Over a year and a half ago I went to my GP because I was feeling very tired, low and had painful joints. I had also put on a lot of weight and was severely constipated. She referred me to an endo because although my TSH was low indicating overactive thyroid, my T3 was low.
The endo prescribed T3 10mcg daily. Then he changed his mind 3 months later when he saw my T3 was high and told me to take 10mcg 3 times a week only. 3 months after that he told my my TSH was too suppressed and so reduced the amount of Thyroxine to 75mcg daily.
Meanwhile my fatigue and other symptoms were not getting any better. It must be your job he told me. Nevermind that I live on my own and have a stress free lifestyle at home.
I stopped seeing him. Reading up on the subject I soon realised that many people who suffer from Hashimoto's like me also have problems with their iron, Vit B12 and sex hormones. Deficiencies in some minerals and vitamins like
ferritin
iron
folate
vitamin D
vitamin B12
can exacerbate hypo symptoms and hinder the all important conversion of T4 to T3.
Symptoms of oestrogen dominance are also very similar to underactive thyroid.
I immediately went to a private lab (luckily I can afford it) and got tested for some of these. My hormones were within range but when I looked at the ration I WAS oestrogen dominant.
My iron was at the very bottom of the range.
My vit B and ferritin are also on the low within the range.
It was a Eureka moment for me. I went online and bought progesterone cream and iron supplements.
2 months down the line I am feeling lots better. I cannot believe it. I have painfree joints and don;t feel the desire to fall asleep at every opportunity. My eyes are not as dry and my outlook is more positive too.
I do not understand why the endo did not think of looking at my iron and hormone levels. Isn't he an expert? Shouldn't he have wanted to find out why I was still feeling tired despite my T3 and T4 results showing it wasn't due to my thyroid.
Shouldn't it have clicked in his mind that being in my 40s my sex hormones needed to have been checked out as many patients like me suffer from hormonal problems.
And more worryingly shouldn't he have immediately thought of testing my iron levels?!
A different GP saw my results and didn't think the iron results were anything to worry about. Makes me wonder.......
I am so glad that what I need I can get over the counter because if it were up to the docs I have been seeing this year I would still be thinking I was going crazy and imagining it all.
I now take the following:
Levothyroxine 100mcg and liothyronine 20mcg daily.
Selenium to help convert T4 to T3
Iron with VitB daily
Vit C to help my iron absorption
Maca to give me energy
Noni juice to cure my constipation.
Probiotics
Anyway, thought I should share some good news.
I am considering finding a private gyno to keep on top of my hormones.
Written by
Monix
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Fantastic news! I am very pleased for you. Thanks for sharing your success story and for letting us know what worked for you. Hopefully this will help others and give them hope that they can get well again.
Great news love reading success stories. Merry Christmas xx
Good for you Monix, well done!
I wonder why GPs don't realise the importance of Vitamins and Minerals - I confess I didn't realise either, everything's in a varied healthy diet right?. (not always!)
What happens when we find out we're deficient/low? Often we just sort it ourselves and don't go back! or if we do, we daren't say, so how would they know? (I did tell my GP I was low in Vit D - go to boots!).
In my case, Doc visits make no difference as TSH 'normal' (I'm 'monitored' after my op) so no other tests like B12 even when specifically asked for! No testing and no prescription, nice cheap option. J x
What is also amazing is that my iron is right at the bottom of the range and that is fine because it is in the range! The fact that I have no energy doesn't seem to matter.
Websites, associations and forums such as this one have been extremely useful in my self diagnosis and self medication. I am very grateful.
It never ceases to amaze me that even the obvious low Iron is ignored by GPs!
e.g. my anorexic future daughter-in-law & also a colleague at work was low & as doc wasn't concerned she took no notice either, until her horse was poorly with low vitamins - that was a different, important matter! Vitamins, Reiki, aromatherapy later - one happy horse! Crazy!
I keep meaning to investigate what's in the animal salt licks (apart from essential salt!) J
Endos seem to have this fundamental core belief that people will say anything to get thyroid drugs merely for weight loss. So actually they dont believe what we say.
That's cool. Thanks. I thought I had mastered the science behind this (if that is ever possible) and then that was thrown in the mix so was slightly confused.
Not helped by the fact that some GPs insist that T3 is converted to T4.... (mine.., got cross when I questioned him, assured me that he DID know his physiology...)
where do you put the cream?I,m suffering with all the above like you had, so going to have a go at your successful regime. I will report back with my results
The directions say to put the cream on fatty areas of the body but I was advised to do the opposite. So i apply the cream to my wrists, ankles, knees and collar bone area.
I didn't know that Selenium helped to convert T4 to T3.... that's good to know. I already take multi-vitamins + iron, so will check that Selenium is one of these. Thank you x
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Levothyroxine not making me feel better.
Not feeling any better, any ideas?
Feeling better
I feel better with free t4 higher in range.
I Feel Better with T3 over range
