In Mar 2012, I got my teeth filled with Amalgam; By May / June I must have started feeling sommething that the thyroid test was done in July 2012. On a side note, I might have inherited Hypo from my mum. However I did not see the GP again until Feb 2013 when a repeat test was done and then in May 2013, I was put on Levo 100mg straight away.
Since May 2013, I was put on Levo 100 mg and then due to an unfortunate carelessness in Feb 2014, I had an unplanned break in medication, followed by numerous symptoms leading to anxiety attack and then numerous health checks and then some experimentation with my Levo dosage. 100 reduced to 50.
By End of Mar 2014, I lost faith in GP thinking they should not have put me on 100 mg straightaway. I saw an Endocrinologist privately for around 3-4 months between Apr 2014 and July 2014 and he was also of no real help. Endo said I was fine at 50.
I changed it back to 100 in Sep 2014.
Since my job requires me to keep travelling to India, I kept taking measurements at a local lab there although without doing any real analysis / follow through.
I desperately need help from people who really think they can analyze some results for me. I am 37 and on the verge of going completely bald, struggling every day of my life like a 70 year old.
The attached picture has the complete 3 year story in a time flow chart, Left to right, then right to left and then again left to right.
I am readily thankful to anyone who can spend a few minutes of their time and provide me any suggestions ask me questions, help pull me out of this mess.
- Sat
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sat77
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Insofar as I can read it your TSH does not go below 2.42 . Many feel best at around 1 or below. You probably need a higher dose.
Currently I am having similar arm and shoulder pains and this seems common amongst hypothyroid folk.My last TSH was below 1 so I will not get an increase in dose and anti inflammatory drugs did nothing so sorry no advice on what might help .
Sat, I appreciate your efforts, but that is a really terrible way of presenting your results! lol It's not at all clear even when enlarged so that you can read it. Where are the dates?
Anyway, firstly, your initial dose may have been a bit too high - 75 might have been better - but the real mistake was to lower it by 50. 25 would have been better - increases and decreases should always be by 25 mcg. And a dose should be held for at least 6 weeks, but no more than 8 before the next test.
Secondly, Total tests are pretty useless, they Don't give you any useful information. Much better to get the Frees, the amount of hormone available in the blood for use by the body. So, with those results, it's impossible to see if you're converting properly.
However, in what I take to be your last results, your TSH is too high, for sure. When you are on thyroid hormone replacement, TSH should be around one, or lower. So, I think you need an increase in Levo, at least.
You had TPOab done, which was negative. But you could still be positive for Hashi's. If you get your TgAB done, we'd know more. But even two négatives Don't rule out Hashi's completely, it could still be there.
Have you had your nutrients tested (it's not all about hormones) :
vit D
vit B12
folate
iron
ferritin
These all need to be optimal for your body to be able to use the hormone you're giving it. Also, when these are low, they could cause symptoms that could be mistaken for hypo symptoms. So, best to get those done.
Have you had any tests for Ferritin, Vit B12, Vit D? Many people on this forum find that these nutrients become depleted and that their thyroid meds don't work properly until they supplement to bring these up to optimal levels.
I don't know why your dose was ever changed from 100mcg to 50mcg. You should be aiming at a TSH at or below 1. 50mcg is just enough to stop your own thyroid from producing anything much, and not enough to keep you healthy.
I too am a 37yo male and my life has absolutely nose-dived in the past 2 years. I have lost my (high pressured) job, am unable to have any social life whatsoever and many more knock on effects - all caused by overwhelming fatigue. It crept up on me a bit in the couple of years before that. But just over 2 years ago was when anxiety kicked in because of the worry of why the hell was I so tired? Scared witless that I was so tired I shouldn't be driving to/from work, so petrified that I was struggling to get through the day at work without locking myself in a toilet cubicle in panic over the exhaustion, splashing my face with water in the basin to try to wake myself up and pull myself together...
Eventually went to GP in Sept 2013 and was diagnosed hypothroid and coeliac disease, low vit D. So I went gluten free, took levo and vit D supps, thinking "thank goodness I've found what was wrong!" Here I am today, worse than ever, like you - hair falling out at a rate of knots, memory and concentration issues, plus I have balance and dizzyness feelings.
I have recently self diagnosed B12 deficiency/or pernicious anemia. As despite bloods being "normal" I have tested for positive parietal cell antibodies which means I likely have low stomach acid and the inability to process the B12 in my body properly. There is also a link between Hashi's and B12d/PA. So I am about to start on B12 injections (GP refused so I'm self medicating). The other big step I am very likely to take soon is to switch to NDT product. I have also ordered various supplements following private tests which show I'm in high need of B1, B7 (Biotin def is linked to hair loss), B9, B12. I have also started taking apple cider vinegar before meals to aid digestion, and pepsin/betaine after meals.
I feel that I finally have a solid action plan to HOPEFULLY improve my health and get my life back.
So my advice to you is to investigate your symptoms further, and to read and research and learn once you have some leads. You've taken a good step asking for help on here. I suffered in silence for nearly 2 years before connecting with someone on Twitter who has been so supportive and informative. Since then I've joined this forum and also read and read and read. Not just people's problems on forum, but scholarly medical articles and recommended books.
Do you have any digestive issues? If so ask for a coeliac blood test. Get your B vit levels checked out. Adrenal testing too.
You say "etc" in your flow chart after listing your symptoms. What other symptoms do you have? These may be key.
Are you saying you feel your fillings may have brought on your health issues? A lot of naturopathic practitioners believe the mercury can cause problems. I can't say that I know much about this but I do know I have a few amalgam fillings from stupidly neglecting my teeth in my teens and 20s. I wonder if there is something in this. I'd be very reluctant to have them all drilled out and replaced though!
Sorry if this message is too long. I guess I'm trying to relate and show support as someone of same age and similar circumstances. It is unusual to see other men on here as thyroid complaints usually relate to women (10:1 ratio) therefore also many of the thyroid help books I've read are all aimed at just women.
Best of luck and just shout if you need help or support.
Lee - I could have written that, especially the panic attacks! I'm 40 and have suffered massively over the past 7-8 years. Housebound for 4 years, I lost most of the things I had including my career and virtually everything I owned. I was in a high pressure job in terms of needing loads of brain power all day every day. This started to go downhill like you say about you. I felt compelled to kill myself on many occasions. I could go on.
I started self-medicating with NDT (Armour) in addition to my levo back in May this year. I'm still not right but, honestly, I'm miles better than I was on levo only. It may be worth trying.
I added Armour to the levo purely from the point of view of trying to replicate the amount of T3 my thyroid would have produced by itself. And wasn't producing now. I may eventually just take Armour as I think I still need to do something to become consistently well. I wouldn't go back to just levo.
I'm sorry to hear of your suffering and can completely relate. So glad to hear that you're feeling a lot better now though!
It's uplifting to hear someone in a similar situation who is now on the mend. I used to work long hours in a stressful environment, play football twice a week, lift weights at the gym and go to gigs, see friends etc. But now - zilch! I'm not talking about when I was 18 either, I mean only 2.5 years ago (although it was becoming a struggle prior to that) It's terrible looking back isn't it?
NDT is almost certainly my next step. I'm going to try the B12 injections first, although I do have self doubt that I'm doing it in the wrong order, i.e. should I start the NDT first.
I added T3 in a few months ago and it hasn't helped. I take 75/100 levo on alternate days and 20mcg T3 every day.
What's stopping you switchiing 100% to NDT if you don't mind me asking?
Hello Lee - yeah I think it's surprising how many men have this problem. Bearing in mind blokes don't go to the Drs that often. Women tend to register the children at their practice and take the children. I never really went to the Drs for many, many years apart from tagging along to vaccination days with the kids!
I hope you start to turn the health corner soon. It is awful looking back at all the missed opportunities that have passed us by. And how quickly things slide down the pan.
It's good to chat to people experiencing the same problems as yourself. I started to slow down in my late 20s, couldn't lose weight even though cycling around 150 miles a week. But I was still OK and worked full time and the rest. I gradually became fairly inactive sitting in a lab. As a kid I was always skinny playing football all the time. If anything, too skinny. Now I'm massively overweight.
EDITED
I got to the point where any form of stress, no matter how small, translated into mild/major panic attacks and nervousness of even seeing people including family. Like you say, I also never go out these days to socialise and do miss a good drink with the lads or whoever.
Like you, I am/was B12 deficient as well as vit D (severely) and zinc. Not really sure what medication order you should do them in as they all seem interdependent. I've considered doing the B12 injections but haven't got a clue to be honest, so just take tablets.
When I added T3 (in the form of NDT) I felt almost instant relief. I knew within an hour or two that I needed it. Your question of what's stopping you swapping to NDT fully - that was my original plan when I bought the Armour. However, as I started to feel better and better I have got to the point of being sick of being sick and don't want to twist just yet. I think I've stuck, in a body that's feeling pretty OK at times and hypo at other times, but not as bad as before. I've recently started working more hours and I'm scared, if the truth be told, to adjust anything. Even though I know deep down I'm not right. But miles, miles better. Back on the Xbox and generally chilling out.
So sorry to hear your back story but glad you seem to be on the mend now. Will send you a private message in case you don't want to discuss some of those matters further on here. Lee
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