Anyone (Besides Me) On Thyroid Hormone?

[futurehope]

I am currently prescribed thyroid hormone: my thyroid was removed for cancer 40 years ago.

Things have changed drastically in my body's response to the Synthroid (hormone). I am no longer efficiently converting the pill to a usable form of the hormone. I deduced this from looking at my thyroid test results.

I have learned on a Thyroid Forum, that too much cortisol (the adrenal hormone) can affect conversion of Synthroid.

Is anyone else on this forum taking thyroid hormone? How are you responding to your thyroid supplementation?

I'm beginning to believe that POTS is affecting my adrenal output, which in turn is affecting my body's response to thyroid hormone. I'm suspecting that I have too much circulating cortisol, in order to keep me vertical, and this is affecting my thyroid functioning.

[mwise]

Hi,

I take Levoxyl for Hypothryoidism and so far my labs are ok. I am only on a small dose. I get checked yearly. I am suspicious that Dysautonomia is affecting Angeliq-Hormone for Menapause. I recently had a d/c to remove polps d/t spotting monthly on the hormone. I am still spotting about every 3 weeks on the hormone. I am keeping an eye on things and may have to call my gyn soon about this. You may want to give your doctor a call. He may want to adjust or change the medication & d/or dose.

[songcanary]

I take Armour thyroid. I wouldn't even consider a T4 only med because my TSH was dead on normal and FT4 as well. However, I was symptomatic and my FT3 was low; still WNL, but low. My doctor said that I am probably just one of those people who doesn't convert well. This med brought me out of a gutter of ****.

I have had high cortisol readings for four years and who knows how high before that . Cortisol can wreak havoc with the body and I wouldn't be surprised if it could affect thyroid function, too. Maybe try a T3 med just to see if it helps? I love my Armour.

[futurehope]

Oh dear. Songcanary, you made my day. I currently have an endocrinologist who goes by the book, and refuses to try anything with T3 in it, claiming that it is difficult to measure the effect of a T3 med. I was given a bit of Cytomel once a few months back, in addition to T4 (Synthroid), and it brought my Free T3 up a hair.

My doc discontinued the Cytomel for the reasons mentioned above.

I am convinced my body needs access to more usable thyroid hormone in the form of T3, Cytomel, or Armour. I feel awful every day. I do have an appointment with a more open-minded endocrinologist in 3 weeks, and back with the non-cooperative endocrinologist in about 6 weeks.

I'm not giving up. The Synthroid is NOT doing what it needs to do, and I am suffering because of it.

I really needed to hear your opinion, because I think I am onto something (about the thyroid hormone), and I needed to hear from others with POTS. God bless you for your post!

BTW, since my (current) doctor insists on using T4 supplementation only, my Free T3 is at the LOWEST end of normal, my Free T4 is at the HIGHEST end of normal, and my TSH (pituitary) shows me as HYPO.

She has raised my intake of Synthroid because of the above results, and I already know what will happen. I will creep up to midrange on the Free T3, and show HYPER Free T4 and TSH results, and I will feel like a hyper wreck. This has got to stop.

[sue1234]

I have no thyroid due to Hashimoto's; it was removed 3 years ago. When I had it removed, I read all the medication literature on Synthroid, and saw that the average replacement dose should be 0.8 mcg/lb. of your weight. I was expecting to take somewhere around 125 mcg., but can't take more than 100 mcg. Any higher and I feel too sped up. I've even dropped to 88 mcg. for a few months. So, yea, I don't think I am processing the medicine correctly(I take Unithroid).

I tried Armour and that was a disaster. I felt way to hyper, even on a small to equivalent dose of my Unithroid.

I also think I have cortisol jumping up and down during the day and night. I think when my blood sugar drops, it must surge out. Also, like you said, with the stress of being upright. If you find any information on cortisol and POTS, I'd like to know about it. I always feel like an endocrine mess, just haven't caught the testing just right yet.

[songcanary]

Hi Futurehope,

Thanks for the thanks! I had the same reaction when a dear friend tipped me off about T3 and thyroid meds in general. I was so grateful. I was really in bad shape before the Armour and it had gone on so long that I had lost about half my hair. Not to mention all the other stuff.

Like Sue says, it doesn't work for everybody, but I remember the first day I took it like it was a birthday present! I hope some T3 helps you. So many endos are stubborn mules about this for reasons I won't even get into right now.

[MomtoGiuliana]

I take synthroid. I never really have had problems except during pregnancy when it seemed difficult to get my dosage right and then in turn this seemed to set POTS off. since then I have been pretty stable w both conditions.

[futurehope]

Songcanary,

Just had to mention, I have only about 1/3 the hair on my head that used to have. It is so sad. But, I will find a doctor who will try to help me. Thanks.