Suffering With Extreme Fatigue: Hi I'm Mary, and... - Thyroid UK

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Suffering With Extreme Fatigue

Maryh1 profile image
45 Replies

Hi I'm Mary, and I live in the US. I have had thyroid problems since I went through menopause at age 51, I am now 68. I live in Colorado which is a mile above sea level. This year I spent 4 months in Florida. Since coming home I'm incredibly tired all the time. I take Synthroid 100 mg and 5 mg of liothyrinne. About 2 in the afternoon I take another liothyrinne. If I don't I get very cold and tired. My blood work says I'm normal, but I feel terrible. I currently decided not to eat wheat. I'm on a low carb diet anyway. The only thing I drink is water, coffee and tea with cream. I was drinking beer, but can't because of the gluten. Any other alcoholic drink seems to make me more tired. I have Hasi, and b12 deficiency. Do you think I should take iodine? I had a pace maker put in 5 years ago because my heart beat was only 34 bmp. I have gained about 15 pounds in the last year, and yes I am cold all the time. The Endocrinologist I've seen in the past have not been much help. Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks, M

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Holly10 profile image
Holly10

Hi Mary

I hope more knowledgeable people than me will respond to you, but the one thing that strikes me is if you have a B12 deficiency are you and your doctor doing anything about it, ie injections as soon as poss.

Holly

Pink_Bear profile image
Pink_Bear

Have you had your vitamin D tested? Were you well in Florida while you were having sun shine, and then felt worse when you returned home?

Sorry to hear you are feeling so rough, but you are very lucky to live in the USA where there are physicians who have a much broader outlook on chronic illness than we do here in the UK. For starters I'd recommend you read this book, "Healing Is Possible: New Hope for Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Persistent Pain, and Other Chronic Illnesses", by Dr. Neil Nathan, and if get the chance watch this video before its free viewing ends in a few days, moldymovie.com/index and look into the work of Dr. Richie Shoemaker. Then, you may want to check igenex.com for Lyme Disease tests, and find someone who can test you for heavy metal poisoning, chemical sensitivities and chronic viral infections. All of these can and do cause inflammation resulting in many endocrine problems, methylation difficulties and raised nagalase levels. Good luck. Jane x

Maryh1 profile image
Maryh1 in reply to

Thanks Jane

Treepie profile image
Treepie

Pink Bear asks an interesting question , you mention altitude but what was the temperature difference between Florida and Arizona .

A few weeks ago I was in the sun and stopped supplementing Vit D yet felt much better with lots of energy. I returned home to 15- 20 degree colder and regressed to being worse than before the holiday. Back to socks in bed !

So was it Vit D from the sun or just being very warm that made the difference?

Maryh1 profile image
Maryh1 in reply to Treepie

We went to the beach once a week. But you both raise a good point. I had my D tested recently, and there were no red flags. I'll have to go back and check my test results again. The thing that seemed to make the biggest difference was taking the lyothyrenine. It goes through the system in 7 hours. I would take this pill at 7 then at 2. I would lay down for 1/2 hour while the pill did it's thing, and I would be back to normal. So I think my issue is thyroid. My T3 is not working. Also coming back to Denver. Your bloom need more endicrites. Plus I think I should not drink anything alcoholic here. Which was not the case in Florida.

mistydog profile image
mistydog in reply to Maryh1

Might be normal, but not optimal. Also, 10mcg of T3 isn't much. I would think you probably need a bit more. Have you got your test results? Also, there is some lovely gluten free beer in England, have you looked for it? Tea with cream sounds disgusting!

phoenix23002 profile image
phoenix23002 in reply to Maryh1

Mary, I am in the US also. You might consider joining the group on yahoo .. NaturalThyroidHormones. They also maintain a list of 'good' docs in the US, docs who are pretty knowledgeable about thyroid issues and most have been vetted by members. Meanwhile, tracking your daily temps can definitely be a tipoff to being under-medicated.

You aren't going to feel very well with lousy b-12 numbers and you may have low iron or adrenal fatigue going on also. Another pc of the puzzle might be low progesterone. Low progesterone (estrogen dominance/unopposed estrogen) can also cause mood swings, insomnia, brain fog, things that can be similar to hypo symptoms.

OTC natural progesterone cream is very affordable and accessible if you choose to give it a try. There is a great book that is available on Amazon... "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause" by Dr. John Lee, a pioneer in natural progesterone supplementation. If you decide to try this, don't let a doc give you rx progestine... That is horrible stuff with bad side effects. You want only the OTC natural progesterone cream (Dr. Lee's website offers a good brand) or bio-identical progesterone. Usually 10 mg of the cream per day for 10/14 days out of the month is all you need.

ps. There is a lot of good info on the STTM website.. 'Stop The Thyroid Madness', also.

Bluedragon profile image
Bluedragon

Hi Mary, perhaps could you provide your blood test results please? And as previously mentioned, what are you doing about the B12?

flicka profile image
flicka

Sadly I think you would have to pay for all these tests, and I have heard, but maybe wrong, that the NHS test for Lyme's is not always been that accurate. Thank you for the info, I shall try and get the book as I too have been given the diagnosis of ME

Best wishes

Flicka

Jr5769 profile image
Jr5769

Hi Mary, I'm sure there will be people reading your symptoms who are more expert than me, but it occurred to me that your cardiologist might be your first port of call. I wouldn 't take iodine or anything else until you had explored that avenue, although the thyroid plays it's part in almost every aspect of one'a health!! Just thinking out loud. By the way, what a lovely part of the world you live in. Lucky you! Take care.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Hi, l just wrote you a long reply and it disappeared into the either! I'll try again on my pc when l get home this afternoon! :(

ling profile image
ling in reply to greygoose

yes pls do !

thank you :)

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to greygoose

Hi, again, Mary, I’m home now, with no distractions!

So, first of all, there’s no such thing as ‘normal’ when talking about thyroid, because we’re all so very different – remember, what’s normal for the spider, is chaos for the fly!

When doctors say ‘normal’, what they actually mean is ‘in range’, but the ranges are so unrealistic that that doesn’t mean very much. And obviously yours aren’t in the right place in the range, or you wouldn’t be here.

So, you’re on 100 mcg T4 and 10 mcg T3. What exactly did your results say? Do you have a copy? If not, you really should get one, it’s vitally important to know exactly what’s going on at all times, and not rely totally on your doctor’s good will – because if you don’t care, why should he!?!

You’re not on a particularly high dose, so it could well be that you need an increase in T3 – especially if you’re not converting properly – but we won’t know that unless we see your results.

If not eating wheat is helping you, all well and good but Hashi’s people usually cut out all forms of gluten, or is that what you meant? But don’t reduce the carbs too much, we do need some. However, I’m sorry to have to tell you that tea and coffee are not good for hypos – not good for their adrenals – caffeine and fluoride don’t mix too well with thyroids and adrenals. On the other hand, make sure you’re eating plenty of good fats, and get enough salt and calories. No, low-calorie diets for hypos! And plenty of water is good.

No, I really do not think you should take iodine – certainly not without getting tested first. Did you ask because you live a long way from the sea? Hashi’s is not due to iodine deficiency, and too much iodine can cause more problems than it solves. We don’t need that much, and you’re already getting iodine in your T4 and T3.

Your low heart beat could very well have been due to your undiagnosed/under-treated hypothyroidism. You say you started to have symptoms when you hit the menopause, but it would all have started a long time before that. It was just that the hormonal shake-up you went through at the menopause exacerbated it. Weight-gain and being cold and fatigued are also hypo symptoms and indicate that you are not optimally treated.

Lots of people have been asking if you’ve had your vitamins and minerals tested, and I agree. It is most important for them all to be optimal for your body to be able to use the hormone you’re giving it. And best to get them tested first so that you know how much to take. Having nutritional deficiencies will also cause you to have symptoms and could increase your weight-gain. I do hope you’re treating your B12 deficiency, because that can cause so many problems. Doctors don’t appreciate just how important it is, and that an optimal B12 result is about 1000.

But you could start by taking some vit C and magnesium. It’s almost certain that you aren’t getting enough of those. Most people are low in magnesium, anyway, because our soils have been depleted by industrial farming. Add to that a hypo’s difficulty in absorbing nutrients, and you have a recipe for disaster. Vit C we need an awful lot of. The adrenals need it to function, and it assist with absorption, and many other things.

So, there you have a few ideas to start with, and when you post your results, we’ll be better able to help you.

Hugs, Grey

Maryh1 profile image
Maryh1 in reply to greygoose

Thanks for your nice long letter Grey, I will definitely look into your suggestions. I haven't been taking vitamin C or calcium lately and maybe that is also a contributing factor.

Thanks again,

Mary

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Maryh1

No, Don't take calcium. Especially not if your levels aren't low. If it is low, t's safer to raise it with vit D, magnesium, zinc and vit K2. Calcium suppléments can build up in your tissues - heart, liver, kidney's - rather than going to your bones. But do take lots of vit C!

Maryh1 profile image
Maryh1 in reply to greygoose

My bones are very good, thanks to the progesterone I've been taking all these years. I'll pick up some C tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.

M

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Maryh1

You're welcome.

Vile profile image
Vile

There are some great points made Vit B12 VitD. Have you investigated into detox and elimination diet. It help me a lot. By decongesting my liver and optimising my gut function, eliminating foods that I am sensitive, I feel lots of energy. If you are interested, PM me directly and I will describe what I did. Liver and gut plays a huge role converting inactive T4 to active T3 form. If you are not converting properly, you take medication and it's not working for you.

ling profile image
ling in reply to Vile

hi vile, could you share your experience here.

thank you very much :)

Vile profile image
Vile in reply to ling

You are absolutely right - listen to your body and it will tell you what's works for you. I worked with Dr. V. Brunhuber (based in London) who also does integrated nutrition. I followed her Detox and Elimination protocol. You can google her website.

Vile profile image
Vile in reply to ling

I did few detoxes and changed my lifestyle/eating habbits over few years. Eliminated grains and dairy and it made a big difference. I constantly recheck on my digestion. I find that once I healed my digestion, thyroid improved

mstp profile image
mstp in reply to Vile

Hi could you please send me the details of how you decongested your liver please? I've been drinking lots of water and taking linseeds every day but it would be interesting to hear what you have done too. x

Vile profile image
Vile in reply to mstp

Hi, I also during lots of lemon water, but the key was detox and elimination diet that gave me a better understanding what eirks for me. I primarily do through foods that support and detoxify liver function and gallbladder- milk thistle, herbs. Elimination help to find that I am sensitive to, so I stay away and it helped to heal my gut. Than added fiver and probiotics. Also stress learned how to relieve stress and what exercise works for me. I learned to pay close attention to my adrenals, that is a big key to healing thyroid. It's a long process and it helped me to have guidance and support

health2015 profile image
health2015 in reply to Vile

Hi Vile

Could you e-mail me your experiences with cleansing methods.

Many thanks

Mazza

Vile profile image
Vile in reply to health2015

I do cleanse through foods, colonics, enemas and make sure I live in non toxic environment. I didn't do 'detox pill' or any particular diet

Maryh1 profile image
Maryh1 in reply to Vile

I have some meds here for detox. I'm also going to have my B12 checked again and maybe try and get weekly injections.

Thanks, M

Vile profile image
Vile in reply to Maryh1

Meds for detox? What's that?

Mirthangelica profile image
Mirthangelica in reply to Vile

Hello Vile...i am very interested to know and describe to me about your detox and elimination diet ? i feel so tired and weak...thanks and blessings

glasscaves profile image
glasscaves

Hi I've had severe ME for 19yrs and have carbohydrate intolerance, allergies and sensitivities, IBS, sub clinical hypothyroid, hypertension, irritable bladder, pots etc. From my experience, if it could help anyone else, I mainly eat meat, some fish I can tolerate, veg (though some I can't tolerate), salads and again I can't tolerate all salad greens, I can't have any carbs until late evening when I have a little banana or something gluten free that doesn't affect me. I can't tolerate any grain, dairy, nuts, seeds, oils (though am going to try hemp and flaxseed -hope they're ok) sugar, caffeine, any teas etc etc. this has been all trial and error findings over many years. My advice if youre similar to me no carbs in the mornings none unless they are tolerated at lunch and a little in the evening. Trial and error. Keep off what causes problems for you. We are all different. If you take note of how your body reacts you can fine tune things to your individual needs. If I eat too many carbs my head tightens, I feel irritable and exhausted, intolerances and allergy symptoms my face swells, throat and mouth sore and blister and have v pale diarrhoea next day. Please just listen to your own body and gradually make tiny changes. I've listened to so many things over the years from lovely people who have wanted to help eg supplements, procedures etc. I tried them all and though the diet definitely helps most have not helped or made me worse and cost a fortune. I can't stress strongly enough how everyone must be there own physician and what I have said has been my personal journey and I am still severely affected so it's no cure, but I'm not in bed all day, every day. I'm a patient of Dr Myhill and she put me on the path of the diet. She has a website. The general idea of the diet is great for us with ME but it's a matter or trialing to see if foods are tolerated. As I said oils, nuts, seeds don't agree with me - even olive oil and coconut oil😢. God bless to all who suffer chronic illness. It's horrible but we must stay strong and positive making the most of what we have and what we can do. X

Vile profile image
Vile in reply to glasscaves

You are absolutely right - listen to your body and it will tell you what's works for you. I worked with Dr. V. Brunhuber who also does integrated nutrition. I followed her Detox and Elimination protocol. You can google her website.

glasscaves profile image
glasscaves in reply to Vile

Thanks for that😀. Is she in the UK as I'm from the UK?

Vile profile image
Vile in reply to glasscaves

Yes, she is. I like her relaxed approach. Let me know what you think. She was recommended by my massage therapist who did her detox protocol to balance hormones.

Has there been any medical investigation of why your B12 is low? Is there a chance that you are developing pernicious anemia? Have you been tested for its precursor, Autoimmune Gastritis, antibodies against your parietal cells and against intrinsic factor, which recent studies (find them by Googling the disease plus Hashi's or hypo) suggest overlaps with Hashi's by about 35 per cent?

Are you off gluten as a whole, or just wheat - you need to be off barley and rye too - barley/malt extract is in all sorts of things? Have you already been tested for celiac and come out as negative? Have you been tested for lactose intolerance, which a recent Turkish study suggests may be raised in Hashimotos?

Maryh1 profile image
Maryh1 in reply to

Thanks Aspmama,

I do have autoimmune disease. I have been advised that if your B12 is low one does not digest their vitamins and minerals properly.

I don't eat barley, or rye. Although I was drinking beer. No more!

One doctor told me I had celiac disease another said I didn't. I was watching PBS, our educational channel that has lots of lectures, and the speaker said we all have celiac to one degree or another, and that it gets worse as we get older. I don't think I'm lactose intolerant. I was only using cream, cheese and butter.

ling profile image
ling

hi mary, really sorry to hear about your extreme fatigue. its disheartening to read you're seeing an endo and yet not receiving the expert help you should be getting.

at my end, it distresses and irritates me no end that tho i see doctors at regular intervals for my condition, i've not met nor received good advice from any doctor as to how to manage my condition nor heard from any of them how i can expect to fare in the future. and not once these did these quacks probe me on my overall health tho its now half a year in.

i do hope that you get the treatment u need soon and start feeling better. and i do not think its a good idea to be starting any treatments on your own without consulting someone professional and doing more of your own reading up which i imagine can seem like a mountainous task when u're feeling so exhausted :(

all the very best!

Gismo333 profile image
Gismo333

Hi Mary sorry to hear you are so poorly. When we travel to different altitudes our body changes. I have been to Colorado several times and when I have it takes a long time for me to adjust. I get altitude sickness very badly. The air is thinner and it affects those with a metabolism problem. I know you live there but your time away has got your body to relax more with more oxygen in the air, since returning home your body is trying to adjust again. Also the light is much better there, especially if you didn't wear sunglasses. I always wearing a hat and cream and not sunglasses as they block off essential light which stimulates the cut off of melatonin and regulates the biorythms of the body. See Dr Otts studies.

As for your medication, 10 mcgs of T3 is very little and won't do anything if you have a conversion problem with the synthroid. The T4 has to convert in the liver to the active T3 and this in turn stimulates the receptor sites to give you a metabolism.

I really can't understand why you have a pacemaker if your pulse is low, surely the medics can understand that's it's a metabolism problem, but maybe not I know a lot of people with them that have untreated or undertreated hypothyroidism. If you have a heart problem then that's different but the thyroid controls the heartbeat so it could still be an underlying problem with your thyroid gland that is not being treated.

Have you had a saliva test for your adrenals? If not I would get one done, if your cortisol output from the adrenal gland is low then it will not push the thyroid hormone into these receptor sites and so it will just sit in the blood.

You could take your T3 in one dose with your T4 as by trickling it in it will not "wake up" the cells which may have become resistant. I had to go on huge amounts of T3 with Drs Lowe to get well as my T4 was going nowhere, but you have to do this with a specialist doctor.

Try taking your T3 in one dose with the T4 and if you feel better then you know that this is where your problem lies. Maybe change the ratio of T4 to T3, less T4 and a little more T3 and see what happens. A slight change may do the trick. It really is trial and error.

I don't agree that the US are any better with metabolic issues, I have had so many contact me with problems from over there, it's as bad as here. The same tests are used and the doctors are trained to keep within the ranges.

As for B12 if you have a deficiency then injections are the way to go. Not just one every 3 months but possibly twice a week for a while then once a week then once a month. This is the treatment my husband has from his doctor in Belgium. We have to out of the UK to get satisfactory treatment. It's not good enough here.

I hope that some of these suggestions are of use to you.

Take care

Klagh profile image
Klagh

Mary, I'm 60, female, going through the same thing. Menopause left me with a severe hormone imbalance. I'm estrogen dominant (tests show that I still have "normal" levels of estrogen, but very little, if any progesterone.) I was estrogen dominant my whole life, even before menopause. Hormone imbalance severely impedes conversion of T4 thyroid hormone to T3 thyroid hormone. (Many medical authorities believe estrogen dominance could be the trigger behind many cases of hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's.) So, I am not getting enough T3, and what little T3 I do manage to produce, doesn't get adequately distributed to the targets, due to the hormone imbalance. When you don't get enough T3, you're exhausted, depressed. The answer for me is MORE T3 (which I'm still struggling to get enough T3 in the U.S., long story.) One doctor finally prescribed 15 mcg daily of Cytomel for me, but it isn't enough.

For the past year I have tried EVERYTHING - more B12 (cynocobalamin), more D3, ferritin, folic acid, magnesium, B6, amino acids, (ALL recommended vitamins and minerals as recommended on the Stop the Thyroid Madness web site, Dr. Datis Kharazian, the thyroid pharmacist web site, etc.) ; probiotics, including Diflucan; gluten free diet; sugar free, organic diet; the paleo diet; elimination of flouride and chlorine from water, and MANY other things.

I believe this is the bottom line, especially AFTER menopause, as we age: menopause can leave some people with hormone imbalance. Hormone imbalance severely impedes our T3 levels (see above), so some people will need more T3 as they age. (Of course, hormone imbalance can occur before menopause.)

So, for those with hormone imbalance, all of the other things we might try are certainly helpful for general health (more D3, more B12, ferritin, lipsomal C, amino acids, etc., etc.), but they will not completely and successfully resolve the fatigue and exhaustion IF we don't get enough T3. Bioidentical hormones are very popular now, and it is possible that if you tried supplementing whatever hormones are depleted, you could get some relief. (Unfortunately, I have a genetic clotting disorder, so hormone supplementation was not advised for me.)

I have found that one of the downsides of hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's is the prevalence of web sites, thyroid "experts," and others, who are pushing supplements, vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, etc., and give the impression that if you buy their supplements, vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, etc., it will resolve your problems. It is easy, when feeling desperate, to fall into the trap of ordering thousands of dollars in these things. Again, not saying that they won't provide some help, but the bottom line is, a lack of T3 is best resolved by more T3.

Hope this is helpful.

Maryh1 profile image
Maryh1 in reply to Klagh

Thanks Glagh, Sounds like we have a lot in common. I haven't tried some of the things you've mentioned but will look into it. I think more T3 is the answer too.

Maryh1 profile image
Maryh1

Hi Everyone, I got 27 replies to my post! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get that kind of response! Thanks so much to everyone.

I'm going to try and answer some of your questions.

Here is a list of my vitamins and the results of current tests and blood draws.

My T3 is at 37h (out of range).

T4 is 6.0

Free T4 - 2.2

TSH - .07 (Out of range)

FSH 70.2

LG 49.1

Progesterone 35.4 ( I take 200 mgs of progesterone before bed every night)

I recently had a normal ultrasound

Normal results from EKG

Electrocardiogram - normal

Chest xray - normal

Normal sinus rhythm

Liver and pancreas are normal

I had my gallbladder removed when I was about 30

I rarely use my pacemaker. Installed 10/02/08 and I have another 7 years on battery

Have you all gone to sleep yet?

Supplements and hormones

I use an estrogen cream twice a day 2.5 mgs, that also has DHEA 10mgs

and Testosterone 2 mgs.

Liothyronine or Cytomel 5mgs x 2

Synthroid 100 mgs

Homocysteine contains B-12 1000, Folate 2,400, B6 50 mgs, B2 50 mgs (Maybe I should be taking B-12 injections instead?)

B100

Vitamin D3 & K2 (D - 1000, K2 - 90)

R-Lipoic acid 100 Mg

Magnesium 400 mg a day

Potassium 400 mgs

Tumeric 500 mg

Pregnenolone -200 mg (for memory)

Ubiquinol 100 mgs (Same as CO Q-10 but better for seniors)

Cod liver oil 2 tsp

coconut oil and butter in my cooking as well as olive oil

I just noticed I ran out of my vitamin C and calcium, and need to buy some more.

I have been having pain in right hip and both thighs upon raising lately and so have been taking Etodolac 400 mg and it takes the pain away within 1/2 hour.

I work out with weights 3 times a week, and try to walk for my cardio every day. That doesn't always happen. I also swim. (I had a frozen shoulder last year, so am trying extra hard to facilitate my range of motion.)

I usually feel pretty good in the morning, but after lunch is when I am so incredibly fatigued. I don't see the results from my latest blood work for my Vitamin D. At your suggestion I will do a cleans. I will check out all your websites and books on the subject of thyroid.

I am on a strict low carb diet, eating only protein and vegetables, gluten free rice crackers and cheese. I will try to stop drinking coffee and tea, so that eliminates the cream. I guess that means I'll be drinking only water. Yes our water contains chlorine, and I have read that contributes to thyroid problems. So I will purchase a filtration system. I usually have red wine from Chile or Argentina at parties, which I will stop till I feel better. In Florida I drank vodka or gin which I will eliminate also. I eat nuts without problems. I use high fat salad dressings on my dark green lettuce, like blue cheese. I usually have a few berries at breakfast and a little avocado at lunch.

Despite the hormones I've been taking (bio-identical from a compounding pharmacy) My blood test shows I am post menopausal. I have no idea if they're balanced, nobody seems to really know.

I don't think most people eat like this or take hormones. Yet I know I don't have as much energy as other people my age, and every time I say I have to take a nap in the middle of the day people around me groan. I feel dull, listless and irritable a lot and am loosing interest in so many things I use to find fascinating.

Thank you all for listening. . I will definitely look into your suggestions and if you feel I'm missing anything, please feel free to chime in.

Best regards,

Mary

1133 profile image
1133 in reply to Maryh1

Hi Mary.

Please consider adding more carbs to your diet. I can't stress enough how important this is. I was on a very strict, very low carb diet for years, and that's what ruined my life. You need carbs even more if you are 1. a woman and 2. hypothyroid. Please add some potatoes and unprocessed sugar and fruit and other non-gluten carbs into your diet, asap. Same thing with calories. We need a lot more than we're all brainwashed into believing. I thought I was being soooo healthy, eating paleo/ketogenic/very low carb/low calorie for years, hell I even lost over 100 pounds and got back down to my high school weight. But it destroyed my health, my thyroid, my hormones, my metabolism... my life. I've been a looong time trying to recover from this. Thyroid hormones did NOTHING for me. I was taking more than 50 nutritional supplements a day, driving myself nuts trying to figure out what was the culprit.

Aside from malnutrition, which I unwittingly was doing to myself, thinking it was healthy, these are another 3 things that messed up my thyroid, which I think you will benefit from checking out:

1. You mentioned you have a frozen shoulder. Have you had any x-rays of your cervical spine? If not, can you check that? You need to know of ANY abnormalities there because nerves deliver specific nutrients to your glands and organs. Cervical nerves deliver to your thyroid. If there is any nerve compression, it could definitely compromise your thyroid function. Cervical nerves also run through your shoulders.

2. Please have your albumin levels checked. If they are low, then your thyroid hormone delivery system is compromised, as albumin transports thyroid hormone.

3. Inflammation. Do you have any chronic inflammation going on internally? Can you check that out?

Hope this helps :-)

phoenix23002 profile image
phoenix23002 in reply to Maryh1

Hi, Mary. I have commented previously in a general way in another post to you but you sharing your protocol has prompted this reply.

First... when I was first dx with underactive thyroid about 20 yrs ago, I was put on Synthroid (T4 only). I call it my year from hell. I was profoundly exhausted, no short term memory, depressed and my very bones ached, especially my thigh bones. I have never experienced that kind of bone pain before or since. And my thyroid blood test numbers were perfectly normal.

I was miserable. I remembered that my grandmother had her thyroid removed (thyroid cancer) and supplemented with Armour thyroid. I did my homework, checking with the pharmacist as to availability etc, and my doc was agreeable to prescribing Armour for me. Well, within a week, I was bouncing off the walls in pure joy. It was like the clouds parted, the sun came out and I heard a 'Hallelujah' chorus in my head...lol. Obviously, my

liver was NOT converting the Synthroid to T 3. All my hypo symptoms resolved except my memory has never been the same.

You mentioning the pain you experience reminded me of my 'bone aches' while I was not getting any T 3. I think that is pretty indicative that you are undermedicated. You really should see about getting your cortisol levels checked also. When you aren't getting enuf thyroid, it can affect every organ in your body. And exercise can really stress your adrenals. Adrenals also need salt (celtic or Real salt is best) so don't stint on salt. The group I mentioned on yahoo shares a 'recipe' for an adrenal 'cocktail' that is very helpful. If your cortisol levels are tankng during the afternoon, no supplement is going to set that condition right. Once you have your numbers and know what is going on and, if anything needs correction, you

can use an OTC 1% hydrocortisone cream. Don't use that until you know whether or not you need it. Again, the mods on the NTH yahoo site can interpret your cortisol results and advise.

You are doing so much right. But, this is like putting a puzzle together, a puzzle with lots of little pieces. The process can be exhausting and at a time when we don't really feel up to it. But hang in there and you can't study too much or learn too much. Doctors should be ashamed of themselves for putting so many of us through this, ya know?

Artemiss profile image
Artemiss in reply to Maryh1

Hi Mary, I've read about every book out there and "Stop the Thyroid Madness" is a really good one. If you look up their web pages, I think you'll find a lot of answers. Your thyroid can't work or get the hormones into your cells if there's other problems like Adrenal fatigue or low Iron. There's something called "pooling" and it's explained at STTM: stopthethyroidmadness.com/p...

To test for low Iron, get a ferritin level checked, needs to be 70 to 90 for thyroid to function well.

Adrenal fatigue often goes hand in hand with hypothyroidism and it's ridiculous how it's not recognized or treated. I did saliva cortisol tests and they showed how low my cortisol is. Now I'm on Hydrocortisone and can take thyroid supplements, that can actually work.

Good for you with hormone supplements. You need to know the RATIO of your progesterone level to your estrogen level. There are ratio calculators on-line, to make sure you're not getting estrogen dominant.

Adrenal fatigue causes your hormones to become a mess. My Testosterone went to zero and my DHEA went below normal.

The low iron, hormonal imbalances, Hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue...on and on are often connected and all cause fatigue. I belong to a few of the Facebook STTM groups.

Maryh1 profile image
Maryh1

Thanks for all this information. I'll look into having some tests done. Along with my Biest (estrogen) I take DHEA and Testosterone in a cream that I apply morning and night. I also have a yearly pelvic ultra-sound to make sure the lining of the uterus is not to thick. I'm taking 400 mgs of progesterone every night. I didn't know you could test your levels on line.

Thanks again,

M

Eddie83 profile image
Eddie83

Alcohol and hypothyroid don't mix. Period!

Are you tracking your TPO and TG antibodies? If not, there isn't much point in going GF. If removing gluten doesn't show antibodies dropping, then you need to look elsewhere.

What are your TSH/FT3/FT4 numbers while you are on T3+T4=10mcg+100mcg daily? Your T3:T4 ratio is 1:10; many people need a ratio close to 1:4. I'm on a ratio of 1:5.

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