Question: I am 55 year old female 58 kg. Not losing and not putting on weight. Not taking any drugs not drinking, or smoking. Healthy food and health conscious.
I have all the classic hypothyroid symptoms and they are worsening.
I feel very cold all the time, extremities are very cold. Lightheadedness , memory problems, foggy thinking, slow thinking, slow movements, and walking. Indigestion.
Temperature 35.4C at night then steadily rising to 37C by lunch time. But even then I feel very very cold even in the tropics where I live, the weather is very hot. I am wearing pullovers, sleeping with thick blankets on even on my head.
Heart rate is slow at night around or less then 60/minute. It’s normal during the day or elevated when I have anxiety.
My respiration is very slow and shallow and this is I am most concerned about because it is still slowing and I sometimes wake up not breathing at all. Not having the breathing reflexes. Is it in connection with hypothyroidism?
I have anxiety too which is worsened as the hypothyroidism has worsened. What’s causing the anxiety? The hypothyroidism?
There is one more symptom. My joints becoming more and more flexible. I wonder if it is it in connection with hypothyroidism?
There a strange thing I don’t know if it is in connection with hypothyroidism. I have paradoxical or adverse drug reaction to most medication. I had to stop Hrt because estrogen made me very sleepy. It can be because, as I read, that estrogen increases reverse T3. The drug sensitivity worsened lately. Even vitamin supplements make me either sleepy or anxious.
One more unusual thing, my eyelids are more and more sunken looking. I never have fluid retention. Fluid retention would be “normal” with hypothyroidism.
I also have primary Empty Sella. But all my pituitary hormones are normal in the tests and not causing symptoms. Can’t see connection with the reverse thyroid problem but what do you think?
I realized I always had hypothyroid symptoms in all my life but in the last few weeks they became much worse. I never thought I had hypothyroidism because the thyroid tests were always normal but the Reverse T3 never was checked.
I have positive test result for Serum Reverse T3 (459). The TSH test is in normal range 1.6 also most of the other blood tests are ok. Only some Ferritin (transferritin 80) and B12 issues. Triglyceriides 2.5, Cholesterol 6.3, LDL 3.41
I tried to take Triiodothyronine for 2 weeks. I couldn’t raise the dosage above 5mcg (it’s one tenth of the dosage) and feel much worse than before I started. It makes me extremely anxious, fearful, and sometimes panicky. Blood pressure goes up to 160/90. Heat rate around 120. Symptoms worsened with taking T3 feel even colder. I think it’s because it causes stress and stress increases reverse T3. Why does Triiodothyronine increases stress for me, tell me please?
Tried to take cortisol ((cortate) thought low cortisol caused the anxiety but immediately felt worse, colder etc. so I stopped it
Tried Clonidine to reduce norepinephrine, cortisol but it caused even more anxiety.
I would be happy if you could come up with a solution. How can I take the T3 what my body needs without the anxiety? What else can I take? Is there maybe any other underlying condition that needs attention?
Thanks, XXXXXXX