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Thanks for taking the post in the spirit in which it was intended. I guess the little "smiley face" wasn't enough for some readers.
In regards this whole thread, it seems members are aligned into two camps-- those that insist that vague feelings of fatigue, lack of energy, etc absolutely MUST be due to some subtle thyroid problem, despite normal, routine thyroid function tests, and those who realize that those are vague, nonspecific complaints and that normal, routine TFTs mean they should be looking elsewhere for the root of the complaints.
Subtle thyroid abnormalities rarely show any signs or symptoms. To get actual positive physical findings, one usually has to be way out of the normal range on tests.
If the thyroid is starting to poop out, the pituitary senses that and increases the TSH- telling the thyroid to work harder, so T4 remains in the normal range (ie- no symptoms of low T4 because it ain't low) until it finally can't do the job any longer and only then does T4 fall. That may take years.
Exactly! And the OP's TSH was 0.8 - which is in the lower end of normal. No reason at all to think that there's a problem with his/her thyroid at this point in time.
I'm still wondering why OP stopped taking Lexapro. She said, "My PCP did prescribe some Lexapro (generic) that made me feel like my old self, but I don't feel like that's the answer." and then said, "yes, the lexapro worked, but I felt even more dog tired after it wore off."
This thread started out with the OP asking about low T3 and then as more time went on, various other issues were brought into the picture, HRT, kidney disease, low BP, a car accident - probably more, but I'm not reading back through this whole thread to find out what they are. I'd be willing to bet that the OP has other health issues that haven't been mentioned here, and that's fine, but it does change the bottom line. Hopefully, when the OP sees a doctor, they are more forthcoming with a complete health history.
Anyway, it's pretty obvious to most of us, and to her PCP and her endocrinologist, that there is not an issue with the OP's thyroid.
Hair falling out suddenly and sudden bad fatigue were the symptoms I had from a Parathyroid tumor. A simple PTH (Parathyroid Hormone) bloodtest done early in the morning will usually catch the problem right away, but the test has to be done as early in the AM as possible. By lunchtime or afternoon the PTH level will drop down to low or normal. Occasionally you need to repeat the test once every week to catch the sudden high PTH llevel surge.
If you have a Parathyroid tumor it is benign 99% of the time, but it does mess you up. Vitamin D bloodtests will drop to low as the body will take vitamin D out of circulation, storing the Vitamin D in tissues, and release lots of calcium in your urine, causing osteoporosis and even transparent and crumbling teeth.
I went to the Norman Parathyroid Center in the Tampa General Hospital in Tampa Florida to have my Parathyroid tumor removed. It was a simple 20 minute operation, as they have a device that tests each Parathyroid during the operation to find out which Parathyroid is the problem, and needs to be removed.
My hair grew back and my osteoporosis on my bone scan is now gone, I have normal bone density. And my Vitamin D bloodlevels are now very good at 40.
So get the PTH bloodtest done, just make sure to get it drawn in the early morning.
In the short term a stimulant such as dexamphetamine gives you more energy, faster metabolism and more thyroid production. If you take it daily for more than several weeks, it impairs sleep. This leads to lower energy, slower metabolism and it also causes the thyroid to shutdown. This isn't documented in medical literature. The person who mentioned thyroid shutdown is a writer of the film fight club, Chuck Palahniuk. Rest is important but stimulant free sleep is essential.
If you use water filters, in the short term, pure water will help you flush toxins from your body. In the long term it will cause a shortage of minerals which will impair your bodies energy levels. Stick to unadulterated tap water. Drinking pure water for improved health is what stupid people do.
Excess doses of levothyroxine will cause less energy. Tiromel is generally ineffective or unnecessary. Dessicated thyroid may be a better choice if these other medications don't work.
Be careful of cow milk. Either the lactose impairs the absorption of levothyroxine or the toxins inside the milk are irritating the thyroid, causing it to become impaired. I had low energy levels for years. Then one day I adopted this stray baby lamb from a neighbours paddock on a farm nearby. The baby ram drank gallons and gallons of milk, which caused me to run out of milk for weeks. After I was forced to go without milk I suddenly felt better and my energy levels are drastically improved. So I have quit drinking milk now and I have gone back to taking minimum doses of levothyroxine just 2 of the 100 microgram tablets per week. So the baby lamb solved my thyroid problem. And he wasn't even a doctor. Blessing in disguise.
You don't need to take any advice, you just need to acknowledge these concepts, they're not documented in medical literature so it's unlikely that any doctor would know about them, knowing these 4 concepts, keep seeing your doctor they have an impressive set of skills too.
And of course drinking all the tap water which is MOSTLY fluoridated is pulling the iodine out of your thyroid....I take a drop of Iodine daily for years...and since I now drink tap water due to shortage of water delivery with this Virus, I am more aware....
My 60mg desiccated thyroid does me good and I've been able to reduce from 120mg to the 60mg since using Homeopathic HGH Gel on my skin.
I've learned some stuff in my life. And stopping with allopathic doctors has been huge in my life.
I know, my T3 is at the low end, and that's part of my gripe with them telling me it's normal. I asked the endo if my T3 was 2.3, would you still say it was normal...yes she said because my TSH is normal????
That's when I had to leave her office!!
I do take 50,000 i.u. of vit D2 once a week, but haven't lately cause I can't afford it. Will be ordering some next week tho.
What's the deal with iodine, and your thyroid thermostat? Please explain.
And you're so right....they didn't take my T4!!!
Believe me, I'd rather not see an endo either...was really hoping my PCP could help me.
You left the doctor's office after your doctor confirmed with you that your thyroid level was normal. There's your first clue right there as to why you're tired.
You're tired because you expend too much energy fighting against facts.
2.4 is within a normal range. It is not low. 2.2 is low. 2.4 is normal. Being at the "low end" of normal is still normal. It means "you're fine, but let's keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't drop further in 6 months."
Just like borderline high cholesterol - you don't need ANY meds if you're borderline. But once you get into that one single number above that borderline number - that's when you need to "do" something medically about it. And even if it goes a single number over the line the "do something" usually just means a modification in diet, not meds.
For thyroid - 2.4 is normal. Low end of normal but still within the range known as normal. Nothing needs to be done to increase your thyroid level, because it isn't low. It's normal.
I'm Certain in my mind and life's experience that SO MANY as they/we age need some thyroid support for that aging thyroid...it's screaming for help and doctors follow the numbers. I've been there for years. We are NOT numbers, we are all Unique and our body's needs are number by the numbers.....geeeezz
Before the lab world, old time doctors went with symptoms and prescribed small doses of desiccated thyroid and went from their with their patients....there are some 69 symptoms of SLUGGISH thyroid. Key is getting to a Smart MD who knows this and not being paid for the labs they do.
I'm Certain in my mind and life's experience that SO MANY as they/we age need some thyroid support for that aging thyroid...it's screaming for help and doctors follow the numbers. I've been there for years. We are NOT numbers, we are all Unique and our body's needs are number by the numbers.....geeeezz
Before the lab world, old time doctors went with symptoms and prescribed small doses of desiccated thyroid and went from their with their patients....there are some 69 symptoms of SLUGGISH thyroid. Key is getting to a Smart MD who knows this and not being paid for the labs they do.
Thyroid hormone makes a good placebo. If you take it when you do not need it, it just suppresses the natural production of hormone by the gland.
Most MDs do not do thyroid tests in the office. The sample is sent to an outside lab. At most they might collect a small fee for drawing the blood sample. There is a cost to the doctor for supplies and staff time to do that. Why shouldn't they charge for it? "Old time doctors" would have loved to have had the tests that are available now.
"The numbers" are derived by testing many people with no evidence of thyroid disease. If your numbers fall in the range derived from that normal population the great probability is that your thyroid function is normal, too. Under those circumstances, treating the thyroid just results in the real cause of the symptoms going unaddressed. Your physiology is not as "unique" as you think.
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It could be a Parathyroid problem
