# What prescription do you take for Hashimoto's? Please help --



## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Hi all,

Well, I'm scared to take a prescription that will mess with my thyroid... But the bump in my throat is feeling larger.

I'm thrashed tired right now  and that's also my thyroid.

I'm scared to take Levythyroxine, but the doc prescribed 50mg -- what do you think? What do you take? Is it going to most likely make me gain mega tons?
Please help.


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

We are all different and what's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander. Some people take synthetic thyroid meds without any issues, some do better on dessicated (natural) medication. I am one of the those people. I take Naturethroid 1/2 grain which is about the same as taking 50 Levythyroxine. 
If you are having symptoms, not feeling well and your labs are off, you probably need to take medication. I am no doctor but I don't think it's healthy to ignore taking something if your thyroid is wonky.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yup, agreed.

I take synthroid and am thriving.

You can detox and supplement and make lots of lifestyle changes and it can help, but at the end of the day, if you don't have enough hormones in your system, you aren't going to feel significantly better.

A low dose of levo is a great place to start, provided you know you might have to fiddle with doses or even medications for a while before you find the right combination for *you*.


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## Desertrose (Jul 30, 2013)

I take a synthetic and I feel much better. 50 mg is a small dose.
What have you got to lose if you feel so awful right now?


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Thank you for your responses -- they're encouraging too.

WOW I've just been through quite an evening/night... My thyroid swelled up so big, I think I can get fluids down at the moment -- but I don't even know if I could swallow a pill. Looks like a waited a little too long. :\ Will be juicing today, talking to the doctor, etc.  ANyone know a quick way to shrink a hyperemic thyroid? :\ thanks


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

Since hashi's is an autoimmune disease, you need to figure out what your "triggers" are. What is causing the inflammation. Mine was gluten. Everytime I ate it the war began. You need to calm your system down and hate to tell you this, but there is no quick fix. All those here on the board have had to struggle with one thing or another when dealing with this disease and sometimes it takes awhile.


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## Viv22 (Sep 3, 2013)

Hi, here's my two cents worth.

I think it all depends on where you live in the world as to what medication they put you on - I'm in London. Where are you?

I'm on a recently reduced dose of Levothyroxine of 75mg and I finally seem to be levelling out and feeling well again. I was diagnosed in July but I suspect I have had it for many years and since I went on Levothyroxine, I have been up and down and round the mulberry bush and back again.

No GP has ever mentioned any alternative drugs to me.

One GP told me that Levothyroxine used to be handed out by dodgy doctors as a diet pill so I wouldn't worry about gaining weight (if that's what you meant). Not that I've seen a heck of a difference on that front as yet but I hope to...

At one point, 3 weeks ago, I was on the verge of going part time at work because my chronic fatigue was crippling me. I cannot believe the difference in how I feel now. I am beginning to feel incredible and I can't believe it.

I read the book "The Root Cause of Hashimoto's" and I self-diagnosed my root cause as being gut related so I have completely changed my diet. I started eating soups and broth at lunch times - what a difference that alone has made me feel. This was my turning point.

I am not one of these people that can strictly diet but I have replaced a few things - I buy gluten free pasta - tastes the same, avoid aspartame and sugar - I use stevia instead - brilliant, try and avoid fizzy drinks and wheat.

I have cut back on fruit as I realise that a lot of this does not agree with me but I still have an apple and banana everyday - just not citrus.

I take a ton of vitamins - against doctors orders - they just don't believe in them - I'm not even sure if they work. I take Ferrous Sulphate, vitamin B, vitamin B complex and vitamin C in large doses daily.

I take the Levothyroxine at night time - around 10 pm and the vitamins after breakfast or during.

I try and exercise every 2 days and try and listen to my body so if I am tired, I take it easy.

We are all going to respond to different things - keep researching. All I know is that it has taken me 5 months to finally start feeling like normal. I was on 25 mg, then 50 mg, then 75 mg, then 125 mg and now back to 75 mg - all within 5 months. I really hope that I'm one of the lucky ones and that I have no more episodes and my life is going to be normal from now on.

Good luck.


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## hashimotocoaster (Mar 22, 2013)

Thyroid meds will NOT make you gain weight. Your thyroid hormones regulate your metabolism and keep it going. If you're low, you could gain weight (though I still haven't), but what you're taking is to replace the missing hormone. If you gain weight, it's not from the med itself, unless you're not on enough of it, so don't let that scare you away from taking it. If you have Hashimoto's, you will likely start feeling better once your levels begin to get back to normal.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Viv22 said:


> Hi, here's my two cents worth.
> 
> I think it all depends on where you live in the world as to what medication they put you on - I'm in London. Where are you?
> 
> ...


Hi -- I'm interested in what you're saying -- I'm wondering -- why does broth/soup help at lunch? I am familiar with the bone broth gelatin idea, but not specifically at lunch - would like to know more - thanks


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## Viv22 (Sep 3, 2013)

Hi

I suppose it doesn't matter when you have the soup/broth but I think because it is so gentle on the digestive system it helps heal the gut. I just find it easier to have at lunch.

Since we last spoke, I went hypo again, so am now on alternative days 100 mg and 75 mg - see how that goes.

My favourite soup is roasted tomato and garlic soup so it is loaded with immune building properties. I also like chicken broth - soup for the soul.

Still got several specialists to see - apparently I mimic Sjorgens so am waiting to have a lip biopsy to confirm and if confirmed, I go on malaria tablets for 5 months or something.

The good thing is I am still feeling well. Taking medicine at night helps. I think when you don't lose weight with Levothyroxine, your medication hasn't been properly levelled. I am doing four high impact aerobics classes a week and have been doing this for some time and have lost ZERO weight.

I'll keep you posted with my new dosages in a few weeks.

Good luck.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

I'm taking tirosint - (just started recently) only 25 mcg - and now my eyeballs are starting to ache... Will talk to the nurse/doc today. First I tried synthroid - 75 mcg - my eyballs ached the same day -- ouch!! we cut it in half. My eyeballs watered and ached. Stopped it, went to tirosint, they eyeballs got better. Now that I've been on more than 7 days of tirosint (maybe 1.5 weeks or so) my eyeballs hurt nearly all day yesterday and are starting to water again ;(


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## pomee (Aug 27, 2013)

I've had eye issues, too. They sent me to the eye doc and put me on some sort of steroid eye drops for a couple weeks and it's better. Now I just have to use the artificial tears 2 x a day and am fine.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Do you know why the steroids made it better? Did your eyeballs ache - and then water sometimes?

My doc had me stop the tirosint. Now I'm on nothing but selenium for the moment (and vitamins) until a blood test in a couple of weeks... But I feel the lump in my throat 

So I'm trying to head toward the "ray peat" way of eating -- and I'm thinking about calling doc and asking him about natural thyroid.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Swimmer, have you had your TSI tested?


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Swimmer said:


> I'm taking tirosint - (just started recently) only 25 mcg - and now my eyeballs are starting to ache... Will talk to the nurse/doc today. First I tried synthroid - 75 mcg - my eyballs ached the same day -- ouch!! we cut it in half. My eyeballs watered and ached. Stopped it, went to tirosint, they eyeballs got better. Now that I've been on more than 7 days of tirosint (maybe 1.5 weeks or so) my eyeballs hurt nearly all day yesterday and are starting to water again ;(


As others have mentioned, it sounds like an eye doc visit and a TSI test is in order. My eyes have ached off-and-on for the last few years, yet I had no eye pressure and my TSI isn't above the threshold for hyperthyroidism (although I suspect Hashitoxicosis, I can't prove it).

Just keep pushing for answers and don't relent until you feel you're improving. It's possible that Tirosint just isn't for you -- although it already doesn't have the nasty fillers and coloring that other thyroid drugs can have. Perhaps you would respond to something like Armour or Nature-Throid (or its hypoallergenic med West-Throid). But first and foremost you'd want to rule out any form of hyperthyroidism. Also, keep in mind that some signs & symptoms from being hypo versus hyper will mimic each other. It can be really hard to tell where you stand without a good set of labs; preferably TSH, Free T3, Free T4. And at least a baseline of a thyroid ultrasound, TPO antibodies, Thyroglobulin antibodies, and TSI aka Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin (different from TSH).

hugs6


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

HI, I don't know what TPI is, I've been told by two docs that it looks like Hashimotos -- but then One did the "sed rate" test to confirm that it is not subacute thyroiditis -- it is not subacute. My sed rate test was good. The third doc (endo) confirmed Hashimoto's. My bp, temps, pulse etc. go along with it.

Here are some of my FIRST labs:

Thyroglobulin Ab 0.0 - 4.0 IU/mL 2.1 
Thyroid Peroxidase Ab 0.0 - 9.0 IU/mL 662.3 
Free T4 0.9 - 1.8 ng/dL 1.0
TSH 0.45 - 5.10 uIU/mL 9.97

my metabolic panel is excellent and so is my blood panel (like white blood cells, red blood cells and that whole workup.)

Vitamin B-12 247 - 911 pg/mL 595

Additionally -- I had labs after a month of rest and partially eating the ray peat way on no meds, my TSH went down to 5.4 or so. I'm not aware of what the other labs were -- I also got a T3 at that time (not sure of the numbers or all the tests I got that day, there were four. One was sed rate -- that indicates inflammation in the body. Mine is good.)


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

If your eyes are involved at all, you really, really, really, and did I mention REALLY need that TSI test. Just saying. Many of us who have Hashi's have stimulating antibodies that produce temporary Grave's like symptoms.


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

^^^ THIS. ^^^

You are probably already doing so, but definitely be sure and get copies of all of your labs. It also doesn't hurt to keep a journal with your signs & symptoms, what dose of medication you are on, etc.

And that's good news to hear your sed. rate was normal!


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Thanks guys 

I want to clarify -- my eye pain started the very first day I started synthroid. In the morning, I had a depth perception strange reaction - and in the afternoon - my eyes had like strange zips of pain - woeh - never had that before! Then doc cut it in half so the next day it was less but some, and he changed me to tirosint thinking I'm possibly allergic to the dyes or something in synthroid. Started on 25 mcg of tirosint, a nice small dose. My eyes got happy (back to feeling good like normal). Then after about 7 days or so of tirosint, the aches started coming on occasion -- then by Sunday it was - like - ouch - all day - wowzers -- ache ache ache -- literally my eyeballs ached. Stopped the tirosint on MOnday --- by Monday evening the pain had decreased. Every day the pain is less and less. Getting better


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## pomee (Aug 27, 2013)

Yes Swimmer, my eye pain was significantly better after the steroid drops and I continue to use the artificial tears.
The steroid drops are called Prednisolone Acetate. And, strangely the dilation drops that they put in your eyes during the exam really helped reduce the pain immediately. 
My doc said she'd read about that possibility in med school but never actually seen it happen.
As for the cause, my eye doc says that it could be subclinical swelling in my eyes (meaning it's there, but she can't really see it) or a vacuum being created in the socket by dryness, etc. But she said the dry eyes/eye pain is a common thyroid disease side effect. 
I wasn't aware of the synthroid being part of the problem, but I can't say I'm surprised. When I first started taking it I was just so happy to not sleep through the entire day that I barely noticed the side effects. But now that my hair is falling out and the rest of my joints seem to be falling apart, I'm noticing a little more.


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## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

bigfoot said:


> ^^^ THIS. ^^^
> 
> You are probably already doing so, but definitely be sure and get copies of all of your labs. It also doesn't hurt to keep a journal with your signs & symptoms, what dose of medication you are on, etc.
> 
> And that's good news to hear your sed. rate was normal!


I keep a document I hand to my doctor. It doesn't matter what kind of doctor they are. It is a three page document now. I removed my thyroid tests which were older than one year. My journal software prints off the document with the current date.

The document includes:

my name and address and phone number at the top

CURRENT SYMPTOMS

CURRENT PRESCRIPTIONS AND DOSES

NON-PRESCRIPTIONS AND DOSES

VITAMINS AND DOSES

EXERCISE (How much and what and changes in activity levels and if there are symptoms during exercise)

CURRENT DIAGNOSES (WITH RXs after them)

example:

1. THYROID DISEASE

RX: Tirosint 176 mcg

ALLERGIES (AN ALERT NEXT TO IT IF THERE ARE NEW ONES)

ADVERSE REACTIONS

RECENT THYROID TESTS

PAST HOSPITALIZATIONS

PAST CONDITIONS/DIAGNOSES

PAST SURGERIES

OTHER TESTS PERFORMED

CURRENT DOCTORS (I include their names, medical group, address, phone, fax, and specialty.)

My doctors love this document. They have everything they need right in front of them. I print off a copy for myself (in case I'm suffering from brain fog at the time) and one for them. They are ecstatic when I tell them to keep it. My endo commented on his copy last time. He said he needs bigger print.  I had attempted to place all the info on one double sided sheet of paper. I changed the font size and now I have 3 pages.


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