Using Sythroid to suppress thyroid

Hi all. I'm a 50 yr old female. In 2011 I went thru a huge amount of emotional stress. In court, moved, my income cut in half, four teenage kids in upheaval. At the same time I gained 70 pounds, had nite sweats and began having extremely painful limbs, feets and back. My period got much heavier too. I chalked it up to stress and pre menopause. I took a OTC soy product. Shortly thereafter I developed a medium to large benign thyroid nodule. I've had an ultrasound and FNA. My labs have always all come back in the normal ranges for standard measurements. In fact my TSH is always very near the low end. 1 or less. No doctor would treat the goiter but they give me tons of meds for the pain. And I mean extreme pain! I cannot sit very long without becoming "petrified" like an old tree. The mornings are the worst after being inactive all night. I cry sometimes just getting started in the am.

Fast forward 5 years. A new friend mentioned a doctor in a nearby town 1.5 hours away to see him about treatment. She said "he treats the symptoms, not the labs". I went to see him thinking I'd hit another medical wall. He listened to ME, not just giving credence to my lab work! He gave me synthroid to suppress my thyroid and sent me for an extensive set of thyroid blood work for a baseline. I have only taken it five days. I was very drowsy in the pm for the first three days. Yesterday I was fine and today I woke up with--maybe 25% less pain. I'm trying to be conservative. I don't want to get my hopes up. Sorry for the rambling. My question(s) to all of you is: Did you take synthroid to reduce pain as a result of a thyroid imbalance? If so, how did it work? What can I expect? Thanks for any help. I feel so alone in this pain.

Thanks Hypo!

I am aware that I probably "look" hyper in blood work, but symptoms are in both categories. It's crazy making. I just want the pain to cease or at least subside somewhat. I know it's a bit odd to try and bring down TSH in a person with already low TSH. And my other labs are normal with the exception of the antibidies. I'm waiting to get the results in the mail now. It's like shooting in the dark at this time. This doctor seems committed to doing whatever it takes to get me feeling better. I hope he knows what he's doing. I just don't think I'll weather hitting another medical wall easily.

Good Luke Hypo. And thanks again hon. I hope you're right about my pain symptoms as you were helped.

Thanks again for replying Hypo. I am on 150 mcg. I've only taken it once a day in the am for six days. I started on it Monday. I talked to the doctor over the phone Friday, and I heard him say I was high in an "antibody". They are mailing my results to me. I haven't received them yet. I've had the severe body pain and nodile for five years. No one would treat me. I visited the treating doc that I speak of above just this last Monday, got the meds and statted taking them. He did mention in the office on Monday that some people can go as high as 250-300 to suppress the thyroid and alleviate other uncomfortable symptoms. Do you think he's on the right track? Shoot. I wish I had my labs in front of me.

Wow! Your terrific Hypo. Very knowledgeable. I'm impressed. Unfortunately your knowledge has come from much distress I'm sure.

To answer your question: I have always been fairly low in TSH (1.x) for years. I mean 10-15 years. Yea. I've known there was someyhing wrong for a decade or more! I was always made out to look hyper. But because I was still in the "normal range. With no treatment and normal labs, I developed horrible body pains and a goiter five years ago. An ultrasound and FNA were performed four years ago. Benign. Good news but still no treatment for the last four years, except for meds for the body tenderness and down right PAIN in my muscles and tendons, like I have the flu really bad. i should add that I've seen an Endo twice in the last two years. He only wanted another ultrasound. When I asked for meds, he refused the idea.

Fast forward to this last week: My gf refers me to a ENT who helped her in treating the symptoms (Symptoms in me? Besides the nodule and pain...Sweating at nite. Cold. Weight gain. Palpitations. Muscle weakness. Very heavy period. Three small uterine fibroids. Major fatigue and dry skin and hair. See? Both categories.) So... This ENT gave me 150 mcg of Levo Monday evening, the 20th. I took the first Monday evening and got the blood draw Tuesday morning. He was reading from the blood draw on Tuesday when I spoke to him on Friday, when he mentioned low TSH and antibidies. I'll post my results when I get them. So he IS treating a low TSH (without Levo) with Levo. Do you think that's prudent?

I'm so frustrated with the process. No treatment for years (except pain meds) and no one really taking me seriously even with a goiter. My gyne said "That thing? You'll always have it. Get used to it." I'm hoping against hope this isn't another dead end. I started this messy journey in my late 30s. I was 50 last month. 😬

Wow Hypo. I didn't know it was such a large dose to begin with. Dang!

He IS asking for more blood tests in one month. He was only wanting the initial tests for a baseline.

Lastly, I do take it on an empty stomach every am with a glass of water. I only took the first dose Monday in the pm jumping the gun. (Embarrassed)

My TSH is always around 1.x. It was .9 in the tests from Tuesday. Yes low making me look hyper, but I have both hyper and hypo symptoms. However, I don't FEEL hyper. No anxiety. No diarrhea. No Weight loss. In fact I have the opposite of those symptoms. I don't feel hyper on the Levo after six days either. Who knows. I'm so frustrated. Maybe I just need to start over with another doc. This is the first one that even listened to me and was willing to treat me, even if he's an ENT.

It's just a crap shoot. Thanks hon. You've been very helpful. I look forward to learning from people such as yourself.

I also wanted to add that since you have a nodule, you need to follow up and perform ultra sound each six months to see whether it is growing, in case it is then you will need to pass through a surgery to remove all or part of your gland.

Best,

Hi Melissa,

As I told you in a previous post, your TSH is low, which means you are hyper and this is supported by your high normal FT4, despite that, you take an astronomical dose of levo, which will lower your TSH even much more, and make you severely hyperthyroid, more than what you already are.

With low TSH, you need to be given anti thyroid medication to bring your TSH higher in the range to around 2.5, so you will never feel a relief if you continue to suppress your thyroid gland.

Can you ask your PCP for a referral to an Endocrinologist?
I do not remember which M.D. Gave you the 150 mcg per day Synthroid?
Your TGab are negative, but there is another test called antiTPOab which can also be present with hashi.
And another anti body that causes Graves is TSIab, which attach to the TSH receptor in the thyroid gland and stimulates the gland to produce more thyroid hormones, just like the TSH does, hence the name thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin.

Somebody said...
Is there no medical protocol for treating low TSH with synthroid?

There is, if it is -the low TSH- is caused by a pituitary issue, that is, being with low TSH and being hypo in the same time.

Somebody said...
I was told to continue on the 150 mcg of synthroid for the six weeks and follow up with my appointment and labs on July 29th.

Generally speaking, symptoms of hypo and hyper can be similar.
If you think you can wait another three weeks then go for it, but most probably the labs will be indicative of hyper.

Hi melissa4,

The optimal TSH is a TSH of around 2.5, so this should be your goal.

As for the TPOab and TSIab, it would be great if you could get them as well.

One week is not enough time, blood tests should be done at least six weeks after starting meds or changing the dose, this is because Synthroid's half life time is one week, and thus it takes six weeks for the medication to reach steady state in your blood.

No need for meds that lower the Free T4, in six weeks interval after stopping the Levo, it will get down by itself.

As I told you previously, symptoms of hypo and hyper can be similar, for example both cause hair loss and palpitations.

I hope that you will feel better soon,
Best of luck,

Hello,

If the high Free T4 is due to the excessive amounts of Synthroid you consumed, then you just need to stop it and Free T4 will get down by itself, if you have hashimoto or graves that is causing you to be hyperthyroid, then yes, you need to treat the hyperthyroidism, this is why you should get the TPOab and TSIab tests done.

There are three treatments available for hyper; anti thyroid medications like Methimazole, I have no experience with it but it can cause other complication .

Other option is RAI (Radio Active Iodine), which kills your thyroid gland permanently and makes you hypo for the rest of your life, and thus you will need to be put on Levo.

In some cases, like having growing nodules on your thyroid gland, surgery might be necessary, and once again if all of your gland is removed then you will be put on Levo.

Best of luck,