Hypoactive thyroid anyone?

[imamicki2]

Just found out today I have it. Any input would be appreciated. Do you just take a pill to help with this? Do you honestly feel better and do your symtoms go away??????
TIA

 

[Disfan1]

I take Synthroid for an underactive thyroid. Once the Drs get you on the right dose, you will feel LOTS better in a few weeks. It took about 6 months after diagnosis to get me on the correct dosage, but I am feeling great after almost 7 years at the same dose! Hang in there!

 

[disney4us2002]

Honestly, I never noticed many symptoms except possibly losing more hair than normal people (?). The dose I take (.05mg) is so tiny that I do wonder if it even matters. I have forgotten to get the prescription refilled for more than a month and never noticed a single bit of difference. My doctor insists I need to take it the rest of my life but I don't sweat it if I miss a dose. According to my doc the symptoms along with losing hair is feeling tired, difficulty losing weight, and constipation. If the blood test hadn't shown a problem I would never have known or seen a doctor specifically since I have no real symptoms.

 

[imamicki2]

I wouldn't have known anything was wrong either. I am always tired, thought it was just the house, kids, work , etc. But my monthly friend is unreal, thought I was "unlucky", and my weight is out of control, thought I was just addicted to food.
Hope medicine helps a little with these symptoms.....
Thanks guys!

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

I have a great book for you:

The Thyroid Sourcebook By: M. Sara Rosenthal.

It's written so the normal person can understand it. An excellent book. You may want to read it and then discuss with your Dr.

Good Luck!

 

[imamicki2]

Thanks for the book..
I will go to my library this week!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Quite common, I have seen many here on the DIS on synthroid. I have been on for about 10 or so years, a pill a day in the AM, easy. My symptom was uncontrolled chills, in even mild weather. An RN friend of ours said I best get checked, might go into a hypothermic coma some night and not awaken. Went to doc in a few days, he confirmed her thoughts. Took a couple months to get dose correct, fine ever since. You'll do great.

 

[imamicki2]

So as long as I get the correct dosage pill, I should be A-OK?

 

[Disfan1]

Yes, my only remaining sympton is a normal body temerature of 98.2. If I ever get up to 98.6 I feel really feverish but no-one believes me!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

im on synthroid too, have been since i was 15....
im on .125, but that keeps changing

 

[campinggal]

I am...I am!!

I was diagnosed about four years ago- the symptoms that were most pronounced were fatigue and weight gain. Gee- I just figured I was gaining wait and tired because I was working full time and had a two year old and hand no time to exercise!! I would fall asleep as soon as I lay down- barely could finish reading a story to my daughter...and forget trying to watch a video!

It did take me a year before we got my Synthroid dose correct. I was having my blood checked every six weeks. Finally I started to get multiple results the same. Now I just get it check once a year.

The fatigue did disappear. My weight will always be a struggle I think- I did lose twenty or so pounds after that first year of being diagnosed so that was great. That was due to increased exercise and careful food choices coupled by the correct Synthroid dose. I still have to be careful about what I eat- high sugar type foods really do me in both gaining weight and giving me a spike of energy followed by fatigue.

Another good book is Living Well with Hypothyroidism by Mary J. Shomon.

A good website for info is http://www.thyroid.about.com .

Be careful how you take your dose- should be in the AM an hour before food- also don't take it with calcium rich foods (dairy or fortified OJ) or other vitamins as that hampers the absorbtion of your thyroid med.

It is great to finally have that diagnoses and know that some of those little things- fatigue, weight, long monthly friends, etc had a reason that with the correct dosage, will start to lessen and you will and can feel better!!

 

[jan/cape]

I take Levoxyl 0.1 MG .
My Hypothyroidism is a result of having radiation therapy for Hodgkins Disease 10 years ago. I started gaining weight, so I started an aerobics class. I was 29 years old and I couldn't keep up with the older women in this class I was just wiped out. I mentioned this to my dr. he ran the blood work and low and behold my numbers were off. after starting on the Synthroid/levoxyl I was amazed at how much better I felt and how much more energy I had.
Good luck and let us know how things go.

 

[phorsenuf]

I've been on meds for a looong time too! I take levoxyl tho. I used to take synthroid but when I switched Drs. due to a move he changed my meds. He showed my how levoxyl disolved quicker than synthroid. You might just wnt to ask your Dr. what the differences may be in one type verses another.

I really notice symptoms when I slack off on my meds (bad girl, I know).

I was actually just upped to 200 milligrams (.200)...my thyroid really doesn't function well at all! LOL

As far as body temp my "normal" runs about 97.4, so when I have a temp of around 98.6 (usual norm) I have a fever! You may actually want to establish a "baseline" normal temp because I have found that alot of people with hypothryroisism have lower body temps. After you establish your norm, you may want to have the DR. note it in your charts.

Feel free to ask any more questions! Happy to help!

 

[Christine]

I don't have an underactive thyroid, I just have NO thyroid! I had my removed due to cancer. Now I take .137 mg of Levoxyl and have been doing so for years. It takes about 2-3 months to find your correct dosage. It might be harder to find if you do actually have a thyroid gland that is functioning because your gland may sporadically produce thyroid hormone and then it might stop. So you could get some ups and downs. It's easier for me because I don't have that to deal with.

I have been on a few different brands and I've never really noticed a problem with any. I was on Synthroid for years, then Levothroid, and now Levoxyl. My insurance company charges me a LOT more for Synthroid. Levoxyl is pretty cheap. I just hope it works as well. You may want to see what your insurance pays for each one as this will be a lifetime med. My doctor has suggested to avoid the generic of the meds which is "Levothyroxine." Apparently, the dosage might vary monthly depending who manufactures your generic that particular month. And you don't want to vary with thyroid medication. Stick with one brand (Synthroid, Levothroid, Levoxyl, Unithroid, etc), and you should be fine.

 

[minnieandmickeymouse]

OMG, these sound like all the symptoms I have been having for 2 years now! I just turned 30, but I feel 50! I am cold all the time, my hair seems to be falling out more than normal, and I am SOOOO tired, I feel like I am PG, and I'm not! I hate it!

Is it hard to find out if this is my problem?

It started after my last baby was born, he's 2 1/2.

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by minnieandmickeymouse
OMG, these sound like all the symptoms I have been having for 2 years now! I just turned 30, but I feel 50! I am cold all the time, my hair seems to be falling out more than normal, and I am SOOOO tired, I feel like I am PG, and I'm not! I hate it!

Is it hard to find out if this is my problem?

It started after my last baby was born, he's 2 1/2.

It's a very simple blood test that your regular doctor or OB/GYN can perform. My OB/GYN offers it to all her patients experiencing symptoms. The test is quick and if your doctor is organized and efficient, you can usually get the results the next day (but most offices will take a week to call you back!!).

 

[campinggal]

Originally posted by minnieandmickeymouse
OMG, these sound like all the symptoms I have been having for 2 years now! I just turned 30, but I feel 50! I am cold all the time, my hair seems to be falling out more than normal, and I am SOOOO tired, I feel like I am PG, and I'm not! I hate it!

Is it hard to find out if this is my problem?

It started after my last baby was born, he's 2 1/2.

My daughter was 2 1/2 when I was diagnosed- I had probably been symptomatic for about a year before that but wrote it off as just being a working mom with a busy toddler.

It seems to be fairly common to have a thyroid problem develop post pregancy.

As the above poster mentioned, it is just a quick blood test and results are back within 24 hours usually.

My nurse practioner ordered the test when I had my annual physical and the next day gave me a call saying I had an underactive Thyroid and got me started on replacement therapy.

Regarding the 'generic' version- I just was switched from Synthroid to the generic this summer and haven't had any problems and my Dr office said there shouldn't be. I do appreciate saving the extra $10 a month going with the generic but I am on the lookout for symptoms too.

 

[Christine]

Regarding the 'generic' version- I just was switched from Synthroid to the generic this summer and haven't had any problems and my Dr office said there shouldn't be. I do appreciate saving the extra $10 a month going with the generic but I am on the lookout for symptoms too. [/B]

campinggal,
Do you know if your "generic" has a name? A lot of people are under the impression that anything other than Synthroid is a generic (even my doctor's nurse thinks that) and it is just not true. Levoxyl is commonly prescribed instead of Synthroid. It is not a generic but most people think it is. Levoxyl is manufactured by ONE company. If, however, your doctor checks generic on your prescription form you will get a vial containing "levothyroxine" and it will have a manufacturers name on it. The next month it will still say "levothyroxine" on it but it may have another manufacturer on it. My prescription company charges the generic price ($10.00 per month) for all thyrod medication except Synthroid in which they charge me $25.00 per month.

 

[piratesmate]

I've been on replacement therapy for 26 yrs. I was switched last year from Levothroid to Levoxyl. The makers of Levothroid had lost their FDA approval due to variations in the dosage. (They've since be re-approved.)

Anyway, I was discussing this with the doctor because I can't take Synthroid even though they're so similar. She told me that because I was on such a high dosage I shouldn't be taking the generic, as it varies in dosage (similar to the Levothroid manufacturing problem, just not as bad.) For most people it isn't a problem.

BTW - I've found that the Levoxyl dissolves too fast! It starts to dissolve in my mouth before I can even swallow it! YUCK!

 

[Christine]

BTW - I've found that the Levoxyl dissolves too fast! It starts to dissolve in my mouth before I can even swallow it! YUCK! [/B]

I noticed that too!! It doesn't have the sugar coating/glaze on it like Synthroid and the old Levothroid used to. I will be very anxious to have my labs done in another 6 weeks to see if I get a change in TSH on the different brand. Because of thyroid cancer, I also must stick with one brand because we cannot have too many flucuations in my TSH. In most people, montly changes are too big of a deal.