# Taking Synthroid now after radiation, hypo help please!!



## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

Hello, question for everybody please?

February 1st, I did radiation.

I'm finally hypo as of now, yesterday I started on 50mg Synthroid to go up to approx 170mg as per my endocrinologist.

Right now I'm having all these weird things happen like:

-temple pain and swelling

-temple/jaw fatigue while eating

-serious muscle fatigue while doing basically anything

-serious hand/face/eye/body swelling

-fluid retention

Is there anything anyone can recommend please? I know diet is probably a huge factor right, so I'm cutting out inflammatory foods right NOW such as breads, sugars, processed foods. What about spicy foods? Soy/tofu? I've eaten it my whole life as a vegetarian without any reaction. (Please don't tell me about the wheat gut diet, I've already looked it up, thank you).

How long does this stage last? I can't wait to feel normal again.

Did any treatments (acutely) help you besides ibuprofen and diuretics?

Where there any side effects to Synthroid that I should be aware of? The list the company gives is huge but I want to know what has affected you.

Thank you


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Did you have surgery or just RAI?

I will tell you what happened to me:

I had RAI after surgery and at that point my TSH was ~72. I had a hard time adjusting to synthroid before surgery so after RAI, I was started on 50mcgs of Synthroid.

It was a disaster. I gained just under 30 pounds in about three weeks. I was exhausted and had horrible muscle and joint pain. I was depressed and had a hard time getting through the day.

At six weeks, I had my blood drawn and my TSH was 121. My doctor thought about hospitalizing me (for what treatment, I have idea).

We immediately jumped to 100mcgs and it took about 8 months for things to get regulated (I landed on 150mcgs). It was a really, really rough time.

I'm not sure why doctors insist on starting people so low. Were you hyper before?


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## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm so afraid of the weight gain! I'm already 40-50 pounds more than I should be (Methimazole + poor diet). Were you able to lose any of the weight? 50% of the time to myself, I'm like don't worry about it, just heal - then the other half of the time I'm like stop eating now before you balloon!

I was initially hyper due to Grave's disease then took the RAI. I think this week I'll be at 50mcg, then next week 88, then the week after 100, then up to 170/200.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Do you have any lab results with ranges you could share?

I imagine they ran labs prior to beginning your Synthroid?

Avoid the soy until things level out.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Ok well, if you have graves, it's a little different, and it sounds like you are increasing more rapidly. So it is a different scenario!

I did lose the weight.

Are you going to have any blood work during the time you adjust? That's a lot of changes ina very short amount of time...


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## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

Hi guys!

I just started taking Synthroid 50mcg 4-5 days ago and I feel like I'm going crazy. I feel like I'm high/stoned or something, dizzy as hell, and incredibly fatigued. This is incredibly distressing as my job is very demanding and I have limited sick time left.

Did you initially have a hazy period when you started taking Synthroid as well? Is there anything I can do or should avoid? I took sleeping pills (Benadryl and melatonin) but I think that was a mistake. I've been trying to eat dairy/gluten/soy free this past week as I heard those are all inflammation causing foods and I've been having severe swelling.

I know when I took the radiation a few months ago it had to get worse before it got better but this is just such a scary, scary time right now and I doubt my doctor will allow me to take FMLA.

Anything helps! Thank you. ????????????


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## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

Lovlkn said:


> Do you have any lab results with ranges you could share?
> 
> I imagine they ran labs prior to beginning your Synthroid?
> 
> Avoid the soy until things level out.


Thank you, I will definitely avoid the soy. I just had blood drawn last week but don't have those results just yet. I went to my appointment and my doc told me that with my symptoms I was definitely hypo and said to start the Synthroid 50mcg right away and to taper upwards weekly.

The labs I have from the visit immediately prior to the one I had last week were as follows:

TSH <0.03

Free T4 1.4

T3 1.3

TPO Ag-Mono >1020.0

TgAb 435.6

Iron 38

Cortisol 4.6 (Afternoon values)

Progesterone II 0.3

Testosterone 45.9

To perhaps paint a better picture, the labs a month before these were:

TSH <0.03

Free T4 2.8

T3 12.7

TPO Ag-Mono 271.9

TgAb 296.2

Iron 66

Cortisol (Not done)

Progesterone II (Not done)

Testosterone (Not done)


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## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

joplin1975 said:


> Ok well, if you have graves, it's a little different, and it sounds like you are increasing more rapidly. So it is a different scenario!
> 
> I did lose the weight.
> 
> Are you going to have any blood work during the time you adjust? That's a lot of changes ina very short amount of time...


What kind of changes do you think are normal to expect?

I'm glad you lost the weight, that gives me hope. My arms are getting tired just as I type this.

I had bloodwork done last week, my next appointment is 3 weeks from now.

Thank you.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

By changes, I meant dosage changes


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## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

joplin1975 said:


> By changes, I meant dosage changes


Gotcha, thank you!


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Can you give us some background? What were your labs like? Did you start with 5omcg of Synthroid or is this a dosage increase? Have you ever been on thyroid medication before?


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## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

jenny v said:


> Can you give us some background? What were your labs like? Did you start with 5omcg of Synthroid or is this a dosage increase? Have you ever been on thyroid medication before?


Sure. I have been with Grave's intermittently symptomatic since I was about 15/16, I'm 31 now. I started taking methimazole in October and it was great! January I decided I shouldn't hold out any longer on progressive thyroid treatment as discussed with my provider since I'd been up and down for years. I'd like to plan a family and understand that being hyper with a pregnancy is more dangerous than hypo with a pregnancy right? I did RAI end of Jan, beginning of Feb and stopped taking methimazole/anything since then until a week ago.

I just had blood drawn last week but don't have those results just yet. At that same appointment last week, my doc told me that with my symptoms, I was definitely hypo and said to start the Synthroid 50mcg right away and to taper upwards weekly to 88mcg, then 100mcg, then 150mcg and so on if needed.

The labs I have from the visit immediately prior to the one I had last week were as follows:

TSH (<0.03)

Free T4 (1.4

T3 (1.3)

TPO Ag-Mono (>1020.0

TgAb (435.6)

Iron (38)

Cortisol (4.6 (Afternoon values)

Progesterone II (0.3)

Testosterone (45.9)

To perhaps paint a better picture, the labs a month before these were:

TSH (<0.03)

Free (T4 2.8)

T3 (12.7)

TPO Ag-Mono (271.9)

TgAb (296.2)

Iron (66)

Cortisol (Not done)

Progesterone II (Not done)

Testosterone (Not done)

Thank you.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Can you please edit your post to show ranges which are usually in ( ) next to the results

Has anyone suggested an ultrasound of your thyroid? With the high TPO and Thyroglobulin antibodies you should ask for on if they are not offering.


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## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

Lovlkn said:


> Can you please edit your post to show ranges which are usually in ( ) next to the results
> 
> Has anyone suggested an ultrasound of your thyroid? With the high TPO and Thyroglobulin antibodies you should ask for on if they are not offering.


Oh ok, I'm sorry. I'll do that ( ).

I had one done a few months ago, it showed a lot of nodules. Should I be concerned about cancer with the high levels of TPO and antibodies?!


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

So, the doctor didn't wait for your labs to come back before prescribing the Synthroid?


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## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

jenny v said:


> So, the doctor didn't wait for your labs to come back before prescribing the Synthroid?


No, just based on my symptoms. Turns out my TSH was 60.0.


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## lilynyc (Jan 28, 2017)

jenny v said:


> So, the doctor didn't wait for your labs to come back before prescribing the Synthroid?


He's prescribed me 150mcg immediately...I'm scared to jump from 50mcg to 150mcg so quickly.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Yikes, your TSH jumped from .03 to 60 in less than a month? Am I understanding that correctly? Is he just testing TSH?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I jumped from 50 to 100 and I'll admit it was a bit hard. While I wasn't technically ever hyper, it felt like I was. I had a lot of diarrhea, felt jittery, and was anxious. It lasted for about 2-3 weeks and then calmed down.

I stayed at 100 for four weeks and then went to 125. I again felt hyper but not as actively.

If you are concerned, I don't see any harm increasing in a slightly slower pace (be it through short term dosage increases prescribed by your doctor or if it involves splitting pills).


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