HEARING

[t3tracy]

Hi does anyone else have hearing problems?

I now need a hearing aid. I am so fed up with this disease.

It seems to effect every part of the body.

Meds don't seem to help anymore. 😢

[greygoose]

Yes, it does affect every part of the body, because T3 is needed by every single cell in your body to function correctly.

I, too, have lost my hearing and now have a hearing aid. It happens to a lot of people.

But, if your 'meds' don't help anymore, you're probably under-medicated. What are you taking, and how much? Do you have a copy of your last blood test results?

[t3tracy in reply to greygoose]

Hi Greygoose

I take around 45 mcg of t3. My tsh was 2.4 a few weeks ago I am trying increase but every time I try I can't sleep at night. I was on 50mcg of t3 but Endo put me down as I was thyrotoxic.

My tsh was that on 40mcg.

[greygoose in reply to t3tracy]

A TSH of 2.4 is under-medicated. Which is strange on 45 mcg T3.

How do you take your T3? Do you take it on an empty stomach, etc. just like levo?

Are you taking any levo?

What made your endo think you were thyrotoxic?

[t3tracy in reply to greygoose]

My ft3 I guess. It was 16.7. She then put it down. I couldn't cope or function so she said to have 40mcg one day and 50mcg the next. I have only got up to around 45mcg a day. Can't stand not sleeping. It horrible. Still don't feel like I have slept when I have.

[t3tracy in reply to t3tracy]

I take 25 in morning then 20 around 4pm.

[greygoose in reply to t3tracy]

Well, she doesn't know much about thyroid, does she! You can't dose T3 like that. You'll never get well dosing like that. Your body needs a steady, regular daily dose.

Do you have Hashi's? Have you had your antibodies tested? An FT3 like that sounds more like a Hashi's 'hyper' swing than over-dosing.

But, you didn't answer my question: do you take your T3 on an empty stomach, etc, just like levo?

[t3tracy in reply to greygoose]

Hi yes i do take on an empty stomach. Yes I do have hashimotos.

I don't take any Levo.

What's a hyper swing with hashi's?

How can i stop it?

Do you think I should keep increasing my dose?

Thank you for answers in advance.

[greygoose in reply to t3tracy]

OK, so Hashi's is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system attacks and slowly destroys the thyroid.

After every attack, the dying cells release their stock of thyroid hormone into the blood stream, causing the levels of the Frees to shoot up - FT4 around 30 something, FT3 around 11/12 - and the TSH therefore drops to suppressed. Some people call this a 'Hashi's flare'. But I think that's misleading, because it's not a flare like you might get in other diseases, where things flare-up and get worse. I prefer to call it a Hashi's 'hyper' swing.

There is no knowing how long these high levels will persist, but eventually, they will drop by themselves as the excess hormone is used up or excreted, and not only will you become hypo again, but slightly more hypo than before, because there is now less thyroid to make hormone.

Therefore, it's very important that your doctor does not reduce your prescription, because you’re going to need it again! If you start to feel over-medicated at that point - some do, some don't - the best thing is to stop levo for a few days, then, when you feel hypo again, start taking it again. It's very important to know one's body, and how it reacts.

There is no cure for Hashi's - which is probably one of the reasons that doctors ignore it - apart from the fact that they know nothing about it, of course! But, there are things the patient can do for him/herself.

a) adopt a 100% gluten-free diet. Hashi's people are often sensitive to gluten, even if they don't have Coeliac disease, so stopping it can make them feel much better, and can possibly reduce the antibodies. Worth a try. But, you should be aware that even if you get rid of the antibodies, you will still have Hashi's, because the antibodies are not the disease.

b) take selenium. This not only reputed to reduce antibodies, but can also help with conversion of T4 to T3 - something that Hashi's people often find difficult.

c) the best way to even out the swings from hypo to 'hyper' - although I don't think you can stop them completely - is to keep the TSH suppressed. This is difficult because doctors are terrified by a suppressed TSH, for various false reasons, and because they don't understand the workings of Hashi's. But, TSH - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (a pituitary hormone) - tries to stimulate the thyroid to make more hormone, but it also stimulates the immune system to attack. So, the less gland activity there is, the less immune system activity there will be, meaning less attacks, gland destruction slowed down and less swinging from hypo to hyper and back.

And, yes, I do think you should continue increasing. You need to get that TSH down.

[t3tracy in reply to greygoose]

Thank you I will try. 😊

[greygoose in reply to t3tracy]

You're welcome.

[Angel_of_the_North]

Oh yes. I have two hearing aids. At least I can hear the TV now,

[Hidden]

I have two aids too but they came from the tinnitus clinic

[Aurealis]

I wonder how accurate the test was? How close was your previous dose to the test? It’s possible that your test gave a false high result if your dose was too close.

Have you tried spreading out your doses eg taking it split across the day which would enable you to reduce the 4pm dose? You may find that taking some T3 at bedtime improves sleep.

Some people on T3 only take very large doses, I think 60 mcg is average. There are Facebook groups for T3 only - they use vital signs to adjust dose rather than test results - could be helpful to you.

[t3tracy in reply to Aurealis]

When I went to see Endo I had taken my.meds that morning as she wanted me tested straight away. So it might be that but when I try to increase now I can't sleep at night?

[Aurealis]

May be worth experimenting with timings, this can make more more difference than anyone would expect. Also be careful of caffeine, alcohol and stress as you can be more sensitive to the effects of all with an increase in T3, which can lead to poor sleep. Hearing can be adversely affected by being hypo, so can sleep. It sounds like you’re more sensitive to T3 as you’re undertreated, especially following endos mistake in reducing dose. This is the trouble with having a test soon after a dose, they make no allowance for it and it makes a big difference to results.

[Singoutloud]

Picked up both my hearing aids a couple of days ago.

[skelly82]

Yep hearing aids for me too 😞

[t3tracy in reply to skelly82]

Sad isn't it. What a horrible disease. If only family would understand as well. So fed up of them thinking I'm putting it all on. It's a lonely disease. Thank God I have all of you to turn to. ❤

[skelly82 in reply to t3tracy]

I had no idea how much of my life would be affected by it. My husband is very good , but I don’t think anybody who hasn’t experienced it really understands. I feel every body is sick and tired of hearing about my thyroid 😕. This site is a life saver.

[Gidgeclev]

Yes, two hearing aids... my son had been telling me I was deaf since I was about 45. This was way before I was diagnosed with thyroid problems! It took another 13 years before I believed him after a hearing test! I have been wearing aids for 2 years now and they have transformed my life although I still have problems if there is a lot of background noise. Good job I seem have got quite good at lip reading over the years.