Help!! Is it my T3/T4 dosage causing this nightmare??

[lizanne]

Hi All

Sorry this is a long post but I am really worried so wanted to include as much info as possible.

My first hypo symtoms (hair and eyebrows falling out, joint pain, exhaustion) started in 2004. I started Armour in June 2006. I was up to Armour 3.5 grains prescribed and paid for privately. Last year I finally got NHS GP to prescribe equivalent T4 and T3 which is 140mg of T4 and 40 mg of T3. I switched to this in November and felt pretty good on it and I really couldnt afford to keep paying for private prescription and doc as it was very expensive.

n November I started to look into CT3M method as the one thyroid symptom I still has was my hair and eyebrows didnt recover/regrow. However I dont think I approached this properly re checking my adrenals. I have now done a 24 hour adrenal saliva test this week and sent it off - awaiting results on that, my other set of blood tests done by my NHS GP in November 2012 are below:

RESULTS AND RANGES NOVEMBER 2012

Vit B12 - 514 (range 187-883)

TSH 0.01 (range 0.35-4.94) so this has been labelled as overtreated

Free T4 level 11.25 (range 9.01 - 19.05)

Vit D 114.2 (range 80-150) I am so glad my VIt D has finally come up after supplementing, however the latest batch of Vit D tablets I have are only 25ug/1,000iu each so maybe I need to increase number I take per day?

Serum Calcium - 2.24nmol (range 2.10-2.55)

Serum Albumin 40g/L (range 35-50)

Now - this February, for the first time in years, my already thin hair has started falling out again - I am distraught! Also my fingernails have started breaking and flaking - I have never had that happen before. I also feel very stressed out/short tempered. All of this has probably started over the last month.

This sounds more like adrenal symtpoms to me maybe? Am I on too much T4/T3 and have gone hyper or have I gone hypo?? I have no idea. I am trying not to sound too hysterical but I can't believe this has happened and I am getting worse when I hope to get better.

Any advice appreciated

Many thanks

[shaws Administrator]

I thought I had commented earlier on but obviously didn't press the appropriate button.

My TSH is exactly the same as yours and the lab had no problem with this and I am not overmedicaed. In fact some of us feel better if our TSH is suppressed.

Your B12 is average and should be higher, in fact you cannot overdose on B12 supplements. If you do supplement buy methylcobalamin B12.

You may need an increase in your meds but wait until you have your adrenals report.

Before the TSH patients were dosed according to their clinical symptoms and the TSH is not a good guide for medicating, although the BTA insist it is.

This is a link

thyroidscience.com/hypothes...

I hope you feel better soon.

[Clarebear]

My last results showed my TSH to be < 0.02 (don't think they can measure it any lower at my lab). My ft3 and ft4 were both lower than mid-range, so my endo agreed for me to increase. This was a week ago and I am feeling soo much better xx

[lizanne]

Thanks all - really appreciate your advice.

Shaws - many thanks. I am awaiting saliva results and I think I need to get Thyroid panel blood tests done again.

Clare when you say you increased - what did you increase (are you only on T3) and from what amount did you increase? I know everyone is different but very interested to know what you are on? Also have you had any hair issues?

[Barbaraj]

I remember reading somewhere that overtreatment with T3 can cause hair loss. As you are taking 140mcgs T4 plus 40mcgs T3 this equates to 300mcgs in total which is a rather large dose. Are you experiencing palpitations at all?

[Hidden]

Hi Sorry to hear your feeling so ill.

I dont think your taking too much T3, I was taking 3 grains of armour along with 60mcg of T3. I felt great after feeling so ill for so long. If you felt allright on it.I dont take armour anymore just T3, Im on 120mcg

Before Christmas I was having really bad hair loss and the nail issue, flaking and peeling (still are) I tried lowering my T3 but felt 1000% worse, I had to go back to a dose that made me feel normal. I was under a great deal of stress for 2 and a half years- but having got rid of my stressful situation I am happy to say that the hairloss is at a normal level now, not a case of covering the plughole of filling up my comb anymore, it was very worrying seeing all the hair .

I wish you well and hope you get well soon xx

[lizanne]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. I have just done the 24 hr saliva test to check adrenal levels and am going to get full thyroid blood test so I can take the guess work out of this and know for a fact where I am re meds.

Reikimaster - very interested to hear your story as you sound quite similar to me (although I realise we are all different in terms of medication and reactions). I have switched from armour to t4 and t3 and I am hoping to move to T3 only. Have you had any new hair or regrowth or just the hair loss stopped. Very interested to hear?

Many thanks