# Newbie with questions



## dalars (Apr 6, 2012)

Glad to have found a site with thyroid brothers & sisters in treatment.
I have been searching but.....

I have only been on synthroid for 2 weeks, and the paper work with it, gave me a large list of possible side effects and added that there could be more.

anyway, I am trying to find a group who has first hand experiences with the side effects.

sorry, I don't have my lab numbers.

doc said my thyroid numbers were "low"

I am only taking a .025mcg synthroid.
She started me on synthroid because I had become sensitive to cold, very emotional, slight weight gain, blood sugar levels up, cholesterol up.
(my diet is the same today as it has been for several years, I eat very healthy, so some outside factor much be responsible for the change)

either I *have something else* or the symptoms I have are not listed.

i feel fine in mornings for several hours, until i get hungry again.

I take my pill first thing and eat some toast and yogurt 30-40 min later.

getting hungry seems to be a bad thing as well as eating too much

both things lead to a sick feeling.

Hunger also starts an "indigestion" like symptom.

I eat, i feel better for a few hrs.

hunger starts in and I feel bad again.

I have visual issues as well. equilibrium issue?

I am a video editor and fast moving images give me "car sickness"

this NOT normal for me, I have been doing this for 20 years.

If I close my eyes for a 10-20 min it settles down.

later in the day, just scanning print on a computer screen quickly, gives me "car sickness"

unusually tired, but that has been going on for some time.

also an Emotional powder keg, seems to be getting worse!

this cycle of good & bad feeling goes on til about 7 pm when I eat dinner

and then feel completely NORMAL til bed..
*
SO, the big question is, are some of these things normal side effects?*

6 months ago I was the picture of good health.

thanks for any input.


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

What are you lab results? Did she give them to you? Sometimes they are helpful to the people here that provide input.


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## dalars (Apr 6, 2012)

She went on vacation and i go in Monday, so...


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Ask for the actual labs with ranges - they should be able to mail them to you every time you have labs done.

How long have you had symptoms of low thyroid?

Your symptoms indicate low thyroid and the side effects you think you are having are also low thyroid related.

You need to wait an entire hour before eating and avoid calcium - yogurt for best absorption. You might want to add a non calcium protein to your breakfast and maybe that will help you.

Your visual issues could be old age - 20 years of video editing puts you into the reading glass generation (40's). I also get sick and nauseated reading or looking at my computer these days.


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

I took 125 mcg Synthroid for 2-3 months after having my thyroid removed and I'd describe the way it made me feel as vaguely intoxicated. I felt like every part of my body was _off_...hand/eye coordination was _off_, balance/coordination seemed _off_, pre-existing vision problems seemed worse. I guess the bottom line is whatever I felt like, I did not feel like myself - nothing seemed exactly right except I was sleeping like a bear at night.

I went on Armour instead of Synthroid and honestly have not experienced any side effects. My only problem has been getting my dosage adjusted.

Early on I did have problems with digesting food. My stomach and/or esophagus burned when I was hungry, then I felt slightly nauseated if I ate anything that wasn't bland. I'd been diagnosed before surgery with acid reflux so I associated the trouble I was having with that OR wondered if all the stress I was under was causing or aggravating a stomach ulcer?

I bought a probiotic at the pharmacy and started taking it. Almost immediately all my stomach symptoms seemed to vanish. I decided that the countless Tums I had to consume because of low calcium levels had my stomach in a tizzy and that may very well have been true. I stopped the Tums and started taking the probiotic and everything has been O.K. I get my calcium now from Caltrate.

I'd almost forgotten about it but I recall telling my husband several times when I was on Synthroid that I seemed to feel much better at night.

Good luck. There are no easy answers when it comes to thyroid symptoms and thyroid medications.


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## dalars (Apr 6, 2012)

Lovlkn said:


> Ask for the actual labs with ranges - they should be able to mail them to you every time you have labs done.
> 
> How long have you had symptoms of low thyroid?
> 
> ...


Good to know, especially the calcium part.

I have a hot chocolate instead of coffee or tea.

Guess I need a new morning beverage.

The visual thing has to be related, it started a couple months ago.

What about the hungry , sick feeling.

today I grazed all day and felt more normal.

I am beginning to understand there is no "normal" with my new situation.

Do thyroids, turn on and off?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

dalars said:


> Good to know, especially the calcium part.
> 
> I have a hot chocolate instead of coffee or tea.
> 
> ...


In addition to what others have contributed, I strongly suggest that you get a glucose test and by that I mean the one where you fast and they monitor your reaction to drinking glucose.


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## dalars (Apr 6, 2012)

Thanks for the input everyone.
are there any other foods to avoid because of absorption or other reactive issues?

that calcium blocking absorption was a good thing to know.

What kind of specialist deals with thyroid?

I am thinking my GP is not too thyroid familiar, she is still young (35)


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

dalars said:


> Thanks for the input everyone.
> are there any other foods to avoid because of absorption or other reactive issues?
> 
> that calcium blocking absorption was a good thing to know.
> ...


Iron, soy, L-Carnitine interfere w/efficacy of your thyroxine replacement. As do some meds and raw cruciferous veggies in excess.

Any doctor worth their degree can do a wonderful job w/thyroid if they want to. Endos usually specialize in diabetes. Consider an alternative or holistic doctor. D.O., Internal Medicine etc..


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## dalars (Apr 6, 2012)

Andros said:


> Iron, soy, L-Carnitine interfere w/efficacy of your thyroxine replacement. As do some meds and raw cruciferous veggies in excess.


I can't eat soy or broccoli!!

I eat one or the other daily.

what do they do? what is the problem?

can I eat them later in the day once the pill is absorbed?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

dalars said:


> I can't eat soy or broccoli!!
> 
> I eat one or the other daily.
> 
> ...


You can eat cooked cruciferous veggies; as much as you want. Raw is very goitrogenic but you can munch on some raw as long as it is not in excess.

Soy? That's another story altogether. Do your research. It is very estrogenic and goitrogenic. The latter because of the former.


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## dalars (Apr 6, 2012)

Andros said:


> You can eat cooked cruciferous veggies; as much as you want. Raw is very goitrogenic but you can munch on some raw as long as it is not in excess.
> 
> Soy? That's another story altogether. Do your research. It is very estrogenic and goitrogenic. The latter because of the former.


This is unfortunate.
As a veggie, a major portion of my diet has disappeared overnight.

My favorite snack (used to be) raw broccoli and or edememe, some days both.

Maybe I killed my Thyroid or perhaps this diet is inhibiting it, and it's NOT sick?

Hmmm, we could be on to something!
I typically eat a whole broccoli head every 2 days, raw! (I graze, no actual lunch)


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

dalars said:


> This is unfortunate.
> As a veggie, a major portion of my diet has disappeared overnight.
> 
> My favorite snack (used to be) raw broccoli and or edememe, some days both.
> ...


it is entirely possible that you are inhibiting your own thyroid. Keep us in the loop here, talk to your doctor about this and do your research.


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## dalars (Apr 6, 2012)

Saw my Doc today.

She did not think that my broccoli diet had an adverse effect on my Thyroid.
She called someone about it, since I am a bit extreme in my broccoli habit.

The glass of milk in the morning, was definitely stopping the synthroid from taking hold.

Feeling more normal each day.
thanks for that calcium info, that was major and NOT on the info sheet from the pharmacy.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

dalars said:


> Saw my Doc today.
> 
> She did not think that my broccoli diet had an adverse effect on my Thyroid.
> She called someone about it, since I am a bit extreme in my broccoli habit.
> ...


Good news all around. Do you agree about the goitrogens or disagree?


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