any thyroid experts ... please help ...

[itshotintexas]

Have been diagnosed with hashimoto's for 9 years. Was fairly well managed in Oz on compounded natural thyroid but since working overseas in Singapore and US, have been persuaded to take synthetic T4 only - its not working. They keep increasing my T4. over last 6 weeks as TSH 5.88 and FT3 2.7. 6 weeks later, TSH 7.11, FT3 2.8. Am taking it properly - 30 mins before eating etc etc.

Skin dry, trouble sleeping, irritable, hot flashes at night, increased cholesterol, constipation - or am I just perimenopausal? I have never really been able to tell when thyroid playing up - maybe because I have felt like crap for so long, I dont know what feeling good is and I was diagnosed when DS2 was about 6 months old so still getting up, feeding and thought I felt crap from that.

Any advice from anyone who knows would be fab , thanks in advance!

On those results you are very hypo and if you know it works for you, your best bet would be to go back to natural thyroid, which should be easier to get in the US than it would be in the UK.

In UK TSH should be under 5, so at 7.11 is too high. Levothyroxine is usually prescribed.

Thanks for the replies - I have made an appt for doc here in morning. I have my spreadsheet of results and am going to try and convince him that natural thyroid is the way forward. They are really not keen here although I probably havent found the right doc. I had a brilliant gp in oz who specialized in thyroid and was most keen on natural. Let's hope I get it - will let u know !

I would skip GP and see an Endocrinologist.

I know a really good one in London if that's where you are/can get too so pm me.

Thanks mondrian, I am where my username says! Saw endo here, and he was a T4 only, no consideration of any other type of meds. When I did my results over last 5 years I could see that I was well managed in Oz on natural, and then once moved overseas and forced onto T4 only, TSH is high, FT3 low - think I have difficulty converting T4 to T3. Anyway, the doc this morning was really keen, he has other patients on natural thyroid, all doing well. I am started on 30mcg x 2 a day and bloods monitored after 6 weeks. Hopefully results will go in right direction.

My DM has it and just got results back for DD who has TSH of 6.5 (should be below 4.5 for her age) so waiting to see endo and see how we proceed. Good luck.

It can be hereditary and run in families.

I had an overactive Thyroid and my sister an underactive one, but no other members in our family had ever had it, so not always so.