Just wanted to add - that these articles are just a starting point for your own research to help you understand your thyroid concerns and as a guide to questions you might want to address with your doctor. This is an article explaining GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and LPR(laryngopharngeal reflux) which can mimic the swallowing/ hoarseness of thyroid disease Gerd and LPR I believe this to be the most comprenhesive source of thyroid on the internet - it will get as technical as you want, but there are also many sections that are easy to understand. Thyroid Manager About.com is another good source - Mary Shomon has thyroid disease and has published several books. living with hypothyroidism Guidelines for treatment per American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists MTA: 11/11/07 Estrogen and Levothyroxine

Lab Tests: Basic tests Free T3

Goitrogenic Foods

 

are foods that can interfere with your thyroid function - it doesn't mean that you can't eat any of them, but maybe use moderation. Some of the effects are lessened in some of those foods if consumed cooked rather than raw. If you do a search on "goitrogens" or "goitrogenic foods" you will find more info.

I knew about spinach, but peanuts, soy, coffee, peaches, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, sweet potatoes...DAMM! many things that I eat regularly

Okay, I have to say that coffee doesn't show up on all of the lists.....

 

& I found this website: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

 

Tell me whatcha think?

 

Cindy - I have found a lot of good info and articles on that site - BUT - I am personally not in complete agreement with everything that is being promoted. I don't think that everyone should be on Armour, and not everyone can tolerate it. The main point being made is that our bodies need to take in T3 as well as T4. The problem, when you take T3 orally, it isn't hitting your system the same way as when it is being released into your bloodstream by your thyroid. Some people can't tolerate taking T3, even in small doses, other people do just fine with it. There is no question that just taking T4 replacement is a much safer way to go - and  I think it's worth giving it a sufficient trial before adding T3 to the mix - especially if you still have at least partial function of your thyroid. The other hormones being produced are calcitionin which helps control calcium flow in/out of your bones - your parathyroids also function to do this and they are not affected by thyroid disease. As far as T1 and T2 go - we just don't know enough about them to say what effect they have, if any. I've looked at the molecular structure of thyroxine (with the help of my DH who is a ChemE), as well as reading research articles, and the current thought  is that they are just remnants of the breakdown process of T4 to T3 - do they also help with conversion? We just don't have the technology yet to say. Armour has set proportions of T4 to T3 and those ratios may not be optimum for you, and right now there is also a shortage in some areas as so many patients are requesting to switch to this brand. If you do decide to go this route - check availability in your area first. I've known people who swear by Armour and others who simply couldn't tolerate it at all.

 

I do believe that I have a problems with conversion. I have supplemented with everything I can come up with to assist conversion, in particular paying attention to getting adequate selenium and getting my ferritin levels up to the 50-70 range. I did have a trial of cytomel and synthroid - I went hyper on a relatively low dose (even though my thyroid levels never went above the "normal" range). Ask anyone who has been hyper - it is not a good place to be.

 

The hardest thing about thyroid disease - is that there is no quick fix. It takes time to find the right dose, it takes time to reach stable levels, it takes time for your body to recover from being hypo and for your symptoms to resolve after you do reach stable levels.

 

If you are wondering whether or not adding T3 to your medication would help - you need to get your FT3 levels checked as well as your FT4. If you have autoimmune disease, than you should be having your FT4 checked by direct dialysis - that method cleans out any antibodies that could be interferring and giving a false high result to your FT4, and that false high will definitely affect how your doc is going to want to adjust your doses.

 

I do believe that you have the right to be symptom free and you should pursue it, but I also think that if T4 alone can work for you (and it does for many people), then it's a safer and easier way to take your thyroid meds.

http://nahypothyroidism.org/deiodinases/

 

This is a link to the National Academy of Hypothyroidism. It was started by an MD who currently runs a clinic on anti-aging in California. There are quite a few interesting articles on their site.

Hi Elly! Love your photos - I even bought the one you took of me at the Monkey 2 years ago .

 

I couldn't find that article anymore, I'll remove the link.

 

It's great that you have a doc who is willing to try you with cytomel. Did he drop your dose of synthroid or just add the  Liothyrnine? Have you had your free T3 levels checked? I'm betting that it will make a difference for you, once you get the right doses going. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

Cheryl

your morning coffee may be interfering with your medication absorption....

http://thyroid.about.com/od/thyroiddrugstreatments/a/Coffee-Espresso-Thyroid-Medication-Levothyroxine.htm?nl=1

 

I remember a study regarding a multi-vitamin doing the same years back which had me moving my multi's to at night...I'm to the point now where I think I'll just take my thyroid meds first thing in the a.m. and wait 60 minutes before I eat or drink ANYTHING. As if this stupid disorder wasn't frustrating enough.