Success stories

[dpleiman]

Who here considers their treatment to be working successfully for them?
How long did it take?
What method/methods do you think make/made the difference?
Are you completely symptom free?

Thanks...

[LazyMoose]

After ten years on the T4 brands my symptoms kept getting worse and new ones were emerging. My GP was a T4 only doctor and said my sympyms could not be from hoshi as I was properly medicated on Synthroid. The major things were severe muscle imbalance and spasms that let to muscle induced scoliosis of the lumbar spine. This pulled up my right leg and I limped for three years. I also developed carple tunnel and foot pain. Major acid reflux at nite. Other things too. I was tested for many other diseases. It was hard to work, painful every day. Major muscle atrophy that would not rebuild.

I learned about Hoshimoto on the web and at the library. Found this site. Changed to an endo that would try different meds last January. This site has helped a lot (thank you all!).

Have been on dessicated for almost nine months. 80-90% pain free!!  Muscles in back have loosened and my spine is staighter - no limping. No acid reflux since June.  I was very athletic before hoshi kicked my ars. Now I can work out again and I'm getting physically stronger every day. Hardly even sore the next day! I find this amaising, how T3 helps me. On a lab test it looks like I'm swimming in T3, but my body seems to like it that way. Male, 42,  with a  lower blood pressure of 100-120 over 60-70 with a pulse of 55-68. Best shape in all the years (ten) on only T4! Still cant type long, still a little tired, but I dont sleep that well -never did.

I can mountain bike and lift weights like a teenager again! Will try skiing this winter, was too painfull the last ten years.

Hoping this pattern continues to progress and I will only get better. I have high hopes of competing in my sport again, but at 42, just for fun in the amateur class with slow old guys.

For me it seems Dessicated is the answer, a success story still in the making so to speak.

[TamraW]

I am waaayyy better now than last spring when I wrote my hubby the "Just in case I die" letter.

I am now on .88 Synthroid and 0.05 Cytomel. I'm still hypo and will be needing another bump, but I am so much better than last year. Also, Vitamin D, Selenium, and Magnesium have been a tremendous help.

One bad note, I am on my way to get my cervix biopsied. Fun times. Last PAP was not so good. I am blaming this on my Hashi. My thyroid disease gets all the blame, even when my checkbook isn't balanced.

Fingers crossed!!!

:) Tamra

[thelma201]

I know I'm not stable yet. Haven't been since I was dx'd Hashi's/Hypo. That's the thing that bothers me....if we don't have decent doctors, and don't receive the right tests and treatment, then how do we know what IS thyroid and what ISN'T? As I continue to feel poorly, I often wonder if it's something else, and not my thyroid. But until I can get the appropiate treatment...and give it time to work, I won't really know. Moving on to Dr. #4 next month.

[mrsomes]

You can get through thyroid issues.  I had a TT in early June for a very large, very active multinodual goiter.  Thought I was going to die for about 6 months prior.   Thought I was never going to recover afterwards.  But I did.  Too slow for me but, as I see from others postings, not too long at all.   I feel very lucky.  5 months post-op and it appears as if I'm on the optimal level of synthroid for my body.   I feel better than I've felt in years.   My energy is back.  I can handle stress for the first time in almost a year.  I'm active.   I sometimes get freaked out by the fact that I don't have a thyroid and I'm totally dependant upon medication but that passes.  I obviously don't know what will happen in the future; it I'll stay stable but for now I feel great.  This forum helped me a lot right after my surgery.   Helped to put things in perspective and to let me know that people are able to go on with their lives after a TT.   Thanks to all of you out there.

[Smilerdeb]

Well said goolarra.
I used to blame my thyroid on EVERYTHING lol...I soon learned different.
I also found myself prior to RAI of not being able to go at least ONE HOUR of mentioning the word THYROID.
Now I very rarely refer to the thyroid with friends and my partner unless I feel my levels changing.

[goolarra]

I consider my treatment to be very successful.  After a PCP who tried to kill me by overtreating me and an endo who insisted I go at least a little hyper to prove a point, I think we've finally reached a good level.

I can't emphasize enough...FT3 and FT4. TSH should be removed from the lab order forms.  Doctors look at TSH number, and they just can't help themselves..."off" numbers bug the cr@p out of them.

My symptoms went away almost immediately.  I had been hypo for a couple of years, I'm over 50, and I have a heart arrythmia, but PCP started me on 88 mcg.  The 88 almost killed me, but it sure sent those symptoms packing!  I had to back off to almost nothing (also ultra drug sensitive) and work up incredibly slowly.  BTW, after almost two years on meds, I've been at 75 mcg for this whole year.  Can you imagine what that 88 did to my system after being hypo for so long?!

As Barb said, the list of symptoms that CAN be hypo symptoms is about the size of an unabridged dictionary.  I consider myself symptom free.  Do I still have aches and pains and other issues...of course, but I also agree we have to start looking elsewhere after a whiile.  We just can't blame the scapethyroid for everything!

[Smilerdeb]

I havent looked back since having RAI & TT last year.
Prior to that, I was 'existing' and not living.
I suffered with Agoraphobia for 26 years only to find that the day I had RAI was the day it disappeared mysteriously. My acute post traumatic stress disorder was due to stress but I honestly believe that 90% of it was due to Graves Disease and Hyperhtyroidism.
I have had a heart murmur since birth, had a 'supposed' heart attack at the age of 34 (which I believe now may have been thyroid storm).
I have mitral valve, triscuspid valve and pulmonary valve prolapse which will one day require artificial valve replacements but as long as I am breathing air, I will never go back to the way I 'was'.
I am on T4 med only (very drug sensitive) and found to be doing well with levels even though I have had my fair share of heartache and stress the last 6 months.
The road to recovery is over for me now....I know what to do, when to do it and how to do it.
I found peace of mind after having permanant treatment in 2008 and have not regretted it once.
I always said that there IS light at the end of that tunnel.......I still believe that to be true.

[stella5349]

There is so much information out there to help. You can all find your thyroid answers and have a healthy outcome.

[6hashi]

Hello,
I am now 2 years on eltroxin , general feeling is good ,but I still have some symptoms,however, I am still climbing the ladder of the doses.

Thanks ,

[dawnangela]

Have to say im feeling pretty good, Five months treatment and symptoms subsiding, im only on t4 meds...Dawn

[Super_sally888]

hI,

YES, I think I am well treated and that my thyroid is optimal.  It took me 2 years to get diagnosed, and then about 6 months to feeling ok.  And a few more months once I got onto dessicated thyroid (t3 product) a few years later.  But now, nearly 10 years in I am pretty happy with where I am thyroid wise.

My doctor is very competent and we look at FT3 and Ft4 only.

I also agree it is important not to blame every symptom on thyroid.  A lot of how I feel is in my own hands.... diet, rest, exercise, attitude etc.  And part of getting older also includes body changes....

Other things like allergies, B12, D can also have impact....

Important to keep the whole picture and take a wholistic approach.

[dpleiman]

Stella - I'm so sorry that you had such a long road to recovery, I believe that everything happens for a reason and we are made strong thru our adverseries even if it means that we had to suffer thru something just to be able to be in a position to help others from that perspective. I'm so glad that you are feeling good.. You give me hope :) God bless you.. (((hugs)))

Barb - Thanks for the insight, I know i tend to blame alot of things on my thyroid only because i didn't have the symptoms prior to thyroid being diagnosed. There are some things that i have to admit that i had prior to thyroid being diagnosed but was very, very mild.. Like PVC's I remember i had a few here and there prior to my thyroid diagnosis but they weren't bad at all and after i was diagnosed with hypothyroid they got a whole lot worse. I think that has been the case for a lot of my symptoms but sometimes i don't think about that.. Thanks for the reminder and that we should all be more aware of our symptoms and make sure we get them checked for possible alternate diagnosis.. Glad you are getting on track and I hope the heart condition is treated successfully as well.... (((hugs)))

[Barb135]

I do consider my thyroid treatment a success, although my recovery is not dramatic at all.  It's taken me a couple of years, and a doctor, who like Stella, I thought was going to kill me; but THANKS to Stella -- I was able to put a stop to it and get the tests I really needed.  I'm currently doing much better with the thyroid issue, but getting one thing under control brought up other issues.............symptoms that *I* thought were thyroid related, I'm now finding are NOT.  They are actually related to my heart and I'm SO glad that the doctor who was in control of my thyroid issues has now been kicked to the curb.

I'd like to remind EVERYONE that just because you have a thyroid disease, you should NOT blame every symptom you have on that.  I was blaming my thyroid/Hashi's for all kinds of stuff and it's only thanks to what I considered a  "stupid" NP that I found out I really DO have a heart issue which is progressing faster than I'd like to see it go.......

Everyone needs a doctor who will look at the entire body, not just one area/problem at a time -- I'm a living, breathing example of multiple problems.......

I have pernicious anemia -- kept under control with bi-weekly vitamin b12 shots
I have hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's currently under control with levothyroxine and cytomel, along with a strict regimen of vitamins/minerals...... I had to look elsewhere for the rest........

I will be seeing my (new) pcp in the morning and will get back results of echo cardiogram and lots of blood work --- I know I have a leaky aortic valve, which DOES cause fatigue, shortness of breath, pounding heart beat, symptoms I had contributed to my thyroid --- and I'm scared to death of the only remedy.......

Please make sure you take off the "blinders" so you look at the whole picture.  I've seen lists of thyroid symptoms posted here that are longer than my arm and it's possible to have those symptoms with thyroid issues, but PLEASE - don't make the mistake I did and blame EVERYTHING on your thyroid because there are so many other conditions that can cause the same symptoms.......  

(hugs) to all...........

[stella5349]

I am a walking miracle of health after I thought I was going to die and surely would have.

about 7 years - but that was because I was with some real idiot doctors.

Finding the Free T3 and Free T4 and RATIO-ing them out that best suited me and IGNORING the TSH.

Yes  I am - thank you dear Lord.