Im taking 2 grains of thyroid S (armour equivalent) 120mg a day, i started on one but increased to two grains on the 3rd day. Not feeling much different when do they kick in?
To be honest, your results do not look hypothyroid to me. 2 grains is a huge dose to start on. 30 mg is the typical starting dose, after which you can increase 15-30 mg every 6 weeks, with labs. You have been warned repeatedly on this forum that it is dangerous to self-medicate, especially with your levels. I think you need to look into alternative causes for your symptoms.
To be honest, your results do not look hypothyroid to me. 2 grains is a huge dose to start on. 30 mg is the typical starting dose, after which you can increase 15-30 mg every 6 weeks, with labs. You have been warned repeatedly on this forum that it is dangerous to self-medicate, especially with your levels. I think you need to look into alternative causes for your symptoms.
i am watching for increase heart rate and i feel ok
Yes but you won't feel the full effect for 2 to 3 weeks and it could all come crashing at once. I would be very careful.
Have you had your cortisol levels checked? Ferritin/ iron? There are other causes for hypothyroid like symptoms. What others have you investigated? How about your testosterone and SHBG levels? Your thyroid levels are both around the 50th percentile. I'm not sure that the severity of symptoms you're describing could be attributed to levels in the 50th percentile. In cases of secondary, or central hypothyroidism, normal/ low TSH is coupled with low or below range thyroid hormones.
endolies- have your testosterone, SHBG and estrogen levels checked. I seem to remember you saying that you felt cold. Sex hormone imbalance could be causing that too.
I would think that your ferritin levels are a little low for a man. Women tend to have lower levels than men because of menstruation. You should consider taking an iron supplement. I managed to get my iron levels up a lot with Floradix Iron and Herbs (should be available in UK). Or you could consider taking a multivitamin that has iron, Vit C (increases iron absorption) and Vit A palmitate (at least 5000 IU). Low Vit A levels can also affect iron uptake. If I'm not mistaken, men's multi-vitamins usually don't have much calcium, which is good because calcium interferes with iron absorption.
Honestly, I would find a better doctor before experimenting with the suspicious Thai thyroid meds. A holistic doctor may help you identify vitamin or mineral deficiencies that are affecting your energy, metabolism and temperature. Iron deficiency is a big one.
I don't know how to interpret your cortisol level without a reference range and time of day the blood was drawn. 24 hour saliva cortisol is supposed to be the most definitive because you can do them at home when you are not stressed, which would falsely elevate the measurements.
I did a little research about low ESR but honestly, it was over my head. Something to ask your doctor about though, if you are still on speaking terms ;-)
Serum testosterone does not mean much without SHB (sex hormone binding globulin), as SHBG will tell you how much FREE testosterone is in your blood. You want SHBG to be low, so that your testosterone and thyroid hormones are unbound. Since your thyroid hormones could be a little higher (though I still don't think they are definitive for hypothyroidism), it's possible your SHBG and other binding proteins are on the high side, which could also affect your free testosterone levels.
You may also want to check TPO and TG antibodies- they are thyroid antibodies. They could be causing problems even if your levels appear normal. Also TRab, which are thyroid receptor antibodies, which can make you feel hypothyroid with "normal" thyroid results because your body is not absorbing the hormone.
The Following User Says Thank You to bee01 For This Useful Post: end0lies (06-19-2012)
You're playing with fire or in other words your health. As others said before me, your labs don't look hypo at all. I'm really sorry you feel bad and I do wish you to find the cause of your problems so can start to feel better, yet I'm afraid this really ain't the way to accomplish that.
2 grains is a lot, the meds titrating process takes time for people with hypoT, in other words slowly building up the dosage, but even more so for a person who does not need it. It takes time for thyroid hormone to build up in the blood, 2 or 3 days is nothing and once you start to feel it...
I cannot support this whatsoever.
Please do try to find a doctor who's willing to get to the bottom of things and who's willing to search what is causing your symptoms.
take care of yourself
The Following User Says Thank You to lisa789 For This Useful Post: end0lies (06-19-2012)
Low iron/ferritine can cause fatigue, general weakness, feeling cold, pale skin and several other symptoms (more then one would suspect really). Vit D can also cause a lot. how is your vit B12? Maybe also worth checking into gluten. I do think your doctor should get to the bottom of things. You're young and should feel well, since you're not feeling well they should find out what is causing you to have symptoms. Yet selfmedicating is not the solution.
In order to put your mind at ease, you can have those antibodies checked that way you do have all the relevant information, yet at this point, your thyroid levels look good. so try to keep an open mind that it likely will be something else. I would not go to your doctor focusing on thyroid, but tell him/her your symptoms and how you're feeling that keeps the perspective broader.
hang in there and I do hope you'll feel better soon!
Low iron/ferritine can cause fatigue, general weakness, feeling cold, pale skin and several other symptoms (more then one would suspect really). Vit D can also cause a lot. how is your vit B12? Maybe also worth checking into gluten. I do think your doctor should get to the bottom of things. You're young and should feel well, since you're not feeling well they should find out what is causing you to have symptoms. Yet selfmedicating is not the solution.
In order to put your mind at ease, you can have those antibodies checked that way you do have all the relevant information, yet at this point, your thyroid levels look good. so try to keep an open mind that it likely will be something else. I would not go to your doctor focusing on thyroid, but tell him/her your symptoms and how you're feeling that keeps the perspective broader.
hang in there and I do hope you'll feel better soon!
hi thanks my VIt D levels were just below normal but a few months a go i was taking 50000iu (10 5000 iu tablets a day for a couple months) and felt no different at the end of it :/
end0lies, I'm so happy to hear you're looking into other options. (you were scaring me!)
I agree with Lisa ... please consider going gluten free for at least two weeks. When I did, my hair stopped falling out and the bloating improved. (wow, I have cheek bones!) It wasn't my complete 'fix', (since my thyroid is on vacation) but it did help. 99% of the population is gluten sensitive, and doesn't even know it.
Hang in there, and please let us know how you are doing.
October is still early, lower vit D levels are more seen after a long dark winter and even then most of the times they don't drop all that low.
Any idea whether your vit D went up when you took the supplementation? As far as I know, vit D is one of those vit that wont easily be absorbed in case of glutenproblems.
It takes time for thyroid hormone to build up in the blood, 2 or 3 days is nothing and once you start to feel it... 
It wasn't my complete 'fix', (since my thyroid is on vacation) but it did help. 99% of the population is gluten sensitive, and doesn't even know it.
