**Hypothyroid Support Group**

misslyssa319

checking in with my 10lb xtreme slimdown 28 day challange. so since 9/24 til today i'm down 4.5 inches total and 3.5lbs. i can see and feel more muscle poking through, my fat is all jiggly and i can do more of the exercises the regular way and not modified. so far my faves are kickboxing and upper body. this last week focuses on lower body which is good 'cus my knees are finally getting stronger and squats/lunges are no longer my enemy! have a great week everyone

candicejn

Hi all! I just joined MFP today and was hoping to find a hypothyroid group and here you are

I was diagnosed hypo last summer (although I suspect it was a long overdue diagnosis...), started on Synthroid but switched to Armour in March. I have doubled my dose twice since July so my body is going nuts on me. I just started the latest dose this week. I'm taking biotin and super b-complex and amazingly my hair isn't falling out this time! I'm hoping my metabolism will eventually get on track and I'll be able to kick this weight for good.

misslyssa319

welcome candice!

dc_amaryllis

I'm getting my T3 and T4 tested tomorrow. I've only ever had my THS tested.
Next week I'm getting an ultrasound on my thyroid. It was ordered by my endo so she can give me a more comprehensive diagnosis.

Has anyone ever had an ultrasound done? What should I expect?

misslyssa319

have a great hump day everyone!

misslyssa319

what is the worst thing a doctor has said to you before finding out you were hypo? i don't have a before because i've been hypo since i was 13 but the worst thing ever was from a pharmacists. i was on vacation with the family and dropped my open meds bottle on the bathroom floor. needless to say i threw all of those pills away. when we got back from our trip i called to refill because i had about 15 pills left. well the pharmacists procedes to tell me i have to wait 60 days even after i told him what happened. i ask him why and he says "do you know how many times we hear a story about lost pills just because someone wants to double their dose to try and lose weight?" i was pissed off. i called my doc, who'd treated me for years and knows better, and he got it refilled for me the same day, sometimes you gotta use your pimp hand to get things done. :bigsmile:

slieber

Weigh-in today and since the new dose have lost a pound and a half. AND managed to get through all my gym and ballet classes this week except for onlly 1 day crashing. :-)

It's a first for a LOOOOOOOONNNNNGGGG time.

misslyssa319

Weigh-in today and since the new dose have lost a pound and a half. AND managed to get through all my gym and ballet classes this week except for onlly 1 day crashing. :-)

It's a first for a LOOOOOOOONNNNNGGGG time.

that's great! :flowerforyou:

tulip07

I am hypothyroid too (hashimotos) diagnosed just over a year now. I have been on Armour for about 2 months now (Synthroid didn't work very well for me!) and doing so much better. I also started the 17 day diet after permission from my doctor and finally losing weight on it!

misslyssa319 - I can't believe you had that experience with the pharmacist! it's just horrible!! My bad experience was with my PCP before I got diagnosed as hypo. I had just moved to a new family practice a few months ago (this was over a year ago) and never seen this particular doctor before. I told her I suspected that I may have thyroid issues and asked her to test my thyroid levels. She said well "you are not exercising well and eating too much"! I looked her straight in the eye and told her I know my body well and asked if there is a problem writing me a script to get tested. Few repeated tests later (lots of ups and downs in my levels) my TSH shot up to 120. Well you may have guessed, I never went back to that practice again, changed my doctor and I am seeing a doctor who listens to his patients without making smart remarks!

Here's another thread that was started just a few days ago about the topic (maybe something useful in there for you guys) - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/366175-hashimoto-s-anyone-else-share-the-disease-with-me

misslyssa319

welcome tulip! thnx for the link. there is a great hashi's support group on facebook if your on it.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/5772507259/

tulip07

Thanks for the link to the facebook group! It does look informative. I sent a request to join the group!

abcwhite10

Sorry, this is lengthy.
It's good to read about this from another person's perspective rather than just medical info. I have a long family history of hypothyroid and thyroid cancer. I was diagnosed with cold nodules on my thyroid about 3 years ago. For a period of time (about May of 2010 untl Sept at which time I quit losing - assumed it was a plateau) I was feeling absolutely fantastic! I lost nearly 40 lbs with what seemed to be little extra effort. I was running more and eating healthier but even at that, it seemed too good to be true. I have always been active and had relativiely decent eating habits. I attributed this fantastic feeling to the weight loss, which I am sure part of it was. Well.....fast forward a bit to this past May and the insomnia and night sweats began, followed by tiredness which has become exhaustion, moodiness, now the funny feeling in my head, and now I feel like i can't even run anymore! It's like it's painful or like I'm running through wet cement. I have gained back about 12 pounds and feel like crap. I switched family dr's when all mine seemed to want to do was put me on anti depressants because my TSH was "normal". I switched to a new female dr and she has re-tested all my bloodwork along with a pile more. My cholesterol has been rising (from 5.08 to 6.10 in just 3 mos!!), my TSH is rising, fasting bloodsugar borders on hypoglycemic, and my insulin levels are quite low. She very strongly suspects it is hypothyroidism but doesn't want to mask anything else that could possibly be going on and has referred me to an endo, and is wanting my nodules biopsied. I couldn't be happier about finding a dr that is willing to listen and explore....................but in the meantime while I am waiting for answers, does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can make myself feel better? It doesn't seem to matter when I go to bed it's a chore to get up! I used to go to bed at 10 or 10:30 and get up at 4:30 and go for a run, now I go to bed at 9 or 9:30 (and sometimes have already fallen asleep on the couch) and don't get up until 6. It's so frustrating and my hubby just doesn't get it. He figures if I just do more, I would feel better, that I'm tired because all I do is sleep. I hate that I could go from feeling so good (now I wonder if I was hyperthyroid at that time) to so rotten in such a short time!! Any advice.......anyone??

tulip07

abcwhite- So sorry to hear about the ups and downs! It took about 6 months to get a diagnosis for me and a year after diagnosis, I am just now getting back to normal levels.

I went to my PCP asking for the thyroid test in April 2010 and got diagnosed as hypo in October 2010. During those 6 months- I was slightly hypo, asked to repeat tests in 2 months, then I was slightly hyper, then repeated tests, this time I was extremely hypo (TSH = 120) which is when they diagnosed me as hypo with Hashimotos. So it's very possible you may be going through something like that. Now a year later, although feeling MUCH MUCH better, I am still struggling with getting to normal TSH levels. I was put on Synthroid by the endocrinologist last October which helped some but I was still only about 50% of what I was before. Anyway, fast forward to now, I am now seeing a different doctor (an osteopathic physician) who tested my Vitamin D levels and my adrenal gland functions which also turned out to be very low. I am now on Armour, Vitamin D and DHEA (for Cortisol/Adrenal gland function) and feeling sooooo much better. I believe both the Vitamin D and DHEA are temporary until my levels are in the normal range. Can you get your doctor to check these levels too? It looks like being deficient in these 2 also have similar symptoms as hypothyroidism. I am sure there are other conditions with similar symptoms but this is based on my experience.

Did your doctor check your antibodies too? Also if they haven't tested already, make sure they are checking your Free T3, Free T4 levels (my osteopath also tested my Reverse T3) along with your TSH levels. TSH levels apparently don't mean much! Oh another great way to see if you are hypothyoid - check your basal temperature (early morning temp) for a few days and see if it's lower than normal temperature. That would indicate you are hypothyroid and/or that your body is functioning at a lower temperature and hence all bodily functions have slowed down.

My doctor thought all the ups and downs (hypo, hyper and then hypo again) in my TSH levels before were likely due to my antibodies increasing during the time and my body trying to adjust/fight back(?) I had trouble explaining to my husband too that I was not being lazy and that something was happening to my body. It was hard for him to understand what was going on with me, but I forwarded some articles to him and kept him true to what I was feeling and I think he eventually got it. Also please see if a good quality multi-vitamin will help you? I tried the new chapter (organic) women one daily for a little bit and that seemed to help until my TSH got really high.

Good luck! I hope you get your answers soon. Please keep us posted.

Hilarious92

Hi all!

I am 18 and in college, and just about 3 weeks ago I was screened for hypothyroid, as I gained 30 lbs in 2 years with no change in diet or exercise. The test came back and I have been diagnosed as having an under active thyroid! I am just glad that the doctors found out what was wrong before this got too far =]

I have just started taking levothyroxine (25 mcg) 1 1/2 weeks ago. I was on the energetic side for the first time in quite awhile for the first few days, but in the past 2 days I have been feeling just like I did before I started the medication.

My doctor is switching me to Synthroid (instead of generic levothyroxine) because I have been experiencing dizziness and heart palpitations.

Can anyone tell me what I should be expecting? I am thinking that the replacement is working so far, as I have found that my hair is coming out in bigger clump/strand things in the shower! If anyone could please tell me what their experience has been with either Synthroid or levothyroxine and just examples of how long it took you to feel normal again, that would be so great!!

I look forward to finally reaching my goals and being to get help here and hopefully help others!!

misslyssa319

i guess one of the benefits of being diagnosed at 13 is i've never had anyone tell me i'm not hypo! i'm never going to be anything other than hypo the rest of my life. and finding out was a total fluke. i got bitten by a spider and my ankle swelled up so my mom took me to the hospital to get it lanced. i was on my stomach with my head turned trying to watch what the doc was doing and another doc asked my mom if i was tired alot. she said yes and he told her to bring me back the next day for a blood test. well a week later i found out i had hashimoto's thyroiditis and would need to take meds the rest of my life.

Gottastop

Hi all, I was diagnosed in 2003 with hyperthyroid & was treated with Radioactive iodine; my Dr said I would probably go back to normal; I didn't I went hypo. I gained about 25lbs in 3 months, lost a lot of hair. & was finally put on Synthroid early 2004. And I still don't think it works right.
I got pregnant with my first son 7 months after the Radioactive Iodine & was actually told I might have to get rid of him (after 4 yrs of trying to get pregnant & multiple miscarriages) because he might be too 'affected' by the RI....(He was born 2005 & he's normal thank you very much).
I switched Endo's during my pregnancy because the first didn't want to up my Synthroid during my pregnancy
We kept my Synthroid dosage level elevated though & I was considered normal, I still didn't feel normal, or like my old self but having a baby & job was blamed.
I got pregnant with my second in 2007. So I had 2 littles under 3, again didn't feel normal but having 2 kids & a job was to be blamed.Then it was stress.
my youngest turns 4 today, I am 8lbs shy of being my heaviest. I went to my endo yesterday & I was emphatic with I don't feel normal, this is not me. I have insomnia like crazy, it takes me forever to fall asleep (I get maybe 4hrs a night) I am exhausted by 11am, I have aches & pains all over & it's TOUGH to get motivated to exercise. She went into the whole kids being young again & me overeating & was honestly surprised that I knew I've ate less than 1700calories for the past 6 wks days & most is high fiber foods & not prepackaged junk. She said we'll run some tests & we'll see. I got 7 vials of blood drawn yesterday (!!!) I normally get 2, maybe 3.

I have yet to find a dr who is willing to prescribe anything else besides Synthroid. The state & health insurance here is very much Western Medicine, so I feel a little stuck

tulip07

Your story sounds a lot like mine. They blamed my little kids, work, stress, guessed I was over-eating, not exercising enough instead of listening to me and my symptoms. I was always in a brain fog and exhausted 2 hrs after waking up in the morning. That cannot be normal and cannot be because of my kids!

Good to know your new doc is running more tests. Where are you located? Try to find a doctor who is into alternative medicine even if he's not an endocrinologist. My doctor is 45 minutes away from where I live and not an endocrinologist and just a very very good doctor. Everyone asks me how come I don't see one of the many endocrinologists within 10-15 minutes of where I live. I just tell them, I have felt crappy for long enough that I will drive a few hundred miles if I can find the right doctor

It's my opinion that doctors who are into alternative medicine (they usually have accupuncture and other alternative therapies in their practice) are more inclined to listen to the patient and diagnose the whole body instead of just the thyroid, listen to your symptoms and try other medicines. I have already said this on this thread but will repeat for you. Armour thyroid has really helped me (with little help from Vitamin D and DHEA), so I would say, insist on trying Armour or a combination of Synthroid (or other T4 only medication) with additional T3 medication. Synthroid is T4 only and a lot of people have problems converting T4 to T3 well and T3 is what can be readily used by your body at any given time and not T4.

I hope that helps a little.

PS: I was soooo happy to read that you kept your pregnancy and your little boy turned out to be normal after your RI !!

tulip07

Hi all!

I am 18 and in college, and just about 3 weeks ago I was screened for hypothyroid, as I gained 30 lbs in 2 years with no change in diet or exercise. The test came back and I have been diagnosed as having an under active thyroid! I am just glad that the doctors found out what was wrong before this got too far =]

I have just started taking levothyroxine (25 mcg) 1 1/2 weeks ago. I was on the energetic side for the first time in quite awhile for the first few days, but in the past 2 days I have been feeling just like I did before I started the medication.

My doctor is switching me to Synthroid (instead of generic levothyroxine) because I have been experiencing dizziness and heart palpitations.

Can anyone tell me what I should be expecting? I am thinking that the replacement is working so far, as I have found that my hair is coming out in bigger clump/strand things in the shower! If anyone could please tell me what their experience has been with either Synthroid or levothyroxine and just examples of how long it took you to feel normal again, that would be so great!!

I look forward to finally reaching my goals and being to get help here and hopefully help others!!

Hillary, Sorry to hear you got diagnosed with thyroid issues so early. But please know once you have found the medication and dosage that works for you, it's really as simple as taking a pill every morning. If the Synthroid dose works for you they say it takes about 4-6 weeks for your levels to get normal or get settled to a particular number. You will start feeling like yourself again with no hypo (sluggishness etc) or hyper (heart palpitations etc) symptoms! You need to get blood work done after about 6 weeks (at least that's what my doctor does) after you change medication or dosage.

christybrooker

I've been on the hypothyroid meds for about a month now. My pharmacist told me that it was very important to take the meds on an empty stomach. She said the meds will attach to fats if there's food and just pass right though without getting absorbed. I'm glad she told me as I always take vitamins and meds with food.

kat05317

Hey everyone!
I was diagnosed back in 1999 by my ob/gyn. The biggest difference I can tell is that if I am off my meds for to long I am completely exhausted and my hair falls out a lot! On the meds (I've taken synthroid & levothyroxine) I am not near as tired and my hair does not fall out as much. It takes a couple of weeks back on the medication for me to feel better. (my current dose is .125mcg)
I have a couple of questions for everyone;
1. What all should the doctors be testing for when they retest your levels? I know TSH is one but what else?
2. Is it neccessary to see an endo doc? (right now my only regular doc is an ob/gyn but I only see her once a year!)
3. Has anyone heard not to take supplements containing magnesium at the same time as your meds? I take a vitamin but it is a couple hours later and Ive just wondered why.
Thanks guys!
Good Luck to everyone!