Re: New Member & Question

[Guest guest]

Dianne,

You wrote:

>

> I just found out on 12/20/05 that I have Hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's). I

> was started on Levoxyl 0.5mg on 12/21/05. My question is " How long is it

> going to take before I start feeling better? " ...

That is impossible to estimate accurately without your test results, but

it could be quite awhile. Your doctor is undertreating as a precaution.

The usual protocol calls for more testing every six weeks before

adjusting dosage. The Hashimoto's diagnosis calls for more caution than

usual. There is a lot more about the titration protocol on the web and

in our archives.

You might try letting the doctor know that your symptoms did not change

at all after three weeks. That might get him to test and adjust the

dosage early.

Chuck

[Guest guest]

Chuck,

Thank you for your information.

On 12/19/05 I had bloodwork done because I wasn't feeling good. I had

the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism for several months but because

my previous lab work from June 05 was fine the dr did not order any

more. He kept telling me it was viral. Finally in December I insisted

that he test my thyroid function again because I also have a

lump/nodule on my thyroid that was found in 11/03.

My lab results were: TSH 6.065 (normal range 0.350-5.50)

My triglycerides and LDL Choles Calc were also high as well as the ALT

(SGPT) level was high.

I did go see a dr who specializes in thyroid disorders and he ordered

a sonogram of my thyroid to make sure the nodule is not growing and

agreed with the dosage of Levoxyl 0.5mg. which I have been on since

12/21/05. I have to have more blood work done in the middle of Feb

and will see this dr again at the end of the month. He told me it was

going to take 4-6 weeks before I started to feel any better. This dr

is also the one who told me that it was Hashimoto's Disease. He did

not seem too concerned that I wasn't feeling any better after being

on the medication for 2 weeks.

My symptoms are still the same: weak, tired, my hair is very coarse

and thinning out, my skin is very dry, my face is very puffy in the

mornings when I first wake up and I'm depressed. And that's not to

mention the weight gain.

Sorry for such a long email but this is all new to me. I'm glad I

finally I have a reason for feeling like I do but I can't wait to

feel like my old self again.

I appreciate any answers or advice from everyone.

Dianne

(I rejoined the group under this ID (dede12314) because my other ID

is just too busy with a Sibling Loss Group I belong to.)

> >

> > I just found out on 12/20/05 that I have Hypothyroidism

(Hashimoto's). I

> > was started on Levoxyl 0.5mg on 12/21/05. My question is " How

long is it

> > going to take before I start feeling better? " ...

>

> That is impossible to estimate accurately without your test

results, but

> it could be quite awhile. Your doctor is undertreating as a

precaution.

> The usual protocol calls for more testing every six weeks before

> adjusting dosage. The Hashimoto's diagnosis calls for more caution

than

> usual. There is a lot more about the titration protocol on the web

and

> in our archives.

>

> You might try letting the doctor know that your symptoms did not

change

> at all after three weeks. That might get him to test and adjust the

> dosage early.

>

> Chuck

>

[Guest guest]

Amber,

I'm going through a similar situation. While I am significantly older than you

(53) and no longer have menstrual cycles I've experienced all the other symptoms

you described. I've been on an anti-depressant for several years but have gained

a lot of weight that I've been unable to lose regardless of my diet/exercise.

I went to my GP who ran blood tests and diagnosed hypothyroidism. She also had

me get an ultrasound on my neck which showed a goiter. She put me on

Levothyroxin 25 mcg. After 1 month I went back for blood work and she increased

the dosage to 50 mcg and referred me to an endocrinologist. The endo did an

ultrasound and immediately determined that I have Hashimoto's disease and have

had it for 7-10 years. He has increased the dosage to 75 mcg. I've had a lot

of blood work and a couple of surgeries over the past 7-10 years but no one has

ever questioned my thyroid function before which is very disconcerting, to say

the least. I have an appt. with an ENT next week regarding the goiter as my

throat feels raw and painful, and then I'm also going back to the endo for a

follow-up now that he will have all of the test results back, so I'll know more

then.

My recommendation is to find a good endo who works solely with thyroid patients.

He also said to use the South Beach diet as a guideline while trying to lose

weight and develop the right mix of carbs.

Good luck!

Beth

>

> Hello, my name is Amber. I'm 22 years old. I just have a quick question but

first I'll give a little background about what's going on. I have been having

problems with different things over the past couple of years -- depression,

fatigue, weight gain that i have a very hard time to lose, abnormal menstrual

cycles, and other things. I decided to finally go to the doctor when I realized

there was a lump in my neck that wouldn't go away (the doctor says it's my lymph

nodes that are swollen). So a couple weeks ago I went to the doctor for the

first time. I had to take some blood tests and it showed my Thyroid wasn't

creating enough hormones. My doctor also felt in my neck and mentioned my

thyroid seemed to be a bit enlarged so he ordered another blood test and an

ultrasound. Last week I got the call that both the test and the ultrasound came

back " abnormal " but that's the only information they would give over the phone.

I now have an appointment with an endocrinologist this Thursday. The only

information that anyone is giving me is that this doctor can " better explain

what's going on " . So my question to everyone is what should I possibly be

expecting when I go in to see this new doctor on Thursday? I'm pretty nervous

about it..

>

> Thank you!

>

[Guest guest]

There are no supplements or vitamins that will treat hypothyroidism.

You have to have T3 to live; typically you can make that from T4. If

you don't get T3/T4 in some form you will sicken and die. The " natural "

T3/T4 in an animal thyroid gland is identical to that produced by your

body and to that in commercially produced medicines.

The real danger to trying to avoid what your body has to have is that

since the process of the destruction of your body's organs is rather

slow in some cases you may do irreparable harm before you notice it.

..

..

> Posted by: " Darlene Currie " dcurrie@...

>

<mailto:dcurrie@...?Subject=%20Re%3A%20New%20Member%20%26%20Que\

stion>

>

>

>

> Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:58 am (PDT)

>

>

>

> Just read an article by Dr. Oz's about hypothyroidism. 1. Take 1,000

> to 1,200 IU of D daily. This nutrient helps the gland cope with stress

> and convert inactive T4 into active T3 hormone. 2. Steam veggies -

> Broccoli raw will make the condition worse. 3. Reconsider iodine.

> Triclosan & Perchlorate may be the cause. Triclosan, an antibacterial

> agent that inflames thyroid cells and burdens the liver, the organ

> that converts inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into the active form (T3).

> In other words, avoid Triclosan. The other, perchlorate, seeps into

> drinking water and has been found in almost all water-rich produce

> like leafy greens and watermelon. It is amplified for women. This

> disease plagues 27 million women. This article is in the magazine for

> Women First. You may want to read the article. I am going to try and

> go the natural way and use the D vitamin and try to use natural

> hormone replacement therapy. I may even consider Kelation.

> Darlene Currie

[Guest guest]

Confused here, I don't think Darlene was stating in this post that Dr.Oz

believes Vit D. " treats " thyroid problems perhaps more as a benefit.In many of

his shows he has been adivising his audience to take additional Vit. D3 since

he has stated that as much as 60% of the U.S. population is Vit. D deficient. It

is ONE supplement he is adament about taking whether one takes supplements or

not. The medical field,I was told is NOW finding out the importance of this

vitamin and the implication it can cause when levels are low. After constant

complaining of still having symptoms of lack of memory, constant pain and

fatigue I finally was tested for my Vit. D levels. I was very low. I felt

dramatically different once I was put on an RX dose of 150,000 I.U. a week. I

live in Florida, take a multivitamin ( not a separate dose of D3)and consume a

lot of milk yet my levels of D were SEVERELY LOW.

>

> There are no supplements or vitamins that will treat hypothyroidism.

> You have to have T3 to live; typically you can make that from T4. If

> you don't get T3/T4 in some form you will sicken and die. The " natural "

> T3/T4 in an animal thyroid gland is identical to that produced by your

> body and to that in commercially produced medicines.

>

> The real danger to trying to avoid what your body has to have is that

> since the process of the destruction of your body's organs is rather

> slow in some cases you may do irreparable harm before you notice it.

>

>

> .

> .

>

>

> > Posted by: " Darlene Currie " dcurrie@...

> > <mailto:dcurrie@...?Subject=%20Re%3A%20New%20Member%20%26%20Question>

> >

> >

> >

> > Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:58 am (PDT)

> >

> >

> >

> > Just read an article by Dr. Oz's about hypothyroidism. 1. Take 1,000

> > to 1,200 IU of D daily. This nutrient helps the gland cope with stress

> > and convert inactive T4 into active T3 hormone. 2. Steam veggies -

> > Broccoli raw will make the condition worse. 3. Reconsider iodine.

> > Triclosan & Perchlorate may be the cause. Triclosan, an antibacterial

> > agent that inflames thyroid cells and burdens the liver, the organ

> > that converts inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into the active form (T3).

> > In other words, avoid Triclosan. The other, perchlorate, seeps into

> > drinking water and has been found in almost all water-rich produce

> > like leafy greens and watermelon. It is amplified for women. This

> > disease plagues 27 million women. This article is in the magazine for

> > Women First. You may want to read the article. I am going to try and

> > go the natural way and use the D vitamin and try to use natural

> > hormone replacement therapy. I may even consider Kelation.

> > Darlene Currie

>

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure what she meant but we get people here from time to time

that say they don't want to take medicine but prefer to treat a more

natural way, often with vitamins and supplements or even some worthless

quack product. Her phrase, " ...I am going to try and go the natural way

.... " raised such a concern for me. The most " natural " thing to do if

your thyroid gland quits is to sicken and die and that's not what most

of us want. But it's what could happen if we avoid T4/T3 in favor of

worthless products [or even worth while products that just don't happen

to address the problem]. I've read a lot of references to our need for

more vitamin D than we normally get but I don't know the numbers yet. I

hope you're right and she's really looking at a supplement as, well, a

supplement.

Regards,

..

..

> Posted by: " beaucerongirl101 " beaucerongirl101@...

>

<mailto:beaucerongirl101@...?Subject=%20Re%3A%20New%20Member%20%26%20Quest\

ion>

> beaucerongirl101 <beaucerongirl101>

>

>

> Sun Jul 11, 2010 4:54 pm (PDT)

>

>

>

> Confused here, I don't think Darlene was stating in this post that

> Dr.Oz believes Vit D. " treats " thyroid problems perhaps more as a

> benefit.In many of his shows he has been adivising his audience to

> take additional Vit. D3 since he has stated that as much as 60% of the

> U.S. population is Vit. D deficient. It is ONE supplement he is

> adament about taking whether one takes supplements or not. The medical

> field,I was told is NOW finding out the importance of this vitamin and

> the implication it can cause when levels are low. After constant

> complaining of still having symptoms of lack of memory, constant pain

> and fatigue I finally was tested for my Vit. D levels. I was very low.

> I felt dramatically different once I was put on an RX dose of 150,000

> I.U. a week. I live in Florida, take a multivitamin ( not a separate

> dose of D3)and consume a lot of milk yet my levels of D were SEVERELY

> LOW.

>

>

> >

> > There are no supplements or vitamins that will treat hypothyroidism.

> > You have to have T3 to live; typically you can make that from T4. If

> > you don't get T3/T4 in some form you will sicken and die. The " natural "

> > T3/T4 in an animal thyroid gland is identical to that produced by your

> > body and to that in commercially produced medicines.

> >

> > The real danger to trying to avoid what your body has to have is that

> > since the process of the destruction of your body's organs is rather

> > slow in some cases you may do irreparable harm before you notice it.

> >

> >

> > .

> > .

> >

> >

> > > Posted by: " Darlene Currie " dcurrie@...

> > > <mailto:dcurrie@...?Subject=%20Re%3A%20New%20Member%20%26%20Question>

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:58 am (PDT)

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Just read an article by Dr. Oz's about hypothyroidism. 1. Take 1,000

> > > to 1,200 IU of D daily. This nutrient helps the gland cope with

> stress

> > > and convert inactive T4 into active T3 hormone. 2. Steam veggies -

> > > Broccoli raw will make the condition worse. 3. Reconsider iodine.

> > > Triclosan & Perchlorate may be the cause. Triclosan, an antibacterial

> > > agent that inflames thyroid cells and burdens the liver, the organ

> > > that converts inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into the active form

> (T3).

> > > In other words, avoid Triclosan. The other, perchlorate, seeps into

> > > drinking water and has been found in almost all water-rich produce

> > > like leafy greens and watermelon. It is amplified for women. This

> > > disease plagues 27 million women. This article is in the magazine for

> > > Women First. You may want to read the article. I am going to try and

> > > go the natural way and use the D vitamin and try to use natural

> > > hormone replacement therapy. I may even consider Kelation.

> > > Darlene Currie