# absolutely devastating! (rant)



## proji (Jul 9, 2011)

i am absolutely horrified about how little most doctors know about thyroid disease and how easily they dismiss it as something serious, i started with symptoms about a year ago, honestly at the beginning it was all very mild nothing that raised a flag.

then suddenly everything started crumbling down, i couldn't eat without adding a few pounds to my frame, everybody was talking about it " oh you are getting fat" , i've always been a yo yo dieter and never had problems losing weight, usually the ups and downs weren't all that noticeable 3 or 4 pounds at xmas, nothing i would worry about and then no matter how many hours i would hit the gym nothing, not a gram, hungry all the time , tired all the time, i felt alienated from everything and most of all ashamed, because i couldn't lose weight !!!!!!

i went to so many doctors even considered getting a gastric ballon!!!!!!! no one believed my weight gain was something related to the thyroid!; so desperate i tried it all , all the diets, everything even started to think it was because i'm turning 30, i started believing it was all in my mind, i think i even went a bit nuts during that time.

first endocrinologist i visited asked me "well don't you think it may be all in your head ?" explode just because the symptoms aren't that evident, doesn't mean i don't need help and i shouldn't be taken seriously!!!, i felt so desperate i wanted to cry and scream and well even kick someone...... i felt so angry.

i knew it wasn't my diet doing this to me, i knew i wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary to have such a reaction, finally after 6 months looking for an answer ( and a good endocrinologist) i was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, honestly i wasn't aware of how devastating this can be, you don't hear enough about this, and once you do you think " ok maybe is not that bad" ,i mean how bad can it be, when no one is making a big fuss when i say i am hypothyroid right??, WRONG i found out people can be so utterly cruel and ignorant about this condition, they have no idea how crippling and horrible it can be.

that when you say "i'm tired" it means utterly tired, as in i can't even move to save my life, they still think deep inside you are just lazy.

even my other doctors dismiss it as something not that alarming "oh but you are young you'll lose the weight don't worry !", that's probably the most infuriating !!!!!, I CAN'T LOSE A POUND, I SIMPLY CAN'T ! i mean haven't they spent 10+ years in school to know that !!!!

the mood swings and this one is the one that really got under my skin, how comes no one tells you about the mood swings and the anger that comes with this condition?, i am truly in awe about this, even when you search thyroid it is never listed as one of the symptoms, how is that possible ?????; how can they dismiss something so obvious, not everybody gets depressed, some people like me get angry, it should be considered a symptom.

i have been taking levothyroxine for 3 months now and it feels ok, but there are days when honestly i don't even feel like getting out of bed, i feel miserable, i feel so very inadequate.

i mean is it always this horrible ?, does it gets better?
help.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

proji said:


> i am absolutely horrified about how little most doctors know about thyroid disease and how easily they dismiss it as something serious, i started with symptoms about a year ago, honestly at the beginning it was all very mild nothing that raised a flag.
> 
> then suddenly everything started crumbling down, i couldn't eat without adding a few pounds to my frame, everybody was talking about it " oh you are getting fat" , i've always been a yo yo dieter and never had problems losing weight, usually the ups and downs weren't all that noticeable 3 or 4 pounds at xmas, nothing i would worry about and then no matter how many hours i would hit the gym nothing, not a gram, hungry all the time , tired all the time, i felt alienated from everything and most of all ashamed, because i couldn't lose weight !!!!!!
> 
> ...


I welcomed you on your other post. Let's stick to this one thread so we can track everything.

The first thing I know we all would like to see would be your most recent lab results with the ranges. We need the ranges as they differ from lab to lab.

Have you had any antibodies' tests run? What dose of Levothyroxine are you currently on and is this the original dose?

It gets better with some help and knowledge. That is why we are here.


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## proji (Jul 9, 2011)

thank you for your sweet welcome , i am truly happy i found this place this is all so new to me !

my last lab results were:

(T3)	1.15 0.58 - 1.59 ng/mL
(T4)	7.65 4.87 - 11.72 μg/dL
(T4 free)	0.92 0.70 - 1.48 μg/dL
TU	24.42 24.0 - 39.0 %
(TSH)	2.20 0.35 - 4.94 ng/dL
(T7)	1.87 1.19 - 3.55

and i am taking two pills of levothyroxine 25mcg

thanks you so much , honestly i have no idea what i am really dealing with


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## proji (Jul 9, 2011)

sorry forgot the original dose was half a pill for two weeks and then one pill, next month he increased it to one and a half for one week and then 2 pills


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Many of the symptoms of thyroid disease are the symptoms of other things, so it seems to get pushed down the list. My first troubles began 20 years ago, and thyroid was not even in the top 5 of things they checked. This time it was the second thing. Progress? I can only hope!

You will find understanding, comfort, encouragement, and knowledge here. Don't despair, everyone here knows fatigue, mood swings etc. Feel free to tell what you need. For me, it is a relief to be able to mention "thyroid", and not bore someone to death. My husband is understanding and kind, but I think he is relieved I have an outlet for all things thyroid!

Personally, I am not knowledgeable with the lab results and interpretation but so many others here are. I am hoping my block with these is just brain fog at the moment. Cloudy thoughts, poor memory, brain fog...all thyroid symptoms! I just thought I was getting dumber! Seriously,I couldn't comprehend the simplest things, nor remember anything! Not much has changed but I am not alarmed anymore.

It is always best to post your lab tests, results, and ranges here, if you have them. And, get everything on paper, copies for yourself.

Best wishes,
Sue


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

proji said:


> thank you for your sweet welcome , i am truly happy i found this place this is all so new to me !
> 
> my last lab results were:
> 
> ...


You certainly are hypothyroid and I cannot thank you enough for posting your labs and ranges.

The thing about your thyroxine replacement is that 3 months is a long time between labs. It would be better to get labs every 8 weeks so doc and adjust your med accordingly. Most of us on "maintenance" see the doc quarterly and that is because we are euthyroid (feeling quite well.)

So...................if you can urge your doc to do this schedule, it would benefit you greatly.

Also, somewhere along the line you need to "slip in" the FREE T3. It is a very very important test in that it tells how you "really" are doing as this is your active hormone from whence you derive your energy, sense of well-being and healing.

Here is info on that ...

understanding thyroid labs
http://www.amarillomed.com/howto/#Thyroid

http://pro2services.com/Lectures/Spring/Thyroid/ThyTests.htm

Free T3 etc. 
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/freet3woliner.htm

Are you feeling some better since you started on the Levothyroxine? I hope?


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## proji (Jul 9, 2011)

webster2 said:


> Many of the symptoms of thyroid disease are the symptoms of other things, so it seems to get pushed down the list. My first troubles began 20 years ago, and thyroid was not even in the top 5 of things they checked. This time it was the second thing. Progress? I can only hope!
> 
> You will find understanding, comfort, encouragement, and knowledge here. Don't despair, everyone here knows fatigue, mood swings etc. Feel free to tell what you need. For me, it is a relief to be able to mention "thyroid", and not bore someone to death. My husband is understanding and kind, but I think he is relieved I have an outlet for all things thyroid!
> 
> ...


LOL i know i totally get you, most people don't know exactly how this hypothyroidism works !
ok not even i know how it works, i don't even know how i'm hypothyroid, no one in my family is, i haven't had any virus that could have triggered it, just don't know.

and yes is really nice to be able to say thyroid and have someone say " yep been there done that" , you are absolutely right for me the most amazing/shocking thing of this problem is the repercussions it has on the brain and also on the mood in general, i felt silly and clumsy as well, had the words at the tip of my tongue and then nothing !

i couldn't reply without waiting some seconds to find the word i wanted to use LORD !!! LOL!
gosh the thyroid is a weird little gland, no ?

many hugs and thank you for your kind words :hugs:


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## proji (Jul 9, 2011)

Andros said:


> You certainly are hypothyroid and I cannot thank you enough for posting your labs and ranges.
> 
> The thing about your thyroxine replacement is that 3 months is a long time between labs. It would be better to get labs every 8 weeks so doc and adjust your med accordingly. Most of us on "maintenance" see the doc quarterly and that is because we are euthyroid (feeling quite well.)
> 
> ...


thank you i will get the free t3 !
i really want to feel better, i am a very active person and i feel kinda trapped now.

right now i see my doctor every month.

i hope he can find the perfect balance so i don't feel so moody all the time!


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## northernlite (Oct 28, 2010)

Everyone needs to find their sweet spot in the range of normal where they feel well. If you are still symptomatic you are not there yet. Just as a rule of thumb, a lot of us find it with our TSH below 1.0 and our Free T4 and Free T3 above the midpoint of the normal range, some say even closer to 75% up the range.

My personal experience is that although much improved, I was still symptomatic with my TSH at 2.0. That is where you are today. Biggest symptoms that remained at that level for me was the fatigue and the mood issues. My best point was at a TSH=0.8 so that is what I am shooting for.

You appear that you are still under medicated. Is the dr willing to raise your Levothyroxine to 62.5 mcg? Your doctor is taking you up in small amounts but doesn't seem to wait long enough to see the full effects of a dose change. I can see improvements for 8-9 weeks after I get a dose increase before I level out to whatever my new normal is.


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## proji (Jul 9, 2011)

northernlite said:


> Everyone needs to find their sweet spot in the range of normal where they feel well. If you are still symptomatic you are not there yet. Just as a rule of thumb, a lot of us find it with our TSH below 1.0 and our Free T4 and Free T3 above the midpoint of the normal range, some say even closer to 75% up the range.
> 
> My personal experience is that although much improved, I was still symptomatic with my TSH at 2.0. That is where you are today. Biggest symptoms that remained at that level for me was the fatigue and the mood issues. My best point was at a TSH=0.8 so that is what I am shooting for.
> 
> You appear that you are still under medicated. Is the dr willing to raise your Levothyroxine to 62.5 mcg? Your doctor is taking you up in small amounts but doesn't seem to wait long enough to see the full effects of a dose change. I can see improvements for 8-9 weeks after I get a dose increase before I level out to whatever my new normal is.


thank you for the info !!!!!
i will print this and actually take it to my next consult, there is just so much i still don't get is amazing , but what i've been absorbing so far is that everybody is different, with thyroid there is no "this is the right amount" , it seems to be a very balancing act, i admire all of you, and thank you infinitely for all the support.

this THING is most upsetting and honestly sometimes it can be overwhelming so it is a big relief to just let go and say i feel horrible !!

thank you and i will check out with him if maybe it would be possible to stay with one dose a bit longer.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

proji said:


> thank you for the info !!!!!
> i will print this and actually take it to my next consult, there is just so much i still don't get is amazing , but what i've been absorbing so far is that everybody is different, with thyroid there is no "this is the right amount" , it seems to be a very balancing act, i admire all of you, and thank you infinitely for all the support.
> 
> this THING is most upsetting and honestly sometimes it can be overwhelming so it is a big relief to just let go and say i feel horrible !!
> ...


We thank you for joining our board. We will do everything we can do to help. We all "understand"; that is for sure.

Keep us informed.


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