Symptom of under medicated : Merry Christmas and... - Thyroid UK

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Symptom of under medicated

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (fingers crossed)

I'm scheduled to have labs done after the new year (tsh,t3,Ft3,Ft4) and vitamins. I have no thyroid and I currently take 2 grains of Armour Thyroid I've been experiencing migraines something awful for the past few weeks and I have had migraines pretty much with every thyroid script I've been on around 4-6 week after starting them "migraines" started after thyroidectomy prior no issues.

Today I woke with a hideous migraine. I took my first armour pill (1grain) early morning and my headache started to lightening up about 3 hours after taking the pill the migraine came back with a vengeance. I took my 2nd pill mid morning and within and hour the headache was almost gone and then three hours later I'm again with hideous migraine.

Is it possible that my thyroid medication is actually to low ? I never connected them to being under dosed but today after taking each pill the headache quieted down and after 3 hours the come back.

Thanks

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22 Replies
waveylines profile image
waveylines

Two grains is a low dose for a full thyroid hormone replacement so in your shoes I would try incrementally increasing your meds. Hypothyroidism is called the great mimicker so lack of thyroid hormone can affect your body in multiple & diverse ways.

My understamding is that a full replacement dose is 3-4 grains -though some people need a little more if they have resistance.

MissGrace profile image
MissGrace in reply to waveylines

I like that - ‘the great mimicker’ - do you mean the symptoms can seem like a whole lot of other conditions? 😀

waveylines profile image
waveylines in reply to MissGrace

Yes Miss Grace I do mean that. Doctors should know this too....but whether they pock that up in their 10min consultations is unlikely....lol.

in reply to waveylines

Hi wavy lines

I keep telling endos that my dose is not right and they keep telling me your numbers are fine "actually" I'm going to lower your dose because your TSH is too low becsuse now your hyper and your bones are going to crumble and going to die of Heart disease (yes she told me this) bones crumbling come from Dexa scan I had earlier this year. I do read about others who are half my size take 2xs as much armour as me. Next month I'm paying out of pocket for Endo and 2 weeks later seeing another endo in my practice see what the difference if any is I don't know how much more I can deal with these migraines because with these migraines comes sudden hearing loss ....I regret ever doing this surgery.

ShootingStars profile image
ShootingStars

Yes, it could be that you are under medicated. The only way to tell is to test your levels. What are your previous and current lab results, including the lab ranges? Do you have Hashimoto's? This is determined by testing the two thyroid antibodies, not just one. Antibodies are called TPO/ab and TG/ab.

Before I was started on meds, my FT3 and FT4 dropped down to the bottom of the range and my TPO shot up into the multiple thousands. I had a migraine for almost two months straight. My migraines improved after I started meds and I never again had a migraine that lasted that long.

in reply to ShootingStars

Hi Shootingstars

I have no idea if I had Hashimoto disease I went from you have nodules one year to you have cancer the next I do have autoimmune disease and I suspect I probably had Hashimoto disease NO doctor ever did the antibodies test they did antibodies after my thyroidectomy and that test of course was low.

My FT4 is at the bottom of normal on my last thyroid test no idea where Ft3 was because it's a battle to get them to give this test. I will be getting FT3 this coming month but my Endo warned me she won't treat that number and I've complained numerous times about these migraines to my Endos and of course it has nothing to do with my meds or lack of thyroid but yesterday got me thinking that these doctors are loons.

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54 in reply to

Your endo won't treat on a free T3 number? She knows nothing about hypothyroidism then. Nothing. She's dangerous to you. Can you see someone else?

If you never had the migraines before the thyroidectomy and you have been plagued with them since then of course it's connected! It sounds like you are going to have to self-treat and buy more Armour, or another NDT, to get your levels right.

in reply to FancyPants54

Hi FancyPants54

I've been dealing with this clown school endo medical office for 2 yrs and your right they are dangerous because of this medical facility that Im stuck going to they have managed to misdiagnosis me for years not just with thyroid disease.

MissGrace profile image
MissGrace in reply to

So your endo will treat on the TSH number, but not on the actual thyroid numbers which are the T4 and T3? Loon is the polite word for this misguided t**t!!

in reply to MissGrace

Yup you got that right she will treat TSH and ignore everything else and I will tell you why "because" of a bone scan I had done earlier this year that reveled "mild Ostepenia" and now it's been TSH battle all the way, caring less about my issues.

This is when you realize these doctors are going to kill you!

Early this Sept. endo called me to again to harass me about my suppressed TSH and not all that suppressed little under 1 and wanted to take my Armour Thyroid from 2 grains to 1.5 grains (having issues on 2 grains) can on imagine what I would feel like on 1.5 grains, anyway I fought her for over 30 minutes ...finally told her to look up my bone scan from 8/2010 and read me the results...you hear her clicking away on the keyboard (few weeks before she called me I got FULL ACCESS to my health record prior I had no access) she goes huh..interesting..huh I said in 8/2010 I had NO THYROID DISEASE and had a THYROID and was on NO MEDICATION for thyroid or anything else (her) Huh..I see (me) so please explain how I had mild osteopenia in 8/2010 and the same mild osteopenia still in March/2018 (Her) I can't explain it...Me because you have no idea about my thyroid health and with that will Not reduce my dose....I'm seeing outside Endo paying out of pocket after my blood test next month as well as seeing another endo in (original) practice that was recommended by few other patients I just couldn't manage to see her and if they follow same protocol it will be same fight. I want these migraines to stop and I want my health back.

I also forgot to mention....I sleep alot I sleep 7+hours a night and still manage to get a 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon. It's very rare for me to leave my house between my psoriatic arthritis pain and constant tiredness and these migraines....I feel like I'm just existing not living anymore.

Wolfiesmom08 profile image
Wolfiesmom08

I started getting migraines after getting diagnosed with Hashimotos . Don’t wait for your thyroid meds to cure you. It may never happen. Go see a doctor and get done meds. They are called “abortives” or triptans or even a daily preventive . I can’t confirm but google if you don’t get help for your migraines they can become chronic meaning everyday or do instead of occasional. You may not need them forever just to get you through this phase. Migraines can also trigger depression. Trust me I’ve been fighting this battle for a few years now . I have some perspective. Like I said get help and don’t think things will magically improve they might but it takes time hugs!

in reply to Wolfiesmom08

Wolfiesmom08, Your right I think I need to seek help with these migraines I dont think my thyroid meds are going help although I didnt have this issue until I lost my thyroid...frustrating

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to

I have read that Magnesium can help with migraine. Also good iron levels needed for oxygen transportation around the body ...

Wolfiesmom08 profile image
Wolfiesmom08 in reply to Marz

Marz you’re absolutely right! Vitamins are very important I take 400 mg of magnesium glycinate per night. Although it can take months for you levels to improve. I also take iron with vitamin C. There is a supplement called Migralife that has all the vitamins for migraine in one pill.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to Wolfiesmom08

I am fortunate not to suffer but know others do. My step daughter suffers when her iron levels need topping up ... 😊

in reply to Wolfiesmom08

I take magnesium and have been since migraines started 2 yrs ago neurologist suggested them when I complained about these blasted headaches.

Do you use any artificial sweeteners? I find they give me migraines.

MissGrace profile image
MissGrace

Keep fighting. I have already said to my endo if it comes to a choice between quality of life and the rather low % risk of atrial fibrillation and fracture, I’ll choose quality of life please. If I feel well I can exercise, if I can exercise I can keep a healthy heart and strong bones as well as all the other health benefits. If I stay ill, I get fat, I get depressed, I’m too tired to do much let alone exercise, my cholesterol goes high etc etc I sometimes wonder WTF they want!

in reply to MissGrace

It's funny these doctors and all the regulators of thyroid rules would rather everyone who is sick to become sicker and then complain about the rise in health care cost.....this is the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result. Geeze if we are kept ill all the time eventually other things start to breakdown and cost them more $$... so dumb.

danym profile image
danym in reply to

did you find something that helped?

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to danym

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