Thyroid Concerns

I also have hypothyroid. I can always tell when my meds are a little off. I've found that eating a healthy diet and exercise (weight lifting) helps stabilize my moods and lack of energy. I highly recommend the book, "You Are What You Eat" by Gillian McKeith (amazon.com). She has specific suggestions for those of us who have thyroid and/or weight issues. You can also try kelp supplements.

I have only a slight thyroid problem. I had a full spectrum thyroid test done. I have been prescribed a very specific dose of thyroid medication that I can only get through an apothecary. Maybe something like this is for you?

Try Dr. Rigden in the East Valley.

Hi M.,
From my (limited) understanding of hypothyroidism, the biggest factor in "feeling better" (more energy, etc) is getting the meds at the right dosages for you.

If you've been taking your meds for more than 2 weeks, and still not feeling "right," I would suggest you return to your MD for a follow-up. Hopefully, you are seeing an endochrinologist, or your MD has lots of experience treating hypothyroidism.

Good luck!
T

It is probably a bigger problem than just your thyroid. I have been where you are. Low functioning adrenal glands, hypothyroid, low progesterone. I was a non-functional human being. So depressed!
I saw a doctor who specializes in hormone balance. These doctors are becoming more common, but may be difficult to find. Usually their fees and tests are not covered by insurance. But you may find one that is. My doctor did a saliva test to look at my hormone levels. He looked at progesterone, 3 estrogens, 3 thyroid hormones, DHEA, testosterone, and cortisol.
I was able to use supplements to correct most of my problem! I also use a natural progesterone cream. 8 months later, I am a NEW PERSON!!! And I have lost weight!!
My advice is - don't take birth control, or other synthetic hormones or antidepressants!!! They will only mask the real problems.
I read:
Adrenal Fatigue
The Maker's Diet
Articles on the Woman to Woman web site
The research of Dr. John Lee

Don't wait!! Your kids need you and there is hope!! You must do the research on your own as well as see a good doctor. Be your own advocate!

I saw Dr. Luciani in Phoenix. He is awesome!! He specializes in hormone balance and thyroid problems.

I was diagnosed when I was 8. I have always taken synthroid but in the last 4 years I have been taking armour thyroid and have found excellent results! I also take zoloft and welbutrin. I only struggle with a little depression during my period, but have no problems the rest of the time. Do some research on the armour to see if it might work for you. A.

M., I have thyroid problems,too. I was first diagnosed with hyperthyroidism when I was 10, they eventually radiated the thyroid which eventually became hypothyroid. I am now over 40 - have taken medication for the thyroid almost all my life. The most important thing is to see a doctor - and at least once see the endocrinologist (most internal medicine docs can regulate once it is under control - there are several other problems that can be related, so the endocrinologist is important.) Needing sleep, low energy, weight gain, and depression are all symptoms. Don't let them scare you - try exercising (like walking everyday) - best "medicine" for depression...and relax. Most thyroid problems can be regulated with meds. God bless.

I too have thyroid issues. Make sure you are taking the medication correctly! You need to take it on an emty stomach (4 hours at least) and not eat at least 1/2 hour after taking it. Also read the information on the sheet the pharmacy gives you because certain medications and vitamins can affect the absorption. If you are doing all this correctly and have given it a month and still feel tired call your doctor and let him or her know.

Good luck.
K.

M.,

I was hypothyroid myself. When I married my husband and went onto his insurance, my new PCP (his long time physician) ran his standard blood work on me. We were surprised to learn I was hypothyroid. A few years later, when I went to see his FNP, she noticed a bulge in my neck, and realized that it was my thyroid gland; it had goitered (a cyst was on it, filling with fluid, slowly over time).

The FNP referred me to an Endocrinologist, who adjusted the medication that my PCP had prescribed, on a regular basis. He encouraged me, eventually, to have surgery to remove the goiter which had so far through needle biopsy been negative for cancer. Yes, a scary thought!

I delayed, and delayed and then began to have pain (this all took place over a number of years), and went to an Ears, Nose & Throat doctor who found no other reason and was also suspicious of the goiter; he in the end convinced me to have the surgery, M..

They found cancer in this first half of my thyroid. The ENT also diagnosed me with Hashimoto's Disease (already mentioned by another response), officially (over time I had also been slightly overweight, dry skin, thin hair, etc). I elected to have surgery to remove the second half of my thyroid and they found more cancer. The cancer, my Endocrine doc tells me, is a later stage of hypothyroid~Hashimoto's Disease as the body continues to attack the thyroid as a foreign invader.

Long story short, just at age 40 I am a cancer survivor. You need to go see an Endocrine doctor and have ALL the possibilities checked out, especially since you sound so hypothyroid. You need to be there for your children, whether or not you end up going through what I did or not, the Endocrine doc is a specialist in adjusting the medication for hypothyroidism, and has more of the latest knowledge than even the best PCP MD.

Let me know what you do.

D.

My husband was diagnosed hypothyroid 5 years ago, since then his 2 sisters and one brother have all been diagnosed. He has found that even though the blood test says his medication is correct, his symptoms persist if he is taking synthroid T4 alone. His family doctor that was treating him had him try taking T3 along with the T4 and his symptoms went away. His joint pain left, he could remember things again, he was able to loose weight... but without the T3 in conjunction, he still feels lousy. His sister however, did not respond well to the T3 and so she is still trying to work on some solutions. Here is a link to the New England Journal of Medicine where they did a study about it. http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/340/6/468
Not all doctors agree with this type of treatment so you may have to do some calling around to find one that will help you treat your symptoms, not just do a blood test. Good Luck!!

Hi, I've been hypothryoid for over 50 yrs. It is sometimes a pain in the neck but there are many things that are worse. Find a good internalist and take the prescribed meds. Take some multiple vitamins and minerals (I'm not prescribing but something like OneADay or Centrum) I raised 3 kids by myself and usually worked 2 jobs. What I'm trying to say is: you can do it. My thyroid is less of a problem than many other things. Probably the main reason for that is my attitude. Several doctors have told me the same thing. Four yrs ago I nearly died of congestive heart failure but drove myself 20+ miles to the hospital. A few days later I had open heart surgery. The thryoid was no problem at all. Good luck! PS: Check with your doctor. Take your pills on an empty stomach and do not heat greens. For some reason they interfere with your thyroid function.

Hi M.!

I have also had a hypothyroid in the past. Although I (personally) chose to not go on meds, I did find significant relief through eating more shellfish, seaweed and kelp (all of which are high in iodine which is needed to stimulate thyroid hormone production), and I took supplement L-tyrosine (an amino acid). I also purchased a chlorine purifier for my shower (chlorine will inhibit thyroid function so if you have high chlorine content in your water that may be the culprit~ as I beleive it was in my case).

I also found significant help with energy levels after a couple of acupuncture treatments.

I had been sleeping about 15 hours a day, being up only as long as was necessary to go to work and back, and I was cold all the time (living in MN that was understandable, but it was severe even for those conditions :-) Once I started the above dietary and environmental changes, it got much better, and I soon moved too (to AZ) which may have helped with the chlorine levels as well as getting more sunshine.

I wish you well!

I also have hypothyroid. I take Synthroid .137mg. I've battled on and off with depression, fatigue and definitely a battle of the bulge. But, believe it or not, when I finally pushed myself to exercise (some days it's simply callesthenics while watching t.v.; other days I go to the gym, go for a walk in the neighborhood, workout to a video at home, or my newest thing is biking around the neighborhood) and I fought my sugar addiction (yes, it is possible to be addicted to sugar - thus I also had to work through withdrawal symptoms) and replaced white rice, white potatoes, and white flour foods with healthier whole grains, I was actually able to lose weight, gain energy and lower my very high triglycerides (411 down to 195) and lower my overall cholesterol. I can always tell when I've slipped into bad eating habits and slack off the exercise because I get irritable/depressed, bloated and very fatigued. Perhaps if you find an exercise/healthier-eating partner you can encourage one another as well as having someone to help hold you accountable to sticking to your plan.
Good luck, believe you can do it - even if it's just baby steps at first, and stick with it for a happier, healthier you.

M.

Hi M.,

I'm sorry to hear about your thyroid issues. I am currently working with a client with hypothyroidism and know who difficult it can be to live with.

There are many things you can do with your diet, environment, and lifestyle to improve the function of your thyroid. One of my colleges has completely reversed her hypothyroidism by changing her diet. Food is everything!

I do Holistic Health & Nutritional Coaching and would be happy to give you a complimentary Health History to identify gaps and see how I can help you. Feel free to call my office at ###-###-####.

Warm Regards,
G. Van Luven

Hi, I was diagnosed with hypothyroid in Feb and have had a hard time losing the weight I gained also. As for being tired I am actually starting to get my energy completely back. Maybe your meds need to be adjusted? We are still working with mine. I have just come to the realization that I am a healthy and fit person even if I am a little over weight. As for the depression I understand that and it is hard I just try to look at my kids and do something that makes them happy so I can at least not be so down. I have not really found anything that works I think alot of it is time and getting the correct doctor. email me if you would like ____@____.com
hope this helped somehow.
C.

M. --

I have hypothyroidism just like you. I was diagnosed in 2000. Here are some ideas:

1. Give your thyroid medication some time to start working. Your symptoms will probably disappear one at a time. For example, the first thing that happened to me is that my "fluish" feeling went away. Then I gained some energy, and then I was able to start losing weight. I had already lost a lot of the weight before I began to be able to sleep well and I got more of my energy back. It took a good year for me to feel 100% again. Along the way, the doctor monitored me and adjusted my medication.

2. When your doctor checks your hormone levels, there is a "typical range" and an ideal level. Some people are just fine if they fit into the typical range. Others need to be at the ideal level. If your levels are "normal" but you still feel fluish and exhausted, tell your doctor that you want to try to hit the ideal mark.

3. Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism are the same as that of clinical depression. If you have clinical depression markers (insomnia, fatigue, worrying more than usual) but you do NOT feel sad, hopeless, joyless or worthless, then you should resist any diagnosis or treatment for depression until your hormone levels are ideal. My insomnia, fatigue and worrying were the LAST symptoms to go away.

4. A frustrating thing is that the weight came on faster than normal, but it won't go away faster than normal. It's really unfair! Before my medication started to work, I was gaining weight even while following a really strict diet! Once the meds starting working, I was able to lose the weight, but it didn't come off as fast as it went on. I lost it the same way everyone has to, two to three pounds a week.

Write to me if you want to!

Caryn

I have hypothyroid, i do not take meds like i should for it. I always seem to be tired myself, but when I also took the pills i would still the same. So i know wht you are going through.

Hi M.,

I have had hypothyroidism since the birth of my second child, 10 years ago. I felt VERY bad until they found out what it was. I am on Levoxyl 0.1 and I feel totally normal. You should see your doctor or get a second opinion if he can not give an explination for your lack of energy. It is only supposed to replace what your body is not producing, therefore, put you back in balance. Maybe there is something else going on, too. Good luck!

I have a friend that cured hers thyroid with chinese herbs. She is now thin, and president of her kids PTA and active in many organizations. maybe worth studying the ancient art? good luck, wish i had a magic wand for you.

Hi M.! I have Grave's Disease which is autoimmune disease that attacks parts of your body. The first thing it did was attack my thyroid and I developed Hyperthyroidism. I finally had to have my thyroid radiated, now I have hypothyroidism. My doctor told me that this disease can mimic alot of other things like depression, arthritis, etc. I do notice that if my medication is not at the right levels I start feeling moody, tired, get forgetful, things like that. Your enery level and depression might be an issue with your weight. I am overweight, but since January have started doing exercises whenever I can to try to lose it. The hardest thing is getting off that couch, especially if you are so tired. What I did was give myself little goals at first. I started by walking on my treadmill for 10 minutes 3 times a week. Then, I told myself "You can handle 1/2 a mile.", now I'm even jogging a little (in private). When I lost the first 2 pounds I was so proud of myself, you would have thought I ran a marathon. I'm the type of person who wants to work out once and lose 10 pounds, and if I don't I get discouraged. Little jumps like that help alot. Once I started exercising I noticed that my enery level increased and I didn't feel so depressed. I hope this helps! Good Luck!!

I also have hypothyroid (since I was 11) and I had a really hard time with Synthroid. I am now on armours thyroid, which is a natural medication derived from pigs. Weird, but effective for me. I think the most important thing is to find a good specialist and try out different meds or combinations of meds until you find one that keeps your blood levels correct and gives you relief from the symptoms. Don't give up until you get the relief you need. There is no reason you can't have a normal healthy life. As for the weight, it sucks, but you have to work twice as hard as everyone else. It's not fair, but it can be done if you really want to. My highest weight was 250 (I'm 5'10") and right now I am at 185. It has been hard, especially after babies, but good exercise and healthy eating are essential! I hope you are able to find the motivation, because I am sure you feel overwhelmed, especially if you are tired because the meds aren't working right. Get that under control and then worry about the weight! Also. once you have the right meds, and you start exercising, give yourself at least 2 weeks of feeling exhausted before you get the energy you are supposed to get from physical activity.

yoga...a lot of yoga poses help get the thyroid functioning properly so you don't have to take medications...if you aren't comfortable with trying yoga, try talking to a chiropractor so you again don't have to resort to medications that have a lot of side effects...

Hello My name is C.. I have a thyroid problem too. I have had hypothyrodism since I was about 16 yrs old. I am now 32 and it has turned into Hashimoto's Disease. This basically means that my body is attacking my thyroid. I know what you are going through. I have suffered from the same symtems for years. I have tried homeopathic remidies and medical prescriptions and I have found that the only way I feel better is if I take my prescription as prescribed everyday like I am supposed too. The doctors I have seen can never quited get the levels right but I do feel a lot better these days. You know your body better than anyone and you know what will best for you. Just make sure that you get check regularly. If you need anything please let me know.

I wish I had some good answers but I can at least tell you that you are not alone. I also have hypothyroid and have been on medication for the last 11 years. My doctor told me that it is actually harder for us to lose the weight. I have two kids and I just doing feel like I can't shake any of this weight off from my second. I am so feeling sluggish some days not sure if there is any correlation but I know how you are feeling. Hope you get some good responses.
Good luck

Consider looking at the all natural version of Thyroid replacement called Armour Thyroid. I found a lot of information on the Internet that explained, why it might be a better choice than the pill version. Also, I have learned that sometimes when the Thyroid is not balanced the hormone levels in your body may also go haywire so you might want to consider looking at that as well. I know when my hormones were out of wack I could not lose a single pound and I own a fitness center. A great website that I use is http://www.profilehealth.com they take insurance and if you have a prescription for Thyroid medication they can I believe, compound the natural version.

After going on the Bio-Identical hormone replacement creams my body assimilated it very well and now I'm not needing anything and I was able to lose 15lb finally. Now I am just using a natural supplement called "For her" from Noevir and I take MonaVie which after gaining back weight from being on an anti-depressant (for which I off now) I have once again lost 15lb so I finally feel I'm on the right talk and all naturally I might add.

I hope you find what will work for you, but should you have any questions please feel free to call me anytime at ###-###-####. D., Phoenix Fitness and Speciale Spa "A Wellness Studio"

I know exactly how you feel. I have sub-hypo (in the low range and experiencing the symptoms) and have been on a low dose for a while now. It took a few weeks for my body to get used to the meds. What I found that really helps is good diet and excercise. I know it sounds boring, but just like any other disease, it is so important to look at (refined)sugar in-take and try to get in a few good servings of fruits and vegetables every day - it is amazing all of the good things that are naturally packed into the stuff. Our bodies are like machines and the type of fuel you put in has a direct effect on how we run. I have heard of people drastically changing their diseases (thyroid, MS, even cancer) with diet alone and even better with excercise. I know it sounds so much easier to just pop a pill (and we should take the meds from the docs), but the hardest part is to just start trying to be aware of what you are eating and drinking. It can even be a fun way to challenge your self once you get into it. I am a true believer (and have worked with many walking testimonies) that the more natural ingredients you can put into your body (and less processed foods) the better you will feel. It is how God designed us.

The other key component that will help you to get a handle on this is to have a good doctor. If you aren't getting the answers you need from him/her, get a second or even third opinion. Remember that they work for you and just because they have M.D. behind their name does not make them an expert on you. Trust your gut instincts and find someone (preferably an endrocronologist) that you feel comfortable with and will give you sound answers. And don't forget to ask questions, even bring a list with you...you usually only get 10 minutes for any visit.

I hope this helps...I know it is so hard to feel this way and take care of your kids on top of it. It will get better, just hang in there. God Bless.

Wow! I too have a thyroid issue. Mine is Hyperthroid and it was probably brought on from having kids, and pretty much all the women on both sides of my family have some kind of thyroid issue. Check out your family history and see what they had and how they got treated. For hypothyroid, from what I understand, you can go to an endocrinologist and they can put you on a pill just for you to balance out your hormones, just as you are doing. Stick with it and you will pull through this. My Aunt had the same thing as you and now she doesn't have hypothyroid anymore. Her weight is dropping off and she looks and feel like a new women. Try to exercise, maybe walks and eat good! Stay away from aspartame and artifical sweeteners! That is a big deal, and eat nothing that says "diet". I also recommend the book "Thyroid for Dummies" which has helped me understand what is going on with me. Get familar with your condition and it will help you feel better too. I just had a baby 2 weeks ago and there was nothing they could do for me until I had the baby because they found 3 nodules in my neck that will have to come out. It was scary expecting a baby and being told these could be cancerous but you will have to wait until baby arrives. The best thing to do is to go to a thyroid doctor and see what they have to say. Then make a decission and read up on your condition to help you make the right choice. You can do this and you are not alone! You can e-mail me at ____@____.com if you ever need a friend!

I am married to a wonderful man and have 2 beautiful boys!

K.

If you are being treated for hypothyroidism then you should talk with your doctor about feeling so bad, maybe your medication is not working for you or it the wrong dose. If you are not happy with your doctor, find a new one. I really like Daniel Duick ###-###-####). He listens to me and doesn't just look at the lab work. I took Amour Thyroid for awhile, it is more bioidentical, but you need an RX. Best of luck and keep pursuing.

I am hypothyroid and have been since having my twins almost 5 years ago. I recently started seeing a naturopath because I was having the same problems you are and my doctors don't care because my lab results are "normal" The naturopath is willing to work with me on my dose to get my levels to a point where I can feel like myself again.

Please! Whatever you do, DON"T GO TO THE DOCTORS!!! I went to the doctors when I started to miss my period. I was put on birth control pills to regulate me but that didn't help when I was trying to get pregnant. I later on discovered the benefits of natural health. I made an appt to see a kinisioligist who tested my muscles and found out that my thyroid, pituiary gland and adrenal gland was not pumping the way it should be. I just recently found out that birth control pills mess with those glands which can cause hormonal imbalances, weight gain, depression, lactation issues (which I am going through now) mood swings and the list goes on. My hormonal imbalance caused me to develop cysts on my ovaries (polycystic ovarian syndrome). The thing with prescription drugs is they cause a domino effect you take this drug to cure this which in turn leads to another ailment so you get a drug to help with that and the cycle continues and continues. My advice to you is look for a natural approach and guarantee you will not go wrong. I just started to balance out my throid issues so maybe we can be each other's support system. I would like to talk to you more about this but the baby's crying. Good luck hope all works well for you!
J.

eat pears and use vitamin E to supplement Get a good endercronologist--not a doctor. thyroid controls all your body functions.

Hi M.,

Boy do I relate! I have a goiter that was discovered about 5 years ago, and have experienced all the symptoms you describe. I tried Armour thryoid for awhile, but my numbers were very erratic, so I'm now on synthroid. The hardest thing is to not feel defeated by the weight gain and fatigue. It can really eat at your self esteem! Wow! So here's what is working for me and a couple of other female friends of mine: (You've heard it before) Exercise - eat high quality nutrient dense foods - try to get enough rest (yeah, right!) and know that your body is just a shell for who you really are. If you are beautiful on the inside - that is what people will really see. Also, we have added a new healthy energy drink to our diets that is working very well. I'm no longer fatigued (no more naps throughout the day - hurray!). Yes, I am a distributor, but I'm really looking for business partners, not to sell the product. The product sells itself. However, that said, if you want to see if it will work for you, you are welcome to go to our website and order a couple of bottles - www.drinkbazi.biz/S. . Instead of clicking on the enroll button, just go to the buy button. You will know in a couple of days if it works for you. Plus you have 60 days to return it if you don't like it. Anyway, you can feel better about yourself. It is possible - I'm living proof. It can be a challenge, but it has been very good for me to evaluate where my true value as a human being comes from. I hope this helps a little. All the best. ~ S.

It can take up to a month to feel a difference on your meds, sometimes a bit more. Then your doctor should do blood work to test your levels and either leave it or increase it. I remember with my first pregnancy, my levels were up and down constantly and this time, I have done acupuncture through out for various reasons, but feel that it has also helped keep my thyroid stable. I am a firm believer in acupunture, if you are feeling really bad, you might give it a try...it can really help to balance out your system along with your meds...

I have hoshimoto's disease, which is actually an automimmune disease, but it manifests as hypothyroid. I tried medication and none of it worked for me. Instead, now, I use kelp every day in combination with reiki, and a raw food diet. I especially stay away from goitrogenous foods such as soy, and veggies in the cabbage and broccoli families. Hope this helps!

I am a few years in and no longer have any symptoms of hypothyroid.

I have been hypo for seven years. It isn't fun..I have found books that cover different aspects of being hypo. Another thing that I am learning is that there are different responses to the different causes. For example, I have autoimmune disease which is the cause of my hypothyroidism. There have been studies which show that people like me may do better with Armour instead of Synthroid. I have just recently switched and am already finding some relief of my sypmtoms even though I am still getting regulated. Look for a good book and be your best advocate. I am blessed (I hear) that I have a doctor that takes my concerns and feelings into account while dealing with my thyroidism. I hear that there are a lot of doctors that don't. My thought- if my doctor didn't listen to me...I'd get a new one! Anyway, read up..get informed and discuss things with your doctor. Make sure you have a doctor who is willing to "experiment" with you to find the best regimine. Also, there are times that I've had to get onto the national website about Graves' Disease (my cause) and read other people's stories and just cry. I know I'm not alone and that I'm not the only one with weight gain and emotional issues...sometimes that's just what I need.