Hi Steve,
I switched from Armour to T3 several months ago to get my reverse T3 down.
Now I am very slowly switching back to Armour - I am still on both and
getting re-tested in a week. I use a doctor because I have insurance and my
labs are paid that way, but I tell him what meds I want. So far it has
worked. :)
My issue now is that I still have problems with an elevated heart rate. From
what I have read, and after talking with a friend who is a nurse, I think
it's POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). Here's a great
article on it http://home.att.net/~potsweb/POTS.html. I have most of the
symptoms and my BP remains low even when my heart rate goes as high as 190
BPM. It got so bad several months ago that I went to a walk-in clinic and
they put me on a beta blocker. Fortunately it makes me feel better, allows
me to exercise, etc. rather than making me feel tired, lethargic, or
depressed like beta blockers often do. However, that is just a band-aid. I
went to an electrophysiologist who insisted I get my thyroid tested first. I
explained that my thyroid is being monitored by my doctor. But since my
doctor is not an endo, the EP wanted my thyroid tested anyhow. He wanted to
see T4 and TSH. Now how stupid is that considering I am on T3 medication and
have been hypo for like 12 years!?
Anyway, FT4 was low, TSH was low, and T3 was in normal range. The EP felt
that my thyroid looks "really bad" and won't check into the HR issue further
until I see an endo. And like you said, few endos would find a low TSH
acceptable OR a low FT4 yet I feel fine. T4 just gets converted to T3
anyhow.
So here I am, trying to figure out why my HR is so high on exertion or
standing up and I can't find anybody to help me because they can't see past
the low TSH. I can't even walk up-hill without the beta blocker. MY HR goes
to anywhere from 145 to 185 without the beta blocker. Sometimes it's running
around 145 when I get up in the morning. Some days it doesn't seem too bad,
then I go do something like put my hair in a pony tail and it goes as high
as 155. I hate it. And shortness of breath when my HR is high.
Any thoughts on this???
I should add I am also still on 20 mg hydrocortisone. I take it 10-5-5 but
once we have moved I am planning on weaning off slowly.
Thanks,
Kristina
-----Original Message-----
From: Paleolithic Eating Support List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of steve
Sent: Saturday, August 15, 2009 12:06 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Numbers just in - now T3 question
Kristina K. Carlton wrote:
> Hi Steve, your FT4 is normal although you are on T3 only medication?
It went down but is still within the normal range although near the
bottom. I will be switching from T3 to Armour (T3+T4+others) over time
but initially my goal was to lower reverse T3 and I've done that.
However, I acquired many many months of T3 so using much of that before
switching. I expect FT4 to increase when I switch over to Armour.
I'm self prescribed. I ordered my own tests and acquired the meds I
might need. My TSH which was normal before I started is of course
suppressed on T3 but few endos would find that acceptable.
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