Hypothyroidism

Bridget28152723

Im an ex smoker too! I was pregnant, had my baby, got diagnosed with Hashimotosd after a lot of tests , and my thyroid is slightly protuding, but no nodules, yay! Every symptom you mentioned I have , I only got on Levo 25 mg. in Nov. 2011, Im getting labs soon and maybe an increase on my levo. I was always fit too, thats why I knew something was wrong! I love this site and am hoping to lose about 23 pounds thru lots of exercise and a healthy diet. Every women in my family has had some sort of thyroid problem, I do wonder why so many people are getting thyroid and autoimmune diseases recently????? I have read to stay away from flouride, raw peanuts ,raw broccoli and cauliflower, cabbage and strawberries Hpow long did it take for your meds to be regulated?

oops! dont know what I did!

Ge0rgiana

I take 30 mg of Armour thyroid medication. It's the stuff our grandmother's used to take. Been taking that for probably 4 years, but I'm still at least 75 lbs overweight. I blame my eating on that though. Just trying to get motivated again after already losing 75 lbs, and gaining 60 of it back. Wish I could give up the emotional stress eating!

That's an extremely low dose to be on for so long. You may wanna try to tweak that.

singularity001

Hey, I'm new! I was diagnosed with hypothyroid almost a year ago, but it wasn't much of a surprise. My mom has it, my aunt has it and my grandmother had it, so they all recognized the symptoms I was having pretty quickly. I take 75mcg of Synthroid and it helps a lot.

My main problems were being freezing cold all the time, exhausted and wanting to take naps, brittle hair and aching joints. I gained (in one summer) about 40lbs with no diet changes and that's when my mom said, "Go get your thyroid checked!" So far it's been difficult to loose the weight, but with my current meds I feel like I'm back to normal.

My doctor told me that soy products interact with Synthroid, and to not consume anything with soy in it for several hours after taking it. (I love soy milk!) He also said that calcium and certain multivitamins would interact with it too, and to take them at least 4 hours after taking my medicine.

I take mine right when I wake up, and wait about 30 minutes - 1 hour before eating breakfast. I used to get really grumpy right before lunch time before I was on the meds, and now that's completely gone. I feel like I'm starting to go back to normal, which is great because I felt like such a lazy bum before!

Germerican_Ang

thats awesome! it was the same for me too, mom aunt and grandma ;-) I am getting back on Raw Thyroid tomorrow my hubby just got me some today (we dont have insurance so we resort to the health food store and Google, whether people agree with it or not... I am getting a blood test done in January sometime when we can afford it...

melbellkid

I was just diagnosed about 2 weeks ago-I had been feeling horrible for the last year and couldn't figure out why-I found out when I had my annual insurance health screening bloodwork done-when the dr went through the list of symptoms I had every single one-which made me feel alot better alone just knowing there was an explanation for everything-cuz I thought I was losing it- . I started on synthyroid 50mcg 2 weeks ago-gotta say I was a little freaked after reading the side effects, but I am already starting to feel a little better-moods are leveling out and I feel a little more bounce in my step and dont want to sleep 24/7. I go back for more bloodwork every 6 weeks to see where my levels are and adjust my meds accordingly. I managed to gain 50 pounds in the last year mainly because I didn't get off the couch other than to work...so now Im trying to get that back off...35 of it left to go!

Brownski860

I was diagnosed at age 25 with Hypo. I was put on 25mcg. Now, 8 yrs later Im taking 125mcg. My brother was diagnosed as well and is on 175mcg. Our mom has this condition also. It is alot harder for us to lose weight. But it CAN be done. Best of luck to you.

DirtbikeGal

My case is definetely the zebra leaving hoof prints. I had a trifecta of metabolic issues all at once. Hmm no wonder I couldnt lose any weight. I had Cushings Disease (tumor on pituitary), PCOS, Hashimotos & Secondary Hypothyroidism. I was caught in homonal purgatory for nearly 8yrs. I saw Dr.s from coast to coast and finally found a leader in endocrine issues who diagnosed me back in 2008. I had surgery to remove the tumor which cured me of Cushings (knock on wood-it can come back). I have PCOS and take 2000mg of Metformin daily. I have taken just about every thyroid medication and finally settled in with 150mg synthroid & 25mg cytomel. I havent had my labs checked but I feel great, steady energy all day long, hair stopped falling out. How you feel is a better indicator then labs if you ask me.

To any of you who still dont feel optimal....consider taking a medication that contains T3. Anything like levoxyl, synthroid ect are all T4. T4 is the "storage" thyroid hormone. It in iself isnt directly usable. T4 has to be converted by the body into T3. T3 is the usable active hormone. Some people convert poorly. For instance I was on levoxyl and upped my does to nearly 275 and everything was still in the tank. I added Cytomel which is direct T3 usable active hormone and it made and AMAZING difference! Armour thyroid has a ratio of T4 & T3....I dont remember for sure but Im thinking its around 4:1. Armour thyroid has been around for 100yrs and is made of pig thyroid.

Best of luck!

krazyforyou

My story is a bit diffrent. Two years ago I noticed that my throat around my adams apple was tender to touch. Saw my MD and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. As a result I now have hypothyroidism and take synthroid daily at night. Hyperthyroidism is a rare occurance and almost always leads to hypothyroidism. By the way had a patient in the hospital not long ago who TSH was 0.4 can you say how low can you go.

kitkat40

I actually just got bumped to that dose, every time i sat down i would fall asleep!
I couldn't even drive anywhere that wasn't local because i would fall aslelep.
I also had high blood pressure, my old doctor was giving me the wrong dose of medicine, it was not working with the migraine medicine so i was always dizzy ( not good when you have children or pregnant).
So glad that you knew to find a new doctor, not many people know to do that i did the same thing
Now, you wil love the new you and watch the weight slowly drop off you the right way!!
Congrats and I wish you a Happy Healthy New Year !!!

realme56

Same boat! Started gaining weight, lost appetite, always cold, dry skin, losing hair and depressed. I skipped one period and I thought I was starting change of life then I couldn't stop and nearly needed a transfusion. I was a nurse but the metabolic crap that builds up in your system really decreases your ability to function and think. I would go to bed in one position and wake in the same position. My TSH was 81.3, incredibly high. With my current weight loss I was able to back down to 150mcg form 175. I love my thyroid medication.
I was still the one that diagnosed my condition after going to the ER 3 times for chest pain. My muscle damage enzyme was 10x normal so I was kept once to r/o heart attack but no one questioned why although elevated it did not follow the course for a true heart attack.
I advocate for folks not to depend ont he doctors to take care of you.... do your research, ask questions and don't settle!

jmvh59

Wow, this thread really came back to life for a spell. Thanks, everybody for your input! I am on the synthroid generic called levothyroxine. I get it for $4 for a 30 day supply and $10 for a 90 day at Wegman's, but Target and Walmart (and probably several other pharmacy chains) have the same pricing scheme. Dosages over 200 mcg do not qualify for that special pricing, however, and you still need a prescription to purchase them. My doctor told me to stay away from grapefruit (it was some time ago, but I'm pretty sure he used the word "fatal"--probably should have asked him to elaborate) and to take my pills an hour before eating.

My usual routine is to get up, take my pill, kill some time, run with the doggies, kill more time if necessary, make breakfast, take my multivitamin, b-complex, and fish oil, shower, dress and go to work. If I oversleep, I sometimes take my pill less than an hour before eating/taking vitamins.

After reading the doctor's instructions, for some of the other posters, I'm wondering if I am not getting the most out of my meds. I'm thinking I will take my levothyroxine in the evenings before bed and see how that goes.

SandyMilton

I had half my thyroid removed due to a cold nodule, the rest just isn't pushing out what it should. I'm currently on 175 Synthroid and feeling pretty good. Thyroid issues "sort of" run in my family, but in an unrelated way. My mother had graves disease, and my aunt (my mom's sister) had thyroid cancer (she's fine)

SarahMorganP

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 20, so 11 years ago now. It has been very hard to get my dose right, every few months it needs to be changed. Right now I am taking 250mcg of Synthroid a day and 25mcg of Cytomel a day. For years and years I suffered greatly even when my numbers were fine. Finally I went to a different endo and he put my on Cytomel and it was like night and day! I was so much better! Even saying that though I will never feel normal. I feel like crap every single day. I am one of the unlucky ones that has all of the symptoms even while on medication. Still it is a huge improvement from when I was only on Synthroid.

I also have a Pituitary tumor, and that for sure causes issues.

My doctor knows that he needs to keep my numbers under 1 or I will feel like death, regular doctors will let you go up to 4 because that is still within the healthy range. The highest my numbers ever were were 177 and the doctor thought the lab must have screwed up because at that level I should have been in a coma. After that I switched doctors because the doctor I had said I must have not been taking my meds and was just saying I was. Sure cause I LIKE feeling like I am sleeping all day?

SarahMorganP

I think I am the thyroid thread killer. This is like the 3rd thyroid post I have responded to and am always the last one to post on it and then it just dies away. LOL

kylevinsohn

I've been hypo for over 8 years. I've been on levo the whole time at different doses.I've been up to 125 and now back down to 100. I hope I've finally got it right now! My question to everyone w/ hypo, What is working for you to be able to lose weight? My body will NOT let go of the weight! I have been doing spinning for 3 months now and my weight still isn't moving! I DO see my legs are toning up but my middle isn't budging! ugh!!!

libbylee31

I was diagnosed in 1999 and have been taking 100 mcg of levothyroxine everyday. In 2005, they removed the right half of my thyroid due to a goiter. I am stable at the moment but I still can't lose the weight I've gained.

Florawanda

Really interesting hearing all about the symptoms people have. I was diagnosed about 22 years ago, when my previous doctor retired, and the new one suggested she ran lots of tests when I went to her feeling tired and overweight - and settled down on 100 mcg levothyroxine. She said if I had to have anything wrong, it was the best thing to have, as levothyroxine is the most natural pill to take, and has virtually no side effects. Reading the notes, I now take it as soon as I get up, about 30 mins before breakfast. I put on weight as soon as I had been diagnosed, as the doctor said the hypothyroidism was why I had been putting on weight, so I then reckoned I could eat what I like - silly me! I have an annual blood test, and like other Brits here, was instantly given free prescriptions on everything, which was a great bonus.

Weight has been a problem all my life, so I might have had it for some time before it was diagnosed!

Thanks for all the information!