A.M. Morning Temperatures

My doctor asked me to take my morning temperature, under the arm for ten minutes, for the first couple days after each period the last couple of months.  Here are the results:

June:  97.3, 97.3

July:  97.5, 97.2, 97.4, 97.0

They're a bit low and obviously for July, they are all over the place.  Can you believe it's the end of July already?  Pretty soon, it will be back-to-school, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the dreaded Christmas. Actually, I love Christmas...just hate the bills.

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Thyroid Test Results - July 19, 2010

I have the latest and not so greatest test results:

• Total T3:  1.27  Normal range is 0.60-1.81 ng/mL.
• TSH:  less than 0.01
• RT3 (reverse T3):  36  Normal range is 11-32 but my doctor's "normal" range is 10-14. 
• Vitamin D:  30  (Normal range is 30-100 but my doctor's "normal" range is 50-100)
• Ferritin:  24  (my doctor wants it 100-130)

I believe the RT3 results might explain why I'm losing so much hair.  I have an appointment to see the doctor in nine days so I'll find out what the next steps are then.

According to my TSH, I should be experiencing hyperthyroidism right now but my Reverse T3 is skewing that so I am not. 

Free T3 to  Reverse T3 Ratio:  1.27*100 (127) divided by 36 = 3.527.  (This is supposed to be over 20.)

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Pregnant or Thyroid Problems?

Well, there is still no sign of that "monthly curse" telling me I am not pregnant.  I shouldn't be pregnant, but that doesn't mean that everything standing in pregnancy's way didn't fail at the right time and let a little swimmer in!  Am I going to be starting over with sleepless nights, personalized baby gifts, and diapers?

My husband thinks it is thyroid-related and not a pregnancy.  Perhaps changing me from compounded Armour to regular Armour messed me up this past month.  I've heard that the reformulated Armour isn't as good as the original Armour. 

Only time will tell (or a pregnancy test, which I haven't bought yet).  I'm chicken.

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Insomnia & Kids

Over the last few weeks, I have had a hard time sleeping.  My kids definitely aren't helping with my sleep habits.  They come in to wake me up to ask the silliest questions!  Don't they know not to wake momma up unless it's an emergency?  Guess not.  They leave me with the need for eye cream for dark circles.

I can't blame it totally on the kids.  I've had a hard time falling asleep initially anyway the last few weeks.  I've not heard if that is a thyroid symptom but with everything thyroid related feeling out of whack right now, I wouldn't be surprised. 

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What is Reverse T3 (RT3)?

Your thyroid makes T1, T2, T3 and T4.  T4 is supposed to convert into T3 (the active thyroid hormone) but may instead convert to RT3 due to stress, low ferritin, cortisol, etc.  This RT3 blocks the receptors and doesn't allow the T3 to get in and do its job, giving you hypothyroid symptoms.

I have a Reverse T3 problem.  I was diagnosed 8-1/2 years after being unsuccessfully treated for hypothyroidism by several other doctors.  Not one of them ever did a RT3 blood test!  My new doctor did this.  My other doctors treated according to labs - the TSH was within normal range so I must be normal...not.  I had swiss cheese memory, hair falling out, weight gain (boy those apidexin reviews and other diet pill reviews were starting to look good), irritable, bad skin, hard time conceiving, etc.  I'd tell my doctors this and they'd dismiss me because my TSH was within normal range.  I sure did learn to hate that TSH test!

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Hypothyroid: Hair Falling Out

Another hypothyroid symptom I have been experiencing, besides the weight gain and the need to look at fat burner reviews, is that my hair has been falling out.  It's all over me when I brush my hair, shower, etc.  Everytime I feel more strands caught on my arms, I get upset about my thyroid. 

I don't know if it is the reformulated armour that is the problm or the fact that I convert T4 into RT3 instead of T3.  My doctor thought that conversion problem would go away when he switched me to armour but I won't know if he was right until after my blood tests next week testing my RT3 levels.  I never thought I'd be anxious to have my arm stabbed by a needle!

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Weight Coming Back - Depressing

My next thyroid doctor appointment is August 6, 2010.  I wish it were sooner.  A few pounds of weight have come back and it is really bothering me. Late periods are also a concern - my menstrual cycles are going whacky again.

I haven't actively dieted because I feel it is my thyroid, though I'm thinking perhaps a weight loss drink for one meal might not be a bad idea until the doctor gets my thyroid disease under control. I really hate that this weight is coming back!

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Spring Cleaning in the Summer

Did you ever notice how a home just "feels" better when it's been cleaned and organized?  It feels lighter.  For the past two days, I've been working on two of my kids' rooms - under beds, closets, drawers, shelves, etc.  We threw out six bags of garbage between the two bedrooms.  Why do kids think it is ok to leave potato chips in a bowl for weeks hidden on a shelf? 

I need to finish my own bedroom now.  It still feels crowded.  I need to go through a few of my drawers and clear them out to make room for stuff piled on top of my dresser.  I have a lot of lingerie and I don't know why I hang onto it if I don't wear it anymore.  I guess because it was expensive when I bought it. Too bad I didn't buy wholesale lingerie. 

Next on the list are kitchen and bathroom cabinets.  It just feels better in the house when things aren't so disorganized and crowded.  It makes me feel happier to see things lighter and organized.

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Thyroid Disease and Menstrual Cycle

If you have thyroid disease, I'll bet at one time or another, or for an ongoing amount of time, your menstrual cycle was a bit whacked unless they were managing your thyroid disease correctly.  Mine has gone from being 45-50 days apart, to every 30 days but really heavy and painful, to every two weeks, and now - I'm five days late beyond the 30 days so I'm not sure if my menstrual cycle is getting longer again or if I'm pregnant (yes, I said pregnant). 

I shouldn't be pregnant.  Birth control has been used 100% but things happen.  It would be a huge shock if it did for me and my husband...oh wow, he'd probably fall right over.  With my thyroid disease, I don't know if I should wait this out and see if it's just my thyroid or buy a pregnancy test. 

I'll put it off a few more days.  I have too much to do anyway to worry too much at this point.  I have to get sponsors for my daughter's cheerleading squad, look up car insurance quotes at carinsurancelist.com, and chauffeur my kids around over the next couple days to their various activities. Besides, if I buy a pregnancy test and it's positive, that means we'll have to go into complete shock that much earlier!

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Unexpected Commercials

Has anybody seen some of those medication commercials where the medicine causes really bad side effects that seem worse than what it is treating?  My jaw just drops when they list a whole slew of unpleasant side effects like explosive bathroom habits.  Who wants those as a side effect? 

I've seen commercials for extenze come on that usually don't bother me but when one came on when my 13-year-old was watching television, it left me with questions from her about what it was for. Something every parent waits impatiently for - sex questions!  The "general" questions are ok but the explicit questions, I could do without for a couple more years.

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Reformulated Armour Causing Problems?

I am up to three grains of Armour (doc switched me to regular Armour a month ago from the compounded), the highest dose of thyroid medication I've ever been on, and I am still having hypothyroid symptoms.  I am beginning to wonder if it has to do with the reformulation of Armour that is the problem.  They changed it from the old Armour.  I know when I was taking a compounded Armour, I didn't experience some of the more uncomfortable hypothyroid symptoms as I am now.  I've read that some people are crushing them instead of swallowing them whole and seeing good results doing that.  I might have to do that.

I've noticed my hair falling out the last few days, exhaustion, and digestive upset.  The weight isn't coming off as fast as I thought it would so I guess I'll be going to my family reunion overweight this year...stinks.

I have a lot of work to do writing and I have to research what a vga cable is (I am technology-challenged when it comes to cables for anything - computers, televisions, stereos, etc.). I need to kick my tired booty in gear and get my work done that is due today.  As I type this, I am yawning at 9:46 a.m.  That's bad.

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Being female and misdiagnosed

Many women who have struggled with the proper management of their thyroid disease will understand this article on being young, female, and misdiagnosed.  I was misdiagnosed for eight years and treated with a T4 medication when I have a reverse T3 problem - all that T4 they gave me was wrongly converting to reverse T3.  The doctors who refused me a T3 medication were making me worse!  I had to listen to my own body, research, and be proactive about my own health and found a doctor who listened.

The article I linked above talks about a book I am interested in reading.  If you've read it, let me know what you thought of it and if it's worth buying or taking out from the library instead.  Thanks!

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I've Lost 20 Pounds

I've lost 20 pounds so far and have 11.3 to go until I reach my initial main goal.  I may decide to go an additional ten pounds after that but I'm not sure yet.  At 5'7" I don't want to be twiggy. 

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