSH and cause hypothyroidism.

---TRH:  “pre-cursor to TSH, takes about an hour in the office”

INTERESTING INFO ABOUT THYROID or THYROID TREATMENT
---Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism  (see
http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/000371.htm ):
“The type of hypothyroidism which usually comes with celiac is "Hashimoto's
Hypothyroidism"  and it is the autoimmune type.  Some doctors do not check
for this one, only the standard thyroid test.  Ask your doctor to check you
for Hashimoto's.  It does sound like a low thyroid as I went through the
same symptoms for over a year until I got a new doctor and he checked my
thyroid and said since I have celiac, he was also going to go ahead and
check for the autoimmune type, hashimoto's hypothyroidism and he said it was
the highest reading he had seen.”

---Fluctuating TSH levels:  “Your thyroid, when it starts to fail, will
sometimes "fight back", until it ultimately fails--as mine did.  That means
your TSH may go up and down a bit until it burns itself out, so to speak.”

---Treatment takes time to be effective:
“it takes 6-8 weeks for the synthetic thyroid hormone to be effective in
your body.“
“it will take a few months, 2 - 3 before you will really feel the effect of
the medication.”
“Things started to adjust within 3 months”

---Treatment lasts a lifetime:  “By the way, once you have hypothyroidism,
it is for the rest of your life so you would take medication for it for the
rest of your life.  It is not expensive.  I just threw that in because I
have heard some people don't know that and quit taking it after they feel
better.”

---Treatment can cause hyperthyroidism:  “The risk you run is becoming
hyperthyroid or setting off thyroid  storms.  Messing with the thyroid can
cause all kinds of emotional changes, affective  lability in English you can
be laughing and in a flash be crying.  It really can look like bipolar
disorder.”

---Treatment can cause bone thinning:  “thyroid replacement (synthroid,
levoxyl) in levels higher that needed can cause bone thinning.  Since we
celiacs already have a disadvantage regarding bone density, it may be
something to be cautious about.  Also, you might think with your doctor
about bio-identical replacement therapy, which I have been told, although I
have not tried it, is more effective that the lab-created thyroid
replacements.  I have this from a doctor I know, who I think quite highly
of.”

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