Changes!!!

Wow, I've been really having some changes. After my T3 went up to high, I needed to make some changes. I pooled T3 in my body cells, by lowering Cortef from 35 mgs to 25, by wishes of my doctor ( to lower Cortef). Armour stopped working and I started pooling in my cells, not utilizing T4 and T3. I know that my problem is I needed more cortef but the cortef was bloating me out terribly. It wasn't doing me any good. My temps weren't rising indicating that the Armour wasnt being utilized , even at the high T3 dosing. This means something is interfering /blocking my thyroid meds. Ive tested the Rt3 and I'm normal, so now we tested adolestorone and a few other things to see what is going on. My doctor wouldn't change my Cortef to Medrol, a drug know to cause less water retention then Cortef. So I decided to go all T3. This is a shot in the dark, but I am not responding well to my current regiment. I am going to clear out all my cells of the TSH/T4 by using pure T3 (Cytomel) for a few months and see if I respond better to it. While being on my past regiment of 3 3/4 gr of Armour and 25 of Cortef, I grew hair on my arms and even on my knuckles! I havent seen that in a long time. I also lost 6 lbs which shows me as soon as I dropped the cortef down, the water retention so subsided. I 'm in a pickle, so to speak; Now what I'm going to do next! Lets see. Here is my current meds:

As of July 31, 2007

T3(cytomel) 50 mgs
Armour 1 grain ( reducing dose-25mg T3 for each gr of Armour)
Cortef 25 mg
Mag Ox 400mg
Thyrodine ( complex for thyroid)
Ferrous Iron 45mg
Calcium
Ox bile for digestion
Pregnenlone 25 mg
B12 injections ( every 2 wks- 1000mgs)
Black Kosh - for day hot flashes
Estrovene Nighttime- for hot flashes

My outlook is better! I'm being test on all the female hormones to see how I'm doing.
I am suffering terrible hot flashes. It seems the water retention is lower, I can see it in my face. Im not as puffy. My feet hurt terrible, my back of my legs do to. I sometimes feel this is IB symptoms, so thats why I started on OX Bile Supplement again. So far day two and my legs aren't hurting as bad. Let's see!

Pearl on Cart for her first week-May 2007

Improvement

Since I last logged in, I have seen alot of improvement in my health. I've lost some weight, growing hair again and am feeling more energetic. I have hair regrowing on my arms and even my fingers!

I am on:
3 3/4 Armour
25mg Pregnenolone
20 Cortef + stress dosing
Selinium
St John Wort
Iodine complex

I also found out I am allergic to Dairy products and am trying to learn what to avoid. So much stuff contains dairy!
I am having trouble with my feet hurting. I'm told its probably thyroid and I need to increase. I'm still immensly overweight and am very troubled by it.

hormone tests/Wonderful Dr in Maryland

Here is what I had posted on the STTM forum...

I recieved my saliva test results for my hormones. I was a little low for estrone 23 ( 38-68) Dr said I was NOT Pre-menopausal! I was shocked! The way I felt I thought I was and told I was I was in premenopause by other Doctors. Dr Rothschild said I ws not in that state physically. Is this result on estrone show I might be high in Cortisol as far as my sex hormones are concerned? Do'nt know.

Anyhow, My DHEA was 2 on a scale of 3-10 being normal, I went down a notched since my last saliva testing! I went to my Dr Rothschild in Mt Airy, MD and let me tell you, she is fantastic. I gave her all the paper work I could think of from STTM. She read a few sheets and kept the rest for study. She said I am one of the first patients she had that she prescribed 3 grof Armour to, but she is willing to work on my case. She says its a mystery to her why Im struggling. I left that go because I have to give her time to read all the info. She ordered another ASI Test for cortisol including my cortef dosing, and also a saliva test for the thyroid "T's "! YES!!!! Dr Rothschild uses Diagnos-Tech, Inc. in her practice. She said we need to get to the bottom of this. Dr Rothschild also agrees that Im not utilizing the Cortef I am taking ( 35 mg + stress dosing)

Im still having a host of thyroid problems but lets see!

The Thyroid and Adrenal Connection

Its been a little while. I did really bad after dropping down to 3 1/2 gr Armour. I had leg and feet pain and sever depression.
After talking with the members on the forum @ http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/community/
I decided to increase my Armour to 3 3/4 gr. I felt much better with in a day or two. I noticed I haven't lost my breath in the last three days. I am on 35 mg Cortef , with very little stress dosing. My temps are still quit low. 97.9 average but they are stable.

I think it is very important to make a note of this doctor and his Article on Adrenal and Hypothyroidism.


"Thyroid and Adrenal dysfunction: the diagnosis and treatment of an endemic syndrome" by Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield
Website : http://www.i-c-m.org.uk/Journal/2006/feb/a02.htm

Excellent article on understanding Adrenal Fatigue and Thyroid . I had such a hard time explaining this to my husband until I found Dr Durrant-Peatfield's article and gave him a copy to read.
I am waiting on my Hormone Saliva testing to come in. I am on pins andneedles wondeing what its going to show. I have a deep feeling I have female hormonal issues going on.
On March 25, 2007 , last Sunday, I celebrate 16 years in AA. That is I committed my life to the Lord and gave him my problems with alcohol and He delivered my from that awful bondage I was in ! I can't believe its been that long ago!

Zoom, Zoom!

ok, ok...I need to settle down. Lost 6 lbs and am going to change my maintenance again. 3 1/2 gr Armour and 30-35 HC, either in pill form, or cream. This is Tues the 20th , so lets see what happens. Im just not responding well to treatment that Ive practiced so far. Got some good direction on the forum @ Stop the Thyroid Madness.com site. Great, helpful people!

Ringing in ears

weight -over

shortness of breath, not so severe as its been.

Armour 3 1/2 grain

30-35 cortef- pill and cream

Calcium

Magnesium

Sea salt 1/4 tsp in water 2 times a day

Frump Day

Thats just how I feel, too. Frumppy. I am evening out to 97.7 during the day. The only thing I did different is to add 1/4 grain of Armour. Lets see. Im very depressed about my weight.

Learning more and more.

I cant believe how sick I really am. It took this long to realize how I must work my meds for my problems. I must get my temperature to quit fluctuating, and stay at an even temp. It can be low , but must not jump around. Then I can increase my Armour for the weight gain and all my other symptoms. I have to get the Cortef to work on my adrenaline and get them to stop jumping up and down. I am up to 171 tonight after a week of visitng and eating wrong foods! I am soooooooo depressed.

Confused is the Key Word!

Amanda ,Katelyn, Dakota ,Carrie

I am visiting this week. As a matter of fact, I am away right now and am staying at brother Chris' house. It is suppose to snow three to five inches today! Yuck! It is good to see everyone and nice to hold the new baby!

I need to take time and evalulated my regiment. I feel I have to stress dose too much , and I feel short of breath sometimes. I look for the old times, when a little exercising went along way to feeling better, but now it seems like "no Hope" I know I sound different than when I first started. I do feel better in some ways but It is also scarey in other ways. I dont like the feeling of short breaths. It is a real stopper, even in conversations. I sometimes have to stop and take a deep breath just to talk.
My father has pulminary fibrosous (sp). It is a terminal lung disease. I noticed alot of the Wagners have lung problems. I is interesting. It scares me I might be heading in the same direction. I smoked for 20 years! too bad I was so stupid. I also worked in a print shop for years, and am afraid I might have did some damage.
Im on Cortef about 50mg a day, Armour 4 grain....dropped alittle from having breathing problems. OH, this is so confusing!

Extreme dosing, Stress doses

I started uping my doses of Cortef because I couldn't get my temps up at all. I was staying at 97. 2 +- .
I then in turn am increasing my Armour. I am at 4 3/4 grain right now. I just cant believe I have to take this much but I cant stop now. Until I optimise I can really go into Hypothyroidism and its symptoms, big time! Its like once you start you cant stop midway in the process.

I am at 98 temp today, Yippee! At least I'm not having the shortness of breath. I really think this is due to the stress dosing of Cortef. When I feel it coming on, I take 5 mg.