Another Lab Report

This is an actual graph of my last five TSH values. One neat thing that Kaiser has on their website if you are a member.

Just got the results of my current TSH lab. I'm now at a value of .2 with the normal ranges being .2-5.5. Of course I will be told that I am in the 'normal' range and nothing should be done with my medication. I think that they would be right in regards to the medication. It's probably more of the way I've been taking them.

In theory, you should take your thyroid meds the same way at the same time everyday. In reality, my brain fog kind of hinders my ability to 'remember' to take these meds, so I'm taking at different times and sometimes close together. I'm going to try and make more of an effort to take them at the same time everyday even if it means hearing an alarm go off on my phone 3x a day.

What I do know is that, if I'm in the higher range values and in the lower range values, I don't feel well. There were days when I was in the higher range where I felt almost comatose. I would want to just close my eyes while driving, and that's not good. The lower range seems to bring on the symptoms of hyperthyroidism (when there's too much thyroid production-overactive). Hence, the reason I'm losing LOTS of hair right now. But then again, on the higher end I lose hair as well.

It is totally possible to have hypothyroid and be hyperthyroid as well. Another lovely symptom on the hyper end is being hungry all the time. Now you know that I'm struggling like crazy to lose weight, and I'm sure this can't be helping. I will say that I've been decent in my eating habits for the most part. But, being on the hyper end has been making crave a lot of junk. Did I succumb to some of those cravings? Unfortunately, yes. I know now why I'm having those cravings, so I know that I need to be at around 1.0 to feel my best. Anything over or under, my body just wants to give me a hard time.

Here's an interesting fact, those who don't have any thyroid problems usually have a TSH level of 1.3. There are many who have over that, but because it's considered normal, they're not giving the extensive testing. Millions have thyroid disease and never know it. Some, like myself for the first four years or so of my disease, get dismissed, un/misdiagnosed. If you feel the symptoms of thyroid disease then MAKE your doctor give you the right tests. If he/she's not willing to do it, then it's time for another doctor.

I'm grateful that I finally was able to get Cytomel. I had to ask for it, but it's made all the difference in the world. My very first TSH test after arriving in California was 3.9 then it went to 4.5, 4.2. Luckily, I had changed doctors in the Kaiser system who actually would change my meds to help me feel better and stabilize. I did eventually see an Endocrinologist who I had to ask the Cytomel for. Like I said, I'm going to try taking my meds different so they're not lumped so close together, and I'm not getting too much thyroid hormone. In these eight plus years I still have not had my TSH levels stable out. All trial and error I suppose. I know my body better than anyone else.