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Posted 1/17/2012 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone -

I have been in hypothyroid hell for the past year:( I have almost every single symptom and all of my blood work comes out completely normal except my testosterone levels have been high and my cholesterol was high.  I have been to 4 doctors and no one actually cares or listens to me and writes me off as just someone who is tired and cannot lose weight( I have gained 30lbs that will not budge even after weight watchers and other diets I have tried)   I am so miserable from the symtpoms - exhausted, extreme bloating, half of my hair has fallen out and the strands themselves are so brittle and thin, my toenails have fallen off, the list goes on and on.

I finally got a doctor to give me Synthroid but I started out at 50mcg and still feel super tired all the time and haven't started losing any weight.  How long does it normally take to start working?  I'm thinking I might need a higher dose.

Also has anyone else experienced all of these symptoms but all of the thyroid "tests" all come back normal?  It has been an extremely frustrating and disappointing experience to get help with this.   I have been looking for a hypothryoid forum for some support - I feel like I'm going crazy!

Thanks!

Posted 1/17/2012 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
Have you been tested for autoimmune disorder like Lupus?
Have your doctor to run an ANA blood test.
Posted 1/18/2012 3:13 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to Healing Well.

Most doctors when they run their series of blood work don't normally check your b-12 levels. Have you had them checked? Low b-12 causes extreme fatigue, balance issues, light headedness, foggy brain, and hair loss. Not sure about the bloating or loss of toenails. I don't think being hypothyroid causes those symptoms either.

Sorry, can't offer any other suggestions. Keep us posted on what you find out.
Posted 1/19/2012 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi...I've been hypothyroid for the past 14 years. It can take a few weeks for it to start working...you should see a difference in 2. If the 50 was too much you would know it cuz your a little more talkative, and you would be looking for something to eat, yes you do get hungry...also if 50 too much you will have mood swings. Do not check you thyroid til more than 6 weeks. Between 6 to 8 weeks will be good.

I'm don't know how old you are but I'm 45 and just because your in the means of what your thyroid should be doesn't mean your fine. Most people who are hypothyroid feel better down closer to the lowest level possible on your T4....so if your over 1 or 2 it may not be optimal for your body. Also Cytomel is for your T3. Your body converts some of your T4 to T3 if it's not up to par then that also should be looked at in terms of meds.

I highly suggest going to an endocrinologist who specializes in thyroid disorders....even if you labs are normal they know that you could still use a boost where as regular physicians do not know...not being mean it's just
not there specialty.

I take Synthroid 175 aNd Cytomel 4 pills a day. Sorry don't have med dosage on hand. Most endos will work with you to see where the problem lies. It takes awhile for the Synthroid to get into your system, so don't take blood work earlier than 6 weeks.
I have a non defunct thyroid, goiter and nodules...dad had complete thyroidectomy, so it was inherited ...good luck :)
Posted 1/28/2012 2:05 PM (GMT 0)
I've been told I have Hashimoto's disease. I'm not currently on any meds because I'm waiting to take the thyroid scan with uptake. Until recently, I was exercising five days a week, kickboxing being my exercise of choice. It was sort of a relief to get a diagnosis and an explanation of why all of a sudden I couldn't keep up.

Mainly my symptoms were extreme fatigue and weakness, especially in the legs, lethargy and foggy thinking, Some days were worse than others. A neighbor saw me walking -- very slowly -- and recommended I take B-12. I did, and it did seem to help my energy.

Two days later, Tuesday, I must have had a hyperthyroid attack, because I had heart palpitations, blood racing, shortness of breath, hands vibrating, body shaking, felt faint and nauseous, and turned red. It was an awful and very scary feeling.

Funny thing, since that episode passed, I feel markedly better. My legs are still a little shaky, especially in the morning, but my thinking is much clearer, my energy level is better, and the depression I was feeling seems to have lifted. It's only been a few days, but this is the best I've felt in a month.

Could this be due to the B-12???? Or does the thyroid actually start to work better for a while?

It seems so many vitamin and hormone deficiencies have the same symptoms it's hard to know what the cause actually is.
Posted 1/30/2012 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
I am Hypo and have been taking meds for years. I'm in the same boat though even though my blood work always comes back normal I still feel like I need a boost somewhere. I'm always sleepy it seems like. I might have my doctor check my B-12. I know I have a low calcium count so it wouldn't surprise me. Who would I need to speak to about doing an overall hormone check? I guess my gyno huh? I don't know it's like when things first started falling into place my doctor was all gunho about getting things on track and really helping me, but lately since I've been a patient with him for 10+ years I just don't feel like I'm getting the patient doctor attention that I still need. Kind of like because I'm not a new patient he sometimes seems to rush through appointments. It might be just my imagination. I really don't want to find a new doctor I don't think that's the issue. I think he needs to give me the same time and care as he gives his new patients. I guess I'll see how things go the next time i'm in the office. I know sometimes they're really busy, still when you leave the office feeling like your doctor didn't really listen to you it's not a pleasant feeling. I will ask about B-12 it couldn't hurt to have it checked. It's like the last time I had lab work done I asked to have my platelets checked I have ITP and have to have that check every so often. Well, he didn't order it. So I brought it up to my family doctor when I went to see him. its just little things like that. He ordered my regular lab work, but didn't mention anything about a platelet count.
Posted 1/30/2012 4:59 PM (GMT 0)
I would suggest getting a referral for an endocrinologist. They diagnose and treat hormone imbalances like:

diabetes, thyroid disease, metabolic disorders, menopause, osteoporosis and reproductive disorders.

An endocrinologist is who I see about my absorption issues. She initially saw me because I had thyroid cancer but continues to treat me for the other. An endo should know exactly what type of blood work should be checked and are more thorough than the regular pcp.

hope this helps, take care,
Posted 2/6/2012 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
MissT
Since you have been dx'd with Hashimotos, you can go either high or low. More so hyper in the
beginning of this autoimmune disease. Later, when your body has killed off most of your thyroid function, you won't have those hyper episodes much. I have had HT since my early twenties and I'm now 40. I definantly feel best when my TSH is around 2.
Feel better! Oh, by the way, i'm new to this wonderful support group.
Shanette
Posted 2/18/2012 12:12 AM (GMT 0)
I'm hypothyroid and about to see my DR for my first follow-up exam. Have been on Synthroid for 2 months. Having very mixed results with some great days, some OK days and one night when I never went to sleep - at all! I won't list all my symptoms (it's such an organ recital) but I have had every symptom associated with hypothyroidism except for menstrual issues (said goodbye to those organs several years ago) and I am wondering if I will ever feel "normal" again. Overall I feel better than pre synthroid days but still far from what I had hoped. Does one ever get back to normal with this disease?
Posted 2/23/2012 6:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, I am new member here but thought I'd post on this thread and I am going to type about a lot of things at once. Hope that's okay. A primary care Dr can order the blood work however I felt my endocrinologist knew much more and was more helpful for me. Although they can be hard to find in smaller towns. Hashimoto's does go from hypo to hyper and may eventually bottom out like mine did. It's hard while this is happening since the dosage one week may not be right or needed the next. That is why they will do follow ups and continue testings your thyroid levels. If your levels are normal but you still have symptoms if may be as some have said on here that you may need to be at the lower end of the normal range to treat the symptoms as some have mentioned on here. My endo told me this and I had better luck that way. However being in the military we move a lot and some Dr.s don't like to listen and think if the range is normal it's okay when you know it's not. But after 20 years or more I am still cold no matter what. Also I recently read an interesting article about finding out if your hypothyroidism is due to autoimmune disorder. It said that most Dr's won't do it since the treatment is the same regardless of if it is or not but if it is you could have other autoimmune disorders happen later if that is what it is and makes it easier treating or discovering those. Anyone else seem to be falling apart left and right and have a list so long of troubles the Dr would never have enough time to address in an apt?
Posted 2/23/2012 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
To Worried2012,
Thanks for your info. Somehow it made me feel better as well as being informative. Yesterday was great, took two walks with husband and dogs. Today I feel exhausted and unwell. So frustrating! Waiting to hear from the DR as to changing dosage. Anything short of heart palpitations will suit me just fine. Thanks again.
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