Guest guest Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Lee, Aaaack!!! Boy, do I need to educate myself! For the past 6 weeks since my thyroidectomy, it has been nothing short of debilitating. I am so glad that you mentioned not taking my calcium with my thyroid. I wake up in the morning, take my 300mg. lithium, 800mg. nuerontin, 37.5 mg. effexor, 20mg Zocor, 100mg. Synthroid(switching to Armour in 1 1/2 weeks) and 600mg. Calcium. All in one swallow. Does anyone else take any anti~mania meds? I'm wondering how this affects my thyroid and what time of the day I should take them, and if they should be spaced out. It is very disheartening when I ask my endo or surgeon about these things, and they scratch their heads and give me some canned answer... Argh! I am very grateful to have found this group. I value opinions of others who have experienced what I am going through. Thanks!! Going to the library to read up!!! Be blessed~! C. -- For Newbie ~~ Hi , I also had a thyroidectomy (sub-total) but mine was 5 years ago. You poor thing, it's not a nice op hey? >The lethargy is awful. Yes isn't it? But give yourself time, it will take a while to get over the op and you need to be on Armour. Believe me, I wasted 5 years on Synthroid it just doesn't do it, especially for us people with no thyroids. >Currently, I am taking 100 mcgs of Synthroid and 2400 mg of Calcium VERY IMPORTANT - MAKE SURE you are taking your Calcium WELL APART from your thyroid treatments as this will stop the thyroid drugs from working. If you take your thyroid at 8am, take your calcium at 8pm!! >I am usually VERY energetic, It will take time to get your energy back, use it wisely in the meantime, rest, and avoid stimulants, alcohol, caffeine etc, you want to keep your body on as much as an even keel as you can. > To my surprise, my doc lowered her collar and.....the SCAR!! Excellent, your doc has a personal interest in thyroids then becase she suffers too, sounds a good person to stick with! Good news. > Does it taste icky? I also hear increase of a 1/4 to 1/2 grain every few weeks? I take my Armour orally every morning 1 hour before food but many of the gals on here prefer the sublingual method. It doesn't taste so bad. My doc raises me 1/2 grain every 3 weeks. I'm about to go up to 3.5, then 4 grains. > Any reading recomendations for a beginner? Thyroid Power by Dr Shames; The Great Thyroid Scandal by Dr Barry Peatfield. Remember, the blood tests are only 'tests' don't let your doctor go off them alone. If you don't feel right, or think you need more Armour then say, even if your TSH is supressed. Read & educate yourself as much as you can about this illness then you can have better discussions with your doc. Always keep a copy of your blood results & what dose you were on at the time. Take your temperature, chart your progress / symptoms in a diary so you know what's happened & changed & on what dose. Hope you feeling better soon sweetie, Love Fee x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Hi welcome to the group I wouldn't be taking lithium if there is an alternative. Lithium affects thyroid function, in fact I was taking lithium for depression and that was what affected my thryroid. Does anyone know if it would interfere with armour absorbtion? Lynda (in the UK) btw I posted a reply on the thermometer question and it hasn't appeared yet Re: For Newbie ~~ Lee, Aaaack!!! Boy, do I need to educate myself! For the past 6 weeks since my thyroidectomy, it has been nothing short of debilitating. I am so glad that you mentioned not taking my calcium with my thyroid. I wake up in the morning, take my 300mg. lithium, 800mg. nuerontin, 37.5 mg. effexor, 20mg Zocor, 100mg. Synthroid(switching to Armour in 1 1/2 weeks) and 600mg. Calcium. All in one swallow. Does anyone else take any anti~mania meds? I'm wondering how this affects my thyroid and what time of the day I should take them, and if they should be spaced out. It is very disheartening when I ask my endo or surgeon about these things, and they scratch their heads and give me some canned answer... Argh! I am very grateful to have found this group. I value opinions of others who have experienced what I am going through. Thanks!! Going to the library to read up!!! Be blessed~! C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Hi , I need to say this first off: Work with your Doctor on when you take your meds. I don't take what you take, however I do take a slew of meds for various maladies. -a family history of depression, a family history of thryroid disease, a family history of HP, etc. and unlike my sisters, I favor that side of the family that all of these maladies are inherited from..sigh...with education, and assistance from a NP that was willing to learn with me I have learned how and when to take my load of meds.(But she was stuck on the synthetic meds for thryoid treatments.)So I self treat for my advanced Hashi's. I take my thyroid meds first in the morning, and once I get onto Armour, I'll be staggering my dosage throughout the day, much like how my natural thryoid would be dispensing its T-complex into my system. As for the rest of my meds I take them after meals, never at the same time as the vitamins...I normally eat 6 mini meals a day. So " breakfast, lunch and dinner " are med meals, morning break, afternoon break and night snack are the vit meals... Some meds need to be taken on an empty stomach with water only, such as Synthroid and Levoxyl(sp?) and then wait an hour until you eat. Some meds need to be taken with food or right after a meal. Check with your Pharmacist, as well as your Physician as to which drugs do better being taken in the mornings or evenings and the rest taken at lunch. As for the vitamins, space those out over the snack meals as well, your body can only absorb so many vitamins at therapy levels at any one time. Most vitamins are absorbed better with food, as it is by food that our bodies were created to pull vitamins from in the first place. Once you settle into a routine with your meds, you will be amazed at how your body stabilizes. After a while, you will know by how your body feels what you need to suppliment with. Like others have mentioned, keep a diary of your daily symptoms, basal temp., mental feelings, and how your body did and felt on that day. I go so far as to chart what I eat to see if food may have played a part in my bodies reaction. READ everything you can get your hands on, throw out what knowledge does not apply to you, learn and adapt as life throws you a few curves and hills to manuever with. This is a journey, get the roadmaps ready and join us in our walk to better health... Gossimer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Just my opinion here....... I think it best to take the first thyroid dose right away when you wake up... just pop it down... then you can get showered and dressed and all that stuff - then eat breakfast and take your other stuff without interfering with the thyroid... .... I guess that's just one more reason why I like the Natural thyroid better. It's allows sublingual dosing which bypasses all the issues of binding and poor absorption... so you don't have to deal with all the other stuff for timing dosage etc.... I take my calcium about an hour before bedtime... My logic is that it will affect thyroid doses the least and it will get the calcium into my system during sleeping hours, when the body does most of the healing and repair work.... ..... such a puzzle as we each figure out what works best for us.... I just throw my routine up for consideration or alteration..... smile Topper () On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 12:32:42 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time) " Castle " writes: > Lee, > Aaaack!!! Boy, do I need to educate myself! For the past 6 weeks > since > my thyroidectomy, it has been nothing short of debilitating. I am > so glad > that you mentioned not taking my calcium with my thyroid. I wake up > in the > morning, take my 300mg. lithium, 800mg. nuerontin, 37.5 mg. effexor, > 20mg > Zocor, 100mg. Synthroid(switching to Armour in 1 1/2 weeks) and > 600mg. > Calcium. All in one swallow. > Does anyone else take any anti~mania meds? I'm wondering how this > affects > my thyroid and what time of the day I should take them, and if they > should > be spaced out. It is very disheartening when I ask my endo or > surgeon about > these things, and they scratch their heads and give me some canned > answer... > Argh! > I am very grateful to have found this group. I value opinions of > others who have experienced what I am going through. > Thanks!! Going to the library to read up!!! > > Be blessed~! > C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Hi, , the only alternative to Lithium that I am aware of for " mood stabilization " is Depakote (aka: Valproic Acid), but it can also interfere with the Thyroid gland. Although I was Hypothyroid in my teens, after years on Lithium or Depakote, my thyroid function deteriorated even more. I no longer take either of those, but neither am depressed or manic. Dianne >-------Original Message------- > >From: NaturalThyroidHormones > >Hi >welcome to the group >I wouldn't be taking lithium if there is an alternative. Lithium affects >thyroid function, in fact I was taking lithium for depression and that was >what affected my thryroid. >Does anyone know if it would interfere with armour absorbtion? >Lynda (in the UK) >btw I posted a reply on the thermometer question and it hasn't appeared yet > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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