Hypothyroidism update... 2 weeks on meds

[TeachU2Ride]

September 28:
I've been taking Synthroid for two full weeks now and am very happy to report the results are pretty amazing so far. Five pounds gone without any other additional effort, and most importantly - my energy level has bounced back to where it was before this whole mess started. It is simply amazing to me to feel like I can just GO and DO all day long. The first couple of days I had to mentally adjust... I'd sit down on the couch to rest, then realize I didn't need to, LOL. And although I didn't sleep very much for the first week, I seem to be back to normal now. My doc says some of the other symptoms may take much longer to turn around, but just getting rid of the fatigue and depression is a home-run for me.

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In the past six years, my weight has been slowly creeping up. At 5'4", I currently weigh 204lbs. This, despite the fact that I almost daily hike in the mountains (2-4 miles) with my dogs, ride my horses, climb three sets of stairs multiple times, work out with a personal trainer (who is NOT merciful) three times each week for an hour, and eat well. Before I started to put this weight on, my "set point" (comfortable weight, easy to maintain) was 150lbs, so we're talking a significant amount of gain, especially considering the amount of exercise I get.

I also have experienced, in increasing amounts:
- fatigue
- head, neck and shoulder pain
- depression
- dry skin
- heavier periods and cramping I never used to have
- reduced libido
- irritability
- swelling in my feet and puffiness in my face
- and some minor short term memory issues

I'm "outing" myself and listing all this crap in the hope that my cure may be someone else's salvation. After reading about Oprah Winfrey's discovery of the same diagnosis and using Google to check out the possibilities for my symptoms, I was pretty convinced my thyroid was not functioning properly. And I was right on target. Recent bloodwork shows my TSH level is 19.5... normal is .5 - 1.5 (!!), so I'm about 20 times out of whack.

I will be starting therapy with synthroid, which my doctor assures me will change my life in short order.

So if you recognize yourself in the above list, please take the time to get to a doctor and have the blood work done. I'm kicking myself for taking so long to realize I wasn't just getting older and feeling beat up by all the horse-related injuries I've had, plus dealing with some stressful life situations. There were many ways to explain a lot of the individual symptoms, and that's what I've been doing for years instead of seeking a true diagnosis, mostly due to the fatigue and lack of motivation that's been caused by my *$#@ing malfunctioning thyroid gland. I just kept thinking, "I'll deal with it tomorrow..."

So if one good thing can come out of my being an idiot, I hope it's that I can keep some of you from going down the same path.

[Goalie]

My thyroid was out of whack too Melissa. Starting the pills has made all the difference in the world. Thanks for sharing your story.

[adcooper]

Synthroid should make a big difference for you! The medicine, combined with your healthy lifestyle..... I bet you'll be back in trim shape and feeling better very soon.

[diane]

good luck, I'm glad you found out why. hope your feeling much better real soon !

[hfhopper]

I'm glad you were able to figure this out. But I will be the one to potty in your corn flakes. Don't put all of your hopes on the synthroid. My TSH levels were high (can't remember now exactly where they were at approx 12 or so) and I have been on synthroid for almost 2 years. My dr told me that I would feel like a different person once my body's levels got back to normal. Well my energy levels and stamina have improved, my hair got a lot thicker, irritability is better, but I didn't drop the weight like I thought I would. It's still a daily struggle for me. I'm no longer gaining (thank God), but the pounds aren't magically dropping off either.

If you're serious about losing weight, keep a food diary for a week. And by truthful. According to my dr and natural path, you need to consume no more than 7 times your body weight in calories to lose weight. (So for you 204 x 7 = 1428 calories/day). And to maintain your weight were it is now with no more excercise than you're already doing you can consume no more than 10 times your body weight (204 x 10 = 2040 calories/day). It's not all about exercise. Diet and proper nutrition are the key to true, lasting weigh lose.

[coyote]

When you have your thyroid gland checked, it's beneficial to look at the function of the pituitary and adrenal glands because they can cause similar symptons even when the thyroid test comes back within normal limits.

[jenarby]

I was watching a program that was on the TV in the waiting room at the doc's office a few weeks ago. The reporter was talking about how women tend to push their health care issues to the curb in order to take care of others in their family first. One of the points she made was that in some studies they found something like 80% of women having a heart attack or symptoms that would lead you to think you were having one....tend to call a cab rather than an ambulence. I found the whole study to be quite interesting. I'm glad you finally listened to your body and got it checked out.
FWIW I have a very close friend who had the very same symptoms, minus a few. She was put on the same meds and so far has lost about 7 pounds a week!

[TeachU2Ride]

That's me, jenarby... I wouldn't dream of letting the animals or Doug deteriorate even a little without whisking them off for treatment, but I've been so slow to take my own stuff seriously.

Hope I'm as lucky as your friend! Sounds like she's having a great result from treatment.

[Luci]

Yep. Here too. So glad you went to the doc. It took me about 4 weeks on synthroid and I felt sooo much better!!!! Are you feeling any better yet?

--Only, don't just stop at Synthroid. It's just part of the whole picture. I'm working with a very cool endocrinologist who has helped me sooo much. I've been put back on some D vits (who would think that was needed with me being outside quite a lot this month?) She also thinks I could use a little more T3 support after seeing my blood tests and added Cytomel to the mix. So far, I'm not sure it's going to work for me. I've taken it twice and there are some side effects that make me not like it -so far any way. I'll try it a little more and then see.

It's such a delicate balance isn't it? At least it's good to know it's more than just "middle age". I thought all of what you listed was just part of life until I went to this doc.

[Majors Minor]

I am glad they found an answer for you. Still looking for one for myself.

[kelly]

I don't normally come to this section, so I'm glad I wandered over! I've had such a deterioration in my health in the last 7 years that at some points, I wished I would just keel over. The crappy part is my thyroid tests are just inside normal, so I'm told there's no problem.

I was incredibly active and weighed between 125-135lbs all my adult life. At 5'7", that meant I was pretty slender. Fast forward to today and 50lbs heavier, plus the plethora of other rotten symptoms.

I just finished reading The Thyroid Solution by Ridha Arem MD. I see a glimmer of hope! He has a chapter geared specifically to those of us with all the symptoms, but the "wrong" blood tests.

I really recommend this book to those of you who are on meds, as he also addresses the types of foods and vitamins that will help you improve.

[juliab]

I'll have to look up that book as I've been on Synthroid for 10 years. It is funny because the bad economy and having to cut back has meant that I no longer eat any fast food - I have leftovers for lunch every day - and I do my own trimming on the horses. The two things combined have meant that I can eat quite a bit, as much as I want, and I'm losing weight. I bet my cholesterol is better too. Trimming a horse is a heck of a workout! But it is true that you can't expect Synthroid to be a diet pill. But it will mean that a better diet and more exercise will now WORK, whereas with your thyroid out of whack it didn't matter how hard you worked or how good your diet.

[adcooper]

Hey, teach, how's it going?

[NancyL]

Just reading this, and that's wonderful news Melissa.

[TeachU2Ride]

I've now lost 15 pounds (and I haven't been to the gym in four weeks due to my travel schedule) and have my old enthusiasm back. I even laugh at the stupid crap I used to find incredibly irritating.