Hi everyone: I'm posting because I'm sick, frustrated and I feel like I'm going to die before I can find a doctor to help me. I believe I might be suffering from Addison's with Hypothyroidism. I just don't know how to convince my family doctor.
I started getting sick in 1997 after being diagnosed with breast cancer, a H. Pylori infection and a strep infection in my kidneys. I had a lumpectomy with no radiation or chemo and the infections were treated. Since I had no medical insurance, treatment was minimal and no follow-up testing was done.
Before all of this I was one of the most hyper people you could ever meet. I was a single mom with 3 kids, a full time waitress job and my house was always clean. I could get by on 3 or 4 hours of sleep and still be rarin' to go.
I was tiny and had trouble keeping weight on. After getting sick, I was weak and tired all of the time, but I still couldn't keep the weight on and I started having "crashing episodes" that would keep me bedridden for days at a time.
By 2003 I had all of the symptoms of Hypothyroidism and I was starting to gain weight.(I've gained 63lbs. so far) I finally got medical insurance and saw an endo dr. She diagnosed Hypothyroidism and put me on 100mcg. of Levoxyl. Within 2 months my Free T4 was 1.46 and my TSH was 1.43. I still had all of the symptoms. Endo said give it time. Family doctor said it might be something else. Since 2003 I have been through more tests and have been diagnosed with arthritis, costochondritis, reflux and slow digestion, high cholesterol (340 total) and restless leg syndrome. I am on 8 different medications and I'm still getting sicker!
Two weeks ago I saw another endo. He said he thought I was misdiagnosed and said he didn't think I was hypo. He said I had symptoms of Cushing's. He told me to start weaning myself of of thyroid medication. Blood tests came back 3 days later. Free T4 1.45 (ref. range 0.15-1.54), TSH 3rd generation 6.40 (ref. range 0.14-3.81), A.M. cortisol 11.3 (ref. range 10.4-26.4). He now says I do have hypo and increased my Levoxyl to 125mcg. He said my cortisol level is normal.
I don't buy this. How can my TSH level rise like this when I have been taking my medicine religiously? And how can my cortisol level be this low when I had 3 cups of coffee before my appt. I was also extremely stressed. I had to drive into the city on the interstate, missed my exit, almost got hit by a semi, and showed up to my appt. 15 mins. late. My blood pressure was high and I was stressed! It was so bad that after the appt. I went home and "crashed".
I was bedridden for 4 days.
I have on been the increased dosage for a week and a half now. My symptoms are getting worse! I have had pain in my back around my kidneys for 3 days now and I'm spending most of my time in bed. I can't do anything!
I have an appt. with my family doctor tomorrow. I have found another endo dr. at OHSU that I want to see. They have a clinic there and I'm hoping they will find out what is wrong before I die.
If any of you have any ideas or suggestions please let me know. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
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