Thyroid Problems

Harry Chickpea · #21 08/08/11, 08:02 PM

IMO, low T is the "illness du jour" among the doctor set. Drug companies have been ramping up. Expect a new expensive wonder drug momentarily.

Nevada · #22 08/08/11, 08:19 PM

I've found that generic Synthroid (aka, Thyroxin, Levoxyl, levothyroxine, thyroxine sodium) is kind of a pricey med for a generic. We order lots of meds from overseas, so I order that from India too.

https://www.alldaychemist.com/769_Synthroid-

Alma takes 75 mcg so I have to order both the 25 mcg and 50 mcg, but at around $11 for a 3 month supply it's still a lot cheaper than the generic in the USA. Locally, a 3 month supply is about $35, and her insurance copay is about $20.

I have confidence in it's effectiveness, since she is monitored closely. Her thyroid numbers look good when she takes this stuff.

YuccaFlatsRanch · #23 08/08/11, 11:09 PM

They aren't pricey for me - I gt them for free from either VA or Tricare. On the other hand I have to buy the Iodatrol myself at about $15 a month.

Nevada · #24 08/09/11, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

They aren't pricey for me - I gt them for free from either VA or Tricare. On the other hand I have to buy the Iodatrol myself at about $15 a month.

Iodatrol? That's a new one on me.

backachersfarm · #25 08/09/11, 09:21 AM

Just because you fall within the Normal rnge indicated for test doesn't mean you don't have room for higher dose of synthroid. If range is say...5-11 and your test says you have t4 of 7...you could increase your dose to bring you closer to 11.

YuccaFlatsRanch · #26 08/09/11, 10:24 AM

I meant Iodoral not Iodatrol. Iodoral is the pill form of Lugol's solution which is an Old Time Iodine supplement. I ordered the 12.5 mg dose in pills yesterday off the net. Research indicates also that if you are deficient in iodine, then the levels of thyroid hormone is also low and the simple addition of iodine cures the thyroid deficiency. We will see how I feel here too.

Just got a phone call from the doctor. It appears the blood work on my Testosterone levels indicates severe low testosterone. Normal is between 200 and 800 with the 400 and above level being the level where you feel good. My level came back at 108. VA is sending out testosterone patches that you wear for 24 hrs and then replace. We will see with the continuing saga of trying to feel better. At least I have a Doctor who is willing to work with me, rather than one who just blows the problem off as a problem with my head.

mekasmom · #27 08/09/11, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

I have been taking Thyroxin for my under active thyroid for over a year now and even though my tests put me in the "normal" range, I still feel bad, have no energy, have brittle nails and hair, etc etc etc. Finally bought some books from a Dr Brownstein M.D. about thyroid problems and Iodine deficiency. He indicates that under active thyroid (hypothyroidism) is rampant in this country along with people who are seriously in need of Iodine supplementation. He indicates that the amount of iodine in salt is just enough to prevent goiter, but not nearly enough for good health and proper thyroid function. lack of proper iodine in the human body leads to all kinds of problems such as Breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. He also indicates that you can't overdose on iodine as the body just excretes the extra in the urine. In fact the Japanese people are the best "Iodated" people on earth and they consume 100 times the RDA for iodine. Not coincidently they have the lowest breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers in the world. He indicates that short of eating a Japanese diet, the best thing to supplement iodine is something called Ioderal. Problem is I can't find any Ioderol - maybe it's prescription (and I wonder if VA will buy it for me).

One of the tests DR Brownstein uses to tell if your thyroid levels are low is "basal temperature" recording. Basal temperature is the temperature your body is at BEFORE you get up in the morning. What you do is to shake a thermometer down the night before and before arising in the morning you stick the thermometer inside your armpit for 10 minutes. A person whose thyroid gland is properly functioning will have basal temperatures that range between 97.8 and 98.2 degrees. Lower than 97.8 indicates a thyroid gland that is not functioning up to par. You do this for 5 consecutive days and and average the temps. I just finished this morning and my average for the week was 96.6 with the last 2 days being 96.4. No day was over 97. I have a doctors appointment on the 8th to discuss this with him. BTW, my 96.6 temps are with me taking Levothyroxine pills daily. The best thyroid med available is called "Armour Thyroid" which is an extract of Pig thyroid gland. Instead of just having one of the thyroid parts (TSH, T4 and T3) it has them all. Armour Thyroid I know is prescription.

Is this your naturopath? He should be able to give you a script for Armour Thyroid. It's basically just dried pig thyroids. I get a script for bovine pancreas from my naturopath, and he orders it for me monthly for DM. You might also have your doctor muscle test you for kelp.

I was told that Iderol was taken off the market because people could use it to make explosives???? Same thing with that older brown iodine tincture you could get for $2 a bottle way back when. That worked too because you just painted a spot on your skin and let it absorb. The newer "colorless" iodine doesn't work as well and neither does the provodone iodine or whatever it is called because it is too low in iodine. So for now, the best available OTC thyroid supplement is kelp. I don't know if that is true, but it is what the lady at the health food store told me. I know the chiropractic office I go to doesn't carry Iderol anymore either, so I assume it is just not available. And that's too bad because it was a good product.

mekasmom · #28 08/09/11, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

However, all of Dr Brownstein's books have extensive footnoting of studies that support his own research. My Doc as always will have significant input and everything we do is from small amounts working up slowly... I will be glad to let you all know the results.

BTW, the basal Temperature test is a pretty conclusive test that something is keeping your metabolism at a low enough level for the body to become cold.

I also wanted to mention that you can have a dried blood analysis to check for thyroid stress or thyroid issues. It's about thirty-fifty dollars, and they can see almost every type of problem in them. The levels don't always show if the thyroid is simply under stress and having a hard time, it only shows levels.

libby · #29 08/09/11, 12:01 PM

I read a Fantastic book on the subject recently: "Feeling Fat, Fuzzy, or Frazzled" by Richard Shames. Weird title, but It gives a clear understanding of Thyroid, Adrenal, and Sex hormones (Testosterone or estrogen) and how they work together. Lots of great self checklists and things that help from medications to supplements. I highly recommend it!

GoldenCityMuse · #30 08/09/11, 02:03 PM

YuccaFlats, whose your Doc at the VA?
I'm assigned to the Purple group at KV VA.

I only go for my regular checkups, nothi8ng wrong with me so far.

YuccaFlatsRanch · #31 08/09/11, 02:38 PM

I am with Dr Cole on the Pink Team. Welcome to the Texas Hill Country. If you like to fish or want to learn to fish in salt water shoot me a PM and I'll get you my phone number and email address. I actually live in Center Point.

Iodoral is available easily over the internet. Its where I ordered mine from.

Nomad · #32 08/09/11, 02:52 PM

I had some blood work done last week and they called me this morning. It seems my thyroid is low according to the test. That is a first for me. I don't think the temperature thing is going to work for me. My normal body temperature is 97.0. I'm going in to see the doctor tomorrow to find out what the problem is and what I can do about it. Seems like it's one thing after another. I'm having my shirts monogrammed to say "Old Lucky".

Nomad

MO_cows · #33 08/09/11, 06:18 PM

Interesting thread! DH has low thyroid but even after taking the synthetic generic prescription and getting "normal" blood tests, he says he still feels tired all the time. I had switched over to sea salt and kosher salt from the "regular" iodized salt, think I will switch back now. Are there any foods that provide iodine? I hate to take pills/supplements every day.

TheMartianChick · #34 08/09/11, 06:31 PM

Foods with Iodine:

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/ar...-in-iodine.php

terri46355 · #35 08/09/11, 07:16 PM

YuccaFlatsRanch,

I am in the same position as you... and been taking Levothyroxine for many years. I am from the Great Lakes area, too. My maternal grandmother had a huge goiter (as long as I can remember) that at the age of 92 had to be removed, because she couldn't breath. Her daughter had her thyroid and parathyroid removed in the 70's. I've always been slower than most of my peers, but thought it was just the way I was. Now that I'm in my mid-fifties, I am getting disgusted at the depression, weight gain, tiredness, brittle nails, hair shedding, etc.

The family doctors don't understand the problems, so I'm finally going to request a referral to an endocrinologist. Good luck, because I understand your frustration and misery.

PS. Don't stop taking the medication, because I had a very bad side effect when I forgot to renew my prescription over a holiday weekend.

YuccaFlatsRanch · #36 08/09/11, 07:21 PM

Some kinds of fish and seaweed are high in Iodine. Not much else though. Taking iodine is or at least should be safe - the average Japanese person consumes approx 100 times that of the average American. Interestingly enough the Japanese have the lowest Breast, Ovarian and prostate cancer rates in the world - a correlation???? Iodoral is over the counter and is safe to take according to my DOC in the 12.5 mg dosage. The research I have read indicates that just increasing iodine would help about 75% of the people who have low thyroid. 50 cents a day is cheap if it makes you feel better. If you buy the Iodoral in larger quantites the cost goes down to about 30 cents per day.

YuccaFlatsRanch · #37 08/09/11, 07:24 PM

Hypothyroidism seems to be one of the great undiagnosed "diseases" of our time. It's a shame since the costs of the thyroid meds and Iodine are so inexpensive. The tests for TSH, T4 and T3 don't tell all that is possibly wrong and as stated by someone else a test that gets you into the "Normal Range" may not be good enough.

YuccaFlatsRanch · #38 08/09/11, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad

I had some blood work done last week and they called me this morning. It seems my thyroid is low according to the test. That is a first for me. I don't think the temperature thing is going to work for me. My normal body temperature is 97.0. I'm going in to see the doctor tomorrow to find out what the problem is and what I can do about it. Seems like it's one thing after another. I'm having my shirts monogrammed to say "Old Lucky".

Nomad

BUT, the low thyroid is probably what is causing your "Normal" body Temp to be 97. Body temp is maintained by the metabolism within the cells of the body making heat as a byproduct of the metabolism. When you are LOW THYROID, the cells aren't perking along at normal speed, thus your body temp is low. If you are a male, then also get them to test your testosterone level. That too can lead to low energy and low body temp. A body temp of 97 isn't "normal", it's a symptom that something might be wrong - or at least not as "right" as it could be.

#39 08/09/11, 11:32 PM

My numbers are all over the place but now they are just terrible.

T3 - 1,7
T4 - 0.4
TSH - 56.100

I am just perplexed by this as I have been seeing an endo doc for over a year and nothing has worked.

Nomad · #40 08/10/11, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

BUT, the low thyroid is probably what is causing your "Normal" body Temp to be 97. Body temp is maintained by the metabolism within the cells of the body making heat as a byproduct of the metabolism. When you are LOW THYROID, the cells aren't perking along at normal speed, thus your body temp is low. If you are a male, then also get them to test your testosterone level. That too can lead to low energy and low body temp. A body temp of 97 isn't "normal", it's a symptom that something might be wrong - or at least not as "right" as it could be.

I asked the Doc today about my temperature and he said the same thing. It kind of annoys me that no other health care professional in the 20 or so years that I know of that my temperature has been 97.0 has felt the need to mention it. About all they ever said was I bet your feet are really cold. He said it should be 98.6 and I said "well, isn't that just a number that most people have?". He said no, it's what it should be. So I asked the wife and she said hers was 98.6. My testosterone may be low, but with prostate cancer, I'd just as soon keep it that way. He is doubling my Niacin intake to 1000 mg and will go to 1500 mg if I can take it, he is giving me a 50,000 unit Vitamin D to take once a week and something called Synthroid to take daily. I'll have another test in eight weeks, so we'll see how it goes. Hopefully everything will balance out and I'll get better. Maybe I'll be able to actually keep warm this winter. That would be nice.

Nomad