Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

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Newly Diagnosed and panicking a bit

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TashTag
TashTag Posts: 109
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Recently I had a severe kidney infection and just before that a chest infection. These two things led me to the Doctors who ordered blood tests.
This last weekend I went in to get the results.
I am 25 years old
115 kilos
164 cm Tall

Have been overweight since early teens. Lost 30 kilos a few years ago. Cannot shift weight now.
When I was 17 I had blood tests done in SA. I was told that everything was fine. No need to worry.

This last weekend I got the results back. Sugar levels are normal, cholesterol levels are normal, kidney is fine...
Extremely under-active Thyroid.
Prescribed 25mg of Levothyroxin every day for the rest of my life?!?!

I'm panicking a bit here. Read so many forums and saw people complaining of extreme acne, headaches, weigh gain... scary

Anyone gone through this or have any advice?

Thank you

Replies

  • msthang444
    msthang444 Posts: 491 Member
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    and just to give you a heads up, your dosage might not be right initially. They will have to test you about every 6 weeks to evaluate how well the meds are working. Totally normal...
  • krennie8
    krennie8 Posts: 301 Member
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    Recently I had a severe kidney infection and just before that a chest infection. These two things led me to the Doctors who ordered blood tests.
    This last weekend I went in to get the results.
    I am 25 years old
    115 kilos
    164 cm Tall

    Have been overweight since early teens. Lost 30 kilos a few years ago. Cannot shift weight now.
    When I was 17 I had blood tests done in SA. I was told that everything was fine. No need to worry.

    This last weekend I got the results back. Sugar levels are normal, cholesterol levels are normal, kidney is fine...
    Extremely under-active Thyroid.
    Prescribed 25mg of Levothyroxin every day for the rest of my life?!?!

    I'm panicking a bit here. Read so many forums and saw people complaining of extreme acne, headaches, weigh gain... scary

    Anyone gone through this or have any advice?

    Thank you

    yup, the "everyday" part is what panicked me too. I was a few weeks shy of my 26th birthday when I was diagnosed and when you're told you need to be on a daily medication, it's a real wakeup call that life isn't permanent and you aren't invincible. So trust me I understand that.

    I take mine at night, right before I go to bed (no food several hrs prior) b/c otherwise I felt it interfered with my life too much. Additionally I've read that it actually absorbs better that way (at least according to one study).

    Anyway, it'll all be fine, just take the pills, keep getting your blood tested and relax a bit :) Admittedly as disorders go, this is luckily one that is fixable with just a pill.
  • TashTag
    TashTag Posts: 109
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    yup, the "everyday" part is what panicked me too. I was a few weeks shy of my 26th birthday when I was diagnosed and when you're told you need to be on a daily medication, it's a real wakeup call that life isn't permanent and you aren't invincible. So trust me I understand that.

    I take mine at night, right before I go to bed (no food several hrs prior) b/c otherwise I felt it interfered with my life too much. Additionally I've read that it actually absorbs better that way (at least according to one study).

    Anyway, it'll all be fine, just take the pills, keep getting your blood tested and relax a bit :) Admittedly as disorders go, this is luckily one that is fixable with just a pill.
    [/quote]



    Reading the horror stories freaked me out too. Did you experience any crazy side effects? Acne? Weight gain? Headaches?

    Thank you btw
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Reading the horror stories freaked me out too. Did you experience any crazy side effects? Acne? Weight gain? Headaches?
    I've never read a single horror story. Read some of the threads in this group, and think of Synthroid like insulin—you just take it every day & get on with your life.

    I have my blood drawn every three months, and my endocrinogist adjusts my dosage accordingly. It's like getting your teeth cleaned every six months. And I feel a whole lot better since my diagnosis—less fatigue, no more brain fog, my hands don't shake any more…
  • KatJ_NZ
    KatJ_NZ Posts: 31 Member
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    I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease when I was 25, and swung between hyper/hypo for years. Now that I've had radioiodine, I too am permanently hypo and taking levothyroxine for life.

    Truthfully? It's no big deal for me. I take the pills every morning when I wake up (then wait an hour to eat breakfast). I have blood tests every six months or so, unless I feel I need one sooner. I feel *better* now than when I was undiagnosed or hyper. The levothyroxine has had zero side effects for me, unless you count: decent ability to wake up in the morning, ability to exercise, ability to slowly *lose* weight... it's all good.

    I hope you get the medical support you need, but really - it's not too uncommon, and there's no reason for it to negatively affect your life. :flowerforyou:
  • krennie8
    krennie8 Posts: 301 Member
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    yup, the "everyday" part is what panicked me too. I was a few weeks shy of my 26th birthday when I was diagnosed and when you're told you need to be on a daily medication, it's a real wakeup call that life isn't permanent and you aren't invincible. So trust me I understand that.

    I take mine at night, right before I go to bed (no food several hrs prior) b/c otherwise I felt it interfered with my life too much. Additionally I've read that it actually absorbs better that way (at least according to one study).

    Anyway, it'll all be fine, just take the pills, keep getting your blood tested and relax a bit :) Admittedly as disorders go, this is luckily one that is fixable with just a pill.


    Reading the horror stories freaked me out too. Did you experience any crazy side effects? Acne? Weight gain? Headaches?

    Thank you btw
    [/quote]


    No side effects from Levo, but if you mean from Hashi's then yes. Weight gain slowly over years, so fatigued I couldnt do anything really. Still dealing with acne, brittle nails for years, brittle hair, dry skin, cold hands/feet no matter if it was 10 or 90 out. But the worst was the fatigue and excessive anxiety/depression it caused.
  • cactuspetal1
    cactuspetal1 Posts: 4 Member
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    Have had hypothyroidism for about 20 years (67 now). Two things I have learned in the last few years are - to go wheat/gluten-free and dairy free. I try to go as wheat/gluten free as much as possible and I drink almond milk and not soy milk as it is not good for hypothryoids. I take my thyroxine in the mornings and wait for an hour before eating breakfast. Hope this info is helpful to you.
  • smyrnist
    smyrnist Posts: 9
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    Hi,

    I was diagnosed with hashimoto's thyroiditis almost like 6 months ago. My mom and cousins also have this disease. Well actually it is really so common all around the world that the doctors don't call it a disease, they call it a "condition".

    I am using Euthyrox since I was diagnosed. I take the pill as soon as I wake up and wait at least half an hour before I eat anything. Actually the morning rituals just cover that time period anyway. I started with 0.25 mg, then 0.50 and finally stabilized with 0.75 mg. I never experienced any side effects or anything...

    So just don't worry... :)
  • jennifries227
    jennifries227 Posts: 113 Member
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    I'm going to disagree with the gluten free/dairy free thing. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (a form of low thyroid) and my endrocrinologist told me there was NO reason to change my diet, unless it was for a food allergy. I'm a carb addict and my thyroid has been fine with medication.

    I might be one of the lucky ones, but I've had no side effects from the levothyroxin (Synthroid) since I started taking it. Maybe a slight weight gain, but I was eating a lot at the time, too. I know a lot of people have difficulty losing weight on levothyroxin, but you'll have trouble losing weight with an under active thyroid, too. I'm also taking Metformin for diabetes and it seems to be countering any trouble with weight loss for me. Again, every body is different, so...

    Yeah, you have to take a pill every day. And have blood tests done every so often. Think of it as good practice for when you get older.. It really isn't that bad.
  • MelxH
    MelxH Posts: 93 Member
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    I was diagnosed when I was 11, at that age I didnt understood what was going on, and the doctor I had back then was the tipicall a-hole that treats patients like cows, he didn't explain anything to my parents, "take the pills and make her lose weight"...
    But the thing is... when I start taking the med, I start feeling amazing, felt like having alot of energy, better memory, in fact, I lose about 10kg just by taking my medicine... I am now 20 and taking that pill feels as natural as brushing my theet

    so dont worry!! You can have a normal life!
  • KentWhiteRabbit
    KentWhiteRabbit Posts: 92 Member
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    Don't panic, it may take a while to get the levels right as others have said, but once you do you'll feel so much better. I was diagnosed as hypothyroid almost 10 years ago, after a very scary few months where I felt so ill I honestly thought I was dying or going mad.

    I was tested for MS, brain tumour, heart defects, you name it they ruled it out. It wasn't until my doctor had run out of tests to do she did the THT test, and hey presto a simple tablet a day and 6 months later I felt like a new woman. I hadn't even realised that I'd put on a few pounds and they dropped off once on thyroxin.

    10 years on, I take a slightly higher dose than what I started on, but don't think of the condition at all. Taking the pills is no different to taking vitamin pills really.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I'm going to disagree with the gluten free/dairy free thing. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (a form of low thyroid) and my endrocrinologist told me there was NO reason to change my diet, unless it was for a food allergy.
    ^^^This.

    Per my endocrinologist, I neither avoided any foods nor started eating the superfood du jour. I lost weight just like everybody else—by eating at a deficit. I lost way more slowly than most MFPers, though—so be patient!
  • lpilato
    lpilato Posts: 4 Member
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    Hi I'm new to this group but I was just curious if you thought.it was better to have rai then to be like a yo yo all the time I haven't been able to lose one pound and I have been exercising watching every calorie. I think it is because I wax and wain btw hypo and hyper. Just so frustrated I just want to feel normal. And to stop losing my hair and start losing weight
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    If you're not losing weight, then you're not eating at a deficit. Log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly. Weigh your food.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Whimsywins
    Whimsywins Posts: 4
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    Don't panic! Low Thyroid is better then no Thyroid! Yes low thyroid has a ton of possible side effects. That doesn't mean you will get all of them, or any of them, besides which you are getting medicien so that you will hopefully not be hypothyroid in the future. If you had problems with weight gain, acne or severe headaches then chances are good that this little pill is going to help those problems eb a thing of the past. One suggestion. INSIST on lab tests once a month until the doctor says your thyroid levels are normal. It DOES suck to be dieting and fighting the above for a couple months waiting for your doctor to give you the go ahead to have a higher dosage. Lastly it is extremely important that you do not take at all near your meals. I stick them on top of my alarm clock, and take it right before I shut off the lights. That way at least an hour or two have passed since I last ate, and I don't forget, just like I don't forget to set my alarm clock.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Synthroid must be taken on an empty stomach (at least 2 hours after eating or drinking) with a full glass of water. Wait one hour before eating or drinking anything but water. Wait 3 more hours (4 total) before taking any supplements: vitamins, mineral or fiber.

    Take Cytomel at least 4 hours before or after taking iron supplements.
  • kmhotzhedges
    kmhotzhedges Posts: 4 Member
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    My story is very similar to Kat J's. Graves' disease at 28, thyroid storm that resulted in radioiodine treatment, and hypothyroid. I'm 47 and feel great on levothyroxine 125mcg.

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