Should I be Concerned

[Ladyg45]

I have been checking the internet for information about Hypothyroid issues. I seem to only find the down side of this condition. Is there any site that gives information on how to lose weight or how to maintain weight, what should you be aware of as a person new to this condition. I am on Levothyroxine 125MCG. I still have questions. I was feeling really good at one point, but after 2 1/2 months on the meds, I am begining to feel down again. A few pains are coming back. The restless nights still being tired, wakeing up at 2 or 3 in the morning. I don't know my T's at this time. I am scheduled to see my endo. next week. My sexual desires are no there at all. I am a 52 year old female. It is often hard to tell if it is the Hypo or the menopause that has me. I have had RAI treatment. When I talk to family I seem to come of as a complainer. Please can someone give me the upside and also help me to determine if I need adjustments in meds or if I am just in the menopause stage of my life. Thank you.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

You may want to talk to your doctor about trying combo t4/t3 in the form of Armour or adding cytomel to the levothyroxine -- that is, assuming the TSH is already 0.5-1.0 (ideal).  Menopausal symptoms are difficult to distinguish from thyroid at times.  Metabolic rate tends to decrease with menopause and there is no specific diet -- only one that you can stick to that keeps calories at or below 1200/day.

[doodlebug1]

Hi ladyg45! You know, from the perspective of a patient, I'd like to pass this along to you: I am 53. And for 17 years, I was on a med just like Levothyroxine as well, and .125 like you. And I never, ever completely rid myself of symptoms. I went to doc after doc after doc. I tried raising my meds. NOTHING worked. I got to a point where I was seriously considering applying for disability--it got THAT bad. And they always told me it had nothing to do with my thyroid. Well, they were WRONG. I switched to what is more popularly known as natural thyroid hormones, or Armour, and my life changed 360 degrees. And.......I've since discovered that thousands upon thousands of patients are doing the same. And.......we are not being dosed by the TSH. Instead, we dose by getting our free T3 towards the top of the range, NO MATTER HOW LOW it will get the TSH; we dose by getting our before-rising temp (with a mercury therometer at 97.8 - 98.2 and our mid-afternoon temp at 98.6; and we dose by getting rid of SYMPTOMS, not going exclusively by labs!!! I don't discount how being peri-meno can challenge a gal---I've had to work through that. BUT.......being on Armour has made a HUGE difference in my life, and is doing the same for others. I would like to strongly recommend that you go to Google and search about it and read, read. And by the way, you don't necessarily have to go to an Endo to get good thyroid care. The best doc I have with using Armour is a Nurse Practitioner. :o)

[ancientmariner]

Hi. I am 49, and had RAI 3 years ago this month. My understanding is that the RAI can keep killing your thyroid for at least 6 months, so no wonder your hypo symptoms are getting worse. But I'll tell you that I was put on Synthroid, and once the endo got my TSH where HE wanted it, he told me that the symptoms I had had since I went hypo were no longer a result of being hypo, because I was no longer hypo. That was BS and I knew it. When I went hypo, I gained 50 lb in 3 months, after being underweight my entire life. And I kept gaining. In fact, I bought a new wardrobe, spring and fall, three years in a row. Anyway, I am now on Armour thyroid, which is desiccated pig thyroid. It just makes sense to me that if my own thyroid used to produce T4 and T3, plus T2, T1 and calcitonin, I would certainly want to be putting all of those back into my body, not just the T4! I am actually feeling better than before, some of the hypo symptoms are completely gone, and others are improving. The trick is getting a doctor to stop looking at the TSH and look at the whole picture, with how you feel being the most important thing, not the lab results.

[jkrl]

I took Synthroid as prescribed by my doctor when I was first diagnosed 5 years ago, and after 2 months my symptoms got worse and new ones were coming out. I was miserable and got on-line to find out about Armour. That is when I found a doctor that would prescribe it and it did take awhile, I think because by then I was so out of whack, but it did get much better after about 3-5 months. I then had to tweek my symptoms with vitamins, amino acids, and diet. NO SOY. It has estrogen and will really throw off your hormones. Good luck to you.

[gassy]

I've been on levothyroxine for years however something these days is wrong, can you get Armour in Canada. My thyroid antibodies were 476 meaning I have Hashi's I guess. My meds have been increased and decreased still feeling terrible if Armour is in Canada I want some.

[doodlebug1]

In Canada, instead of Armour, there is a natural dessicated thyroid product simply called "thyroid" and it's by Parke-Davis, I believe. I believe there are several folks on yahoo's natural thyroid hormones group from Canada who can also give you good information.