# newly diagnosed and have some questions for others



## Amanda (Aug 27, 2008)

Hello everyone I am new to the boards here along with being recently diagnosed.
I have had an enlarged thyroid since I was about 12 been to 4 different doctors first 3 said I just had an enlarged thyroid due to a nodule. no problem with thyroid levels. 
until recently with my new doctor who found through tests I have hashimoto thyroiditis. almost two months ago he started me on synthroid to help reduce the size of my now huge thyroid to try to get it close to normal size. since about three weeks after I started synthroid I am feeling so tired and week I was thinking maybe this was not the correct dossing for me... yesterday I had my recheck apt and levels are perfect exactly where they need to be and my thyroid has already reduced in size.
He could not explain the tired and weekness I am experiencing has anyone had this issue before? does anyone use another medication besides synthroid if so what and how is it working for you? Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get me energized again??? Thanks for any thoughts!


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## lawheel (Jul 10, 2008)

Hi, I was diagnosed about 3 years ago. I never had an enlarged thyroid but my levels where really high. They started me on synthroid and I felt like I got worse even though my numbers were right where they should be.

After several years of craziness I found that there is a slight difference in which name brands of the drug you take or the generic. In other words if I took the generic of synthroid (levothyroxine) it wouldn't work as well for me. Even taking synthroid seemed to not help with any of my symptoms at all. I found Levoxyl is best for me. I've had people argue that it's all the same drug, however, for my body I found it makes a difference somehow. So my doctor started only giving me levoxyl. I noticed feeling not as tired as time went by.

Also, my internist found that my vitamins were interferring with the absorption of the thyroid medicine and told me to stop them for a while, and then to be sure to take them at least 8-12 hours apart from each other. I noticed when I did that, that I felt more energetic. He also found I was anemic which he said adds to the whole tired, no energy feeling and put me on an iron supplement. I'm not ready to run a marathon by any means, but definitely felt better than I had in a long time. Hope that helps some and good luck to you!!


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## Nexus (Sep 19, 2008)

Ive been doing a lot of reading... and it seems that even when thyroid hormone levels are normal, people will experience symptoms. My Hashimotos went uncaught for years... and years... becuase my thyroid hormone levels are normal. Yet, I experienced the some of the worst symptoms of a hypothyroid. I can only conclude, that despite what doctors think, the `normal` range isnt actually normal for everyone.


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