Please Help!

Hi, that is not really a very big fluctuation in TSH. As you point out it is still in normal range and can move around from one test to the next. At this point therefore it is hard to pin your symptoms on the thyroid, especially as you don’t mention tiredness which would be expected if you were hypothyroid.

Your ranges are in range but not optimal. Optimal T3 uptake is 35%. +. Optimal TSH is 1.or below. Your FT4 and FTI need to be higher to raise T3 uptake. Have FreeT3 and reverse T3 ratio done. Gaining weight raises Reverse T3 and so does restricted dieting. Did you have antibodies done? Can't blame your overweightness on thyroid though. The extra pounds may be causing these results.

Hello J, I’ve been struggling with thyroid disease for some time now and will tell what I wish I’d known 20 years ago.

If you have a growth on your thyroud, you have thyroid disease and your metabolism will fluctuate, as wil your weight.  

You’ll need to keep a close eye on your health. As thyroid disease advances, it can toggle between hypo and hyperthyroidism 

Watch your cycles and emotions. I found when my cycle started going wonky and I was crying for no reason, it was a sign that the thyroid disease was putting so much strain on my system that the rest of the endocrine system was very stressed, including adrenal exhaustion. Yet, my thyroid numbers were still well ‘in range’ and I could feel my cyst being active, swelling, etc.

Early on, (within 5 years of the onset of the cyst) I was able to get my thyroid disease into remission. I was determined to lose the weight, changed my diet to higher protein and more natural, gave up trying satisfy cravings and worked out like crazy. I then moved to a warm climate, where I developed a habit of low cal, high protein smoothies because it was always very warm. Once in the warm climate, I spent a blissful 10 years delighting in my slender figure.

Until I felt my thyroid go really wonky. I felt the environment was contributing to my thyroid disease and moved back to a slightly cooler (though still warm climate). The lower toxicity in the area I moved to helped, but the cold climate has been really tough.

The take home is that high protein, clean, low fat diet and warm climate two major contributing factors to my remission.

I feel the thyroid disease was retriggered by a combination of environmental factors and stress. I could feel my thyroid gland and it felt like the cyst was “stupid” cells: precancerous. I did a ton of tesearch and used supplememts and acupuncture to reduce the size of the cyst. However, I’d gotten roped into the thyroid medication game out of fear that my weight would balloon out if control and the thyroid disease would progress unfettered if I didn’t take medication. I was determined to stick with the natural, but as time progressed, I moved, changed docs, was stressed, I eventually succumbed to the pressure of synthetic meds. That was the biggest mistake, as they have no biologicsl activity and suppress your own production of thyroxin, but show up in blood tests. So it looks like your numbers are all fine, but all your symptoms are actually worse because the meds do nothing but block thyroxin receptor sites, and suppressing your own thyroxin production. A double whammy for the poor thyroid, which then freaks out and grows like crazy to try and fix the body. All the time being poisoned by the meds, which have really accellerated the thyroid disease.

Now nearly ten years later and off the thyroid meds, its a slow recovery and now I’m stuck with the original hypothyroid disease and the multiple autoimmune effects of the levithyroxin, severe bone loss, constant bone fractures, crush injuries, constant pain, chronic pancreatitis, migraines... and oh yes, massive weight gain and edema. I will never work a full time job again. I don’t feel anything like the person I was ten years ago. It’s been very traumatic.

The take home is that the thyroid meds aren't a guaranty fix and can cause way more harm than good. You’re better off trying supplements and diet changed and exercise in your own using trual and error methods. My majic formula includes essential amino acid complex supplements and  phenylalanine for the hypothyroid disease and treating the chronic pancreatitis with diet, supplements and fasting. I also go to acupuncture regularly, take herbs and supplements as needed and cleanse frequently.  Particularly, I make sure I cleanse the liver and gallbladder. 

Well, that’s most of my magic formula. I’m slowly recovering from the storm of insanity of the Levothyroxin, which culminated in months of bedrest due to a broken foot. I’ve been off the levo over two years and I’m just getting to the point where I can kind of keep up a regular exercise routine. I’m still not up to walking a lot because of the broken foot. I’m hoping I won't continue to have broken bones,  which when they break are so bad that I can’t much exercise. They don't just have a little break, the whole bone splits in multiple places due to the bone loss.

I’m not kidding when I say, you’re better off finding what’s  at the core of your illness and taking steps to prevent the advancement of the disease, than expecting medication to fix the problem. The medication doesn’t fix the problem. You can put a bandage over a splinter and it will kind of feel better, but the splinter is still there...

Catherine, I understand your position. I had a different experience. Around 30 years ago I started the classic symptoms of fatigue, took the blood tests and was diagnosed Hypothyroid. I went on Synthroid and it fixed the problem. Totally. I was able to hold down a high stress corporate job and raise a family. So am I a fan of Synthroid? You bet! Now a couple of years back I started the tiredness again, and that is a problem but I’m 75 so what can I say?