Dear Thyroid Group,
I've been diagnosed hypothyroid for 6+ years. I was on T4 only for 5 years. I
had repeated sinus infections, insomnia, anxiety, and severe 'allergic' type
reactions. I could not and still cannot walk into buildings or go outside without
going severely foggy and near faint. This occurred since being diagnosed
hypothyroid.
In the past year I tried Armour. I was miserable during the entire year I was on
it. I couldn't breathe well, had bouts of sudden drops in blood pressure and
near passing out and severely 'allergic' type reactions walking into buildings. I
just go worse. My FT4 went to 0.7, FT3 was at the highest of 4.0 and the
TSH went to .2. I had constant swelling only on the left side of my head/side
of neck (eustachian tube). We could not get that swelling under control. The
sinus would burn and I was miserable. At first the doctor suggested I try
compounded T3 only at the time and I declined. I felt that if I could get the
T4 up I'd feel better, so she agreed. That has never gotten better. Then
after me complaining she start ed saying I needed the T4. Well, I've tried
Levoxyl with Armour and I'm now trying it with Cytomel. I can't seem to get
my FT4 up any higher right now...it's 0.9. I can't tolerate anymore of that in
my system, just like when I was on T4 only. I been to hit a wall around 72
mcg. Right now my FT3 this past lab was 2.6. My TSH is 3.734. That's
worse than when I was on T4 only a few years ago. I don't have antibodies.
I just cannot tolerate medications at all. To help my cortisol levels/DHEA the
doctor has given me pregnenolone so it can work a little more gently. It is
helping. But I can only tolerate a minute amount. In the past I have made
RT3. The last check on T4 only two years ago was 330.
I don't know what to do here. I read about T3 only, T4/T3, and I know about
T4. So far I'm miserable at any dose of T4/T3. I still have only the left sided
problem. I've noticed when I take the T3 with the T4 my vision becomes more
blurry, the swelling is coming back more so on the left again and I'm very dizzy
and can't think. It's not much better without but at least my veins don't swell
like they do with T3 in me, but T3 keeps me calmer and helps me
sleep...although it can worsen my 'allergic' type reactions.
I just don't get it. How do you know if you'll do well on T3 only? Is there
some special testing that will show you that? I was reading an archived piece
that said if your T3 Uptake is less than 30% and your Total T4 is between 8-
12 then you will benefit from T4/T3. If you were to go by my initial thyroid
testing before being diagnosed, my Total T4 was 7.3, T3 Uptake 31% and TSH
4.51. I went 4 years like that until being diagnosed hypthyroid. I just don't
understand what is the best way to know without trying. I have done so
many changes this past summer to find that 'happy medium' and I can't find
it. I've become homebound due to this. I can't drive due to dizziness and
allergic/near faint reactions and severe foggy thinking. And yes, I'm usually
cold. It's rare my temp goes above 97.8. It did on Armour but at the same
time I was miserable on it. So with all these lab levels, both past and present,
how do you know what is right for you, especially if you are highly sensitive to
all medications? I couldn't even tolerate taking Cortef on Armour. It worsened
things.
Thanks for listening.
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