Aa
Subclinical Hypothyroidism
I was recently diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. Subclinical Hypothyroidism to be exact. I have a few questions that I hope you guys can answer. I've read a really long thread that I found my the search engine that convinced me to sign up. You guys seem very informative. Hope you can help me.
They want to put me on Levothyroxine which I'm against. I am a believer in natural stuff so I mentioned I take Armour. They told me to think about it. They told me all the stuff I've read about. That it's unrealiable. That you get too much etc. I'm suppose to be getting another thyroid test hopefully soon (to see if it's changed) and then they are going to determine a course of action. I told them that I went on a strict diet in 2005. That I started drinking Soy milk and lots of soy related products. My hair started looking dull in March of 06. I got sick in April with a fever and my hair started falling out like crazy.
Once I started eating meat and protein again, the hair stopped falling out (8 months later) but hasn't full recovered. I'm convinced the Soy Milk is what caused the thyroid issue as no one in my family has these health issues. I developed sweating issues and once off the soy milk this past September, their nearly non existant. I don't know if the continued sweating (hardly bad) is from the thyroid or if its from certain food that has soy in it. It's hard to avoid. I try to eat organic and watch what I eat.
Everyone in my family has a full head of my hair. They checked my testosterone and since it's normal, they now think the hair loss is because of the thyroid. Can't these doctors make up their mind? In the beginning he told me that his boss recommends Armour but he doesn't. Now a couple months later he's telling that his boss doesn't. What's going on here? Is he that desperate to get me on a synthetic drug? He wants me to think about Levothyroxine.
I've also read that in some cases, the subclinical kind can go away on it's own. I'm thinking that being off the soy milk will definately help it but I've read that it can take 3 months to get the toxicity of the soy out of my system. Maybe even longer depending on how long I took it for. I'm so desperate to get things moving here. I've been a bug on the wall for 3 years. Tired, exhausted, insomnia, sweating issues, tremors, heart palps. It's crazy stuff.
I'm very confused about the dosage talk about these pills. I've read that it's better to split the pill in half and take half in the morning and half around supper. I have a high TSH (7.02) but I believe my T3 and T4 are normal. I would like to know how all this works. What exactly has to be done to make the TSH go down? What do I need to watch out for? How long does it take to work? Anything else you think I should would be appriciated.
Thanks
Sean
They want to put me on Levothyroxine which I'm against. I am a believer in natural stuff so I mentioned I take Armour. They told me to think about it. They told me all the stuff I've read about. That it's unrealiable. That you get too much etc. I'm suppose to be getting another thyroid test hopefully soon (to see if it's changed) and then they are going to determine a course of action. I told them that I went on a strict diet in 2005. That I started drinking Soy milk and lots of soy related products. My hair started looking dull in March of 06. I got sick in April with a fever and my hair started falling out like crazy.
Once I started eating meat and protein again, the hair stopped falling out (8 months later) but hasn't full recovered. I'm convinced the Soy Milk is what caused the thyroid issue as no one in my family has these health issues. I developed sweating issues and once off the soy milk this past September, their nearly non existant. I don't know if the continued sweating (hardly bad) is from the thyroid or if its from certain food that has soy in it. It's hard to avoid. I try to eat organic and watch what I eat.
Everyone in my family has a full head of my hair. They checked my testosterone and since it's normal, they now think the hair loss is because of the thyroid. Can't these doctors make up their mind? In the beginning he told me that his boss recommends Armour but he doesn't. Now a couple months later he's telling that his boss doesn't. What's going on here? Is he that desperate to get me on a synthetic drug? He wants me to think about Levothyroxine.
I've also read that in some cases, the subclinical kind can go away on it's own. I'm thinking that being off the soy milk will definately help it but I've read that it can take 3 months to get the toxicity of the soy out of my system. Maybe even longer depending on how long I took it for. I'm so desperate to get things moving here. I've been a bug on the wall for 3 years. Tired, exhausted, insomnia, sweating issues, tremors, heart palps. It's crazy stuff.
I'm very confused about the dosage talk about these pills. I've read that it's better to split the pill in half and take half in the morning and half around supper. I have a high TSH (7.02) but I believe my T3 and T4 are normal. I would like to know how all this works. What exactly has to be done to make the TSH go down? What do I need to watch out for? How long does it take to work? Anything else you think I should would be appriciated.
Thanks
Sean
Barb
The only thing I do truly believe about thyroid meds is that some are allergic to the 'fillers' used in manufacturing them.
As I said previouly I have never tried a generic brand of thyroxin or Armour so wouldnt know.
I also believe that what may be good for one person may not be for another (as in my case Armour or Natural Pig Hormone).
T4 medication goes to work on me like a rocket within 3 days of taking it as I am drug sensitive whereas others it may take a few weeks...everyone is different.
Read the knowledge and then stand back and use the knowledge which you honestly believe is true.
Thypatient is right about a lot of unconventional and incorrect info out there on the net, believe me.
And a few websites know the desperation of you wanting to get better and use that in an attempt to 'con' you.
One example of incorrect info is that RAI causes the thyroid to 'dump' and its a big no-no to have RAI. I waited for green things to grow out of my ears (which obviously they didnt). Well at least last time I looked I didnt have any lol.
Each to his own treatment I say and whatever works for you but be very careful of ill- informed advice.
I am not anti Thyroidectomy and I am not anti-RAI and any suggestion I make to anyone who is hyperthyroid with Graves is......Try ATDS first for at least a year.
Obviously some cant because of heart issues or severe hyper symptoms.
But as the old saying goes....if it aint broken, dont fix it.
It is everyones personal choice in treatment and it is up to everyone to find the best that works for them.
Ask your Doctors questions...have them all written down before you go.
I used to write mine on my shopping list pad lol.
My Doc is great but oh boy, have I put him through the mill sometimes. He said to me last week..."Deb, I would always wonder 'which Deb' I was seeing that day".
Mainly the teary crying Deb, The angry Deb, The 'I dont give a Rats Deb'.
Oh yes, I always said the Graves Rage is a REAL THING and still stand by that statement.
Research all you can but the most important thing of all is...Be Kind To Yourself.
Also one word of advice....try and focus on other things besides the thyroid.
I found I couldnt go an hour without talking about 'the dreaded thyroid in my conversations.
Now I can as I realised just what I was doing. I was letting it consume me to the point of obsession because of being so sick.
I dont do that now, I have gone back to a job I did 25 years ago. I work in an Aged care Facility for Dementia and Acute Chronic Schizophrenia and I am now also studying a further course in Dementia.
It is hard work but rewarding.
The one thing I wanted through this crazy thyroid illness was my life back.
I got it.
And that was only 6 months after RAI.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, believe me.
But being positive makes all the difference , even when you feel like giving up which I did many times.
Take Care
The only thing I do truly believe about thyroid meds is that some are allergic to the 'fillers' used in manufacturing them.
As I said previouly I have never tried a generic brand of thyroxin or Armour so wouldnt know.
I also believe that what may be good for one person may not be for another (as in my case Armour or Natural Pig Hormone).
T4 medication goes to work on me like a rocket within 3 days of taking it as I am drug sensitive whereas others it may take a few weeks...everyone is different.
Read the knowledge and then stand back and use the knowledge which you honestly believe is true.
Thypatient is right about a lot of unconventional and incorrect info out there on the net, believe me.
And a few websites know the desperation of you wanting to get better and use that in an attempt to 'con' you.
One example of incorrect info is that RAI causes the thyroid to 'dump' and its a big no-no to have RAI. I waited for green things to grow out of my ears (which obviously they didnt). Well at least last time I looked I didnt have any lol.
Each to his own treatment I say and whatever works for you but be very careful of ill- informed advice.
I am not anti Thyroidectomy and I am not anti-RAI and any suggestion I make to anyone who is hyperthyroid with Graves is......Try ATDS first for at least a year.
Obviously some cant because of heart issues or severe hyper symptoms.
But as the old saying goes....if it aint broken, dont fix it.
It is everyones personal choice in treatment and it is up to everyone to find the best that works for them.
Ask your Doctors questions...have them all written down before you go.
I used to write mine on my shopping list pad lol.
My Doc is great but oh boy, have I put him through the mill sometimes. He said to me last week..."Deb, I would always wonder 'which Deb' I was seeing that day".
Mainly the teary crying Deb, The angry Deb, The 'I dont give a Rats Deb'.
Oh yes, I always said the Graves Rage is a REAL THING and still stand by that statement.
Research all you can but the most important thing of all is...Be Kind To Yourself.
Also one word of advice....try and focus on other things besides the thyroid.
I found I couldnt go an hour without talking about 'the dreaded thyroid in my conversations.
Now I can as I realised just what I was doing. I was letting it consume me to the point of obsession because of being so sick.
I dont do that now, I have gone back to a job I did 25 years ago. I work in an Aged care Facility for Dementia and Acute Chronic Schizophrenia and I am now also studying a further course in Dementia.
It is hard work but rewarding.
The one thing I wanted through this crazy thyroid illness was my life back.
I got it.
And that was only 6 months after RAI.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, believe me.
But being positive makes all the difference , even when you feel like giving up which I did many times.
Take Care
Thypatient, what site are you refering to? Stopthethyroidmadness.com?
Barb135, what is PCP?
And to anyone, is it true that some doctors will over look your symptoms even though the TSH is within normal range?
Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do when I go to the docs? Like bring in testimonials? or info etc?
Barb135, what is PCP?
And to anyone, is it true that some doctors will over look your symptoms even though the TSH is within normal range?
Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do when I go to the docs? Like bring in testimonials? or info etc?
COMMUNITY LEADER
I agree that one has to be very careful of the info we believe. I try to look first for articles from places like say, Wikipedia, Mayo Clinic or other large hospitals/universities, etc. The commercial web sites are all trying to sell things so they are obviously going to be pretty biased with the info they give you. I trust the posts made here on MedHelp, but also keep in mind that what works for someone else is not necessarily going to work for me and visa versa. And although I've had a problem with my PCP, I trust that most doctors are trying to do the best they can. The problem I have is having one who is trying to treat a problem without getting all the tests run or taking into consideration all my symptoms etc in order to provide the care possible.
As far as the potency of synthetic thryoid meds - I am quite sure that the FDA has strict manufacturing standards that must be maintained and I can't believe that 100 mcg pills can have a spread of "80 to 120 mcg". That's a HUGE discrepancy and I would think could be downright dangerous.
Good luck.
As far as the potency of synthetic thryoid meds - I am quite sure that the FDA has strict manufacturing standards that must be maintained and I can't believe that 100 mcg pills can have a spread of "80 to 120 mcg". That's a HUGE discrepancy and I would think could be downright dangerous.
Good luck.
Welcome. Thank you for joining and sharing.
I agree there’s nothing wrong with seeking out information. I agree with finding a new dr if the current one doesn’t seem right. I also agree that it seems like you have already made up your mind, so ultimately I wish you good luck.
However, I do want to caution you on some of the information out there about thyroid disease and treatments. Not all of it is credible. In fact, a lot of it is, sadly, not credible. You really have to use a discerning mind on just about everything you come across – especially items coming from commercial internet websites. A lot of them turn out to be only info-mericals.
When I was first diagnosed I came across sites, like the ones mentioned above, that sounded excellent. I was really impressed with the ‘being well informed,’ ‘taking the bull by the horns’ and ‘I’m not going to be pushed around by the medical world’ attitude. It all struck me as so liberating (…even when I had nothing yet to be liberated from).
Then I came across on these sites so many pieces of misinformation, misleading statements and things that were just plain wrong. And I’m not just talking about on the subject of thyroid; I’m talking about basic biology, chemistry and physiology. As I learned more about thyroid disease, it became even more absurd.
One example of all this is the following sentence above. It was probably culled directly from, not the FDA site, but the http: one mentioned:
“There is a problem in the industry with varying potencies of levothyroxine, meaning that even if you have a bottle of 100 mcg pills, the individual pills may have anywhere from 80 to 120 mcg.”
(I would seriously doubt this shows up currently on the FDA site.)
As I was learning more about thyroid disease I also learned more about some of the people who run some of these websites, including the one you mention. In a word, they’re ‘troubled.’
You, me and all of us have to keep in mind one thing about the internet that’s becoming an old adage – just because something comes up first on a search does not mean it’s the best!
Again, keep a clear mind, good luck and I wish you well.
I agree there’s nothing wrong with seeking out information. I agree with finding a new dr if the current one doesn’t seem right. I also agree that it seems like you have already made up your mind, so ultimately I wish you good luck.
However, I do want to caution you on some of the information out there about thyroid disease and treatments. Not all of it is credible. In fact, a lot of it is, sadly, not credible. You really have to use a discerning mind on just about everything you come across – especially items coming from commercial internet websites. A lot of them turn out to be only info-mericals.
When I was first diagnosed I came across sites, like the ones mentioned above, that sounded excellent. I was really impressed with the ‘being well informed,’ ‘taking the bull by the horns’ and ‘I’m not going to be pushed around by the medical world’ attitude. It all struck me as so liberating (…even when I had nothing yet to be liberated from).
Then I came across on these sites so many pieces of misinformation, misleading statements and things that were just plain wrong. And I’m not just talking about on the subject of thyroid; I’m talking about basic biology, chemistry and physiology. As I learned more about thyroid disease, it became even more absurd.
One example of all this is the following sentence above. It was probably culled directly from, not the FDA site, but the http: one mentioned:
“There is a problem in the industry with varying potencies of levothyroxine, meaning that even if you have a bottle of 100 mcg pills, the individual pills may have anywhere from 80 to 120 mcg.”
(I would seriously doubt this shows up currently on the FDA site.)
As I was learning more about thyroid disease I also learned more about some of the people who run some of these websites, including the one you mention. In a word, they’re ‘troubled.’
You, me and all of us have to keep in mind one thing about the internet that’s becoming an old adage – just because something comes up first on a search does not mean it’s the best!
Again, keep a clear mind, good luck and I wish you well.
When my TSH went from 2.8 to <1.9 all my hypo symptoms went away overnight. I am on it for the long haul after finding two small cancer tumors during surgery for atypical nodules that were benign. But the other side never started to work again so have to be on either a synthroid or armour product to live.
I wish there was a way to do it au natural ...... but in my case I need the meds.
I think maybe it's worth giving it a try and then you can see after you level off if the meds are worth it for you vs. the symptoms.
and I am so so glad you found us and have joined. I have been here for over 2 yrs and without this community and all its knowledged, I don't know what I would have done without it!
C~
TSH 1.8
Synthorid 75mcgs
partial thyroidectomy 1/07
I wish there was a way to do it au natural ...... but in my case I need the meds.
I think maybe it's worth giving it a try and then you can see after you level off if the meds are worth it for you vs. the symptoms.
and I am so so glad you found us and have joined. I have been here for over 2 yrs and without this community and all its knowledged, I don't know what I would have done without it!
C~
TSH 1.8
Synthorid 75mcgs
partial thyroidectomy 1/07
COMMUNITY LEADER
I don't take armour (or anything with T-3) at this time simply because my PCP has not ever checked my Free T-3 levels, so we don't even know whether or not I need it!!!!!!!! That being said, I also think that my PCP is pretty much stuck on Synthroid and probably would not be willing to prescibe anything else anyway.
I don't know what's causing the rest of the symptoms I have, but I do have a very good ENT who is trying to figure it out for me at this time and whom I will see later this morning, so will maybe have some answers (results of TPOab, ultra sound, etc). That should help to get me started down the right road, huh?
s1e9a8n5 - it sounds like you have already pretty much made up your mind as to what you will and won't do and that's your option, but please let me remind you: you insist that your doctor be willing to work with you - well, you have to be willing to work with him/her as well. You need to listen to the suggestions and discuss the pros and cons just the same as you want him/her to do with your suggestions. It has to be a give and take relationship, based on trust and respect in order to work out well.
Smilerdeb - In spite of that last statement above, I am definitely going to look for a new PCP because I have been going to this PCP for approx 5 years and I no longer feel that our relationship is based on trust and respect; he is not receptive to any ideas except his own, he refuses to look at any info brought to him and he tends to lump everyone into one category (as in: "everyone who has this symptom, has --------"). He treats me like I am just a set of lab results, who doesn't have a brain in my head or feelings, and if my numbers fall within the neat little range, then his job is done, whether I feel good or not. I suspect that this disease is going to take up a lot of my time and and energy and I can't afford a PCP who doesn't have time to help address the problems that come with it.
I don't know what's causing the rest of the symptoms I have, but I do have a very good ENT who is trying to figure it out for me at this time and whom I will see later this morning, so will maybe have some answers (results of TPOab, ultra sound, etc). That should help to get me started down the right road, huh?
s1e9a8n5 - it sounds like you have already pretty much made up your mind as to what you will and won't do and that's your option, but please let me remind you: you insist that your doctor be willing to work with you - well, you have to be willing to work with him/her as well. You need to listen to the suggestions and discuss the pros and cons just the same as you want him/her to do with your suggestions. It has to be a give and take relationship, based on trust and respect in order to work out well.
Smilerdeb - In spite of that last statement above, I am definitely going to look for a new PCP because I have been going to this PCP for approx 5 years and I no longer feel that our relationship is based on trust and respect; he is not receptive to any ideas except his own, he refuses to look at any info brought to him and he tends to lump everyone into one category (as in: "everyone who has this symptom, has --------"). He treats me like I am just a set of lab results, who doesn't have a brain in my head or feelings, and if my numbers fall within the neat little range, then his job is done, whether I feel good or not. I suspect that this disease is going to take up a lot of my time and and energy and I can't afford a PCP who doesn't have time to help address the problems that come with it.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
