thyroid misery

Wyldwood

lovelystuff, it could just be the stress of all the things going on in your life at the moment. I always feel worse when I'm stressed. Are you due any bloods in the near future? You might need another increase in meds. Sometimes the hormone levels out after an initial improvement and a slight increase in meds is required.

inocybe

Hi, new here - and also newly diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. It was only discovered thanks to blood tests I had after having a tia (mini stroke), and now that seems to have been put to one side while I'm being treated for the hyperthyroidism. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced tia as a side-effect of their thyroid illness?
Also has anyone experienced a goiter growing while taking carbimazole, I expected it to shrink:(

lovelystuff

Wyldwood wrote: »

lovelystuff, it could just be the stress of all the things going on in your life at the moment. I always feel worse when I'm stressed. Are you due any bloods in the near future? You might need another increase in meds. Sometimes the hormone levels out after an initial improvement and a slight increase in meds is required.

Thanks a million for your reply. I suppose the reason I am getting so concerned is that every visit for the last year since I was diagnosed they have to increase my meds, I was hoping it would settle down at some point so I feel like I'm losing hope! Due to get bloods done in June which may give some answers. Just good to know I'm not alone

cltt97

lovelystuff wrote: »

every visit for the last year since I was diagnosed they have to increase my meds

Only way to go, slowly does it! your body also needs time to adjust. Hormones are extremely powerful messengers in the body and the tiniest amount can cause havoc. This stuff could also kill you, so there really is no other way than to introduce it slowly and steadily. Eventually you will reach your "sweet dose".

lovelystuff

cltt97 wrote: »

Only way to go, slowly does it! your body also needs time to adjust. Hormones are extremely powerful messengers in the body and the tiniest amount can cause havoc. This stuff could also kill you, so there really is no other way than to introduce it slowly and steadily. Eventually you will reach your "sweet dose".

Thanks for your reply. I suppose I am probably being impatient with the whole thing, I just get upset when I feel I can't do things people in their twenties should be able to do. I probably just need to give it more time and hope for the best. The PhD certainly isn't helping matters, maybe when that's all over my body will have a breather.

cltt97

I know, it's terribly frustrating. I'm not in my twenties anymore (:-)) but I can't do everything people my age can do either, or not as easily anyway. Although it has become better. The trick is not to beat yourself up over it, accept that you have limits and don't overshoot. Stress is terrible for the thyroid, the hormones are all interlinked, best you can do is try to avoid stressing the adrenals, i.e. no late nights, avoid coffee and other stimulants, make sure you have a good balanced diet, lots of Vitamin C, B. When things seem to get out of hand, step back and out of the situation and take a one thing at a time approach. And learn to be patient. You can't will your body back to health, you need to nurture. Slowly and consistently. And the PhD - it will get done - try adopting a positive attitude towards it, you got to tune out of the stress cycle, highly toxic to your situation!

lovelystuff

Thank you for your support I find this thread such a good support especially when I have a rough day, I will try and get some balance back at watch the diet. Thanks again

rOBeRt frETt

Just got back from a holiday in Portugal, didn't bring enough Eltroxin with me for my 10 day visit (nice!) so popped down to the Pharmacy to discover, - I didn't need a script for thyroid medication, I could get many different brands, and it was cheaper by more than 70%, I got Euthyrox instead of eltroxin, I take a monster dose of 200mg to bring down a TSH of 30+. it was €6 for a 2 month supply

Amazingfun

rOBeRt frETt wrote: »

Just got back from a holiday in Portugal, didn't bring enough Eltroxin with me for my 10 day visit (nice!) so popped down to the Pharmacy to discover, - I didn't need a script for thyroid medication, I could get many different brands, and it was cheaper by more than 70%, I got Euthyrox instead of eltroxin, I take a monster dose of 200mg to bring down a TSH of 30+. it was €6 for a 2 month supply

Could you get T3 as well? Armour, Naturethroid, Efra, etc???

I tried to order some the other day (took my chances, lol) and the Medicines board kept it on me

_EimearNi_

Hey Guys,

This is my first time posting to this thread but I just wanted to know what symtoms/side effects are people finding with the having hypothyroidism. I was diagnosed about 6 months ago and feel no different whatsoever, the only improvement is that I don't feel so cold anymore. My TSH levels are >100, I was told by the GP and Endo once its over 100 they can't chart it, so it could be 105 or 199+.
I'm finding this whole thing very tough, I'm constnatly exhausted, depressed, tired, can't shif the weight etc, thinning hair, dry skin etc. Are these to be expected? When do they go away? I have just been increased to 150mg of Eltroxin recently but haven't felt much of an improvement at all. Does anyone have any advice in dealing with all this?

Staplor

I was up in the 80's at one point, I couldn't focus on work, couldn't do my job. Hopfully Eltroxin will do the job for you, I was up to 225 in the end, made no proper difference to me mentally. Went onto dessicated thyroid hormone and feel much better. Have started to lose weight too, with a proper diet. Vitamin B12 is supposedly good.

Best of luck.

_EimearNi_ wrote: »

Hey Guys,

This is my first time posting to this thread but I just wanted to know what symtoms/side effects are people finding with the having hypothyroidism. I was diagnosed about 6 months ago and feel no different whatsoever, the only improvement is that I don't feel so cold anymore. My TSH levels are >100, I was told by the GP and Endo once its over 100 they can't chart it, so it could be 105 or 199+.
I'm finding this whole thing very tough, I'm constnatly exhausted, depressed, tired, can't shif the weight etc, thinning hair, dry skin etc. Are these to be expected? When do they go away? I have just been increased to 150mg of Eltroxin recently but haven't felt much of an improvement at all. Does anyone have any advice in dealing with all this?

mrkdips

Hi there
Just wondering if increasingly uncomfortable menstruation cycles and hypo are related in anyway. I was diagnosed years ago and have being on 200 mg el thyroxine since. My monthlies were never bad but in past year are v painful, constant tiredness, v v heavy, goes on for ages and remains v heavy.. I am nearly 37 so wondering if this could be the reason too. Any advice

cyning

mrkdips wrote: »

Hi there
Just wondering if increasingly uncomfortable menstruation cycles and hypo are related in anyway. I was diagnosed years ago and have being on 200 mg el thyroxine since. My monthlies were never bad but in past year are v painful, constant tiredness, v v heavy, goes on for ages and remains v heavy.. I am nearly 37 so wondering if this could be the reason too. Any advice

Ya mine were always like this: its a definite side effect: say it to your GP or Endo when your there next. You can be prescribed tablets to combat it and there is no need to be in pain every month.

cltt97

mrkdips wrote: »

Hi there
Just wondering if increasingly uncomfortable menstruation cycles and hypo are related in anyway. I was diagnosed years ago and have being on 200 mg el thyroxine since. My monthlies were never bad but in past year are v painful, constant tiredness, v v heavy, goes on for ages and remains v heavy.. I am nearly 37 so wondering if this could be the reason too. Any advice

Yep mine went a bit "funny", too. They're either hardly there or there big time with a lot of pain that lasts for several days and only codeine painkillers will do the job. But I have noticed that taking evening primrose oil does help. So I take that every day now with my fish oils.

cltt97

_EimearNi_ wrote: »

Hey Guys,

This is my first time posting to this thread but I just wanted to know what symtoms/side effects are people finding with the having hypothyroidism. I was diagnosed about 6 months ago and feel no different whatsoever, the only improvement is that I don't feel so cold anymore. My TSH levels are >100, I was told by the GP and Endo once its over 100 they can't chart it, so it could be 105 or 199+.
I'm finding this whole thing very tough, I'm constnatly exhausted, depressed, tired, can't shif the weight etc, thinning hair, dry skin etc. Are these to be expected? When do they go away? I have just been increased to 150mg of Eltroxin recently but haven't felt much of an improvement at all. Does anyone have any advice in dealing with all this?

I was diagnosed with >100 in 2007. I did initially feel a bit better but it is very much a rollercoaster and some symptoms can take a very long time to improve. All of your symptoms are to be expected, I had all of them, too, still have some of them, but then I had a bit of a battle on my hand to get right, since I reacted strangely to the meds. The one thing I tell people all the time is that you need a lot of patience with this illness, because it takes a long time to come right again, especially when you're starting off as badly as you. I know this is a monster thread at this stage, but it is full of wisdom and I would recommend you read through it, or some of it anyway. Thyroid is not an isolated thing to be treated, there are other glands that can be affected and there are certain vitamins and minerals/trace elements that can influence the situation. A lot of tests should be done to check them.
People think they are given Eltroxin and it's a miracle cure, because that's what they're being told, but it's a long way to recovery and much is up to you, that's the part they never tell you.
But this forum has a lot of knowledge at this stage and we're always happy to advise

beeno67

mrkdips wrote: »

Hi there
Just wondering if increasingly uncomfortable menstruation cycles and hypo are related in anyway. I was diagnosed years ago and have being on 200 mg el thyroxine since. My monthlies were never bad but in past year are v painful, constant tiredness, v v heavy, goes on for ages and remains v heavy.. I am nearly 37 so wondering if this could be the reason too. Any advice

One if the big problems with long term illnesses is that people put everything down to the illness. So, I'm tired - it must be the thyroid, I'm depressed-it must be the thyroid. My periods changed-it must be the thyroid.

New onset painful heavy periods in a 37 year old woman should be investigated. It is probably nothing to do with your thyroid. Go to your doctor, get sorted.

spurious

beeno67 wrote: »

One if the big problems with long term illnesses is that people put everything down to the illness. So, I'm tired - it must be the thyroid, I'm depressed-it must be the thyroid. My periods changed-it must be the thyroid.

New onset painful heavy periods in a 37 year old woman should be investigated. It is probably nothing to do with your thyroid. Go to your doctor, get sorted.

+1
I had had heavy-ish periods due to thyroid, so I was a little bit slow in going to a gynae when they got much worse. Turned out I had a large number of fibroids, nothing to do with my thyroid.

cyning

beeno67 wrote: »

One if the big problems with long term illnesses is that people put everything down to the illness. So, I'm tired - it must be the thyroid, I'm depressed-it must be the thyroid. My periods changed-it must be the thyroid.

New onset painful heavy periods in a 37 year old woman should be investigated. It is probably nothing to do with your thyroid. Go to your doctor, get sorted.

You know I'm always saying what your saying and then I go and do it myself!! Not everything is thyroid related: What you say is much much better advice than I gave...

BD58

Hi all. Hoping 1 of u wonderful people can recommend an endocrinologist in Galway for a private app. Have a multinodular goitre and all the symptoms of hypothyroid plus strong family history no blood results yet.
Thank u all in advance. The info here is just amazing.

seven_eleven

I was told I have an underactive thyroid 3 years ago, and was recently reminded of it in the past few months after blood tests. I was told that right now I'm fine, but in the future I will have to start taking thyroxine supplements, so I should be checking my TSH levels annually.

The thing is, I've always wondered if the thyroid has been the main cause for many symptoms I've dealth with over the years.

I think the mains ones are being in a constant state of lethargy, I'm often tired and sleep quite a lot. I also find it very hard to lose weight, infact I gain weight very easily!
Strangely enough I also suffer from heavy night sweats, which is more so a symptoms of an over active thyroid than anything.

Oh well. I don't think its too bad yet. I guess I can count myself lucky! Although the doctor telling me I will have to supplement in the future worries me slightly.
Has anybody here had such experiences with their thyroid getting worse over time?

Amazingfun

seven_eleven wrote: »

I was told I have an underactive thyroid 3 years ago, and was recently reminded of it in the past few months after blood tests. I was told that right now I'm fine, but in the future I will have to start taking thyroxine supplements, so I should be checking my TSH levels annually.

The thing is, I've always wondered if the thyroid has been the main cause for many symptoms I've dealth with over the years.

I think the mains ones are being in a constant state of lethargy, I'm often tired and sleep quite a lot. I also find it very hard to lose weight, infact I gain weight very easily!
Strangely enough I also suffer from heavy night sweats, which is more so a symptoms of an over active thyroid than anything.

Oh well. I don't think its too bad yet. I guess I can count myself lucky! Although the doctor telling me I will have to supplement in the future worries me slightly.
Has anybody here had such experiences with their thyroid getting worse over time?

I don't understand. You were told you have an under active thyroid, are experiencing symptoms of such, but are not yet prescribed a thyroid replacement? Why not?

Also: what was your TSH, do you know?

seven_eleven

Amazingfun wrote: »

I don't understand. You were told you have an under active thyroid, are experiencing symptoms of such, but are not yet prescribed a thyroid replacement? Why not?

Also: what was your TSH, do you know?

sorry I cant remember at all. I was just told (twice) over the past 3 years that my thyroid is underactive, but not underactive enough to go on replacement. They said that this will probably take place closer to my late 20's, but to just keep a check on it every year or so.

I presume my levels dropped further between 2010 and 2013, and thats why the doctor mentioned it to me again, this time talking about replacement treatment in the future if it goes any lower(?)

I'm not exactly overly suffering from the symptoms. I live quite fine with them actually. There are some annoyances but eh I'm not overly concerned about it at this stage. Of course I mentioned these to my doctor, but I was told its far too vague to tell if its related or not. They could also be side effects of medicine I'm taking etc. But as somebody earlier in the thread mentioned, I like to blame my thyroid for everything

LegacyUser

seven_eleven wrote: »

sorry I cant remember at all. I was just told (twice) over the past 3 years that my thyroid is underactive, but not underactive enough to go on replacement. They said that this will probably take place closer to my late 20's, but to just keep a check on it every year or so.

I presume my levels dropped further between 2010 and 2013, and thats why the doctor mentioned it to me again, this time talking about replacement treatment in the future if it goes any lower(?)

I'm not exactly overly suffering from the symptoms. I live quite fine with them actually. There are some annoyances but eh I'm not overly concerned about it at this stage. Of course I mentioned these to my doctor, but I was told its far too vague to tell if its related or not. They could also be side effects of medicine I'm taking etc. But as somebody earlier in the thread mentioned, I like to blame my thyroid for everything

Hi Seven Eleven, I know you don't think your symptoms are too bad at the moment, but I think you should push your doc a little more about the link between your symptoms and thyroid. I left mine go on about three years and by the end it really took its toll on me both physically and emotionally. if you are catching this early then you can avoid a lot of the very bad symptoms that come with this. All of this throws everything up in the air, and can take a while to regulate once its worse. If I could go back and do this over I'd never have waited.

Rosie1983

Hello all

I've been taking the Erfa for the past 4 weeks. Can't say I notice any difference yet. Felt very anxious a few weeks ago and still feel tired very easily. So overall no big improvement yet but it's early days.

I have a question for anyone also taking Erfa. Di you split the dose in two? I've read that it has a shorter span than Eltroxin so it's good to take half in the morning and half in the evening. That's what I've been doing, take one pill 30 -morning and night. Also do you wait an hour before eating, drinking coffee etc? What about at night?

And do you swallow it like Eltroxin or dissolve it sublingully?

cltt97

I take my meds 4 times a day, Erfa in the morning and evening and T3 very early morning and lunchtime - for me this works best, if I took it all in the one go I'd keel over. I dissolve the ERFA under my tongue. Because of that I don't worry too much about eating and drinking around the same time. When you say you felt anxious- was that on the ERFA or before?

Rosie1983

Yeah I felt very anxious/nervous/ stressed just around the time I started the Erfa but tbh, I think it was just general life and work stress! It just didn't help that I switched meds the same month. I find my stress tolerance really low at the moment. Probably because my tsh has been too high for past few months. And it took over a month for my Erfa to arrive, so in the meantime it had probably gotten worse. I've only been on the Erfa for 5 weeks. Going back to my GP tomorrow to have bloods done, then will talk to my Endo about it next week. Early days I suppose. I also had run out of my usual multivitamin in the past month, so maybe that didn't help...

I'm seriously considering coming off hormonal contraception, just to give my body a break from all the synthetic hormones! does anyone have any experience of this? Did anyone stop taking the pill to help with their thyroid treatment?

seven_eleven

Just curious, what range of symptoms do you guys experience with your low thyroid, and how badly do they affect you?

cyning

seven_eleven wrote: »

Just curious, what range of symptoms do you guys experience with your low thyroid, and how badly do they affect you?

At the moment I'm practically symptom free. My levels are normal (touch wood ) I've nothing I can say is definitely thyroid related: 8 years since I had RAI and went underactive. The worst for me is I really need to lose some weight: but my sleep is quite interrupted at the moment and I think it's very hard to lose weight when you don't sleep properly...

Also need to stop eating choc

Previously tiredness would have been the worst for me. It left me like a zombie. I think the tiredness exacerbates all the other thyroid symptoms too. I would still pick being underactive and everything that goes with it rather than a day being over active though!

Amazingfun

cyning wrote: »

At the moment I'm practically symptom free. My levels are normal (touch wood ) I've nothing I can say is definitely thyroid related.
Previously tiredness would have been the worst for me. It left me like a zombie. I think the tiredness exacerbates all the other thyroid symptoms too. I would still pick being underactive and everything that goes with it rather than a day being over active though!

I am genuinely delighted for you! It's so great to hear people doing well, as so many seem to struggle.

I've been having an almost unbelievable time with exhaustion. It's ridiculous. I am on 75 mg of Eltroxin since October (daily) and (just like some here warned me) I did indeed have a good boost initially, with less hair fallout and far less joint pain.....but the fatigue I have now is like nothing I've had before, even before the eltroxin. It's so disheartening. I saw my original GP this am (she was away my last visit) and asked if she'd consider armour or any of the natural desiccated medicines, but she refused because "she doesn't know enough about it". You know, I was just too tired and burnt out to try and argue. I am still waiting on an endo appt. I did get bloods taken today and I am curious what the results will be, find out next week.

Anyways, I did force myself to go back to my gym this week after a really long absence and the manager was so kind and gave me a three month extension when I told her of my recent health challenges and why I hadn't been making use of my membership. Very good of her.
I am just going to add in some gentle work outs because I have to do something: I am now 1/2 stone heavier than when I started the eltroxin,which is so depressing since I had initially dropped a half stone , lol.......oh well.
You know the old saying: fall down 7 times; Stand up 8.

I believe I will get there eventually, just have to keep at it. But I admit I have been really down about it all lately, despite the boost the nice weather has brought. I feel a bit "lost in a fog" these days. Would be so nice to get clear and feel "plugged in and fully charged" again.

cyning

It has taken me an age to say that and it might just be a lull but hopefully it lasts! I'm breastfeeding and have an 11 month old so the combination of trying to eat healthier and no skipping meals and running around after her seems to have really helped. I'm walking at least 3 miles a day with her up in a sling (23 pounds!) so the exercise seems to be really helping me feel like me again. Every time I take up exercise I feel ten times better but the first few weeks are torture especially with the tiredness.

Weighed myself today and had lost 10 pounds in the last 3 weeks so umm ya apparently I am losing weight just hasn't noticed it

I don't take any eltroxin, just T3 on its own. I don't convert t4 to t3 so eltroxin never did me any good (despite being on 500mg at one stage). Ask your doc to look up T3/T4 combination therapy it might be worth a shot?