I went to a new doctor and I'm not so sure about her. The reason was after our visit she suggested a bunch of suppliments that I could buy "downstairs".
She said my progesterone and thyroid were low. I've had problems with thyroid before. I just had those tested 2 months ago by a "regular MD". They were normal. I only had them done again because she had some other stuff to test along with it.
She wants me to start on Armour and progesterone cream. Anyone ever try the cream?
I've been on Synthroid in the past. I don't know. . . I guess I'm just confused on if I should trust her or just go to a psych.
I'm not convinced the thyroid and progesterone will help with my primary problem which has been bad panic lately.
Progesterone and Thyroid Antibodies
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Guest
Hmm... what are your thyroid levels? If you are in doubt, you can investigate the numbers for yourself and see if you think you need to have them adjusted. Most doctors will stick to the normal range and say that you are either "well" or "sick" depending on whether the results are say 0.51 or 0.49 or in your case, 5.51 or 5.49. That's pretty ridiculous, IMHO. Also, this scale is extremely long...
Panic attacks are more often seen in hyperthyroidism than hypothyroidism, which you then would have - your typical symptoms should be sluggishness, feeling cold, weight gain, depression, dry hair and skin, etc.
I have heard good things about the creams for PMS and perimenopause symptoms. Never tried it myself. Not sure how it would impact panic attacks.
Panic attacks are more often seen in hyperthyroidism than hypothyroidism, which you then would have - your typical symptoms should be sluggishness, feeling cold, weight gain, depression, dry hair and skin, etc.
I have heard good things about the creams for PMS and perimenopause symptoms. Never tried it myself. Not sure how it would impact panic attacks.
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Guest
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Guest
My numbers are:
T4 -- 1.41 (.73-1.95)
TSH -- 1.8 (.3-5.1)
DHEA SULFATE 145 -- (35-430)
T3 -- 3.0 (2.3-4.2)
Thyroid Peroxidase AB -- 163 (<35)
Thyroglobulin AB -- 52.6 (<40)
ANA Panel - positive
She suggested Armour to see if it helps with my symptoms. She suggested progesterone also.
She also gave me some Klonapin to help out with sleep as needed.
T4 -- 1.41 (.73-1.95)
TSH -- 1.8 (.3-5.1)
DHEA SULFATE 145 -- (35-430)
T3 -- 3.0 (2.3-4.2)
Thyroid Peroxidase AB -- 163 (<35)
Thyroglobulin AB -- 52.6 (<40)
ANA Panel - positive
She suggested Armour to see if it helps with my symptoms. She suggested progesterone also.
She also gave me some Klonapin to help out with sleep as needed.
Faith,
One thing I can tell you, is those antibodies are too high.
Mine are as well, and this is consistent with Hashimoto's.
I would also want to tell you, I know you described this doctor as a new doctor for you, but after having read alot about thyroid disease, you may have found a great Dr. right off the bat.
First off, even though your antibodies are higher than normal, your TSH is right in normal range.
So, you may be in the very early stages of autoimmune thyroid disease.
To have a doctor diagnose this AND prescribe treatment, is really good. Alot of doctors won't even prescribe treatment if your blood results come back as normal- regardless of your symptoms.
Secondly, she is prescribing Armour. I don't want to go conspiracy theory on you, but to say that the makers of Synthroid haven't done a great job marketing their product to grab the majority of the market share would be a terrible falsehood.
There are even movements to abolish it. In the UK, their health board said that doctors can't prescribe it anymore.
Indeed, there are serious factors at work behind the scenes (read:$$$$$).
So, having the freedom to choose medication I find especially valuable.
But to have your doctor start with Armour speaks volume about her approach, and in my opinion she sounds like she could be a great asset.
One thing I can tell you, is those antibodies are too high.
Mine are as well, and this is consistent with Hashimoto's.
I would also want to tell you, I know you described this doctor as a new doctor for you, but after having read alot about thyroid disease, you may have found a great Dr. right off the bat.
First off, even though your antibodies are higher than normal, your TSH is right in normal range.
So, you may be in the very early stages of autoimmune thyroid disease.
To have a doctor diagnose this AND prescribe treatment, is really good. Alot of doctors won't even prescribe treatment if your blood results come back as normal- regardless of your symptoms.
Secondly, she is prescribing Armour. I don't want to go conspiracy theory on you, but to say that the makers of Synthroid haven't done a great job marketing their product to grab the majority of the market share would be a terrible falsehood.
There are even movements to abolish it. In the UK, their health board said that doctors can't prescribe it anymore.
Indeed, there are serious factors at work behind the scenes (read:$$$$$).
So, having the freedom to choose medication I find especially valuable.
But to have your doctor start with Armour speaks volume about her approach, and in my opinion she sounds like she could be a great asset.
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Guest
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Guest
hmmm...
...that is a really tough question.
I had a terrible (work related?) panic attack period when I thought it was food poisoning (based on the symptoms), only to have the thyroid problem discovered.
I started 50 mcg of Levo, was it for 2.5 years, and it brought down my TSH and I did feel better.
Then, I got married, my wife immediately wanted a house and kids and I knew that she was down because I was not at the same place, my job was horrific (being threatened every day with getting fired, alot of bully management, spying, etc), I was putting alot of pressure on myself to wrk full-time AND go to school full-time so that I could get out of said job-from-hell, but I am going to school for education and where I lived, jobs were few and far between, so that put pressure on me...
...So I broke down, gradually had increasing symptoms of anxiety which grew into panic attacks.
at the behest of my wife's sister-in-law, I switched to synthroid, thinking that the generic medication (levo) may have been causing/ driving the anxiety.
it made no difference, but then I started to get periodic heart palps.
last august, my old Doc dropped my dosage down to 25 mcg.
I felt less tense, not hot or flushed anymore, and happier.
but something was missing, and I wanted to try the natural approach.
So i switched to Armour.
Has it helped my anxiety?
Well, with the help of this program and through my counselor, I have always had anxiety. It just never interfered or reached a level to disrupt my life like it has these past 3 years.
So, is it thyroid or is it just anxiety?
Does it make a difference? Anxiety is anxiety. believe me, I have wrapped my head around this one (what came first, the chicken or the egg?).
I have since left said toxic job for almost a year now. My anxiety has been reducing gradually each month since leaving.
But I also made life changes. I am finishing up my degree (1 semester to go- yeah), and working part-time. My wife and I moved back to a more abundant job market. And we bought a condo. We just gave birth to a baby boy, and I think that this hanging over my head made me anxious.
So, to answer your question: I really don't know.
I'm not as anxious as I was 1 year ago. I'm not as anxious as I was 6 months ago. Each month is getting better. I barely have any symptoms.
But I can't tell you if it is thyroid related or just alot of bad things all happening at once and my flawed way of trying to handle it all.
...that is a really tough question.
I had a terrible (work related?) panic attack period when I thought it was food poisoning (based on the symptoms), only to have the thyroid problem discovered.
I started 50 mcg of Levo, was it for 2.5 years, and it brought down my TSH and I did feel better.
Then, I got married, my wife immediately wanted a house and kids and I knew that she was down because I was not at the same place, my job was horrific (being threatened every day with getting fired, alot of bully management, spying, etc), I was putting alot of pressure on myself to wrk full-time AND go to school full-time so that I could get out of said job-from-hell, but I am going to school for education and where I lived, jobs were few and far between, so that put pressure on me...
...So I broke down, gradually had increasing symptoms of anxiety which grew into panic attacks.
at the behest of my wife's sister-in-law, I switched to synthroid, thinking that the generic medication (levo) may have been causing/ driving the anxiety.
it made no difference, but then I started to get periodic heart palps.
last august, my old Doc dropped my dosage down to 25 mcg.
I felt less tense, not hot or flushed anymore, and happier.
but something was missing, and I wanted to try the natural approach.
So i switched to Armour.
Has it helped my anxiety?
Well, with the help of this program and through my counselor, I have always had anxiety. It just never interfered or reached a level to disrupt my life like it has these past 3 years.
So, is it thyroid or is it just anxiety?
Does it make a difference? Anxiety is anxiety. believe me, I have wrapped my head around this one (what came first, the chicken or the egg?).
I have since left said toxic job for almost a year now. My anxiety has been reducing gradually each month since leaving.
But I also made life changes. I am finishing up my degree (1 semester to go- yeah), and working part-time. My wife and I moved back to a more abundant job market. And we bought a condo. We just gave birth to a baby boy, and I think that this hanging over my head made me anxious.
So, to answer your question: I really don't know.
I'm not as anxious as I was 1 year ago. I'm not as anxious as I was 6 months ago. Each month is getting better. I barely have any symptoms.
But I can't tell you if it is thyroid related or just alot of bad things all happening at once and my flawed way of trying to handle it all.
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Guest
I hear you. Theh last couple of years have come with a TON of changes for me too. . .and its hard to know what stuff is physical and what is life stress (move, lawsuite, loss of a family member, trouble at work, husband in and out of work, husband depressed, mother's health changing. . . the points add up)
I had a couple of really bad spells of anxiety lately with 3-5 days of insomnia and not able to eat. I lost like 10lbs. . .which was sort of good cuz I'd gained 15 when going on the pill and then had only lost 5 in 2 months.
Anyway it sounds like you're on the right track!
I had a couple of really bad spells of anxiety lately with 3-5 days of insomnia and not able to eat. I lost like 10lbs. . .which was sort of good cuz I'd gained 15 when going on the pill and then had only lost 5 in 2 months.
Anyway it sounds like you're on the right track!