thyroid misery

Rosie1983

Hello all

I havent been on in months. Just a brief history - I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism last year in April, was put 100mcg for 12 weeks by my GP. Went overactive by 12 weeks, had to be taken off it for another 10 weeks, then had gone even more underactive than I was at the start! Went back on 100mcg but went to see an endo shortly after. He put me on 50mcg for 6 months, with regular blood tests. I gradually began coming back to a normal range. Then in the summer this year, he put me on 50mcg 5 days a week and 100mcg 2 days a week - Wed and Sun.

So long story short I'm finally starting to feel better again! Had my GP do blood tests last week because I'm going to see my endo tomorrow. But apparently I've gone overactive again since September! But I feel good for once! So I'm not happy to decrease the dose. I've lost about 8 or 10 pounds since September and my overall energy is up and my mood is much more stable than it was even 6 months ago.

I also went to see a brilliant doctor who specialises in Ayurveda. Can't recommend him enough. TBH I think he has helped me more than any other conventional doctor has. Although he is a medical doctor too - and an expert in Ayurveda. He gave me very practical advice on what foods to eat and when to eat. And to pay attention to your digestion above all else - only eat when you're actually hungry, and stop before you're full. I love to cook and thought I ate very well - but he said "we need to get you cooking in here!" - pointing to my stomach.

He also gave me a herbal supplement that is very good for balancing your thyroid. He said some people even come off their synthetic thyroid hormones after taking this. I'm supposed to take it three times a day after meals, but I keep forgetting. I'm lucky if I remember to take it once a day. With the eltroxin, my contraceptive pill in the evening, my liquid vitamin D, my multivitamin and this new supplement, plus a pro biotic I got recently after taking antibiotics in October for a chest infection - I feel like a real pill popper!!

But overall I think I'm finally on the mend. I don't have much faith in conventional medicine, but I'll taking the eltroxin for now. I don't have autoimmune hypothyroidism so that's a relief. My endo is quite good at listening to me and I'm hoping he won't decrease my dose too much tomorrow. My blood test last week said my TSH is 0.01 and my T4 is 27. I also started taking a different contraceptive pill about 5 months ago - it's a progesterone only pill, Cerazette. So maybe that's had a good effect on my thyroid, as apparently estrogen binds to the thyroxine.

Before I was diagnosed last year I had put on over 2 stone and was miserable. Now I'm finally feeling more like myself again. So for anyone still struggling or recently diagnosed, just try and remember it does take time to regulate and be your own advocate. It's your body. Only you know if you feel well or not. Don't let any doctor or anyone tell you it's in your head or you should be feeling better on a particular dose or based on a blood test. Educate yourself, look after your nutrition and exercise and don't give up!

Seaneh

Holy crap...

So, I was just getting a fire going about 5 minutes ago and when i finished my right hand (the one I was using the tongs with) cramped up and got weird, so i start shaking it out, assuming it was just pins and needles or something, but then I look at it and the heel of my hand and the fleshy part at the bottom of my thumb are really swollen, like, over twice their normal size... WTF, this has never happened before... Is this a normal side effect of eltroxin or hypothyroidsim in general?

Ran it under cold water for about a minute and it helped, swelling is going down already, but jesus, that was weird...

cltt97

Galbin wrote: »

I have lost 1 stone, 1 lb over the course of seven months just from switching to T3 only.
So I do believe that weight should naturally regulate itself when you find the right thyroid hormones for you.

So there's hope for me yet

cltt97

Seaneh wrote: »

Holy crap...
Is this a normal side effect of eltroxin or hypothyroidsim in general?...

This never happened to me. I would get swollen ankles/feet to the extent that my shoes became really tight, but I never had anything else swell up thankfully. It doesn't sound like anything I've ever come across either, don't remember anyone ever reporting something like this. Might have just been one of these freak occurrences that can happen to anybody...

marymarcy

Galbin wrote: »

Was the progesterone cream prescription? Can you pm me his details?

Got it online from Wellsprings. Will PM you his details.

marymarcy

Seaneh wrote: »

Holy crap...

So, I was just getting a fire going about 5 minutes ago and when i finished my right hand (the one I was using the tongs with) cramped up and got weird, so i start shaking it out, assuming it was just pins and needles or something, but then I look at it and the heel of my hand and the fleshy part at the bottom of my thumb are really swollen, like, over twice their normal size... WTF, this has never happened before... Is this a normal side effect of eltroxin or hypothyroidsim in general?

Ran it under cold water for about a minute and it helped, swelling is going down already, but jesus, that was weird...

My carpal tunnel syndrome was made way worse when i developed hypothyroidism. I also swelled up, particularly feet and ankles and put on almost a stone over about 3 days without changing eating habits, when i came off the pill, which i did incase it was inhibiting my absorption of eltroxin. Its taken me 3 months to lose that weight.

Seaneh

I've decided to do a triathlon next july... money going to St. Vincent's UH (endo and neuro depts), Barretstown and Headstrong and hopeing to raise a bit of awareness for Thyroid Disease in the process.

Hopefully I'll be well enough to do the damn thing!

dubbo

Hi guys,haven't been on for a while as have been feeling great:) I have a question for the helpful folk on here,my tsh went from 9.7 to 3.5 over 4 months,taking 25 levothyroxine one day and 50 the next. Just got bloods back today and my tsh is gone up to 4.8. But the Dr says he wants to decrease my dose as my free t4 is 28 now. I feel great at the moment,so a little scared of the reduction,especially as my tsh has gone up not down....any advice would be great :)hope everyone is feeling well

dubbo

So my gp said he wanted to half my dose,and today at the endocrinologist they doubled my dose!i am really starting to see how complicated this stuff is,one doctors opinion can make or break your wellbeing it seems!

TheJinMu

Haven't been here in ages, I dont understand half the jargon posted :P But just wanted to say, I'm normally knackered but I started taking the Tesco Calcium and Vit. D tablets about a week and a half ago, two a day (the huge tub of 240 or so for about €2.50 or something, 50% of your R.D.A each. I couldn't find any Vit D on its own) and I'm already starting to feel much better!! I'm on 50mg Eltroxin a day and also take the tesco Iron tablets one a day

I'd definitely recommend trying the Vitamin D!!

Oh, also to add, I take them throughout the day- Eltroxin first thing, one calcium & Vit D with breakfast, then one again with the iron at supper time

Orla K

TheJinMu wrote: »

Haven't been here in ages, I dont understand half the jargon posted :P But just wanted to say, I'm normally knackered but I started taking the Tesco Calcium and Vit. D tablets about a week and a half ago, two a day (the huge tub of 240 or so for about €2.50 or something, 50% of your R.D.A each. I couldn't find any Vit D on its own) and I'm already starting to feel much better!! I'm on 50mg Eltroxin a day and also take the tesco Iron tablets one a day

I'd definitely recommend trying the Vitamin D!!

Oh, also to add, I take them throughout the day- Eltroxin first thing, one calcium & Vit D with breakfast, then one again with the iron at supper time

Be careful, calcium and iron bind to the thyroid hormones when taken together

TheJinMu

Orla K wrote: »

Be careful, calcium and iron bind to the thyroid hormones when taken together

Ha ha, I have NO idea what that means :P

Orla K

TheJinMu wrote: »

Ha ha, I have NO idea what that means :P

Binds=lumps together with, which would mean that your body can't absorb the thyroid hormones.

It's probably best to take the hormone on an empty stomach and wait to take/eat anything a half hour later.

TheJinMu

Orla K wrote: »

Binds=lumps together with, which would mean that your body can't absorb the thyroid hormones.

It's probably best to take the hormone on an empty stomach and wait to take/eat anything a half hour later.

Thats what I do

Orla K

TheJinMu wrote: »

Thats what I do

You knew what to do without even knowing you knew:pac:

TheJinMu

Orla K wrote: »

You knew what to do without even knowing you knew:pac:

I think I read it here actually, ages ago, and thought sure there's no harm in trying it

Wyldwood

It's best to leave at least four hours between thyroid meds and iron or calcium supplements.

Cora Mahoney

It's amazing you know, how badly informed so many thyroiders are about how to take their meds. I met a woman on the weekend who was telling me how she takes her synthroid with breakfast! I told her that although I am new to all this (just been a few months for me so far) and she has been on them years......I know we shouldn't be taking them with food, and to wait at least an hour after taking them before having even coffee. She was astounded, said she has been taking them with both food and coffee for years, poor lady.


Update: I have noticed a MAJOR improvement in both my energy and mood since moving up 25 mg to 75 per day. I am guessing this 'lift' may taper off again and I will see what's what at my next blood test in February, but, it's amazing to 'feel like me' again, if only for a little while

I have a few bad habits I need to break from my 'tired years' though. Lounging around became a way of life, haha, so I really have no excuses anymore, there is no doubt my strength is markedly improved over what its been the last three years. I.e: I cycle daily and had been having real struggles with carrying my bike up flights of stairs at night, and now I can do it no problem, not even winded, etc.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to you all, and thanks for all the help folks give on here, I am grateful.

Wyldwood

Happy Christmas to all fellow thyroid sufferers and may 2013 bring better health to all.

Seaneh

Howya lads, hoping you all have a nice christmas full of too much food and lots of miwadi :P

I've been on 50mg of Eltroxin for 26 days now (just took #26 this morning) and for the first 20ish days I felt pretty damned amazing but it has tapered the last week, I don't feel as bad as I did before the meds but I am tired more easily and don't feel as strong but looking forward to the next little boost after my blood tests on the 11th of jan :P.

So far the meds have been really great, I don't get tired from walking for a few minutes or cycling to the shops, I can lift stuff I used to be able to lift a few years ago, I don't have as much joint or muscle ache and I sleep a lot better and have a more regular pattern so all in all I'm delighted to have started managing my condition and really looking forward to the new year.

Cora Mahoney

Whoo hooo, let's hope 2013 is a great year for all of us thyroid-miseryers

cyning

28 bruises. I have 28 bruises on my legs. Not a thyroid symptom I ever experienced pre pregnancy! My endo not particularly worried, but heck I'm a girl I like to look nice, and 28bruises do not help! Nor do the two bald patches on my temple: although that isn't just thyroid related!

My TSH is gone mad again: 42.11. My ft4 is 11 and t3 is 3.68 so both normal and as normal as I ever get but 42.11? Mad.

Wyldwood

Cyning, I too bruise very easily, usually don't know what caused my big purple bruises. Don't know if it's hypo related or not.
Your numbers suggest you are quite hypo at the moment, maybe time to talk to your gp/endo about an increase in meds, if you can tolerate it. If you recently had a baby it could be temporary though.

cyning

I have swollen legs and the bruises one is a hypo symptom the other a hyper symptom can't remember which: my last bloods my t3 was 14 so was hyper but my t4 was 7 so was hypo. I'm just weird! They're really not sure how to control it they are trying though... Soon I hope. My endo is very pro active and he got my little girl here safely despite ridiculous levels in early pregnancy so it could be a lot worse

But regardless I still don't want all the bruises no skirts for me

Orla K

Has the endo had your antibodies tested?(worth doing if your tests are gone a bit crazy) It's also worth noting that there's a difference between total t4&3 and free t4&3 (the free one matters alot more than the total) is it the same one for the two tests you got.

cyning

I have Graves Disease which was treated with RAI so I'm not your typical underactive thyroid patient! I also have peripheral resistance to T4 hormone so I dont convert T4 to T3. My antibodies were negitive in my 3rd trimester so they were last tested about 8 or 9 months ago!

They were both FT4 and FT3... none of it except the bruises are unusual for me!

cazzak79

I've both under active thyroid and pcos even though I'm trying to lose weight seem to be putting it on so hard
I'm on 50g eltroxin
Il keep trying

Orla K

cyning wrote: »

I have Graves Disease which was treated with RAI so I'm not your typical underactive thyroid patient! I also have peripheral resistance to T4 hormone so I dont convert T4 to T3. My antibodies were negitive in my 3rd trimester so they were last tested about 8 or 9 months ago!

They were both FT4 and FT3... none of it except the bruises are unusual for me!

I was thinking it could be something to do with graves, I may be wrong but I think I read that you could have normal antibodies until after pregnancy.

cazzak79 wrote: »

I've both under active thyroid and pcos even though I'm trying to lose weight seem to be putting it on so hard
I'm on 50g eltroxin
Il keep trying

It is possible to lose weight with a thyroid problem (I don't know much about pcos so I won't comment on that one) it's not so much about how much you eat but about what your eating and doing. I'm sure I've written about it before. I've lost weight and improved my thyroid functioning without any meds, it's a slow process but if you stick to it then it will happen.

cyning

I used have anti bodies I don't anymore... They repeated the blood tests as they were surprised to say the least! Just aswel as thyroid antibodies can cross placenta and they were worried about my little girl I was pretty unwell when I was pregnant and worried about preterm labour too! Thyroid issues in pregnancy are tough.

Cazzack79 both pcos and thyroid problems cause weight gain so that must be very tough for you... I hope you start to even out soon

CathyMoran

cyning wrote: »

I have Graves Disease which was treated with RAI so I'm not your typical underactive thyroid patient! I also have peripheral resistance to T4 hormone so I dont convert T4 to T3. My antibodies were negitive in my 3rd trimester so they were last tested about 8 or 9 months ago!

They were both FT4 and FT3... none of it except the bruises are unusual for me!

I had graves when I was 3-4 and was treated with RAI too. I am underactive at this stage but get it treated with my other medical conditions - they kept an eye on it during the pregnancy when I was being checked for my type 1 diabetes etc. My daddy was the one who diagnosed me as it runs in my family.