# Newbie, need help



## AdrienneLS (Jul 31, 2012)

I am 41yo female newly diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I was started on Synthroid one month ago. I do not feel any differently, as I am still suffering with extreme fatigue, depressed mood, joint pain/stiffness in the morning, all of which is so bad it has placed me in jeopardy of losing my job.

My labs:

TSH 5.7
freeT4 0.61

The labs also showed a vitD deficiency and anemia. My problem is that I've been told that I have mild or subclinical hypothyroidism, and that this dose of syntrhoid 0.05mg daily should help. IT'S NOT and I fear I am in trouble. I'm so down I can't function like this. All I do is sleep, go to work, and come home and go back to sleep. Do my labs warrant, this extreme symptoms? I feel like my doctor feels like I am exaggerating. Advice?


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Adrienne, hello. Being hypothyroid for a long time can cause the symptoms you're describing. Plus, we all seem to react pretty differently. But the anemia and Vitamin D deficiencies are also doing their fair share of contributing to your symptoms as well. Are you working on those two issues, too? That's important.

Your .05 mg dose is actually a great starting point. Sometimes people start to feel better within a matter of days, but other times, it takes several weeks. And sometimes, Synthroid ends up not working well for a patient because her body doesn't properly convert the drug. In those instances, the patient will be switched to a different drug (a T3 drug such as Armour, instead of the T4 drug Synthroid).

Unfortunately, you'll probably have to wait a couple more weeks to get your labs re-tested to see where to go from here. At that time, I recommend having your Free T3, Free T4, and TSH tested, possibly along with your thyroid antibodies. These tests will show a much clearer picture of what might be going on.

It stinks, but many of us have learned that thyroid problems require patience, patience, patience...hang in there. :hugs:


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## AdrienneLS (Jul 31, 2012)

Thank you for your response. I'm being treated with vitamin d3 and a multvitamin with iron. It's been a month now and no change in the way I feel. Initially i was taking synthroid 0025mg but after one week was allowed to increase to 0.05mg. I have no health innsurance and this is costing me a fortune. I am feeling very defeated. I should probably share that it was a psychiatrist that ordered these labs, as I have no medical doctor. I don't believe she has any intention to treat it beyond what she has already done. She has been treating me for depression but I think it has more to do with my medical issues. Advice?


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

It is entirely possible that your depression is actually due to medical issues. I am glad the psychiatrist is looking into it at least.

There might be some ways to save money...you can order/pay for your own lab tests - there are a few options online such as www.labtestsonline.com
Also, if you're spending more to get brand-name Synthroid, there are generic versions that are much less expensive.

Others here might have different (better?) advice, but I do believe you should wait a couple more weeks and get the lab tests I mentioned above and we can help you with where to go from there. (Others...any better/different advice for labwork?)


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## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

It is important to take thyroid meds on an empty stomach and wait at least an hour before eating or drinking anything except water. Then wait at least 4 hours to take any calcium or iron. This will give the meds the best chance to be absorbed.

I hope you feel better soon!

Renee


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## AdrienneLS (Jul 31, 2012)

Thanks everyone... I do have generic syntrhoid, so that helps. Does it matter if you take it in the morning or at night? I always remember to take meds at night because I don't sleep without them (antidepressant and ambien) and would like to take the synthroid at the same time... is that ok, or do I need to take them in the morning? I'm not a morning person, and am MUCH more likely to forget them. Also, do my labs reflect subclinical hypothyroidism or hypothyroidism, or are the labs insufficient at this point? TSH was 5.7, and free T4 was 0.61 (until the other tests you suggested are done). I was under the impression (after doing a little research) that the new range for TSH was 0.3-3.0. Seems to me that a TSH of 5.7 is nearly double the high range of normal, and nearly 6X as high as optimal... doesn't seem like my doctor should be calling it subclinical to me. I need vaildation at this point, I guess because I feel terrible. Thanks.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Adrienne, it would help to know the normal ranges of your labs, but without those, my guess is that you are "genuinely" hypothyroid, not just subclinically hypothyroid. But you're not far out of range. (For instance, some people have a TSH of 20-something or higher by the time they start meds.) If you've had labs like this for qute some time, you would definitely be feeling it, and I assume you have.

As for when to take your Synthroid... you should take it first thing in the morning, with no other drugs, and you should wait at least 30 minutes (if not a little longer) before eating breakfast. It has to be taken by itself, on an empty stomach, or it doesn't get absorbed correctly, and it will not work. And avoid calcium supplements for at least 4 hours after taking your Synthroid.

Try to think about your morning routine...do you head to the bathroom as soon as you wake up? If so, maybe you could get a small daily pill container and put it by the sink so you remember to take your Synthroid. Or maybe there's another new "habit" that would work well for you. But you need this to work, so figure out something that will work for you.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

AdrienneLS said:


> Thank you for your response. I'm being treated with vitamin d3 and a multvitamin with iron. It's been a month now and no change in the way I feel. Initially i was taking synthroid 0025mg but after one week was allowed to increase to 0.05mg. I have no health innsurance and this is costing me a fortune. I am feeling very defeated. I should probably share that it was a psychiatrist that ordered these labs, as I have no medical doctor. I don't believe she has any intention to treat it beyond what she has already done. She has been treating me for depression but I think it has more to do with my medical issues. Advice?


Psychiatrists are good at diagnosing thyroid problems as boy; talk about mood related!!!

See if you have a clinic in your area!
http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx

If possible ($$$$), you should get TSH and FREE T4 labs (very minimum) every 8 weeks so that a doctor can continue to titrate your thyroxine replacement upward until you feel well mentally and physically.

It does take 8 weeks for Synthroid (T4) to kick in.

Let us know how we can help!


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