Hi everybody. I'm Cara. A little less than a year ago, the doctor found a mass on my thyroid. He took half my thyroid in October (no cancer, thankfully), but since then staying active and on a good diet plan has been very difficult. I'm tired a lot and the urge to eat everything in sight is even worse than it used to be (and it was always bad). So I saw this group and hope it can lead to some support as I try to deal with all these new issues that I have now as a girl with a half a thyroid.

Hi Everyone,
My story- Had a ovarian cyst rupture May 22, 2012. Had a (first time ever) SEVERE Panic Attack! Went to the ER. That day changed my life! I have not been able to get my panic attacks, which is now severe anxiety to go away. I did not know where to turn or what to do, so I went to see my Gyno/OB doc about a week after. She gave me the regular "blah blah blah story"... every woman has cyst ruptures, every woman has hormone fluctuations. I could run hormone tests on you but it won't do any good and you will be wasting your money. (we didn't have insurance but yet had the cash to pay for whatever was needed to be done.. my husband and I just wanted my/our Life to be normal. My husband tried to tell her that it wasn't a mental health issue, that it had to be hormonal. If it was a mental health issue, there would have been signs leading up to it.. this exploded out of nowhere. Before this, I was very independent, took care of our children while he was away every week for work. Loved spending time alone... (who doesn't when they have kids...lol) But on this day he could not leave my side. May 22, 2012 at 11:00AM, after I got out of the shower and felt like I was going to die! Literally... like I was going to die, not from pain alone, but this sensation of pure doom! She looked at me and said "YOU need to go to The Mental Health Center, as in leave my office and drive straight there. You are going crazy and need professional help!! I was completely devastated. I thought as a woman and as a gyno, she would be more sympathetic to what I was going through. It took me about 2 months to find a doctor who would actually listen to me and run a complete hormone panel on me. (My TSH was 1.33 Free T4 1.05 and Free T3 2.6) Was diagnosed Hypo July 2012 and have been on Armour 60 mg 1/daily Along with Magnesium, Vit C, iodine, Selenium and Zinc. I have been eating the Perfect Health Diet for over a year. Walk 15,000 steps or 2 hours morning and late afternoon.. (whichever comes first-sometimes it doesn't take 2 hours) on the treadmill a day. SO.... here is my issues.. I still feel like someone shoved me in a crap shoot and has left me there to mold! I take my Armour Thyroid around 5 am because I am usually up at that time.. I "try" to go to bed at 9-9:30 pm. If I go to sleep I wake up at 1 AM and am awake the rest of the night. If I can't go to sleep I am usually up until 5 or so.. Problem is, my 4 year old gets up between 7:30 and 8! I AM EXHAUSTED! I do not know when to take it, how to take it, what to take in conjunction with (any of the other things I am taking), what to avoid that would interfere?... how much time to wait to take what..when to take what and well, everything!! I think all this figuring out is causing me more anxiety! I have read so many things.. Stop the thyroid madness, living successfully with hypothyroidism, online stuff.. etc. everything is SO CONFUSING! I have gained weight since then. I feel like I am in adrenal failure or something. Is my cortisol too high or too low?.. Do I chew the armour thyroid or not? Do I chop it into and take some in the morning and some in the afternoon? Do I need a higher dose? ARGHHHHH!!! Any and all advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks so much, Patty

Thanks Debby!
I sent my doctor a message and asked for her recommendation. She is a Holistic Dr. that tends to use natural approaches. She didn't even mention any synthetic thyroid meds, as I found out about those researching online. Money is not really an issue, so if she doesn't do the test herself and recommends I take it, I will surely look it up!

When she ran my tests she ran a complete blood count on everything I think. The labs bill was close to 1800.00 so I am assuming she ran everything under the sun, but I don't really understand everything. I did notice that the "out of range" results, other than my thyroid hormones, as of 9/27 were for RDW 16.0, Absolute Eosinopohils 585, DHEA Sulfate 238, Testosterone 68 (it was as low as 27), Eastradiol 47, Progesterone 10.4 and FSH 7.6. So maybe I have a big worm in me that is eating me alive...lol

Thanks so much!

Hi Everyone,

I am 51 and live in Ontario, Canada and joined MFP Jan 2013.
Have lost weight years ago and then slowly added it back on.
In Dec. 2012 my doc sent me for several tests as he thought I might have had a mini stroke. After results came back for carotid doppler he said something showed on my thyroid but not to be concerned.
Recently sent me for another ultrasound on my thyroid and they did a biopsy that same day. Still waiting for results which I won't get until Mar. 13. Although doc doesn't have results yet he called to tell me that doc that did biopsy wants me referred to another specialist.

Have been reading a lot of posts and researching info on thryoid problems and symptoms and have found it quite helpful.
Not sure what my results will bring me but am determined to fight it with all I got.

Thanks everyone for your posts and info.

Hi, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's at age 17 so that was almost 27 years ago. I've been through about every experience possible I think- from health, medications, to Doctors! I finally found a Dr. about 2yrs. ago that figured out my hormonal mess and works from a natural pathway, rather than with the synthetic thyroid meds that never worked very well for me. I am currently on a completely natural thyroid that is compounded, but is similar to naturethroid. I feel great finally! Only took me 25 years to get here, but I count my blessings everyday! I am more than happy to help others in their thyroid journey as well! Glad to meet you all!

Hello everyone,

I've had thyroid disease almost my entire life:

Grave's disease from ages 7-12
Hashimoto's disease from ages 12-21
Normal thyroid from 21-28
Grave's disease from 28-29
Hashimoto's disease at 29 (due to taking Radioactive iodine)

I took Radioactive iodine in December and am currently under supervision with my Endo on my low TSH. I just went in for my second monthly follow-up and had my synthroid dosage increased from 50mcg to 75mcg and will be back for another followup the end of April. I'm currently battling with weight loss (as I'm sure a lot of hypos are).

I'm glad to have joined my fitness pal and to have found this forum. I look forward to speaking with you all and reading your stories/weightloss tips and thyroid struggles and hope to be of support.