I'm on 50 mcg of Synthroid (had been stable for a year or so, after increasing from a year or so on 25 mcg), then after the Summer From Hell last year, when I was nauseous constantly and just doing very badly overall (which turned out to be abdominal migraines, after an extensive workup starting with a GI, going through a GYN, ENT, my eye doctor, and a neurologist), it was determined that I needed T3 as well.
Now we have to figure out how much T3. I was on 25 mcg, which was too much, so we cut it in half, and that's too little. Aiming for the happy middle this time. The T4 level was fine last month. I'm borderline hypothyroid. When we started treatment, my TSH was 2, which is the upper limit of normal. But my pharmacy school profs said, "treat the patient, not the number," and I was symptomatic. On 25 mcg, my TSH went down to 1-1.5, so I guess it was actually borderline.
There's a lot of medical debate on when to start treatment of hypothyroidism, and whether a TSH of 2 is where it should start, or if the current standard of 5 is where it should stay. The problem with letting the hypothyroidism go uncontrolled for so long is that it sucks for the patient, who's lethargic or cold or whatever other symptoms they have, and it could lead to long-reaching repercussions. Ask two endocrinologists, get three answers...
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chiming
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Date: 2011-04-15 07:12 pm (UTC)From:Now we have to figure out how much T3. I was on 25 mcg, which was too much, so we cut it in half, and that's too little. Aiming for the happy middle this time. The T4 level was fine last month. I'm borderline hypothyroid. When we started treatment, my TSH was 2, which is the upper limit of normal. But my pharmacy school profs said, "treat the patient, not the number," and I was symptomatic. On 25 mcg, my TSH went down to 1-1.5, so I guess it was actually borderline.
There's a lot of medical debate on when to start treatment of hypothyroidism, and whether a TSH of 2 is where it should start, or if the current standard of 5 is where it should stay. The problem with letting the hypothyroidism go uncontrolled for so long is that it sucks for the patient, who's lethargic or cold or whatever other symptoms they have, and it could lead to long-reaching repercussions. Ask two endocrinologists, get three answers...