Hypothyroidism

2

Replies

  • cmacphee3
    cmacphee3 Posts: 278 Member
    I just started on Synthroid about 3 weeks ago (I was on it for a bit about 6-7 years ago, but I was borderline and stopped taking it), and the biggest differences are (tmi!) that I don't need such a high fibre diet to get my digestive system moving, and that I'm not absolutely freezing cold all of the time! Oh, and also, I was supposed to start my period a few days ago, but it hasn't happened, that is pretty typical from what I've found online. I am still tired, but I don't get the sleep I should. I am still in early phases, I have 3 weeks until my first bloodtests to check my TSH and T4 again to see if this dose is right for me or not.
  • 13suzie
    13suzie Posts: 349 Member
    I have been on thyroid medication for 11 years. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism not long after I had my daughter. Once I got on Synthroid medication, my symptoms went away and my post baby weight melted off. A few years ago, I had to switch to generic levothyroxine because of my insurance plan, and though i know people say there is no difference, I don't believe the generic is as good as the brand. I believe this because, I bit the bullet and paid out of pocket for Synthroid fro a time, and I felt better and I lost weight. But I couldn't afford to pay out of packet all the time, so I went back to the generic and the same thing happened as before. My thyroid levels are consistently good, but I go through bouts of fatigue and it is harder to keep weight off. My metabolism has gotten a bit slower but it still works.. My doctor has recently upped my dosage for the first time even though I am still in the normal range, he says we have a little room to experiment with the dosages to see if these bouts of fatigue will go away. If you can stay on Synthroid, that's what I recommend, or maybe levo will work fine for you. Hopefully your symptoms will go away quickly, you may have to give it about 6 weeks for you body to start reacting, though.



    Thanks for sharing :) I always thought that Synthroid being the original is better but they assured me that Levo is the same thing, if it wasn't the FDA wouldn't approve it. No one really knows until you try it and listen to your body. Some patients that start on Synthroid And switch to Levo report feeling the effects. There is a big difference in price for sure, and it does add up because this is a life treatment. Best wishes.

    I was posting the same time as you (above). Anyhow, there is now a basis to understand why the FDA would approve a drug that is similar but not the same. It has to do with patents on the time release. There are differences that the medical community is acknowledging between brand and generic and I must underscore (with my case study of 1) that I witnessed a marked difference. I started with brand - switched to generic - and then returned to brand. Lots of confounds, but with doctor's statements about what he's seen with his 100s of patients, recognized my observation to be real and not an artifact.
  • Windi38
    Windi38 Posts: 164 Member
    Was diagnosed in August last year, started on Levo 75mcg. My levels are normal now, but I can't say that I have noticed any real difference. My doctor said my levels would be normal long before my symptoms would improve....said it would take at least 6 months. I noticed last month there was less hair in the bathroom, so I guess I'm not losing so much hair now. Other than that, I feel no different. But then again, I don't think I had nearly the extreme kind of symptoms other people can have, so I should probably consider myself lucky... :)
  • m_wilh
    m_wilh Posts: 362 Member
    I have hypothyroidism too. I decided to go the holistic approach instead of the traditional medical approach. For the first 2 years, so much improved with my health. I even lost 60+ pounds in those first two years but I had to be super strict with my eating ALL the time. However, the doctor I see checked my thyroid levels every 3 months and nothing we've done naturally has helped--although all of my other medical issues are now gone. So, I started synthroid a few weeks ago. I haven't been able to tell much of a difference yet, but I understand that it takes time. My biggest complaints are that I'm freezing cold ALL the time and that last 12 pounds will not budge no matter how clean I eat or how much I exercise. I'm really hoping that once the med is regulated, I'll see a noticeable improvement in these two areas. I still get my blood work done every 3 months which is extremely important. For anyone on this medication, make sure your doctor is keeping a close check on things.
  • MeadowSong
    MeadowSong Posts: 171 Member
    Been on thyroid replacement for over 15 years. What I can tell you is this. It takes a long time. You'll start feeling better after 2-4 weeks, but it's longer than that before you feel good. GET ON SYNTHROID AND STAY ON IT. Your insurance prob won't pay for anything but the generic. And most of the generics are fine--but your pharmacy might change brands on you, or you might need to change pharmacies. It's been my experience that every time you change brands you have a down time until your body gets used to it and I had one that I never did feel good on. My husband is a pharmacist and recommends generics all the time--but not for thyroid replacement. Get everything else generic or not, but buy the Synthroid for this.

    DON'T TAKE IT WITHIN FOUR HOURS OF A CALCIUM (my husband recommends Citracal Plus with Magnesium) or IRON (or vitiamin supplement with iron) SUPPLEMENT !!!! Try to take it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.

    These two tips have made a world of difference to me. And get plenty of exercise--that's the only thing that will really make you feel good.
  • cricket_77
    cricket_77 Posts: 165 Member
    I'm on Levo. I actually had my thyroid removed two years ago. Just remember that as you lose weight, you'll need your numbers checked again as it can affect your dosage.


    Thanks, I didn't know :) it makes sense. How do you like Levo, any effects you have noticed?

    I do fine on the Levo. You just want to make sure that you don't switch between brands and that you get your refills from the same place every time. There can be variations between doses. For instance, a dose of .8 synthroid can be different than a dose of .8 Levo (more meds or less meds). If you switch between brands/pharmacies, then you will not know what dose you really need to be on when you have your bloodwork done.

    Edited to add that you want to follow your doctors recommendations in regard to timing of your meds (take 1 hour before/after eating, don't take withing 4 hours of taking calcium/iron). This can all affect the absortion of your meds.
  • Redptlmtd
    Redptlmtd Posts: 14
    I too am on thyroid replacement. I have been for about 22 years. I've been on synthroid and generics. About 8 years ago I switched ot Armour thyroid. It works best for me. Other's advise it right on. Take it the same time everyday, on an empty stomach. Wait an hour before eating and take vitamins later in the day. Check your levels often at first. You'll do great!! There are a lot of us out there!!
  • AprilMae1975
    AprilMae1975 Posts: 726
    I have battled with hypthyroidism for 20 years. I have been on all sorts of doses and I think I am finally the best I have ever been on .150 mg. Pay attention to your body, if you notice symptoms have them check your TSH because it changes as you gain and lose weight so dosage needs to be adjusted. I think Synthroid is the best, I have done the generic and I don't recommend it. Good luck :)
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I have been on thyroid medication for 11 years. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism not long after I had my daughter. Once I got on Synthroid medication, my symptoms went away and my post baby weight melted off. A few years ago, I had to switch to generic levothyroxine because of my insurance plan, and though i know people say there is no difference, I don't believe the generic is as good as the brand. I believe this because, I bit the bullet and paid out of pocket for Synthroid fro a time, and I felt better and I lost weight. But I couldn't afford to pay out of packet all the time, so I went back to the generic and the same thing happened as before. My thyroid levels are consistently good, but I go through bouts of fatigue and it is harder to keep weight off. My metabolism has gotten a bit slower but it still works.. My doctor has recently upped my dosage for the first time even though I am still in the normal range, he says we have a little room to experiment with the dosages to see if these bouts of fatigue will go away. If you can stay on Synthroid, that's what I recommend, or maybe levo will work fine for you. Hopefully your symptoms will go away quickly, you may have to give it about 6 weeks for you body to start reacting, though.

    Had this happen to me too. Once I got back on Synthroid, it took sometime to regulate again. Make sure your insurance covers your medication before you start or your body gets use to a certain formula.
  • fergie918
    fergie918 Posts: 8
    I have been taking synthroid for 34 years now. I had hyperthyroidism w/ goiter . Thyroid was removed in 1979.
    I now have hypothyroidism. The bigest thing I noticed after my surgery is really no appetite and I have had to force myself to eat at times. My energy level is low and I still have days with alot of fatigue. I have routine checkups an all is fine. There is a difference between generic and name brand for sure.But still what works best for each person.
  • LBNOakland
    LBNOakland Posts: 379 Member
    Hey there! I have a hypothyroid too. I've been on synthroid and the generic version (Levo). I am up to a dose of 100 on synthroid. I have found and have been told by a few doctors that the generic is NOT as effective as brand. I switched back to brand over this past summer and finally regained a little energy and found that I could lose wait slowly with VERY careful watch over calories (can't go above 1200) and daily exercise (~600 burned calories through exercise a day). Most people would probably lose weight fast given my regimen but I lose weight at a rate of 1 pound per week (max). It takes lots of motivation and support to lose this slowly.

    Anyhow, hope this feedback helps. I know it is recommended to be gluten-free w thyroid issues. I do try to limit gluten (though I am not gluten free). You can search this relationship and find LOTS of supportive solid research on being gluten free to aid with thyroid management and health. I was gluten free for 3 years and my weight was in a great range -- I do believe it helps.

    Thanks!! I had not heard that! My PT wants me gluten-free because of Asthma. Now I have another motivator! I have been on Synthroid for a decade. I screwed up my thyroid doing Atkins and dropping 30 pounds in 2 months. BAD IDEA!! I know that is when it happened because I haven't lost weight consistently and kept ift off since. It is a constant battle. Hubby doesn't understand. Thyroid is an "excuse". Oh well, when I quit worrying about him and the scale, I saw some success. It has taken a combo of weight lifting and cardio as well as coutning cals I am on Synthroid. Hated Levo - waste of money as far as I am concerned. My levels are good so i can't convince doc to up my dosage (50mcg). I think it should be higher. I go to my gp or my ob, not an endo doc so that may be my prob. OB put me on meds and sent me to an endo and he acted like I was nuts. He said my percentages were not off enough for meds. His nurse pulled me aside and said, based on my symptoms, she would talk to another doc. Her levels were like mine and synthroid made a big difference. I never went back to him. I was falling asleeo, driving home! Not symptomatic enough? Started going to my gp for the refills. It isn't a cure-all for weight-loss. I wish! There are times when I feel totally drained at the end of the day, though. That's when I think my dose needs to go up. ANyway, feel free to send a friend request. We can never have to many supportive friends!! :flowerforyou:
  • cindyjoesousa
    cindyjoesousa Posts: 87 Member
    Im on it for the rest of my life..have been taking it for about 11 years now..no side effects..no problems
  • sbbhbm
    sbbhbm Posts: 1,312 Member
    I take it. It's helped tremendously. I had the unfortunate symptoms of slurred speech and the mental effects- memory loss, difficulty connecting thoughts, inability to follow conversations... to me these symptoms were even worse than the weight problems. Levo has helped me get my mind back.
  • AmyW125
    AmyW125 Posts: 303 Member
    I'm on Levo. I started taking it in Sept '12. I was losing weight and as soon as I got put on it I stopped...I'm up 10 pounds since I started it. My levels have been checked but I'm still not losing. I'm not sure if I need to eat more or less to get the scale moving again. I have lost all the hair on my arms and only have to shave my legs maybe once a week now?!?!? My hands and feet are freezing most of the time but at night it's horrible! Life was much better before this hypo thing happened!! Just sayin'
  • JennDoesKeto
    JennDoesKeto Posts: 244 Member
    I was hyper, then had radiation and now am hypo been on meds for 13 years now. was told by my birthmother who is hypo as well that she wasn't able to take generic and since i was having issues with generic I asked for synthroid. I have been on it for several years now and while my weight fluctuates, my meds will too. at my highest weight I was at 200mcg now im at 137mcg however i was on 125mcg for a year as i lost a ton of weight. I'm sure ill be dropped back down when I get my blood work done next. I do find it interesting that your doctor is starting you at 25mcg and bumping you up month by month. when I was bumped up it was after 2 weeks i did bloodwork then got bumped up level by level, I gained about 100lbs in about 6months because my thryroid was so out of wack. Pay attention to your body and if you feel weird call the dr, get blood work done. the one thing i have learned with being hypo is you have to pay attention to what your body is telling you good luck! feel free to add me if you would like
  • tomwatso
    tomwatso Posts: 1,304 Member
    I am Hypothyroid. Been taking the 75 mg of Levothryoxine for a couple of months. From the diagnosis (5/12) till now, I have lost 32 lbs and 6 inches from my waist. I go to gym 4-5 times a week. Really feel better. The drug makes me a little nervous. But, no real problems.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    I was under-treated for 10 years and never felt better. When I finally stopped taking the doctors' diagnosis of fine, I realized my treated levels were 3.8 TSH when 4 is enough for a diagnosis. I added liothyronine to the levo, got down to 2.7, feel better (finally), but still waiting for my eyebrows to grow back.
  • artistqueen
    artistqueen Posts: 1
    I was diagnosed as hypothyroid about 2 years ago... I started on levothyroxine 50 mcg, and have constantly been upping the dosage since then. I just received news today that my numbers are finally good!! I am currently on 175 mcg. I have never had any negative side effects from the medication, though it is a pain to have to take it first thing in the morning and wait 30 minutes to eat. I usually have really low blood sugar in the morning, so if I get up and start being active and don't eat I will start to get nauseous and dizzy. So I just have my levo on my nightstand with a bottle of water and take it as soon as I wake up, and lay in bed and read or check facebook...etc for 30 minutes. Then I get up and eat breakfast before I do anything else. That has been working really well for me. I take vitamins and all other meds before bed so that they can't interfere with the levo.
  • jessmastrilli
    jessmastrilli Posts: 203 Member
    I was just diagnosed with hypothyroidism on March 21st. So I've only been on them for about 2 weeks now. However my exhaustion has greatly approved and I can actually workout now without feeling like I'm going to die. Not to mention my depression/irritability has improved 100%! I get my labs drawn on May 1st to see if my dosage is working for me. I believe I'm on 25mg of the Levo.
  • BobbieInCA
    BobbieInCA Posts: 91 Member
    I've been on Levothyroxin for half my lifetime. (diagnosed with Hashimoto's Syndrome...inherited low thyroid condition...when my Dr. felt a goiter and diagnosed hypothyroidism when I was 35.) I'm 72 now! I actually went off the pills for a short time when I was doing double aerobics every day, but a blood test showed that the function was running low again. I get it tested every year, and am on a low dosage now: 088 mg. I feel great, have good energy, and no side effects.
  • Veganbambina
    Veganbambina Posts: 108 Member
    I have been on synthroid for nearly 12 years. Never really noticed a difference in side effects. I'm still always cold and tired. I was on the minimum dose for years until my pregnancy. My dose increased 3 times and there it stayed!
  • simplyshannal
    simplyshannal Posts: 188 Member
    I have been taking Synthroid for 10 years as of this year and I have had good and bad experiences with it. Right now I am dealing with antibodies that are causing the half of my thyroid that I still have to work overtime. I have moved to the hyper side for now until we can figure out what the antibodies are doing. I have seen endocrinologists and many different doctors and only time will tell what will and won't work for you. I sure do hope that you can find that happy medium that makes you feel great each and every day.
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,513 Member
    ive been on levothyroxine for nearly 3 months now and im finally able to string a sentence together. ill be having my levels checked in the next week to see if the 50mcg dose is sufficient. im thinking its too low as im still exausted but my weight loss has been good even if i do loose erratically
  • HayleyHM
    HayleyHM Posts: 1
    I am on 150 of levothyroxine, and my levels are now fine. What is the difference between this and Synthroid? I am in the UK and not sure if Synthroid is available here.
  • raincoastgirl
    raincoastgirl Posts: 40
    Can I ask (for anyone) what was the instigating factor in getting your thyroid checked? I've been debating it for a while but for some reason I feel embarrassed calling the dr and asking to have it done. The last time I tried, my GP told me to "stop trying to lose weight" because I wasn't obese, at which point I started crying and he tried to put me on anti-depressants.
  • Veganbambina
    Veganbambina Posts: 108 Member
    Can I ask (for anyone) what was the instigating factor in getting your thyroid checked? I've been debating it for a while but for some reason I feel embarrassed calling the dr and asking to have it done. The last time I tried, my GP told me to "stop trying to lose weight" because I wasn't obese, at which point I started crying and he tried to put me on anti-depressants.

    I complained to my dr. about fatigue. She gave me a check list of symptoms and suspected Hypothyroidism. Blood test will confirm it.
  • vivianahm
    vivianahm Posts: 54 Member
    Hi.
    I've been on thyroid hormone replacement therapy since I was 10 years old (I am now 35) because of Hashimoto's disease.
    When I was 27 years old I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and I underwent surgery to have my thyroid completely removed (and then iodine radiation just in case they had missed any cells).
    I am as hypothyroid as you can get, and for years I used it as an excuse not to lose weight. I told myself and others I just couldn't lose weight without a thyroid gland.
    I have lost about 40 lbs, by counting calories and working out. I do feel I have to work out more than most people and eat less to see results, but it is possible.
    Feel free to add me!
  • tuckervc
    tuckervc Posts: 30
    Can I ask (for anyone) what was the instigating factor in getting your thyroid checked? I've been debating it for a while but for some reason I feel embarrassed calling the dr and asking to have it done. The last time I tried, my GP told me to "stop trying to lose weight" because I wasn't obese, at which point I started crying and he tried to put me on anti-depressants.

    When I went in I wasn't thinking anything about a thyroid problem. I was very tired, hair falling out, so cold I would take a hot shower just to warm up, dry flaky skin and no energy. The dr ordered blood work and when I went back the next week I told her that my mother is hypo, two aunts are hypo and one cousin is hypo. My numbers just barely make my hypo but with the family history and symptoms I am hypo. I feel better when on my meds. Tell your GP you want blood work to test cholestrol, sugar level, thyroid, iron.
  • tuckervc
    tuckervc Posts: 30
    Thank you for replying. Congratulations on your weight loss! Keep it up. I still weight the same as when started MFP (2 1/2 wks. Ago) and have been on synthroid for 3 days only (25mcg) the doctor said that is very low (minimal dosage) to take it for a month and then go up to 50mcg. He wants to see me in 4 months. All I know is that I am not giving up because it takes time and dedication. Even though I haven't lost any pounds I am starting to feel different and sort of lighter :smile: with more energy than before.
    You mentioned about starting another med, which one is it? Best wishes.

    The weight will come off. Just stick with it. My new med is liothyronine which is generic for cytomel.
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,513 Member
    Can I ask (for anyone) what was the instigating factor in getting your thyroid checked? I've been debating it for a while but for some reason I feel embarrassed calling the dr and asking to have it done. The last time I tried, my GP told me to "stop trying to lose weight" because I wasn't obese, at which point I started crying and he tried to put me on anti-depressants.

    my doctor had sent me to the metabolic bone docs due to crazy levels of pain in my limbs and low levels of vit d, magnisium and a few other vits and minerals.

    the bone doc ran thyroid on a hunch and hit jackpot

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