Intro--what to expect?
tamred69
Posts: 130 Member
Hello:
I started to suspect I was hypothyroid a couple of months ago because I have been steadily (about 5 pounds per year) gaining weight, and unable to lose despite being on and off weight watchers the last few years. I started looking around some web sites (including this site), and saw that I had many other symptoms besides the weight gain thing. I scheduled an appt. with my PCP last week to test it, and sure enough my levels are 4 times what they should be (14). I suspect I may have gotten it when I had my first child 9 years ago and just attributed everything to getting older and being a new mom. I never experienced many of the terrible symptoms that many on here have reported, such as brain fog, extreme tiredness, muscle weakness, and feeling cold all the time, but now I see that I could have been doing much better. Glad to have a diagnosis for my physical decline, but now I am wondering what to expect/do next. I meet with my PCP again on Wedesday, and I guess whe will refer me to an endocrinologist. Any words of wisdom as I embark on this journey? What should I expect in terms of treatment? Questions to ask?Thanks for anything you can offer.
-Tamred
I started to suspect I was hypothyroid a couple of months ago because I have been steadily (about 5 pounds per year) gaining weight, and unable to lose despite being on and off weight watchers the last few years. I started looking around some web sites (including this site), and saw that I had many other symptoms besides the weight gain thing. I scheduled an appt. with my PCP last week to test it, and sure enough my levels are 4 times what they should be (14). I suspect I may have gotten it when I had my first child 9 years ago and just attributed everything to getting older and being a new mom. I never experienced many of the terrible symptoms that many on here have reported, such as brain fog, extreme tiredness, muscle weakness, and feeling cold all the time, but now I see that I could have been doing much better. Glad to have a diagnosis for my physical decline, but now I am wondering what to expect/do next. I meet with my PCP again on Wedesday, and I guess whe will refer me to an endocrinologist. Any words of wisdom as I embark on this journey? What should I expect in terms of treatment? Questions to ask?Thanks for anything you can offer.
-Tamred
0
Replies
-
Hi Tamred -- welcome to the site. I don't know for sure, but pretty certain that your doctor is only testing your TSH - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone - which doesn't really tell the story of what's going on with you. If he's going to send you to an endo, please ask him to send you to someone that will test your other thyroid and metabolic levels and someone that will consider putting you on a Natural Dessicated Thyroid medicine.
This site has a wealth of information: www.stopthethyroidmadness.com
Here's some labs you should ask for: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/recommended-labwork/
Common Questions & Answers: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/common-questions-answers/
Chances are they will try to put you on a replacement synthetic T4 medication such as Synthroid or Levoxyl or Levothyroxine.
This link explains why these T4 only medications don't work: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/t4-only-meds-dont-work/
Sorry -- it's a lot of info. But there are many of us on this site that suffered for many years with hypo symptoms while being on T4 only and putting up with doctors that refuse to treat our symptoms. Hoping you can start out with appropriate treatment.
Good luck!
Terri0 -
Thanks for your reply! I will try to take all that in. As you said, lots of info.0
