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

I was diagnosed with CD over 2 years ago.   I found out I was also casein
intolerant over a year ago.  Once I went casein free in addition to gluten
free, I quickly began feeling much, much better.  When ill, I had extreme
fatigue to the point where I would become exhausted from walking from one
side of the house to the other.  By last summer I had returned to walking an
hour a day (not as fast as I used to, but I thought that would come with
time).  But, I've battled fatigue, to a much lesser degree, since then.  In
fact, I had a bout of extreme fatigue from 1/26 -2/11.  I was sure from how
i felt that I had anemia again and began taking iron.  Bloodwork confirmed
that I was anemic.  The iron seems to be helping, I feel much better now.
Although i still need a minimum of 10 hours of sleep to get through the next
day.  I realize that iron begins relieving symptoms 1 month after you begin
taking it, so I will probably feel better and better over the next 4 weeks
or so.

I asked to have my thyroid levels checked at the same time.  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.

Another factor is that I've *finally* found a new job that I will start in
mid-April.  It will be a telecommuting position with a software development
firm in CA.  They made it clear to me during the interview that the work is
high pressure and frequently requires long hours.  I need the money this job
will bring in and want to be in the best possible position to succeed before
I start.  That is, I want to do everything I can to minimize fatigue as an
issue in my life in the next month.

I have two questions:
1.  How would you recommend I approach my doctor on this?  What should be my
2 or 3 best arguments?  And, is this something a primary care physician
normally treats?
2.  If you have any personaly experiences with the treatment of subclinical
hypothyroidism, would you share them with me - both successes and failures.

Thank you very much (& I will summarize),
Dawn in Maine

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