Hypo Thyroid

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Have they checked your parathyroid too? I was sleepy had headaches all that and they tested my calcium and pth levels and i should have been dead. check it out if it is your parathyroid they can normally find the one causing the problems during surgery and remove it. Ive had the surgery 2 times b/c the first time didnt get it. but im alot better now. call your doctor and see if the tested your parathyroid and calcium if not demand it like i said i should have been dead! good luck please let me know how it goes!

Hey Sweetie~

If you feel tired all the time, feel weak....you need to have him check your parathyroid. You need your numbers...they will give them to you, and if not, go to another doctor. This is something that doctors won't do without harassing them. My mom was very ill, she couldn't get enough sleep, was so weak all the time. They finally found out that she had HyperParaThyroidIsm. It took them a long time to figure it out when it should have been easy to find, but they never check it. Its at least an idea. It can't hurt to have them check. Good luck!

I am a chiropractor with 2 young kids (7 and 3). I have many patients who have thyroid disorders or imbalances. I recommend that you look to balance your adrenal glands first. The thyroid typically becomes overtaxed some time after you have reached a state of adrenal exhaustion. Your adrenal glands are in charge of the release of cortisol into your system (the stress hormone), also they are artifically stimulated by sugar and caffeine. It sounds like you may also have a wierd sleep schedule because of the type of business you run. When your adrenals and tyhroid are out of balance you will usually have disturbances in your sleep as well. I recommend seeking some natural supplement that can be monitored by a professional. I have many many patients who have been helped by nutritional supplements that I have given to them. If you need a refrence, let me know where you live and I'll see what I can find in your area.

I take Thyroid Support from Gaia Herbs, 1 in the morning and 1 at night. You may want to check on a good vitamin for women. I fell for you. I went 7 years felling bad before the doctor found out what was wrong and finding something to help me. what you are already taking may be what you need it just might not be the right dose. Your in my prayers.

Hopefully this response will give you a light at the end of the tunnel instead of discouraging you but . . . it took me a YEAR before my endo and I finally found the right combo/dosage of meds to get me regulated. I am now on .112 of Synthro and also taking 50 mg of Cytomel everyday. It is also CRUCIALLY important that you take your meds at the exact same time everyday (preferably morning) and on an empty stomach and at least one hour before you eat anything. It absolutely will not work if you take it with food or within 3 hours after you eat. Good luck and please be patient - it can take a while to figure out exactly what and how much you need!!

P.S. - the Cytomel is what saved me - I won't get into all the technical stuff but, in a lot of people, the Synthroid just doesn't work alone. The Cytomel "helps" the Synthroid do its job. Until I began taking the Cytomel (which I found out about on a Thyroid forum on the web), even my endo was a bit mystified as to why my ever increasing doses of Synthroid didn't seem to be working. I convinced him to let me try the Cytomel along with the Synthroid and it worked!

I have hypothyroid also and i found out when i was pregnant with my son. They put me on synthroid but have had to adjust the dosage so many different times until it got right. its taken quite a few months. have them test everything and just keep trying different medications if need be you dont want it getting out of whack to bad. I did read on a website before about hypothryoidism and they said coconut oil works good. i havent tried it yet but it may do the trick. here is a link that says a little about it. http://www.coconutdiet.com/thyroid_health.htm

hello G.. my name is K. s and i am new to mamasource. i have a friend who has gotten incredible results with hypothyroidism. she is taking natural products in the form of a shake. i have taken the same product and have more energy, come off allergy medication and my skin has cleared from acne. sounds too good to be true, right? i would love to share more info if you're interested.

Dear G.,

I was diagnosed with a hyper-thyroid within a year of my first daughters birth, so I'm alert to others who have thyroid problems. I know one woman who was diagnosed with a hypo-thyroid but did not respond to any of the medications. She did not respond to anything until they realized that she was actually HYPER-thyroid. She had gained a lot of weight which usually points to hypO-thyroidism but can, though possibly rarely, be the result of the metabolic chaos of hypER-thyroidism.

If you're not responding to the hypo- treatment, ask your doctor to look into the possibility of being hyper-.

A..

G. B, have you tried any all natural health supplements? I would like for you to take a visit to http://www.shopgbg.com/326933 and join for free and check out their products.

20% of all women end up with this condition. I was 25 when diagnosed... It takes a while for the right levels to be set - you need to follow up regularly... I found it took about 6 months before I began feeling "normal"... and with each child my levels changed during pregnancy and again in the first year after... I've lived with it 14 years - and it is very controllable - just requires very regular follow up to get ready and then it takes at least annual blood tests to be sure it is right. You can feel the way you do when your does is either too high or too low. When I was diagnosed I ran a few miles every day - and I think that exercise was the only thing that had kept me functioning.. and my levels were not extreme at all.

look in to cronic fatige syndrome. sounds like the same symptoms my mother-in-law had after her youngest was born. and eat more greens. she started to feel better after going vegan.

Hi! I too have hypothryoidism. I don't know how long ago you started on medication, but for me it took a good three weeks to start feeling back to normal.

Have you gone back to the doctor to have your blood levels checked? Or have they adjusted the amount of med you are taking? The only other thing I can think of is the time of day you are taking it. The pharmacist told me to make sure that I take it in the morning and with no other food or medication. This way your body isn't fighting to absorb the medication.

Perhaps you already know or have tried the above. I hope this helps.

G.,
I truly know exactly how you feel. I lived with those same feelings and 3 children for two years before I was diagnosed. My diagnosis was about 8 years ago.
Have you taken the medication for very long and are you consistant with it? I have hypothyroidism and take Levoxyl every day faithfully and it really helps. It took about 2 weeks before I started feeling better. Have you been back to the doctor? Maybe you need a stronger dosage. I find that my dosage needs altered every couple of years for whatever reason. I even have to break the little tablet in two and I take half in the morning and half in the evening. This gets confusing, which can be very difficult because a symptom of hypothyroidism is confusion anyway. Therefore, I use a pill box to keep it straight and for me to remember and not miss one single dosage. Maybe this would help you. Good luck!
B.

Hey,
My mom has been suffering with hypothyroidism for a few decades now, and there are several things which she has run across which shocked her but have really helped. There are several foods which actually further reduce your thyroids production. They include Soy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts.... there may be some others, but you may want to google that particular topic under Soy and see what else comes up. The other things that may help are Echinacea and Rasberry. Both are primarily for helping with menapause, but they do so by helping stimulate the estrogen cycle and evening out the emotional cycles. As with any time you deal with herbs, though, take the time to thoroughly research anything before you begin it. Knowledge is power.....empower yourself.

i too have hypothyroidism.....it takes a while for the medication to get into your system for you to really see a difference and for me, it took the doctor a while to get me on the correct dose...hang in there....you will feel better soon.....but go back to your doctor again and tell him/her how you are feeling so more tests can be run.....once you get regulated you should just have to take a pill once a day and no other side effects......also, i didn't know this for years but you are supposed to take the medication on an empty stomach with just water....don't eat for 2 hours before or 1 hour after taking the medicine...if you are like me that is hard to remember.... i usually wake up at least once in the middle of the nite...so i keep it by my bedside and take it in middle of the night when i wake up, otherwise i take it first thing in the morning before i do anything else, that way by the time i get showered etc i can eat breakfast and go about my day
hope this helps

Hi, G.~
I had hyper-thyroidism (overactive)at age 41, so they 'killed' my thyroid gland with radioactive iodine. That left me basically without thyroid function (extremely low thyroid), so now I'm very dependent on supplemental thyroid hormone. Both overactive and underactive thyroid are miserable.

I DO know that it takes several weeks for the medicine to get established and levelled out in your system; so if it's been a month or less, give it time. You'll need the dosage adjusted (or at least tested/monitored) by blood work every couple or three months until it is the right amount. I can't tell any difference in the brands, though.

Sounds like you are trying to do too much, too. ANY healthy body needs AT LEAST 6 hours of GOOD, sound sleep per night, and that's almost impossible with a preschool child. Add a job, and I almost guarantee that you don't get enough rest. Take it a little easy and don't push yourself too much. It's just not worth it because everything suffers (your marriage, your kids, your emotions, your body, your work, etc).

I have experience with Hypothyroid as my daughter has it, and it was not till we seen an edocronologist did she get the right doses of medicine to feel better, she went to raleigh endocronolgy, dr weir, she is a female dr very nice and great care and consern good luck.

Hi G.!
First, ask your OB/GYN for the name of the best endocrinologist in town. In my opinion that is the key.

Thyroid meds take 6 weeks to feel the effects of an increase or decrease in the dosage. It is a trial and error game. They do not want to start out with too high of a dosage because it makes all the systems in your body work faster/harder. For example, it can make your heart race.

Symptoms of not enough thyroid meds:
*Cold to the bone
*Weight gain
*Constipation
*No menstrual cycle (They have to be real low to have this happen)
*Sadness, depression, crying over nothing
*Oily hair and skin
*Dark circles under your eyes
*Diminished sex drive
*My brain felt fuzzy, like I wasn't quite as sharp as I had always been.
*Exhaustion, no energy, no motivation
It felt like all I could do was tread water, but not ever swim or get anywhere
*Late, I am always late everywhere when my thyroid meds are too low. It takes too much energy to get places on time.

Symptoms of too much thyroid medication:
*Heart races
*Diahrea
*Anger, easily agitated
*Trouble sleeping, waking up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep
*Mind racing
*Warm
*Dry skin and hair
*Weight loss (20% of the population gains weight with too little thyroid hormone AND gains weight too much thyroid hormone. I was in that "unlucky" 20%)

I have had three tumors on my thyroid gland. The first tumor was producing thyroid hormone. I had dangerous levels of thyroid hormone in my system. The first tumor was removed and they gave me synthroid. I didn't like synthroid. When I took it I felt like I was on an amphetamine. When it wore off I crashed. The endocrinologist switched me to levoxyl which she said is more time released. For me, it works a lot better.

Five years later, when I had two more tumors on my thyroid I freaked out. I was worried the tumors might be malignat when they came back. I told them to cut my thyroid out--less than two weeks later it was gone. I had a new baby and I wanted my son to grow up and know his momma.

It took one year from the day they removed my thyroid until I felt "back to normal." Patience is the name of the game with thyroid problems and get a top notch endocrinologist.

Hi G.,
Did the Dr have you on Synthroid? If so, all you may need is an adjustment(increase or decrease). Bloodwork will be able to determine which. I am 48, and have been living with hypo-thyroidism for years, and I remember how I felt at 30 with 2 kids to care for...same as you. The fatigue will taper off some after you have had your medication adjusted, but unfortunately there will always be a certain level of tiredness, no matter what. You may need to take cat naps during the day, perhaps when your baby is napping too, even if it's just for 30 minutes. Weight gain may also be an issue, because women with "hypo" have lower metabolisms, but usually it's worse in older women (like me!). Also, there may be a possibility that your medication is not being absorbed by your body like it should. That has been my problem for the past 2-3 years. It is rare to happen, but it does. I hope I've helped some. Feel free to ask any questions tho, and hope you have a great day! :-)

hang in there !! i have been on meds now for 5yrs or so.only once did my tsh get really high. it took several adjustments and blood tests to get in a normal range but it did get there.it takes about 6 wks after each dose change to see where you are. you could ask about armour thyroid brand medicine it works better on some people so an endocrinologist said.T. s.

Keep telling the dr. He will keep adjusting till he gets it right. Just stay on him.

I have the same problem. I am currently on Synthroid and it helps with the loss of energy and other things. What meds do they have you on? and for how long? Synthroid is a residual drug and it needs to be kept a constant level or the benefits will not be felt.

If I start to get tired for no reason, forgetful or dis-organized I know that my meds need to be altered.

I have been living with thyroid problems since 1994. The best piece of advice is to have a good endocrinologist. Family doctors know the general rules of thumb to follow, but don’t specialize as much as a good endo will. Also, keep a journal. Some docs will tell you that the normal scale is from .3 to 5. But that is a wide scale. You may only feel good from 1.5 to 2.7. Track your symptoms, how you are feeling and what your TSH/T4/T3/etc test results are about every 6 weeks (most insurances will allow you to be tested every 6 weeks). You will start to figure out what your normal range is. Also, listen to you body. When my hair loss increases and I get more jittery, I go in and get tested. Every time my levels are off. During the past two years since I had my son, my medicine levels have changed 6 times. This doesn’t seem to be a perfect science and so much that is going on in your life and body seems to affect the thyroid.

Lastly, I was never told until lately how many things will affect the absorption of your thyroid medicine. Milk, vitamins, birth control, and most everything will affect it. Take the medicine several hours before anything else and it really should be the same time every day.

Good luck. It’s hard, but learn to listen to your body and keep an open communication with your doctor.

Hey there G., I was diagnosed with a thyroid condition when I was 16 years old. I had the liquid iodine treatment shortly there after and I've been on thyroid medication ever since; I'm 37. Take it from me, it takes a minute before you and your doctor find the right dosage for your condition. I went from hypo to hyper back to hypo. And at this point I couldn't tell you which one I am. What I do know is that it is very important for you to keep taking your meds and to keep getting your blood tests and talking to and seeing your doctor. I was diagnosed by an endocrinologist; maybe your doctor can refer you to one. With both of my pregnancies they had to adjust my meds. It's hard until you get it all figured out, but it'll happen. Try and read up on both types of thyroidism also. You can never be 'too' informed.

Hi G.,

I'm also hypothyroid with Hashimoto's Disease (I have a benign nodule). I've had blood work, nuclear scan, biopsy, ultrasounds, you name it. It can take months before they hit on the right dosage for you. It took 3 different levels of synthroid until they found what works best for me (so far, so good). Keep track of your symptoms & go back to the doctor. Are they getting better or worse, do you have times when you feel tired the most (mid-afternoon was a killer for me), weight gain, trouble swallowing, dry skin, etc...this along with blood tests will help them find what's best for you. If you can find an endocrinoligist in your area, go there (I'm still looking for one in the Mooresville area myself). I know it's very frustrating, being tired all the time & not quite "yourself". Having 2 kids & a job that keeps you up late makes you tired enough. It will get better, it just takes time. Hang in there & GOOD LUCK! R.

my mom has hypothyroidism also. she had to try several different medications and dosages before she finally found the right combo and saw any real results. just keep your doc informed because you might have to do the same thing. it was several months before she really started to feel like herself again.

Have you seen and Endocronologist. Dr. Corey Berlin w/ Raleigh Endocrine Assocs is excellent. It also takes some time to get your levels correct. However, you should notice some relief after about 4 weeks.

S.

G. -

I appreciate your request because I am having problems with hypothyroidism, too. I am still feeling tired and I'm having trouble losing the ton of weight I put on even with synthroid. Seeing these responses might help me, too. Thank you!! Good luck.

Jen

I too am hypothyroid. I was diagnosed a few years ago when I had trouble getting pregnant with my third child. You need to see an endocrinologist and talk extensively about your symptoms and how medication is or is not working. Have you been put on Levoxyl or Synthroid? Sometimes you need to try a few different doses before you find the optimum result. Many doctors rely on thyroid levels of .3 - 5.0. For most people, 5.0 is way too high. Optimum thyroid is under 3 according to some doctors but research indicates that this may be too high a level also. I, too, was extremely sleepy though I did not have the other more common side effects of weight gain so no one thought to test me. Is your menstrual cycle normal? This is another common side effect to thyroid problems. Your thyroid is a hormone so it effects your entire body. Good luck!

hi...hypo thyroid can be well treated with an intellegent yoga therapist and naturopath. there are yoga postures you can do everyday to balance the thyroid. your crazy schedule is wreaking havoc on your health...you are right...change it, before you get too sick to hug your kids!!!!!your body and diet are probably way outta wack. get some help and this can change rather quickly.

Are you seeing an Endocrinologist, not just the family doc.??? If not you need to. The do many more test to get you straight quicker. I had hyperthyroid, had to have radiation and am now considered hypo. On Synthroid. Takes a couple of months to get right dosage. I went every two weeks for a while,now down to every three months (it's been almost 6 years).
Also, another important thing is what time of day you take your Synthroid. 2to3 hours after eating and at least 1 hour before eating again. With that, I take mine at night right before I go to bed.
Good luck!!!

I would check with your local health store. The health food store near me has a doctor on staff to ask questions. I have found something there that I can give my son for his ear infections and adhd.

Hi G.,
As a hypothroid patient, I have done a lot of research on this topic and I suggest you do the same. You can go to www.about.com and search hypothyroidism. The lady that does the column is very informative and has an excellent book ($15.00?)called "Living Well with Hypothroidism" I have the book, I have read the book and as a matter of fact, I am going to see a endocrinologist tomorrow for the first time to try to find my "thyroid's optimum level"

Best of luck -- again I recommend the book, and suggest you order it. I got my copy from Amazon.com