Free t4 symptoms and conditions

I am a 48 year old woman, 5'1" (now 145 pounds). I had Mirena inserted almost exactly 5 years ago, and am scheduled to have it removed in 2 weeks. I gained 25 pounds over the course of the last three years; prior to that, my maximum weight for my whole (non pregnant) life was 123 (I was at 120 when Mirena was inserted, four years after the birth of my second child). I have always been very healthy, never abnormal blood tests except during my two pregnancies was tested as pre-gestational diabetic and had to watch my carbs.

I never put it together with Mirena until just recently, when I started doing research on hypothyroidism after a friend told me that my symptoms could be due to that problem. Depression, hair loss, acne on my back, and the terrible weight gain. I went to see my G.P. who referred me for blood work. I hoped to see evidence of low thyroid function (actual TSH value, 3.12 -- I was told this is normal on a range of .4 to 4.5). I also discovered that I now have high cholesterol (269 triglycerides, 251 total cholesterol, 46 HDL, and 151 LDL). My fasting (14 hours) glucose # is 99 (I was told this is normal on a range of 65-99 mg/dL), and my vitamin D, 25-OH is 21 (also was told this is still normal but low on a range of 20-100 ng/mL). I tried to give blood six months ago, and was turned down because of anemia, so I've been eating a lot of spinach, greens, and more red meat than I normally would, so I was interested to see if I am still anemic -- the red blood cell count is 3.8 (told it was normal on a range of 3.8-5.1 mill/uL). I mention these specific results because although I was told they were normal (except for cholesterol), when I physically went to the doctor's office and requested a copy of the results and did some research online I see that my thyroid IS actually low-functioning -- according to guidelines revised six years ago, anything over 3.0 is considered hypothyroid and should be treated. Plus, isn't a fasting glucose of 99 pretty high? Yet my doctor's only suggestion: diet and exercise. Good grief, I've been on a diet since I had my first child, 13 years ago. True, I don't exercise regularly (I'm a teacher and mom of 2; I never seem to have the me time.) I guess I have an excuse to get a gym membership now.

Also, for the last year I've had increasing pain in my shoulder (I couldn't lay on my side, for example, and lately I can't reach behind me or over my head). An x-ray turned up mild bone degeneration, but not enough to cause the pain I've been having. I was referred to an orthopedist, who today diagnosed a shoulder rotator cuff injury (I've had no injury; he says it is a common degenerative complaint in the over-40 crowd). He gave me a cortisone injection and I'll be on PT for a while to see if the pain goes away. If not, I'll have to have an MRI and surgery to correct the tear.

I'm posting all of this in case it might be useful to someone out there who might be going through the same thing. I had a thyroid test done about six years ago at my OB/GYN, and it was normal then (though I don't have the number; I'll get it in 2 weeks at the OB/GYN). It will be interesting to learn whether my thyroid level has gone up since Mirena. Also, although my research suggests that the effects of these synthetic hormones do not wear off for some time, possibly even years, I will finally feel like there may be hope if my symptoms improve over the next few months when Mirena is gone. If so, I will share it with you.

If you are reading this, perhaps you have a similar story. I wish I had been more aggressive about checking out the possible causes of my many symptoms, but I let them go for years because, I guess, I just figured I'm a healthy woman who is no longer young. (Oh, one more thing: for the first year or even two years that I had Mirena, I had incredibly heavy periods. The blood flow was similar to that during the day or two after the vaginal births of my daughters. Don't know if that's significant, but it took a couple of years for my periods to get fairly normal on Mirena.)

Everyone here PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! Dr. Holtorf in Torrence, California is the only one who tests for REVERSE T-3 and 80% of people are not being treated properly for thyroid function. The Holtorf Medical Clinic is the ONLY way you will find the answers and people are experiencing miracles.

I have been on Levoxyl for about 9 years and have felt awful. I have had weight loss, dry hair, thinning hair,dry skin, muscle aches, migraines and the list goes on. I just got out of the hospital Monday after 4 days of testing of my heart and lungs. I was admitted for racing heart. The doctor's conclusion was anxiety! They said that Levoxyl has nothing to do with my rapid heart rate. The endocrinologist prescribed taking levoxyl .050 on day and .075 the next also a beta blocker, Xanax and Zoloft. I can not take any of these meds b/c they make it almost worse. I KNOW it is not Anxiety and it from the Levoxyl but what do I do?? I am a mess right now can not be in this condition with four young kids and a husband. None of the doctors would say it was the Levoxyl and instead prescribed more and told me to check up with blood work in 6 weeks. I took the .050 yesterday around noon and by 7:30pm my heart rate picked up again and continued until 4:30 this morning. I can not sleep more then 2 hours at a time and wakeup feeling like I am crawling out of my skin. PLEASE let me know of any solutions.

Fluoroquinolones interfere with thyroid hormones. IMany of us (from another site) have found that we have Hashimoto's, which is that our autoimmune systems are attacking our thyroids. Also, there's a possibility that your adrenals are shot too. Now that I am on Armour (pig thyroid) all of the horrible tendon issues, anxiety, fibromyalgia and chronic-fatigue-like symptoms have abated. I am walking long distances again. Suggest that you all have these tests done: FREE T3, FREE T4, and thyroid antibodies test in addition to the TSH test that they will always do. Also, be aware that your TSH test score should NOT be above 2.0. Your docs will erroneously insist that anything under 5.0 is ok. WRONG. My scores were in the 3's before being floxed and in the 4's after. I also take tiny amounts of Cortef for my adrenal fatigue.

I have been on synthroid for years, my stool turned yellow and my doctor half the dose and my stool returned to nornal (brown) but I just had a Free T4, and TSH and the TSH is high. My doctor raised my synthroid 12mgs more, will this happen again if my synthroid is raised to high? My doctor is checking some every three months.

I have been on Synthroid for about 10 years. I've been taking dosages between 5 mcg's to my current 137 mcg's. I had my thyroid removed 3.5 years ago, due to an enlargement. Fortuantely, it was not cancerous.The side effects I have noticed have included weight gain, depression, anxiety, dry skin, and lethargy. None of these have been extreme, and my thyroid panals (TSH, Free T4, and T3) all come back within normal range when checked.Because I was at the low end of 'normal' my Endo increased my doasge from 112mcg to 125mcg to my current 137mcg. It's stopped my weight gain, and since i've been working out regularly for years, the weight is finally starting to come off.