Thyroid

[Abbygirl2]

I hope everyone is doing well.

I got my thyroid results the other day and it appears I have hypothyroidism, which I kind of figured, but was waiting for the numbers to agree.
My TSH is high and my Free T4 is low. What would be the best med for me to take. Is there something that I should absolutely NOT take?

I am seeing a new Dr today(finally dumped the she-devil), and will be going in assuming he knows nothing about HCM. I hope I will be pleasantly surprised.

Thanks
Pam

[Cynaburst]

Re: Thyroid

The conventional treatment for hypothyroid is levothyroxine or synthetic T-4 hormone. This is what Synthroid, Levoxyl, etc. are made of, and is what most doctors prescribe. It comes in different doseages, so your doctor will decide where to start you, and to titrate you upwards if you need it.

Some doctors add another hormone - T-3 - which is the active form of the hormone. The body takes the T-4 and converts some of it to T-3 naturally, but some feel that actually taking the T-3, called Cytomel, helps people feel better.

For heart patients, T-3 or Cytomel is probably dangerous. Overdoses of any thyroid hormone can cause palpitations, and T-3 is the kind that can cause them quickly. T-4 is more long acting, and takes a long time to build up in your system.

I have always been careful to AVOID T-3 (although frankly traditional doctors will not usually prescribe it), and I have always been careful to make sure my TSH doesn't go below 2, and when I increase, I do it very slowly.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I give you any more info.

[Abbygirl2]

Re: Thyroid

Thanks, I have heard about T3 causing palpitations. I don't need to deal with those anymore than I already do. Unfortunately I feel really crappy and wonder if I would feel any better without the T3. I have also heard some controversy about synthroid. I am new to all this...

The Dr I saw the other day wanted to take all new tests, including T3 and antibodies (?). So I have to wait until next Thrusday.

Pam

[Cynaburst]

Re: Thyroid

It sounds like your doctor knows what he or she is doing. The antibodies test is to see if you have Hashimoto's Disease, which is the usual cause of hypothyroidism. I have this also. My thyroid has gradually been petering out over the last few years.

If your T-3 is low, then you will have to see what is the best way of treating that. I take Synthroid only, but also take selenium, a vitamin which aids in the conversion of T-4 to T-3, but doesn't cause palpitations.

Just be sure your doc knows about your heart problems,

Good luck. Let me know how it goes. I have to tell you when I started out with thyroid disease, I didn't really know about my HCM, and I attributed alot of my heart symptoms to thyroid. Now that I am being properly treated for both, I don't even worry about the thyroid at all. I really do go by the numbers.