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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by danelor on May 30, 2003, at 9:37:51
I have been trolling these boards every day since I first stumbled across them about 2 months ago. This is a great site! For example, I have been treated for hypothyoroidism for 15 years. I have no idea what type. No doc has even mentioned that. My TSH has never been below 3.8 It usually runs in the 4 to 5 range. All my docs thought this was perfectly normal. However, for years I have felt "somewhat" depressed. The only symptoms are anhedonia and low energy. So my docs try several AD's with no effect. I come to this site and find out that I am never been in the euthroid range for the 15 years I have been treated (ENDO's new range is 3.0 to .35 right?). I also had never heard about cytomel. I put together some research and took it to my doc. He hadn't heard of cytomel either. He agreed to try it, but followed the directions in one of the articles and cut back my Levoxyl (from .125 to .075). He started me out on only 5 micrograms of cytomel. The pharmacy said they never carry that low of a dose and had to order it. After one month we do another TSH and guess what?!?!?!
I'm cured!!!! Oops, no, thats right high numbers are bad on the TSH. It was 6.5
But hey, at least I'm on the right track now. Once I can get a TSH of around 1 or 2, I believe most of what I have thought as depression will go away.
So, I would like to thank everyone for this site and all the info that is exchanged. I have been fascinated by the depth of knowledge availabe. You can find more info on everything from SAME-e to bupenorphine. Often it is more active than what you get at the Docs office.Take care,
Dane
Posted by judy1 on May 30, 2003, at 12:30:33
In reply to First post.... hello everyone!, posted by danelor on May 30, 2003, at 9:37:51
welcome to the board and thanks for the reminder about TSH #s- it's time for me to check all that again (post pregnancy). I'm glad you're feeling better-judy
Posted by froggyanna on May 31, 2003, at 16:50:52
In reply to First post.... hello everyone!, posted by danelor on May 30, 2003, at 9:37:51
Hi Dane,Great first post! Thanks for talking about your thyroid situation and about how uninformed a lot of doctors are about this aspect of our health. I just got off the phone with my 24-year-old daughter (birthday today!) who, at my urging, "got her thyroid tested," and what were the results? She's fine..... Yes, well, according to WHO? I asked her if she knew the numbers. No, they just told her over the phone (it's an HMO). I told her to call the office and get a copy of her test results, then to mail it to me so I can look at it, and then I would let her know if any information is missing (if they didn't take all the tests that they should have). She's doing great in her life and her career, but..... she's tired a lot! I told her that she needs to find a doctor who isn't just "thyroid-by-the-numbers" and I gave her some idea of what the numbers need to be. And that she might not feel great even if the numbers are really good and that a good doctor would really work to fine tune the meds she takes so that she CAN feel good.
My own situation is that I have Hashimoto's Disease (thyroid antibodies). I have been taking Levoxyl for a little over a year and Synthroid for many years before that. I've only just discovered that I probably need to be taking Cytomel as well as Levoxyl (or a combination of both T4 and T3, like Thyrolar) (or a natural alternative, like Armour). Something. I just found a new doctor who ordered all the tests for me, and I will be seeing him in about 10 days to go over the results. He told me that T3 is sometimes *just* the little boost that people need to get their thyroid back in order and help them feel NOT depressed and NOT tired and NOT depressed BECAUSE they are tired, etc., etc., etc.
I also have ADD and have just begun treatment for that. (I've written alot about it in other threads.) I'm not quite at the point where I've got the ADD licked, but rather than doing too much juggling with the psychoactive meds at this point, I'm going to just keep doing what I'm doing now and wait to see how my thyroid treatment helps me. Once I've got that stabilized (if that's possible), then I'll re-address the dosages for Straterra or Wellbutrin or anything else I'm taking.
I think that a lot of people who are having trouble with all the meds they are taking due to side effects, or who just can't seem to get the right combination, might want to do the same as you are -- look into the possibility that their thyroid function is out of whack before they keep struggling with other approaches. Cuz if your thyroid is working well, it's really like a new lease on life!! I felt that myself at one point a few years ago, and I want to get that back!
Good luck with all you're doing,
frogganna
This is the end of the thread.
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