You might find this useful if you are having compromised kidney function. My eGFR was often down around 38–39 and no one could figure out why. And I'm one of those "lucky" people who have heart arrhythmias associated with decreased kidney function (apparently it's a somewhat common association). Since that can have a most undesirable prognosis, I've been trying to find some clues that lead to a resolution. I "think" I may have found the key (at least in my case).
About a month ago, we doubled my thyroid medication. This solved at least 3 problems, as best I can tell.
1. I now have a more normal heart rate (the rate was often abnormally low previously).
2. I now have more energy and ambition. Instead of putting off repair jobs or chores for a rainy day, I take care of them now.
3. My eGFR is 66, much better than it has been in years.
And sure enough, when I looked to see if there is an association between thyroid function and kidney disease, indeed there is:
Interactions between thyroid disorders and kidney disease
Apparently both hyper and hypothyroid issues cause decreased kidney function. How about that? The tricky part is that in my case, my TSH was always in the normal range. But my free T4 was always low.
Tex
Brandy, and Anyone Else Who Might Have Kidney Issues
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Brandy, and Anyone Else Who Might Have Kidney Issues
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
How did you convince your doc to double it? Glad you figured out a resolve for some of the issues.
Deb
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
2007 CC
2013 thyroid cancer- total thyroidectomy
2013 Hashimoto's - numbers always "normal"
2017 Lyme's Disease
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
2007 CC
2013 thyroid cancer- total thyroidectomy
2013 Hashimoto's - numbers always "normal"
2017 Lyme's Disease
Deb,
I was taking 60 mg of Armour 2 or 3 years ago when my chronic magnesium deficiency began to cause hyperthyroid symptoms (and my TSH was way below range). So my doc cut my dose in half and that helped for a couple of weeks. But then the symptoms came back, and that's when I had the allergic reaction to Bactrim that depleted the rest of my magnesium and sent me to the emergency room. They didn't find the problem either, but a couple of days later I reviewed my test results online and figured out that I was magnesium deficient.
When I resolved the magnesium deficiency, my TSH went back up, but it was still in the upper normal range. But we left the Armour dose at 30 mg. A couple of months ago I complained about low energy and pointed out that the heart arrhythmias that I have been having occasionally for the last year and a half might be due to under-treated hypothyroidism. I pointed out that the arrhythmias started a month or so after we cut that dose in half. So I asked him if he thought that restoring my Armour dose to the dose that I took for years previously might stop the arrhythmias, and he agreed that it might.
Anyway, that's how I correlated the under-treated hypothyroidism with my reduced kidney function, because I had test results for each parameter. Every time I had an arrhythmia episode, my kidney function (eGFR) was below 40. Interestingly, we did initial thyroid testing before we restored (doubled) the dose, but I've had no thyroid tests since. I have a thyroid test (and some others, of course) scheduled for April.
Tex
I was taking 60 mg of Armour 2 or 3 years ago when my chronic magnesium deficiency began to cause hyperthyroid symptoms (and my TSH was way below range). So my doc cut my dose in half and that helped for a couple of weeks. But then the symptoms came back, and that's when I had the allergic reaction to Bactrim that depleted the rest of my magnesium and sent me to the emergency room. They didn't find the problem either, but a couple of days later I reviewed my test results online and figured out that I was magnesium deficient.
When I resolved the magnesium deficiency, my TSH went back up, but it was still in the upper normal range. But we left the Armour dose at 30 mg. A couple of months ago I complained about low energy and pointed out that the heart arrhythmias that I have been having occasionally for the last year and a half might be due to under-treated hypothyroidism. I pointed out that the arrhythmias started a month or so after we cut that dose in half. So I asked him if he thought that restoring my Armour dose to the dose that I took for years previously might stop the arrhythmias, and he agreed that it might.
Anyway, that's how I correlated the under-treated hypothyroidism with my reduced kidney function, because I had test results for each parameter. Every time I had an arrhythmia episode, my kidney function (eGFR) was below 40. Interestingly, we did initial thyroid testing before we restored (doubled) the dose, but I've had no thyroid tests since. I have a thyroid test (and some others, of course) scheduled for April.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
You are a great inspiration for self advocacy.That's quite a compliment, coming from you — you've had a lot of experience at self-advocacy yourself.
And heck, if we don't look out for ourselves, who's going to? The tricky part is getting our doctors to cooperate. They think they know what they're doing.
OK, to be fair, I have to admit that sometimes they're right.
Tex
And heck, if we don't look out for ourselves, who's going to? The tricky part is getting our doctors to cooperate. They think they know what they're doing.
OK, to be fair, I have to admit that sometimes they're right.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.