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A MyLupusTeam Member asked a question 💭
Los Angeles, CA

It didn’t give a precise number, just that it was over 150. I feel like death. I mean this is the worst I’ve ever felt! 😞

May 19, 2019
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A MyLupusTeam Member

Also I'm sorry I didn't answer the question, the reason the TSH goes up is because your pituitary gland tells your thyroid gland to release hormones when it senses a low number of T3 in your blood. So basically one gland yells at your other gland by increasing the TSH to do the T4>T3. The alternative scenario is that you made enough of the T4, but you also made a boat load of reverse T3 so you reversed what you did. However, I don't think with a number like 150 that you could have made enough reverse T3 to do that.
I think more likely your thyroid attacked itself and destroyed some tissues making it difficult for your thyroid to work. A positive ANA can also be picking up anti-TPO.
To be more clear you can think of T3 as a gas pedal, reverse T3 like a break, and your T4 like the gasoline in your tank. If your thyroid gland is being messed up by antibodies, it's like some jerk is trying to mess up your car so you can't put your foot on the gas anymore. It becomes too damaged to put your foot on the gas properly so you have to make the engine run another way like if you had an electric car. Graves disease by contrast is like someone keeps your foot on the gas constantly and speeding along and you have to put a radar gun checkpoint to make the car slow down.

May 19, 2019
A MyLupusTeam Member

Do you have dry skin, brittle nails, brittle hair, hair loss, weight gain, goitre, loss of eye brow hair on the sides, sleeping too long and still needing a nap, heavy periods, peripheral neuropathy? I remember you said you were cold, tired, and had extreme mood swings, which can all be features of Hashimoto's disease. Your "gargling" might be a swollen thyroid.

If you do have Hashimoto's disease, they will likely put you on Synthroid, which may work well for you. You need T3 present to be able to make T4 so if you have no T3 that is important to know because they can add Cytomel to your Synthroid prescription and give you both that way, or they can just give you dessicated thyroid which has both.
You won't start to notice a change for a month probably (that's what the endocrinologist said), for me I didn't notice a difference for two months. You will continue to get better over several months. The first thing you will notice is your energy will change.

I would go to the doctor immediately, especially if you feel like death. Not to be alarmist but the thing you said about the breathing in an earlier post is concerning because with Hashimoto's disease you can give you a type of coma called myxedema coma, which can be triggered from things like raw Brussel sprouts and cold temperatures.

They should also ultrasound your thyroid to find out if you have nodules.

I unfortunately know a lot about this so you can ask me any questions.

May 19, 2019
A MyLupusTeam Member

It is Hashimotos!

December 23, 2019
A MyLupusTeam Member

Thank you all! I’ve syarted levothyroxin (synthroid) and i do feel a little better. 🤗 My eyes are giving me huge problems right now. Im about to post a question related to this. It’s so strange to me.

May 26, 2019
A MyLupusTeam Member

Mine is 24 and i FEEL horrible.

May 20, 2019

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