Any one with Thyroid issues?

[Laurajean1014]

How has dieting or WISH helped you?

If you are on medication, has dieting lowered your prescription?

Do you feel better, look better? Have symptons disappeared?

 

[mhb]

I've had a bad thyroid since I was 19. Been on meds for the last 8 years. I am now 42! Sometimes they change the meds up or down. You must watch yourself and know your body. My family doctor kept telling me I was depressed, well my meds needed to be uped. Know where you numbers of TSH. This should help with keeping you on track. I have my blood tested every 6 months. Call in for results and then call they doc. I already know if they should be changed or not due to the numbers.

Hope this shed a little light on the subject.

Michelle

 

[nancyj_pa]

Hi,
There are a lot of different thyroid problems and everyone handles them differently. I had Grave's Disease about 13 years ago (overactive with rapid heartbeat). To get it under control, I had radioactive iodine which pretty much destroyed my thyroid. I have to take Synthroid for the rest of my life to give me thyroid function. Now I am underactive and tend to gain weight very easily.

I gained about 6 or 7 pounds a year since my treatment. I lost a few, then gained back more. Since joining WISH over a year ago, I have lost 25 pounds and kept it off and haven't regained. I would like to lose another 50 pounds, but it isn't happening for me. I changed my eating habits and now eat low carb and drink more water. I try to exercise more and do feel a lot better.

So, to answer your question, joining WISH won't get rid of your thyroid problems if you have a serious problem. You'll just have to work harder than everyone else to sustain a weight loss. But the people here are great, and you'll get a lot of support.

Nancy J

 

[capthooksmom]

Originally posted by mhb
My family doctor kept telling me I was depressed, well my meds needed to be uped.

Michelle

I suffered with the same thing. I didn't think I was depressed but when my doc. kept telling me I was, I almost started believing it (even though I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at age 15-I'm now 32). My ob finally got me back on track when I got pregnant and am now going back to my endocrinologist. I don't know if any of you are now or have struggled with weight loss while dealing with hypothyroidism. If so, I would like to talk more with you.

 

[kid@heart-karen]

HI all, I have suffered with hypo-thyroidism since i was 13 years old,( I am 40 years old now) I am on meds, but I still don't find that it does much for my energy. I have a difficult time with getting doctors to understand that just because the blood tests say it is ok, it isn't. So i just muddle through as much as I can. I am also interested in talking to anyone who is struggling with their weight and have hypo-thyroid too. Send me a p.m. if you would like to talk. Karen

 

[mhb]

You need to see the endocrinologist and have that blood tested again. Remember even with drugs your body is still not working right. I don't care what anyone saids, being medically treated is different that my body producing it on it's own.

You need to keep a good outlook. Keep yourself upbeat. I am VERY tired all the time. I know I have good days and bad days. Try to eat healthy to keep engery up. All sounds good, sometimes it's very hard. Keep on pushing!!

I go to the docs today. I'll let you know what he says again.

MIchelle

 

[kid@heart-karen]

I would like to see a specialist but any doctors that I have asked to send me to one say that they can look after it because it isn't that bad. How do they know what I feel like from day to day. Oh well, I have just joined Curves, hopefully this will help my metabolism, and energy level, plus I am trying to lose the extra weight i am carrying, but we all know how long it takes for someone who has a hypothyroid to lose weight. I keep trying though> LOL!! and trying and trying and trying. lol Take care> feel good Karen

 

[mhb]

Karen: I know just what you mean. Sometimes you have to take charge. Find out if your insurance will pay for it. I didn't need a referral, so I just went. When I told my family doc, he was surprised. He was teaching someone and when I told him what the expert said, he turned to the pupil and said, "You know that's right, someone with no thyroid problems won't have results even that high. Believe me, they were within range.

Keep asking!!! If insurance doesn't pay maybe the doc will let you pay it off. It's important!! Thyroid can affect alot of systems. Like all of them.

Let me know what you do. Don't wait.

Michelle

 

[Laurajean1014]

I am going to my internist for a thyroid check up and blood test.

I'm sure I will be back on meds, but if it works than great. I just don't like the fact that I am putting drugs in my body and seeing no result from it.

But me being stubborn is not making it go away!

Laura

 

[Susan--Ontario]

I have been taking levothyroxine for 15 years now. When the doctor tests my TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) it says that I'm taking too much medication, however when she tests my T3 and T4 they come back in the normal range. They're always wanting to lower my dose when they get the TSH results but I refuse because once I lowered the dose by half and all the old symptoms returned in a few weeks.

Been taking the same dose for 14 and 1/2 years now and never have a problem. I did visit an endocrinologist in the beginning but you have to go off the medication for at least a month before they test your thyroid or the test doesn't work. (which is what happened when I went).

Whatever you do, listen to your body. If you don't feel that it's right, as for a specialist referral

Hypothyroidism runs in families also and is geographically significant also. Here is south western Ontario we have a higher incidence and within my extended family (first cousins, aunts etc), I bet there is 15 of us taking replacement therapy. The trick is to be consistent when taking your medication and not worrying about it.

Hope this helps.

 

[mhb]

Just got back from the docs. Said everything was okay. Blood test are great.

Susan: I have NEVER had to go off the meds to be tested. Did I read your post correctly? Once your on meds I didn't think you should go off for any reason. Synthroid is a blood level drug, which I understood to mean that it has to always be in your system to work correctly.

Laura: Sometimes we have to take drugs to stay alive. don't think of it as taking something bad for you. Thank God that they were able to help you. Some people don't get help with drugs, at least we can. If it were not for synthroid I would be losing my hair (more that I do now), gaining weight, be drpressed all the time etc. I'm glad there is something out there to help me.

Don't worry about it. You'll be fine.

Michelle

 

[capthooksmom]

Originally posted by kid@heart-karen
I would like to see a specialist but any doctors that I have asked to send me to one say that they can look after it because it isn't that bad. How do they know what I feel like from day to day. Oh well, I have just joined Curves, hopefully this will help my metabolism, and energy level, plus I am trying to lose the extra weight i am carrying, but we all know how long it takes for someone who has a hypothyroid to lose weight. I keep trying though> LOL!! and trying and trying and trying. lol Take care> feel good Karen

Karen,

I PM'd you about your previous post, and I think I told you in it about my Gen. Pract. trying to treat my thyroid. At the time I had to get a referral too, and he didn't refuse to refer me to an endocrinologist, but assured me my tests were normal. They weren't. I found that out when I went to my OB (already pregnant) and he tested me and saw my thyroid gland was producing enough hormone, but was working overtime to do it. He said it would never sustain my pregnancy, and if we didn't get it under control my baby may not grow properly, and would probably have moderate to severe learning disabilities. It scares me to think that if my OB hadn't caught it my child could have severe problems that would have been totally preventable. Since the birth of my son I am back at the endocrinologist and have had to increase my Synthroid 3 times. I feel more comfortable knowing I'm being treated by a specialist. Gen. Pract.'s are good for everyday things, but not for treating thyroid conditions. INSIST that he/she refer you to an endocrinologist. Good luck and keep us posted.

Dawn

 

[capthooksmom]

Originally posted by mhb
Just got back from the docs. Said everything was okay. Blood test are great.

If it were not for synthroid I would be losing my hair (more that I do now), gaining weight, be drpressed all the time etc. I'm glad there is something out there to help me.

Don't worry about it. You'll be fine.

Michelle

Michelle,

Have you noticed a remarkable difference now that you're at normal levels? I'm on my 3rd increase of Synthroid in about a year, and I still feel as tired as I did before. My hair isn't falling out as much, but I still have the muscle weakness and sensitivity to cold.
I'm just wondering if I'll know when we hit the right dosage of meds. I won't have another blood test for a few months.

Thanks!
Dawn

 

[kid@heart-karen]

Laurajean: I sent you an email, please feel free to email me.It is so nice to talk to people who understand what we go through. Anyone else wants to email me feel free to send me a pm. Bye for now Karen

 

[mhb]

Dawn:

I'm glad you are getting this thing under control, but as with any blood level drug it's takes time.

My doc says it usually take about 3 months to see results. Say on task, eating better helps.

On another note, when I told the doc that I'm still tired all the time, he asked me what time I get up and the things I do during the day. Seems my life is VERY busy. Tell me something I didn't know, and I should remember to give myself a break.

I really don't think I sleep good,and that is my problem.

Michelle

 

[Susan--Ontario]

Sorry for the confusion. I don't ever go off my medication for the blood test. I should have gone off it when I went for a thyroid scan. That's when you drink the radioactive iodine and then they scan the thyroid looking for abnormalities. The thyroid never took up the radioactive iodine because it didn't need it because I was taking the medication.

Someone may have posted this so I hope I'm not repeating anything. Thyroid replacement therapy is a lifelong thing. Once you're on it you're going to be on it the rest of your life. It's really no big deal. You take the pill once a day, get your blood tested however many times a year your doctor says and that's it. The meds won't magically make you lose weight, too bad because that would be an awesome side effect.

The medication I take may in fact be the same as your Synthyroid and just called a different name here in Canada. If you have relatives that are taking the same medication talk to them and see how long it took for them to get on the right dose. With me (I'm stretching my memory here) I think it was about a year.

Have a magical day everyone!!!

 

[Laurajean1014]

Sleep is vital. What time do you go to bed?

If you go to bed before 10, some wake at 4 or 5 am ~ which maybe too soon.

I noticed that if I go to be around 11 pm (and from 10 on I read a book), I have (usually) a great nights' sleep.

I do not prefer to take Tylenol PM's ~ even though I know they are not addictive, I don't like taking meds or drugs.

Try to get more sleep - I would also ask you Dr. - what isn't a busy schedule? That is a very general answer which does not give you much help or insight to your situation.

 

[jennz]

Hi all - I've been on thyroid meds for 12 years, had thyroid cancer and now have no thryoid and no parathyroids (they produce most of your calcium).

Here are some important facts I've "discovered" over the years...you must take your meds on an empty stomach; grapefruit and calcium interfere with the absorption of thyroid meds - don't eat too much grapefruit, and take calcium at least an hour after your synthroid; generics are NOT the same - w/thyroid meds, such a small change has such a big impact! (I changed from generic to name-brand and cut my dose in half!); it truly does take 6 weeks to see a difference - your body stores the meds in your body and releases it for use little by little until enought is stored; people on thryoid meds (or me at least) get more wiped out than most by illnesses - we don't have a metabolism that can adjust and "kick it up" when we need it! Like someone else said, your levels change throughout your life - get checked by an endo, they seem able to "fine tune" it more.

Also, a previous poster mentioned about going off her meds for a test...my experience with that has been, as she stated, for an uptake, where they test with radioactive iodine to see how much is taken up into the thyroid cells. This is how I've been tested for the cancer. Going off the meds for 6 weeks was the worst!! Now they have a new procedure that I've had done the last few years where you get injections, so you don't have to go off your meds. Encouraging news!!

Hope this helps!!

 

[capthooksmom]

Jennifer,

Thanks for the information. I usually take generic Synthroid. My pharmacist assured me it was the same, but when I get it refilled, I'm going to ask for the real thing. I'm using samples my endo. gave me now.
I also get wiped out by illnesses. I seem to catch everything that's out there, too! My ENT checked my immune system due to frequent, severe sinus infections, but it checked out ok. Maybe it's the thyroid... I know my endo. said the thyroid affects your body in so many ways, I'm sure there are symptoms that haven't even been linked to it yet. I've been fighting this battle for 17 years, and it amazes me that it's still not under control.
Are you cancer free now? I wish you the best.
Dawn

 

[jennz]

Yes I am cancer free now, just had a scan done in March - thanks!

I catch everything too! I always thought it was just me, but now that I know it happens to you too, maybe it's the thyroid. It seems like they don't really know what all the effects are, which I guess could be true since like you said it affects almost everything and so many of the symptoms you could easily attribute to something else. Does that make sense???

I think with most meds generic is fine, this is just one of those few cases where it isn't!