Thyroid Concerns

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

1 mom found this helpful

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.

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.

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...

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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

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...

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.

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 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, 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.

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.,

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

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, 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.

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!!

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.

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.