I like this topic! Sometimes it's nice to vent a little and see what others are experiencing.

I was diagnosed hypothyroid last summer. Thin outer eyebrows, brittle hair, weight gain, cold extremities, the works. One of the hardest things to deal with is the lack of control. I can run miles, eat perfectly and still not get closer to my goals. Crazy food allergies and a form of autoimmunity are hard- when I eat out, if I unknowingly eat an allergen, I get an inflammatory reaction: water retention, weight shoots up, etc. I also go through periods of lower energy, I would liken it to a depression.

My medication keeps going up, but I appreciate that I have a doctor that is proactive. So that's my rant and I second Arcana's Grrrrrrr.

the hair thinning and the eye brows are a nuicence, the brain fog and tiredness suck but what really gets me is the constant bleeding
i have periods that just wont stop when my meds need upping but the doc wont up them till my tsh is over 6

last change it took a 4 month long period before she upped them. before they diagnosed me i had an 18 month long period
because of this i ofen end up iron deficient or anemic

Anyone have any tips on how to really and actually lose weight being hypo? I have been hypo for 15 years now, but always have been thin. I was always 115-120 pounds until 2 years ago. I have been trying to lose weight with no luck...And yes always COLD

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 7 years ago when I was 18 years old. ( I suspect that I had this prior to my diagnosis because as a teenager I would go from sleeping anytime that I could to being a complete insomniac)

What I hate the most is mostly being cold. I live in Las Vegas, and while it doesn't necessarily get seriously cold here, there are a few months out of the year when I can hardly tolerate it. If my hands and/or feet are cold, that's it. Now in the summer when its 100+ degrees outside, its pretty much the same. The heat gets to me and I cannot to stand to be out in it too long.

Also, my hair is really thin and falls out like mad! My meds were just increased to 125mcg from 112mcg because my TSH went up to 5.75 (which isn't terribly high, but enough to warrant a med change) after it being stable for 2 years on 112mcg. Also I do find it harder to lose weight even though my endocrinologist essentially told me that if my levels were normal that I shouldn't have any issues.

So I hate the hot weather / cold weather sensitivity, the weight loss issues and the thinning hair.

This disease will only slow my weight loss journey, not stop it.

I have had Hashi's for 6yrs. I wish I was cold. I am always so hot. 70 degrees and I'm sweating. I never wear long sleeves, I sleep on top of my blankets, can't even stand to be under a sheet half the time. But the worst part for me though is the brain fog and exhaustion. Every day, no matter how much or how little I sleep, I am dragging *kitten* tired. Takes me 4 or 5 alarms to crawl out of bed in the morning. Sometimes I feel like a zombie with Alzheimer's because I can't remember anything anymore either. I forget what I'm talking about halfway through my sentences even. I'm gonna have to start looking for yet another endo because this one insists I'm fine since my numbers are normal. I'm not fine.

I tend to run cold most of the time, tiredness, brain fog and I've lost half my hair thickness. Have not lost any of my eyebrows though.

I have found drinking/eating things with ginger, cinnamon, tarragon seems to help me feel less cold. I drink a lot more tea and less cold water, especially in the winter and when I'm in the office where I can't control the temperature. I can usually be found in my cubicle with multiple layers, to include blankets holding a tea cup.

Thanks for that article link, Janalayn! I will definitely be taking that in to my next appointment.

For me the worst is the brain fog.

A close second is the leadlike brain density of too many medical professionals when it comes to thyroid issues. My endo telling me he has the same test values & symptoms, but he doesn't take meds, just pushes through it. Ummm, no. Because he'd be misprescribing, misreading, and misfiling patient info, and then sued and fired.

Grrrrr.

anyone suffering a dead libido? I mean seriously dead...no feelings at all. At first I thought it might be the bc pills, but no change since I've gone off them. Then I worried that I just might not like my boyfriend. But thinking back, I think the dampening started when my levothyroxine dosage was upped to 100mcg. So, is it a side effect of the levo or just being hypothyroid?

anyone suffering a dead libido? I mean seriously dead...no feelings at all. At first I thought it might be the bc pills, but no change since I've gone off them. Then I worried that I just might not like my boyfriend. But thinking back, I think the dampening started when my levothyroxine dosage was upped to 100mcg. So, is it a side effect of the levo or just being hypothyroid?

Low libido is a typical hypo symptom!
And ladies I am quite shocked about your tsh levels, your doctors should not only look at your TSH/T3/T4 but also at how you feel!! From a medical perspective your medication could be increased up to a level you feel good/ your TSH hits around 0.4/ you experience hyper-symptoms... I feel my best when my TSH is around or under 1..

1. CONSTIPATION (omgoodness, I cannot even begin to explain (nor does anyone want to hear! ha!) the problems this has caused)
2. Brain fog/tiredness/exhaustion/body aches/dead tired every flippin' day, all day!
3. COLD cold cold cold cold!
4. Thinning hair
5. Very low libido (... and I just got married. ... and the plumbing seems to be broken! I.are.no.happy.)
6. Moodiness. I get on my OWN nerves sometimes.

Going to a new doctor this Thursday and cannot wait.

God bless all you guys. Thyroid disorders are the pits; especially when you don't LOOK sick, but feel like death. No one really can understand that unless they've been in our shoes ... and I wouldn't wish this on anyone.