Hello, I am relatively new to this forum; I joined a couple years ago but haven't visited it too often - shame on me.
Just a little background on me first: I am 49 y.o. female, seriously overweight, estrogen dominant (I know i was estrogen dominant because i had prolonged menstrual bleeding for years, and when I found Ray Peat's Progest E in 2012, it was the only thing that finally stopped it; still having maintenance dose of Progest-E to this day), stubborn belly fat, diagnosed with Hashimoto a few years ago, was on 2 grains of NDT compounded at the local pharmacy for at least 2 years, had TSH of 0.87 but still had hypo symptoms - low energy, gaining weight, exhaustion, lethargy, low temp and pulse. At the same time i was always hot and sweating, my free T3 were in the top range, so i did not try to increase my NDT dose. My free T4 was in a mid-low range. So that was my situation until 2 months ago when i decided to do something to improve my thyroid status. I signed up for consultations with Dr. Mai Lerche, a student of Ray Peat (listed on his site). She put me on a regime of Cynoplus/Cynomel but i guess we moved too quickly, and it all resulted in extreme stress reaction: I had this constant vibrating pulse in my head, could not sleep for days, profound sweating etc., so i decided to lower the dose. Then the whole hell started: I developed high blood pressure, panic attacks, dizziness, rocking pulse in my head continued... So over last 2 months i've been struggling going on this meds, off these meds, trying to switch back to my natural thyroid, which did not work too. I tried t3 only, 1 mcg with glass of milk and orange juice as R.P. recommends and still had adrenaline reaction so bad that would keep me up all night. I was taking Pregnenalone but it would convert to stress hormones as well, causing the same stress response in the end. On October 8, i got into hospital ER with a panic attack - high blood pressure, high pulse, unable to brief... There a "proper" endo doc told me to discontinue all alternative (illegal) meds i was taking and put me on 50mg of Synthroid. They did the blood test, my TSH went up to 45, very low on ft4, and my antibodies tripled comparing to 8 months ago. First few days were terrible - edema, especially on eye lids and face, depression, high BP, pulse in my head) - then i got a little better and had more energy, then on day 10 I started feeling like overdose, too much T4 - racy, jittery feeling in my arms, head and body, pressure in the chest area, high pulse, low body temp. So i stopped Synthroid for 2 days, did another blood test - and my TSH is still 45 an very low ft4. At the same time i am feeling hyper-like symptoms, unable to sleep, noise in my head, waves of extreme lightness or heaviness in my head and body. It's a long post, so i just say that my diet had been very pro-liver and Peat's like with milk, lots of sugar, protein, liver, shellfish, etc... and i do take aspirin with K, vits A, D, Niacinamide, egg shell calcium and Magnesium every day.
Bottom line is nothing works, and i am feeling horrible, been off work for 3 weeks, and nothing works!!! Nothing helps! I was thinking it's a stress reaction, adrenalin sensitivity but the fact is whatever thyroid medication i take makes me worst. Synthroid did not work, i have a huge stress response to T3, can only take 1/4 grain of Natural thyroid. I don't know what to do anymore.Tried A/C, tried Cypro-Heptadine, just give me a head ache, does not lower stress. Now I found this post: viewtopic.php?f=52&t=3824&p=45868&hilit=hashimoto#p45868
which refers to R. Peat views on Hashimoto and having enlarged gland. This is really excellent information. It made me think that all things i do to improve liver function, improve T4 production may actually back fire, because my thyroid gland is really enlarged now (because of unusual activity of last 2 months), my anti-bodies increased and even ProgestE in a big dose (10 drops at once) does not calm me down or makes me sleepy. Perhaps my gland is overactive now and pumps those hormones out? But if this is the case, why my TSH is so high and very low fT4?
Please can someone explain this to me? I am lost and confused and feeling really horrible. Need help!
Thank you all!
Just a little background on me first: I am 49 y.o. female, seriously overweight, estrogen dominant (I know i was estrogen dominant because i had prolonged menstrual bleeding for years, and when I found Ray Peat's Progest E in 2012, it was the only thing that finally stopped it; still having maintenance dose of Progest-E to this day), stubborn belly fat, diagnosed with Hashimoto a few years ago, was on 2 grains of NDT compounded at the local pharmacy for at least 2 years, had TSH of 0.87 but still had hypo symptoms - low energy, gaining weight, exhaustion, lethargy, low temp and pulse. At the same time i was always hot and sweating, my free T3 were in the top range, so i did not try to increase my NDT dose. My free T4 was in a mid-low range. So that was my situation until 2 months ago when i decided to do something to improve my thyroid status. I signed up for consultations with Dr. Mai Lerche, a student of Ray Peat (listed on his site). She put me on a regime of Cynoplus/Cynomel but i guess we moved too quickly, and it all resulted in extreme stress reaction: I had this constant vibrating pulse in my head, could not sleep for days, profound sweating etc., so i decided to lower the dose. Then the whole hell started: I developed high blood pressure, panic attacks, dizziness, rocking pulse in my head continued... So over last 2 months i've been struggling going on this meds, off these meds, trying to switch back to my natural thyroid, which did not work too. I tried t3 only, 1 mcg with glass of milk and orange juice as R.P. recommends and still had adrenaline reaction so bad that would keep me up all night. I was taking Pregnenalone but it would convert to stress hormones as well, causing the same stress response in the end. On October 8, i got into hospital ER with a panic attack - high blood pressure, high pulse, unable to brief... There a "proper" endo doc told me to discontinue all alternative (illegal) meds i was taking and put me on 50mg of Synthroid. They did the blood test, my TSH went up to 45, very low on ft4, and my antibodies tripled comparing to 8 months ago. First few days were terrible - edema, especially on eye lids and face, depression, high BP, pulse in my head) - then i got a little better and had more energy, then on day 10 I started feeling like overdose, too much T4 - racy, jittery feeling in my arms, head and body, pressure in the chest area, high pulse, low body temp. So i stopped Synthroid for 2 days, did another blood test - and my TSH is still 45 an very low ft4. At the same time i am feeling hyper-like symptoms, unable to sleep, noise in my head, waves of extreme lightness or heaviness in my head and body. It's a long post, so i just say that my diet had been very pro-liver and Peat's like with milk, lots of sugar, protein, liver, shellfish, etc... and i do take aspirin with K, vits A, D, Niacinamide, egg shell calcium and Magnesium every day.
Bottom line is nothing works, and i am feeling horrible, been off work for 3 weeks, and nothing works!!! Nothing helps! I was thinking it's a stress reaction, adrenalin sensitivity but the fact is whatever thyroid medication i take makes me worst. Synthroid did not work, i have a huge stress response to T3, can only take 1/4 grain of Natural thyroid. I don't know what to do anymore.Tried A/C, tried Cypro-Heptadine, just give me a head ache, does not lower stress. Now I found this post: viewtopic.php?f=52&t=3824&p=45868&hilit=hashimoto#p45868
which refers to R. Peat views on Hashimoto and having enlarged gland. This is really excellent information. It made me think that all things i do to improve liver function, improve T4 production may actually back fire, because my thyroid gland is really enlarged now (because of unusual activity of last 2 months), my anti-bodies increased and even ProgestE in a big dose (10 drops at once) does not calm me down or makes me sleepy. Perhaps my gland is overactive now and pumps those hormones out? But if this is the case, why my TSH is so high and very low fT4?
Please can someone explain this to me? I am lost and confused and feeling really horrible. Need help!
Thank you all!