Total Switch To Naturethroid

I tried to switch solely to Naturethroid (stopping the T3 pill) and it isn't working out too well.  My period started a week after my last period! I thought, eh, it's just spotting.  Nope, full on menstruation.  I had some of the premenstrual signs ALL.  THE.  TIME.  (to the point hugs hurt my chest!!).

Great.

I LOVE Naturethroid instead of the Synthroid, but right now, I must not be converting T4 to T3 still (my reverse T3 problem).

I will not go back to Synthroid.  I am going to keep with the Naturethroid.  I need to figure out why I'm not converting still.  I'm missing something.  Either I figure it out or I take Naturethroid daily plus a T3 pill.

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Increasing Naturethroid dose - a doctor who LISTENS to me

My doc did what I asked.  He raised my Nature-throid dose based on my last results (see previous post) and now I can see if I can lower or get off that T3 completely. I will take 1-1/2 grains of Nature-throid three times a day and see how I do.

I had lost eight pounds since my last appointment with him so that was fantastic.

I seem to be converting Nature-throid better to T3 (I can't convert Synthroid's T4 to T3...reverse T3 issues for me) so let's see if this works.  I'd love to get off the synthetic T3 entirely.

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Changed to NDT (Nature-throid) and doing better

I got my new doctor to switch me to NDT (from Synthroid generic) about 6-8 weeks ago.  I am taking 97.5 mg of Nature-throid twice a day.  I was still a bit foggy and forgetful, and with my Reverse T3 problem, I added a 25 mcg dose of T3 twice a day.  I am feeling better and have lost a few more pounds (I see more cheekbones and less moonface) even after finishing up Insanity a couple weeks ago.

I'll get my labs drawn this week sometime and see if the dose is OK or I need to tweak it a bit.

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Reduced my T3, Not Good

A few months ago, my thyroid doctor reduced my T3 medication by 20mcg per day.  Let me tell you what a HUGE difference it made - negatively.

Prior to the reduction, I felt great, weight was awesome, periods were right on time and not painful, my memory was great, I wasn't losing abnormal amounts of hair.  (So, why did the doc want to reduce it?  He thought my T3 was high - I think it was lab error myself because I had no symptoms of excessive T3 and felt the best I'd felt since being diagnosed with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis).

After he reduced it, my hair started falling out - again, my weight increased - again, my memory loss came back - again, and my periods were late and whacked. I went through two bad periods before I said to heck with it and increased my own dose back to what it was (they come in 5mcg pills so it's easy to do).

So, my current thyroid doses are:

• Synthroid (T4) 75 mcg
• Liothyronine (T3) - 45mcg, twice a day

I absolutely need that T3 at the higher dose.  I have a Reverse T3 problem. I finally felt great...and then it all went to heck.  Now I wait for it all to get back to what it was before.  My problem now is the memory lapses while trying to get back to how I felt before - - I keep forgetting to take my medicine! 

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Lost More Weight - Yeah!! Feeling good.

Well, despite the holidays, when I feared I would gain weight instead of lose it (and I've not been eating as healthy as I should be - more chocolate and cheese than I need, not to mention a few drinks), I have lost another 1.2 pounds.  The separate T3 is making such a big difference for me!  I am very happy with the results so far.  I feel better.  I am not losing excessive amounts of hair.  My skin is still crap but I have always had bad skin in the winter before thyroid disease so I don't think I can use skin condition as a thyroid function gage.

I've breached that weight plateau I was on the last few weeks and am now moving forward with my weight loss.  I hope it continues!

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Losing Weight Again

My thyroid doc increased my T3 dose and I'm eating better (most of the time).  The one time I didn't eat like I was supposed to, I had another gallbladder attack (happened last night).  Potatoes that have met grease (hash browns, french fries) seems to be my gallbladder attack trigger.  Between the T3 increase and changing my eating habits (reducing fat intake), I've lost 6 pounds in the last few weeks.  I am really excited about that!  Another 20 pounds and I'll feel better about how I look and feel.

With the holidays approaching, I'm a little worried but as long as I stick to not ingesting huge amounts of bad fats, I should be fine.  My gallbladder is making a pretty good fat/weight policeman at the moment.

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Reverse T3 Treatment So Far

Well, the T3 treatment for my Reverse T3 problem isn't seeing positive results yet.  I know it's too early.  I am just impatient for some change.  My morning temperatures are low and my weight is going up.  It's not even been two weeks though.  I'm supposed to call the doc after two weeks to give him my temps. for the adjustment to my T3 dose (it'll go up).  We have to do it in increments.  Intellectually, I know that.  Emotionally, I just want to rush it and watch my hair stay on my head, my weight come off, and my swiss cheese brain to become whole again.

Baby steps...just impatient. 

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Reverse T3 and Thyroid Resistance

I just added a new link to my sidebar (Reverse T3 and Thyroid Resistance) that has some very good information on how to clear RT3 (reverse T3) from your body, which my doctor is in the process of doing right now for me.

Hope it helps!

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Latest Doctor Appointment - August 6, 2010

My doctor's appointment went great!  My doctor put me on a straight T3 to fix the reverse T3 problem.  This is what I've been wanting to happen so I was happy.  I now take 20 mcg of compounded T3 twice a day and then 75mcg of T4 once a day.  I have to follow up with the doctor in a couple weeks with new morning temperatures and to discuss an adjustment to the T3 dose.  He expects this straight T3 to reduce my reverse T3 numbers by half. 

Here is what else happened:

• He wants me to do an IV test for metals.  I am waiting for the IV nurse to get back with me to discuss scheduling this test.  It involves Calcium EDTA and DMPS IV.  I HATE IV's.  Really.  I hate them.  This won't be a fun test for me.
• I did gain a pound since my last appointment in June (bummer). 
• Doctor increased my vitamin D supplement dose.
• I also spoke with the doctor about my hands shaking for years now.  He thought it might be my Advair asthma inhaler.  He said it's not meant to be used as long as I've used it and he gave me a Flovent disk inhaler to try instead. 

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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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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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Thyroid Doctor Visit Update

I think my doctor appointment went ok on Friday.  He spent a lot of time with me going over each individual blood test I had done and writing down what I needed to do to fix that particular result. 

I thought he was going to put me on straight T3 to rid my body of the reverse T3 problem it has but he thinks that the reverse T3 problem was caused by my Synthroid medication (synthetic T4 thyroid medication) and since I stopped taking that a couple weeks ago and only take a natural thyroid medication, he thinks the abnormal reverse T3 results will go away on their own.

If he's right, then it went great.  If he's wrong, then I'll know it over the next couple weeks. 

He also increased my dose of Vitamin D, told me to add Selenium supplements, go back to iron supplements regularly and go back on the Iodine supplements (I'd stopped them when I got jittery on all the extra thyroid medications).  I get more blood work in two months. 

I am on two grains of natural thyroid medication currently.  If my system slows down, it will be raised.  He thinks with my thyroid disease and all the toxins we take in that I might need to go to three grains. 

My morning cortisol levels were low normal but he isn't going to do anything about that right now because I am not lacking energy in the morning. I usually wake up with energy and happy.  If I didn't have any energy in the morning, he'd address that.  I also never lacked for energy on our vacation and we ran from place to place constantly.

As I was sitting in his office waiting for him, I noticed that they actually offer prescription refills for basic medications right there in the office (like for respiratory infections and bladder infections).  That would be really convenient for a doctor to have their own POS systems in-office to scan and buy what we need in one trip.  Maybe eventually they'll offer grains of natural thyroid medication as well!  That would be super convenient.

So, I think it was a good visit. 

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Forgot to Take Medication on Vacation

We just got back from vacation.  I slacked a little bit on my thyroid medication.  I didn't do it on purpose.  I just forgot to take it a few times (including an entire day).  When you're on vacation, you're thinking about fun, sun, and lazing about in the pool floats. We were actually so busy running to different events (band recital, night out on the town, hair appointments), that it just slipped my mind.

My next appointment with my new doc is Friday.  It's a good thing I'm not due for labs so I didn't mess anything up in that respect.  If he does what I think he will, he'll put me on a straight T3 prescription to clear out all the T4 and RT3 in my system.  Let's see if I'm right!

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Reverse T3

Well, the hospital failed to send my lab results to my doctor that were done almost two weeks ago so the only lab I have back is my Reverse T3 lab.

Results:    53  (normal range is 11-32)    High

So I googled REVERSE T3 (and Reverse T3 Dominance) since I wasn't sure what this could mean.  Here are the notes I jotted down:

• Causes metabolic break
• Hypometabolism
• Reverse T3 (RT3) is the non-active form of T3 that is similar in composition to T3 (the active form).  Because it is so similar, it fits into the receptors where T3 should go, taking its place.  Therefore, the non-active form is in the place where the active (T3) form should be.
• Reverse T3 is a T4 metabolism malfunction (T4 is supposed to convert into T3 and some RT3 but when too much is being converted into RT3, it creates problems).
• Caused by prolonged stress, which increases cortisol, which interferes in the conversion of T4 to T3.  (Huh...years of dealing with hubby's ex will do that to a person.) 
• If blood tests show T3 and T4 levels in blood are within normal range, a reverse T3 problem will result in continued hypothyroid symptoms because the T3 circulating in the blood isn't the same as the T3 at tissue-level (where the RT3 takes the place of T3 in the body's cells).
• RT3 dominance
• Some web sites indicate a slow-release T3 (like cytomel) is needed while others say it isn't.  Taking regular T3 is ok if you break it up into 4-5 doses per day.  I will have to wait to see what my doctor thinks once the rest of my results are in.

So all these years of complaints to my various doctors about continued hypothyroid symptoms despite my other thyroid levels being ok (according to the blood tests and docs) may have been cleared up with a simple Reverse T3 blood test?   For more than eight friggen years?  That makes me angry.

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