15yrs ago had radioactive drink for hyper now under active thyroid. Was on 100 been put down to 50 but weight gain is such a problem = help

[May72]

[shaws Administrator]

Change your doctor. Get a copy of your most recent blood test results and post them. Make sure they have the ranges as it enables members to comment. Why has he dropped your dose.? This is a link and read the question/answer. Go to date November 25, 2002 and the question after it:-

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[May72 in reply to shaws]

Thank you for your advice. I have replied but am new to computer chat and put my reply in a 'reply box' after everybody had spoken - now no what to do!!!

[shaws Administrator in reply to May72]

That's o.k we all have to learn what to do. You can do a general reply and members are not usually alerted. If you what to comment to a particular person, you do what you have done in the reply to me, you click on the yellow Reply to this and the person is alerted.

[May72 in reply to shaws]

I have, at last, got blood results but really do not understand them as this is the first time I have been given a print out (yesterday I requested one.) I saw another new doctor who appears to be more interested in my condition, thank goodness, and he felt my dose should go up to 75mg, which I am starting today. Below are my results:-

Serum free T4 level - 12.0 pmol/L (9.0-23.0)

Serum TSH level - 3.50 mU/L (0.55-4.78) I feel quite ashamed that I have not studied results before but until I came on this site didn't realise you could request a print out.

[shaws Administrator in reply to May72]

Hi May

It's good you've now got your results. If you copy and paste the above and put in a new question, it will enable more members to comment on them. Also put that you've had RAI and have been hypo for 15 years.

[Hidden]

To chip in,

I totally agree with the others. It sounds like your doctor is dosing you via your TSH results rather than your FT3 and FT4. People who have had Graves generally need thyroid results right at the top of the range, particularly T3 as your brain is accustomed to being toxic. Get copies of your blood test results.

As someone else has said, you are probably anaemic and low iron can cause all kinds of weird symptoms and make you feel terrible.

First stop, blood results. they are your results, under the data protection act you are entitled to copies of everything and you are not obliged to give a reason. Post them here asap. Ideally, post copies of everything they've got including sodium and potassium, iron, any vits and minerals like B12 and Vitamin D.

You need to find a doctor who will LISTEN TO YOUR SYMPTOMS ..... 50mcg of T4 is a joke of a dose for someone whose thyroid has been nuked (which is what they did to you by the way).

I'm also a member of the Yahoo group 'Thyroidless' - they support people who have lost their thyroid through TT or RAI. I strongly suggest joining there, they are an American group and completely clued up on life without a thyroid, they saved me, I'm two years post TT for Graves, Hashis, Hashitoxicosis, TED and thyroid cancer and finally finally feeling WELL, losing weight, hair growing back, constipation gone, brain fog gone, muscle weakness gone, horrible internal shaking gone, skin good, cracked heels healing, eyebrows growing back, temperature up. I was very anaemic which my GP was not interested in. Getting my iron sorted and supporting my tired adrenals and switching to bioindentical hormones has changed my life.

People with no thyroid usually need some kind of T3 added to their T4 meds, whether that be synthetic T4 / T3 combination or natural thyroid which contains T1, T2, T3, T4 and calcitonin (T2 controls your weight by the way).

Hang in there, keep asking questions,

Rebecca

x

[r0dg3r in reply to Hidden]

what is T2 please

[HarryE in reply to r0dg3r]

T4 converts to t3 when it loses an iodine molecule, then t3 becomes t2 when it loses another iodine molecule....... And so on

[Hidden in reply to r0dg3r]

T2 (di-iodo-thyronine) is a metabolite of the thyroid hormones T4 (thyroxine) & T3 (triiodothyronine). It has specific direct actions which do not involve thyroid hormone receptors, unlike T4 and T3. It boosts basal metabolic rate and is a lipolytic thermogenic (fat burner). T2 also stimulates the conversion of the less active T4 thyroid hormone into the more active T3 form. It is useful for the treatment of hypothyroidism and obesity. T2 also stimulates the release of growth hormone, a powerful tissue regenerating hormone.

Mechanism of action

The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone by combining iodine with the amino acid tyrosine. Compounds containing one or two iodine molecules then combine with one another within the thyroid gland, in a process known as coupling, to form the primary thyroid hormones, T4 (thyroxine with 4 iodine molecules). T4 is then converted into the more potent T3 (triiodothyronine with 3 iodine molecules). This conversion occurs outside of the thyroid gland, in the cells of the body. Since T3 is a much more potent thyroid hormone than T4, adequate amounts of it is critical to correct metabolic function.

T2 is then formed from T3, but up until recently has never been considered as significant as T3 or T4. Until recent years, T2, because of its very low affinity for thyroid hormone receptors (THR), was considered an inactive metabolite of thyroid hormones. However, several recent studies indicate that T2 is more important than originally thought. In fact, T2 is necessary for production of the deiodinase enzyme that converts the less active T4 into the potent T3 in the body.

Early studies on diiodothyronine revealed its ability to stimulate cellular/mitochondrial respiration (fat burning and energy release) by a receptor-independent pathway. Mitochondrial and energy-releasing mechanisms seem to be major targets of T2, although outside the mitochondria T2 also has effects on carriers, ion-exchangers, and enzymes. Recent studies suggest that T2 may also affect the transcription of some genes, but again the underlying mechanisms seem to be different from those actuated by T3. The accumulated evidence permits the conclusion that the actions of T2 do not simply mimic those of T3 but instead are specific actions exerted through mechanisms that are independent of those actuated by T3 and do not involve Thyroid Hormone Receptors. Therefore T2 is much less likely to suppress natural thyroid function than T4 or T3.

[HarryE in reply to Hidden]

Ooooh how interesting! I only knew the bit about the iodine molecules thanks

[r0dg3r in reply to Hidden]

very interesting but how do I know what I'm on/need I just get thyroxine prescribed

[HarryE in reply to r0dg3r]

Thyroxine is just T4, which your body breaks down into the others, if everything is working properly. If you feel well on that, then all is as it should be. If not, you may need to look. at something else instead

[r0dg3r in reply to HarryE]

cheers Harry |I'm one of the fittest fiddleds my GP has

[Samsox in reply to Hidden]

Exactly the same has happened to me 24 years ago had radioactive iodine since then my levels have been mostly hypo odd accessions hyper... Doctors ONLY tested TSH 4.5 even though my T4 has been all over the place... I asked for T3 to be tested and was refused... What is wrong with these doctors I'm 50 now and no I'm not right they say I have Fibromyalgia now.... Not well

[Rosebud1955 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, I would love to join the “thyroidless” group. I’m not t3chnology saavy, can you tell me how I can join.

Thanks,

Rosebud1955

[susanmarlin]

I never used to be overweight in my life and now at 45 I am 11 and a half stone (5 foot 4) in height - I feel that there is not much point in excercising because I have under active thyroid - ibs and pernicious anemia which piles on the weight and no matter how you eat you cant shift it - pretty fed up

[puncturedbicycle in reply to susanmarlin]

There are a lot of benefits to exercise but, if you're not optimally treated, weight loss may not be one of them! What are your bloods like?

[susanmarlin in reply to puncturedbicycle]

I don't know - since reading these posts I didn't think to ask what any of my results were

[r0dg3r in reply to susanmarlin]

same how about we start a slimming group on hear

[May72]

thank you for all your replies - am learning more each time I go on this site. Have another blood test in three weeks and when I get my results will ask for a copy - that will be interesting to see how my Dr reacts she wasn't at all interested when I told her my basal temperature was always on the low side - another sign that my thyroid function medication isn't right.