Hashimoto's Update

A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Today we are still in the process of figuring out the correct treatment plan. Seriously WTHashi?!

Current TSH: 6
Current Free T3: 5.17

I have now tried 4 different medicines now, Synthroid, Levothyroxine, Nature-Throid, and now Armour Thyroid. Each one brought my TSH level's down a little but with how high of doses I was taking it should have brought my levels into normal range. I am still sitting at a 6, with my highest being a 13.75. Optimal is below a 2 or below.

I am currently seeing 2 endocrinologists and I could not be happier with them! The new plan is to switch from Nature Thyroid to Armour. Taking one medicine first thing in the morning and another one at lunch. I will go back in 8 weeks to check my levels again.

The one good think about my levels slowing going down is that I have lost weight! Down 14.8lbs!! I am still carrying so much weight and even with diet and exercise (what I can do...more on that in a second) the pounds are staying for now. Surprisingly I have accepted that this is me and even took a few pictures of myself and posted online. Yikes!!

I am still having symptoms with the hashi's. My biggest issue is still swelling in my hands. I am thinking of taking my wedding ring to have it resized again. I haven't worn it in years and let be honest my hands will be this swollen for the foreseeable future, may as well have a pretty ring on it! The other symptom that hasn't even begin to subside is the joint pain. Holy moly do my knees, hips and elbows ache at night. While walking does help it also hurts me later. Now with the weather turning hopefully I can get out more and walk. And the weirdest and newest one is the outer ankle bone. WTHashi? It feels like someone is taking a hammer and hitting that bone that sticks out. Lovely!

This weekend wasn't my best. I have been suffering from this horrible plague. I don't know if it's a cold, allergies, sinus infection, ear infection, bubonic plaque or all of the above. Mix that with Hashi and I am a hot mess. We went to a wedding this weekend and I could only make it through the ceremony. I had to come home and rest. Stupid fever and body aches. Of course this causes me to feel anxious and then I have to deal with that on top of feeling like WTHashi. Ugh.

Well that is my medical minute! Hopefully this new medicine will start working. We will see in 8 weeks.