Help - family doctor messing with my dose!!!

[baroquep]

Can someone please take a look at my numbers? My family doctor felt the need to reduce my synthroid by 25% because she said I was hyper, which I wasn't. I felt find and in fact still had hypothyroid symptoms including, scalloped tongue, hair loss at the temples, cold intolerance, cracked heels, dry skin, and numerous others that she insisted were "non-specific". She doesn't understand that because I also take T3 which was prescribed by an endocrinologist that my TSH is suppressed but she sees that as hyper. Since she reduced the synthroid to 75, I have been rapidly gaining weight and additional hypo symptoms are slowly creeping back in ... particularly fatigue.

Was on 1.0 Synthroid and 5 mcg T3 prescribed by endocrinologist

Family doctor reduced syntroid to .75 Synthroid and 5 mcg T3 (just waiting for her to refuse to renew T3 as she snarkily said it doesn't do anything) - So tired of doctors not listening

My Numbers at 1.0 Synthroid

TSH - 0.16 (range 0.35-5.0) - normally in the 0.69 range when my Ferritin is higher (was low this test)

Free T4 - 12.1 (range 12-22)

Free T3 - 4.9 (range 2.6-5.7)

Ferritin - 14 (range 12-192)

B12 - 674 (range 110-630)

Folate 46.3 (>15)

D3 - 73 (a little lower than optimal 75-200)

Last time she had me at this dose, I was almost 200 pounds and asked her what is worse, being overweight or having a suppressed TSH? she just ignored me. Have made another appointment with the endocrinologist to have my synthroid raised back up and really resent having to start all over again to get my levels back to a place where I feel well and not as hypothyroid.

[baroquep]

thank you, can I find these papers on the internet? or on this site?

[shaws in reply to baroquep]

This may be the one rfu123 suggested:-

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

plus Dr Toft's

rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/fi...

[Clutter]

Baroquep,

Why is your GP interfering with the endocrinologist's treatment plan?

TSH is not suppressed although it is below range but FT4 is low in range and FT3 within range so you are not overmedicated.

Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Are you being treated for low ferritin?

B12 and folate are fine.

D3 is replete >75 and optimal 100-150. Most of us need to supplement D3 during the winter to maintain levels.

[baroquep in reply to Clutter]

Hi there, thanks for your response. I was asking her the same thing ... why is she messing with my dose but she simply won't listen. I went to see her with another health issue and she was convinced it was related to my TSH level and therefore reduced my dose drastically. Am currently being treated for low ferritin and my TSH levels are better -- rising to 0.69 yet she is still not happy with that (though I feel fine). She's convinced I am hyper and believes that it is better to have a TSH closer to mid-range, i.e. 2.5 or higher which is preposterous ... I wouldn't be able to get out of bed if my TSH was that high. She doesn't understand that TSH levels will be lower when taking T3 and in my opinion all the more reason for her to leave it to the endocrinologist to adjust my dose but she just can't help herself. So utterly annoying to have to deal with medical professionals that can't get past their egos!!!

[Clutter]

Baroquep,

I think you need to change doctor. She's going to make you undermedicated and ill if she thinks mid-range TSH is good. If your endo was happy with your results before your PCP should butt out and not interfere.

[shaws]

Clutter is right - change your doctor. Mind you, I think it might be difficult to find one who knows best how to treat hypo patients but patients who've 'been there - done that' know that asking questions on the forum and getting responses from members who've already had a particular experience, is more helpful that the professionals..

You don't want interference from anyone if it is going to make you worse. I think your GP is confused in that she believes a TSH around 2.5 is preferable. It may be for somone who doesn't have hypothyroidism. Once diagnosed many GPs wrongly believe that they have to get the TSH somewhere in the range. We, the patients, know we feel much better when it is 1 or lower.