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Risk of Low Dose Armour Thyroid long term

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
My ferritin has usually been low. Should have blood test results monday showing current ferritin and selenium and others. I knew dr Rind had a thyrkid chart I dont remember if I saw a temp chart.

its 430 am and im just now going to be able to fall asleep, I hope. I really dont get the constant changes my body goes thru.

I appreciate all the comments and suggestions. Even if I thought I knew the info with my imlaired memory it is good to hear it again.
 

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
Thanks for the rind link. Been treating b12 for 3 yearsbut not sure it is being absorbed or used in the methylation cycle. My last serum b12 was over 1800. I started out deficient. First year on cyanocobalamin shots 2xs per month but I never felt any different, better that most people report after the shot. Then dtarted on methylcobolamin drops. So b12 numbers went up at first blood check but still nit sure my cells are getting it, so numbers up in serum just have nit found research indicating you can have high serum b12 but still not benefit.
 

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
Thanks for reminding me about that temp graph. I need to plot my temps and see what they say. Only thing I disagree with is using a digital thermometer vs old fashion, maybe my digitals just are mot that accurate but I finf the traditional one more accurate.
 

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
Resistant starch really kicked my thyroid into high gear. You might want to look into that.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
its 430 am and im just now going to be able to fall asleep, I hope. I really dont get the constant changes my body goes thru. I appreciate all the comments and suggestions. Even if I thought I knew the info with my imlaired memory it is good to hear it again.

@roxie60 Don't be too hard on yourself and it sounds like you are doing the best you can. I forgot, do you have Hashimoto's disease or just plain hypothyroid? I did the temperature graphs stuff that you mentioned before I was officially diagnosed with Hashimoto's and I used both a digital and an old-school thermometer and in my case the numbers were always identical so I knew the digital thermometer was accurate. My temperature always runs low even before I ever had thyroid problems.
 

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
Right now told I have suboptimal thyroid and one dr called it hypothyroid even tjough my tsh number in range but slowly trending back up, that is when I was put on armour beginning of April.

I also did mg temp fof awhile using both and the digital never matched so I have stuck with the Mercury thermometer, I even bought another digital and iv memory serves it also did not match the ol fashion thermometer. I am finding it hardef to read the ol time thermometer but just feel it is more acurate.

I think tonight I will trg to gather old temp data ans see what shows up on a graph. I could not get my head around dr rinds graph instructions. And I use to be a systems programmer, a mind is a terrible thing to lose ....

I was going to just plot temp over date/time but he suggests using average and use a number representing the number of temps taken in a day...not sure right now how turn the pint into a number but maybe it will come to me when I start. Also need to prep for llmd visit this week. Just in a foul mood, sick of feeling sick and no control over my health situation, wantingto blame others but I know that is not right. Just trying to convince myself dricinf 3 hrs one way to see this llmd for a second time is going to be worth it. Also my significant other who left me 15 months ago lives only 20 minutes from this llmds office. Has me moody.

Oh well got to get ovef it and move forward. I just have no idea what I am suppose to do to prepare for this visit. What to focus on. I know my company is getting an si to get feedback on my status and may end benefits. Oh well need to leave it with God.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@roxie60 Did you feel that the LLMD was able to help you at your prior appt? I would say if you trust the doctor and are physically able to make the three hour drive then you should go for it (but do nothing but rest both prior to and after the appt.) Forget the fact that your ex lives near the doctor (I know, easier said than done!) and do not let that stop you if you feel this doctor can help your Lyme. Maybe he can even run your thyroid labs, too?
 

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
the llmd is the one that put me on armour and after reading about concerns with staying on low dose thyroid med i started wondering what is her experience with treating thyroid.

i felt very good about my first apponitment with llmd, that she was knowledgeable, did not dismiss my symps like past drs but i just feel less confident the more time that passes and i feel once again a dr has just left me on my own. ive spent years seeing drs with no sense of urgency about my health and complying with their tests, potions and apothecary, and waiting months between visits. i just wish the drs i had seen in years past i would not have wasted so much time and money trusting they would help me figure out what was wrong and have a plan to regain my health and life.

Now i feel so jaded it is hard when I dont seem to be progressing as fast as I want to not lose faith in a dr I barely know. I know that I have had some better days since my first visit with her I just dont have any confidence on whether the improvement was due to the treatment or just another recovery with a relapse waiting to hit me around the corner. I see so many bodily systems no longer functioning properly and I cant help but blame the lyme & co and stew over the fact if it had been diagnosed properly earlier I would not be dealing with all this.

I think I am just getting anxious with the visit coming and the way the last couple of weeks have been, had to cancel some appointments, worried I will not be able to drive and it would take a long time to get back in to see her. She had already been on two vacations since I say her first. I havent been on a vacation since 2004 - oh yea that is when I believe I got infected wih lyme and co. Im just grumpy and feel hot which makes me feel grumpy ;-)

Sorry Im just venting and getting OT. BTW, just took my temp

98.0 - mercury
98.2 - digitial1
97.9 - digital2

My temp does seem to be trending up, that has to be good. A month ago I had a low of 95.9, that one shocked me cause I always thought I stayed mostly in the 97.4-97.6 range. Should be interesting to chart the temps I have recorded.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@roxie60 I wish I knew how to advise you but my instinct is to keep the appt unless you feel you are too ill to drive. Is there anyone who can go with you or meet you there? I have experienced, as you said, many doctors with no sense of urgency re: my health issues with months in between appts and I ultimately did not stay with those doctors.

But if your first impression of the Lyme doctor was good, I would give her a second chance. I know how hard it is not to lose faith in all doctors or to second-guess the choices we made that could have led to our illness. For me, I have two major triggers of my illness and in both cases, if I knew then what I know now, I would have made different choices, but there is no way to go back in time. Believe me, I wish I could!

Good luck whatever you decide re: the appt. Also, your temps are not too bad and pretty close with all thermometers. My temp almost never goes above 98.0 and is usually in the 97 range even with Armour Thyroid. I wouldn't stress too much about that part right now and I think it is just part of the overall thyroid/CFS picture.
 

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
Did a temp graph for this past june and also last august. Temps all over between 95.9-99.1. Typically starts in 96-97 range when first get up. Rises during active period, no surprise. Im just surprised by the swings.
 

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
Since I mentioned in this thread I was waiting on tesg results here they are. Just listing ones out of range or nit at level dr recommend.

VDL Cholesterol 58 high
total cholesterol 216 high
Triglycerides 288 high
non HDL cholesterol 164 high
IDL cholesterol 26 high
Remnant Lipo. 52 high
probable metabolic syndrome (oh goodie another syndrome)
HDL2 10 low
VLDL3 26 high
LDL density pattern B- abnormal
Creatinine, serum 1.10 high
eGFR 57 low
BUN/creatinine ratio 12 (in range but low end)
Total bilirubin 0.3 (in range but low end)
AST 43 high
ALT 63 high
urinalysis WBC Esterase - abnormal
vitD3 43 lower than dr wants, I take 5000 vitD
vit B12 1025 high (this number has dropped since I reduced b12 drops, I dont think im absorbing b12)
Ferritin 47 in range but dr wants it 60-70

everything else in range. Expecting to do another thyroid test soon. at this point have no idea what tedts mihht be helpful other than cortisol 24hr.
 
Messages
2,565
Location
US
Most doctors are clueless, even endocrinologists. Sometimes they are the worst. Not many understand thyroid.

Dr Rind's method is take your temp 3 hours after you get up, 6 hours, and 9 hours and average them. That is your number for the day. Then you compare your number from 5 different days in a row. You can't have high stress, exercise, or food for 20 minutes before. I believe drinking within 20 minutes will skew the temperature too. Because of ME/CFS, I think we have to be very careful of physical activity before. I'd guess for us, something simple could be "exercise" to our bodies.

Almost everyone needs to increase their thyroid dose after 3-4 weeks at one level. Most people increase many times.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@roxie60 Did you end up going to the appt with your LLMD that you were debating about? I am assuming you did since you posted the test results. I hope the drive was not too bad and it was a useful appt.
 

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
I am driving to the apmt tomorrow. Hope to feel better than today. Stressing over the apmt cause just cant prepare the way I wanted. So costly and my body, mind beyrays me. over thinking, just want to make the most of time . Just dealing with anxiety, upset I just looked throgh notes from last two months and I wanted to teport I was doing better but not according to my notes. I want to give the dr info that will help her help me but I just cant get mentally organized.

got car ready, gased up, maps, tires cked. Her office manager suggested a timeline but I am having trouble netting out my experince over the last 2 months. My memory is fractured. Im so frustrated.

was able to have prayer time this morning but I just get out of sorts so easily. I covet prayers for safe round trip and productive time with llmd.

I am just dr and drugs, suplements weary
 

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
Thanks for the prayers. Got there and back safe and verg tired.

Llmd stopping azith and replacing with minocyclin sp? Staying on septra also and thd antifungals.

also adding Energy Multiplex. Mill pills....yeah
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
Thanks for the prayers. Got there and back safe and verg tired.

Llmd stopping azith and replacing with minocyclin sp? Staying on septra also and thd antifungals.

also adding Energy Multiplex. Mill pills....yeah

@roxie60 Glad you made it back safely and hoping the change in meds will be helpful and you could rest after the appt.