(I am HYPO)
My doctor kept insisting that I do not need an "extensive" test of my thyroid. I am taking Levothroid and I asked her to put me on Armour and she said no. I have not been menstruating normally, I get my period maybe 4 times per year. I am also on Prozac for depression caused by my thyroid problem.
These are the results I got:
Glucose Random 77mg/dL
TSH 3.2uIU/ml
Free T4 (Analog) 1.9ng/dL
I have no idea what this stuff means. According to they paper they gave me I am in "normal" range.
According to they paper they gave me I am in "normal" range.
BUT, "normal" for who? I've had Dr's tell me everything is NORMAL, when I'm barely IN range, and I take Hypo meds! Dr's need to treat THE PATIENT, not *just* the numbers on the page. Most Thyroid patients feel better when their T3's & T4's are in the upper end or top 1/3 of the range.
Here I'm using T3's as example, range of 22-35. Optimal place for thy patient would be 31 or 32, possibly higher.
How do you feel taking Levothroid? I felt A LOT more like ME when I started taking meds that had T3's in them also. (1st Armour, now Cytomel) I've struggled with depression too. Now that I'm taking Cytomel, I don't NEED any anti-D meds AT ALL.
And if your Dr doesn't want to try Armour, why not ask for Thyrolar?? It's a synthetic t3/4 combo med.
Why not ask for another doctor? These people think they are Gods and most don't know as much about your situation and illness as you do. The more research YOU do, the faster you will surpass them in knowledge. They do seem to stick to their page of numbers and pay no attention to your symtoms unless they fall into their neat little rows.
Demand attention and proper treatment. You deserve it and you are paying for it. Remember, THEY work for YOU!
Your TSH is probably too high for you, as for most people that number is still too high...and your Free T4 is definitely too low...even tho it's "in the range". Most of us feel the best when the Free T's are up near the top...just as one of the previous posters mentioned. I know when my Free T4 was at 1.0, I felt like crap. My Free t4 is now 1.6, and I feel even better than when it was 1.4. I have to have it way up there. (Everything I've learned on this board was so right!)
neon...I have Kasier too, and I've been pretty lucky with them, (maybe cuz I ask for things more aggressively?) I started out on Levothroid, (that seems to be what they start everyone on), and 3 months later, when I asked my GP if I could switch to Armour, (cuz I still felt so awful) she was fine with it. Armour didn't work out too well for me tho, so I went back on Levothroid...again at my request. Recently I asked my endo for Cytomel, and I thought for sure she would say NO!....but she was so cool about it, and said "sure, no problem" right off the bat! I couldn't believe it!! I also insisted on them letting me get an ultra sound of my thyroid gland...which she said "wasn't necessary"....but I insisted on it, and wouldn't take no for an answer....and I got it! (I'm getting pretty good at this LOL)
I have found a lot of other (Kasier) people taking Armour, Cytomel, and some have some pretty good Dr's too. The good thing about Kasier...if you don't like your current Dr., you can switch Dr's ALL YOU WANT. So don't give up...find another Dr., or ask for a referral to see an endo. Maybe you'll get lucky,... but you won't know until you try. Are you in CA?
when I started taking meds that had T3's in them also. (1st Armour, now Cytomel) I've struggled with depression too. Now that I'm taking Cytomel, I don't NEED any anti-D meds AT 
ALL. 
aggressively?) I started out on Levothroid, (that seems to be what they start everyone on), and 3 months later, when I asked my GP if I could switch to Armour, (cuz I still felt so awful) she was fine with it. Armour didn't work out too well for me tho, so I went back on Levothroid...again at my request. Recently I asked my endo for Cytomel, and I thought for sure she would say NO!....but she was so cool about it, and said "sure, no problem" right off the bat! I couldn't believe it!! I also insisted on them letting me get an ultra sound of my thyroid gland...which she said "wasn't necessary"....but I insisted on it, and wouldn't take no for an answer....and I got it! (I'm getting pretty good at this LOL)
