Iodine Skin Test 2

So... since taking my iodine supplements, I redid the iodine skin test, to see if I'm still deficient.

The damn thing faded faster than even before. I don't know what to do. I guess we'll figure it out when I go back to the doctor in a couple weeks!

I suck at remembering to post. I'll remember. Soon.

Iodine Skin Test

It's been a while since I've posted here, but I finally secured a bit of nature-throid (at least one months' supply, eek) and took an iodine skin test. A lovely pharmacist named Mike (I think) at Andrew's Pharmacy in Winston-Salem told me to take this test since I felt great on my thyroid for about 2 weeks and went back to poopy feelings, fatigue and listlessness again:

Buy a tincture of iodine. It'll say "iodine tincture" and has to be at least 2%. You want to draw a 2 inch square or so on any part of your bare skin before bedtime. If you wake up and notice a marked difference or fading, you have iodine deficiency and should probably discuss what dose to put yourself on with supplements with your physician. Me, being the roguish sort I am, decided to just try one Iodoral for a month and then to redo my test. It'll be a few weeks before I can do that again, but I have noticed a slight more mental crispness.

PS - I've lost about 4 pounds (without trying. no gym, no food switches other than not eating as much as just the levothyroxine made me) on natural thyroid. The combo really seems to be helping in terms of weight!

Hypothyroidism Symptoms

Hypothyroidism can often go untreated and unnoticed to due the wide variety of symptoms that can occur at even the slightest imbalance of thyroid hormone.

You see, the thyroid is a very delicate, butterfly shaped organ at the base of your neck. The reason that the symptoms very so much with thyroid disease is because the thyroid regulates an incredible amount of bodily functions- fertility, body temperature and metabolism to name a few.

My personal symptoms include having a fuzzy brain or thoughts, inability to concentrate, constant exhaustion (even after sleeping), migraine headaches, inability to lose weight despite a healthy diet and exercise, constant inflammation of joints and aches in my upper back especially, and hair loss. I also have varying degrees of bouts with depression.

Other people experience a vast variety of symptoms:

• Inability to stave off infection
• Depression
• Constant chills
• Irregular menstruation
• Lack of libido
• Mood swings
• Weight gain
• High cholesterol
• Lowered ability of senses to operate (ie: visual, hearing, touch, taste, smell)
• Slow recovery after illness
• Constant aches and pains
• Hair loss
• Inability to lose weight
• Infertility
• Lack of stamina, even with day to day things

You're also more likely to have hypothyroidism if you or a blood relative has had any autoimmune diseases. For instance, my great grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis, which definitely could be a factor as to why I have possibly autoimmune thyroid and hypothyroidism. There are also many physical signs that can demonstrate low thyroid, as well.

• Dry, rough elbows
• Brittle, thinning hair
• Muscle weakness
• Swelling of limbs
• Decreased reflexes
• Decreased ability to think and react
• Slow pulse
• Low blood pressure

Of course, on top of these lists there are far more symptoms and these barely scratch the surface. If you or someone you love has experienced any of these symptoms, you may want to suggest, or go to your physician yourself, and request a TSH test. I didn't know what was wrong with me for a long, long time and thought I was seriously ill. I thought I might have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, and while those have been shown to have relation to thyroid function, I finally figured out it was my thyroid (or it being attacked or it being sluggish!) that was the culprit.

Current Status

I am currently:

• 21 years old
• 5'2" (approx. 1.6 meters)
• 134 pounds (60.7 kgs or 9.5 stones)

TSH: 3.421 within a range o 0.350-4.500
**A note about my TSH: It was better when I was on Synthroid for approximately one month. (I think it was 1.0 something) Now it's gone back up!
Free T4: 1.17 within a range of 0.89-1.80
Free T3: 3.3 within a range of 2.3-4.2
Glucose: 94 within a range of 70-99
**I was put on a glucose supplement to try to correct this along with my diet plan.
DHEA Sulfate (Adrenal Gland Function) 332 within a range of 65-380 for my age group.
**This is fairly high for my age group. The doctor said it was because my adrenals are working overload due to my apparent weight, though I'd say I'm not large at 134 pounds.
Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Antibodies: 533.8 out of range of 0.0-60.0
**This according to my doctor means that I possibly have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. It could also be because of my goiter.

I am currently taking Armour Thyroid 15 mg, switched from Synthroid 25 mcg. I am due for a TSH test again in approximately 2.5 months.

I am still having the symptoms of fatigue, fuzzy thoughts, lack of concentration, slight depression, inability to lose weight, trouble getting to sleep.

I was put on a great multivitamin that seems to be doing its job well. A week after taking it I noticed a slight, but definitely obvious improvement in how I felt.

The doctor also put me on Quercetin, some enzymes because I have major food allergies (most people with hypothyroidism have allergies to at least *something*), a wonderful probiotic and the glucose control. He also put me on sublingual melatonin to help me sleep, however after researching on hypothyroidism and supplements, foods and minerals that might inhibit your thyroid's production, I found that melatonin has been shown to do such. I was at a minimal dose (1 mg) for a short period of less than a month however, before I stopped taking it.

In 3 months, I will repost my test results and in between them write up articles I've found regarding thyroid.

First Post

I am creating this blog mostly as a reference for myself and other people with hypothyroidism. There is a lot of mystery going on with this widespread disease and I feel that maybe if I begin to write about my experiences, issues, positives and negatives it will help those suffering with this disease.

I was diagnosed in October of 2008 with hypothyroidism by a general practitioner. I promptly began synthetic hormone replacement therapy using the generic levothyroxine (T-4). For a couple weeks after my initial therapy, which started at the lowest dose of 25 mcg, I felt good, refreshed and energized. However, that subsided and I continued with my therapy. Even though my thyroid levels became more normal over time, my symptoms of fatigue, depression, headaches, hair loss, inability to lose weight, inability to focus were all still present.

Around April of 2009, I asked my GP if they would switch me to the natural Armour Thyroid. However, they declined saying there wasn't enough evidence that the natural thyroid (which contains both t-3 and t-4) was a viable option. So, they put me on Synthroid.

My levels improved dramatically, but I was still having the symptoms above. I finally decided to try to find someone who would attempt to put me on Armour Thyroid. I did, and he is also an integrative medicine doctor which means he also uses natural supplements and remedies for myriads of problems.

So, this is where I am today. I am minutely feeling better after being on Armour Thyroid for a few weeks. My energy level has improved somewhat but I am still having a lot of the aforementioned symptoms again. My hypothyroidism has also led to a variety of associated problems such as elevated blood sugar, low adrenal function, a goiter and low blood pressure. I have been put on supplements in an effort to remedy this as well as a specific diet I am supposed to follow but am finding it hard on a college kid who works in a pharmacy's salary.

I will post up different and various articles through research and reading in hopes that other people can use this blog as a reference to their own medical mystery myriad; especially for those people who think they are just depressed, just tired from work, et cetera. Low thyroid is a growing problem that needs to be addressed.