Thyroid issues

Stephaniev51697

Anyone else have an Underactive Thyroid? I was diagnosed a long time ago and I've been on meds since then. I recently had blood work and my TSH level came back very high. I've been feeling very tired, run down and lethargic. Now I know why! Starting on a gradual increase of my meds with my endocrinologist as of yesterday. I was also told this would help me lose the 10 lbs I've gained in the last year! Here's hoping the meds help me out

rpyle111

I have been on thyroid medication for a few years now. Once we figured out the dosage, it is a yearly blood test to make sure that the levels are still correct. I certainly didn't have a noticeable energy boost or other major improvement getting my TSH level correct, though. It is the right thing to do, and I hope you get the boost you are looking for.

jasperandlady1960

I haven't noticed any difference in energy or my TSH level since I started taking the meds. Everything comes back normal. I hear you though. Hopefully your meds will work for you.

jcavanna2

Hey Stephanie..I am on a low dose of synthroid - 50 MG. I was expecting it to do more for me but when they put me on it a couple of years ago I was borderline hypo but still considered in the normal range. Will be interesting to see how my next batch of blood work goes. I have my 1 year follow up with my surgeon on 4/20...

clcmfp

I'm a rare unicorn - the near mythical fat hyperthyroid person. I take meds to suppress my thyroid (my diagnosis and subsequent treatment made my weight skyrocket). I had surgery 6 weeks ago and my TSH has dropped like a stone since then after being stable for a few years. I see my endo Thursday and she'll likely up my medication. I'm hoping it doesn't slow my already slow weight loss!

Stephaniev51697

I really thought the modification of my dosage would help my symptoms.. @jcavanna2 i was on 50 mg too, now they've upped me to 75 for a week, then 100 for 5 weeks and then more bloodwork to see where i'm at.

@clcmfp I'm a slow loser too, but I did get down almost 100 lbs. I've had a 10lb regain for a year now and I can't seem to lose it no matter what I do. My endo said this would help me with it.. Wishing you luck!

OfficiallySexyVal

clcmfp wrote: »

I'm a rare unicorn - the near mythical fat hyperthyroid person. I take meds to suppress my thyroid (my diagnosis and subsequent treatment made my weight skyrocket). I had surgery 6 weeks ago and my TSH has dropped like a stone since then after being stable for a few years. I see my endo Thursday and she'll likely up my medication. I'm hoping it doesn't slow my already slow weight loss!

This was me as well. I was the "fat hyperthyroid" person. However, due to me having multiple growths on my thyroid I am now two months post-op from having a total thyroidectomy. I have noticed since the surgery my weight has been increasing and my energy levels decreasing. My endocrinologist suggested looking into VSG as a way to help combat the effects of no longer having a thyroid. I am currently on 150mg and I dont think it is enough. I had my first appointment on 3/28 and I am now on my journey to VSG.

clcmfp

@OfficiallySexyVal So nice to meet another unicorn! I have just one nodule so I take Methimazole. It sounds like so early in the process they need to up your meds until you feel right? From what I understand if can be a challenge to get your dosage upped if you're in the normal range even if you don't feel great.

Mandy_1982

I was just started on levothyroxin, as I have apparent hypothyroid issues going on. It would explain some of my weight and energy problems. Good luck!

Stephaniev51697

@Mandy_1982 Good luck to you as well!

sheilahaddadi

I'm going on ten years of hypothyroidism and my dosage of levothyroxin was 175 mcg at its highest. I always had trouble losing weight and maintaining my thyroid levels. A fatty liver on top of that did not help.

However, I'm 12 months post op of a vertical sleeve gastrectomy and my levels are perfect. My endocrinologist has given me a 50 mcg dosage and has even suggested taking me off in a couple of months. My liver is also at its best.

Stephaniev51697

That's awesome @sheilahaddadi ! I'm hoping when I go for my blood work again in 3 weeks I'll be good with my levels!

Ultima_Morpha

I had gastric bypass July 2015. I was feeling great and had lost all of my excess weight a little more than a year following surgery. I got hit hard with fatigue, weight gain, and other symptoms since about September last year and it has been negatively impacting my running.

My TSH has always been in the "normal" range so no further testing was ever done.

Because I've been feeling so dreadful, I used Personalabs to do a full thyroid test panel; not just TSH. My blood work just came back and my TSH is still in the normal range but my T3 is below normal and my T4 is at the very low end of the normal range. I have found a new internal medicine doctor and I hope she'll be more progressive and treat appropriately.

TSH may not be telling the whole story for you! If your liver is damaged (I also have lupus) you may not be converting T4 to T3 efficiently.

Stephaniev51697

Thanks @Ultima_Morpha, I'm having bloodwork again next week and I've actually asked them to do the full thyroid panel, not just my TSH. I'm still feeling tired but I do actually feel better than I did.

Good luck with your treatment

ruqayyahsmum

I was diagnosed hypothyroid 3 and a half years ago but my blood work for 2+ years before that showed it too (my gp ignored the results, a hospital consultant spotted it while checking my notes and reported it)

Ive gained 50lb in a year mainly due to biscuit pushing during pregnancy and several months after birth due to hypoglycaemia but im symptomatic again
Just waiting on blood results to come back from my new thankfully proactive gp

brealsweet

It sucks when you have a primary care physician who doesn't know what they are doing. I recently moved and found a new physician who I think I can trust.

We started over w/ 50 mcg a day. I go for bloodwork tomorrow and I am sure she will up it. The highest I've had is 250 mcg and that was for years.

Also super low Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D. Fun, fun.

I wish everyone well with their treatment! When you are on the right dose it is crazy how much better you feel, like "oh, so this is what 'good' feels like"

ruqayyahsmum

brealsweet wrote: »

It sucks when you have a primary care physician who doesn't know what they are doing. I recently moved and found a new physician who I think I can trust.

We started over w/ 50 mcg a day. I go for bloodwork tomorrow and I am sure she will up it. The highest I've had is 250 mcg and that was for years.

Also super low Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D. Fun, fun.

I wish everyone well with their treatment! When you are on the right dose it is crazy how much better you feel, like "oh, so this is what 'good' feels like"

Nutritional deficiencies can sometimes go hand in hand with hypo but can happen with bariatric surgery too

My b12 levels often suck but in the uk they only give the injections 12 weekly to bariatric patients

Im also severly deficient in iron, calcium and vitamin d despite supplementation from my doctor

Miss_Hattie

Wow. I appreciate reading all the varying degrees of thyroid problems. I was on the same dose for almost 40 years but then my doctor had to keep increasing my dosage. I'm now on 150 mcg. As I am prepping for bariatric surgery (June?) they did a thyroid check which was enlarged so I had an ultrasound. Totally enlarged on both sides and multiple nodules they said was too many to count. I'm supposed to get another ultrasound in 6 months. Hmmm. I was concerned about my current level which hadn't been checked since September. My bariatric clinic has paperwork and lab orders enroute in the mail so maybe the thyroid levels will be on the labwork list. I think I'll be asking him for a second opinion on whether we do nothing but wait for another 6 months.

Ultima_Morpha

@ruqayyahsmum have you tried an oral B12? My levels stay quite okay so long as I use the methycobalamin (intead of cobalamin) form regularly. I am quite structured in the way that I take my vitamins to avoid any interactions that would diminish absorption (multi, b vitamins and iron with vitamin c, calcium and vitamin d together, zinc picolinate all on its own).

Ultima_Morpha

I've also been doing a ton of reading on dietary impact on thyroid function...especially the conversion of T4 to T3. I don't think I "broke" my thyroid, but the worsening of my symptoms definitely correlates to some changes in diet.

For instance, I was needing to use Miralax on a pretty regular basis to keep things moving. I wanted to get away from this, so I started using chia, flax, and greens to help things along. Apparently, raw cruciferous vegetables (kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc.) and flax have compounds which can negatively impact thyroid function. I could easily eat a couple of pounds of raw kale/flax a week in my protein shakes and everything cruciferous in salads. I practically live on kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts salads when I am travelling!

It is something to look in to if you want to add some more natural management to your thyroid condition.

ruqayyahsmum

Ultima_Morpha wrote: »

@ruqayyahsmum have you tried an oral B12? My levels stay quite okay so long as I use the methycobalamin (intead of cobalamin) form regularly. I am quite structured in the way that I take my vitamins to avoid any interactions that would diminish absorption (multi, b vitamins and iron with vitamin c, calcium and vitamin d together, zinc picolinate all on its own).

Unfortunately im not able to able to absorb it orally so have to rely on the injections