New to Hypothyroid - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

ksjaberjaw · 03-14-2006, 05:35 PM

I was just dx with hypothyroid yesterday and I was searching for answers to what I have and I found this site. I have been batteling weight problems for years I am a 36 years old married mother of 3 (17,13, and 4) currently I am 5'7" and 285 lbs., also from what I read loss of sex drive, memory loss and several other things are all symptoms of this. I was kind of supprised to get this diagnosis. I went to the doctor for onset muscle weekness and they ran a battery of tests on Friday and told me to start taking a vitamin and co-q-10the doctor then called on monday and said that my thyroid level was a concern and they were calling the pharmacy with a prescription to begin taking them that day. I didnt receive really any information from them other then that was what they found so I am not sure what my level was. I was reading that I should not take the vitamens with the medicince and several other facts that I was unaware of. Is there someone that can give me more information on this disease and some good sites for research so that I can understand what is going on and what I should be doing until I return to the doctor on 3/30.

ksjaberjaw

cheekin · 03-14-2006, 06:02 PM

i was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about a year and a half ago, and am finally on the right dose of medications.

thyroid supplements will help your metabolism restart and get you back to normal energywise. it takes about 6 weeks of taking a dose of medicine to get your body used to it, and then you'll need to have another blood test, which might adjust the levels, and this will repeat untill you and your dr like the numbers. its a good practice to get a copy of the labs and look at the numbers yourself (i had one dr who was entirely incompetent and misread the results)

the bit with vitamins is that the thyroid supplement will bind to calcium/iron. so i generally set my alarm for 30 minutes before i want to wake up in the morning, take my pill, and go back to sleep so that i don't have to sit around in the morning starving waiting till i can eat/take vitamins. my dr said to wait at least 30 minutes, though longer doesn't hurt.

good luck with the meds, hopefully this helps. even with regulated bloodwork, people with hypothyroidism often lose weight slower than others- so don't get frustrated if you don't get amazing results.

B&LSMAMA · 03-15-2006, 12:23 PM

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when i was 16 (20 years ago) and you are on your way to feeling SO MUCH BETTER!!! I recently had to quit taking mine for 6 weeks to do a procedure and I could not wait to get back on them! I was so sluggish and just plan miserable! But then I'm on a very strong dose, so you might not see as much of a difference as I did. I do take all of my meds together - i take 2 other pills and a multi vitamin, but maybe i shouldn't be doing this....i have never been told not to... Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that it is no big deal. It affects alot of different things, but as long as you take the meds, it is VERY treatable. If I didn't know what it was, I would be very scared and it's really nothing to be scared of - just wanted to let you know that!!

cathyxxx · 03-17-2006, 02:56 PM

Hey ksjaberjaw,

I also have hypothyroidism. It took me over 20 years to get the correct diagnosis but I finally found a doc to treat me and man oh man I am so much better!!!!! My oldest son also has a thyroid problem and bec of that I have drowned myself in all the info I can find on thyroid - in order to make sure that he gets the treatment that he needs. (and he is doing really well) :-)

There is a wealth of good info out there at places like:
www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

and www.thyroid-info.com/

and www.thyroid.about.com
you can subscribe to Mary Shomon's weekly newsletter there and that way you can get current articles each week.

and Mary Shomon has an excellent book called The Thyroid Diet - the first half of the book is full of excellent thyroid info, and the second half addresses how we should eat.

Another good book is Thyroid Power by Drs Richard & Karilee Shames and
Hormones, Health & Happiness by Dr. Steven Hotze

There are several threads going here in this section about hypothyroidism that you might like to read. One recently lenghty one is at:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73849

Please let me know if I can help in anyway.
hugs,
Cathy

housewife · 03-19-2006, 11:56 PM

I have been on Thyroxian for about 9 years. By the time a friend told me that if I didn't go to the dr she would drive 18 hours to my house and kick me all the way to the dr's office I was in really bad shape! My THS was 203.something. I was depressed, cold, tired and grumppy (I really don't recomend triple digets you start going a little crazy). Needless to say it took a long time to get down to normal The worst part is that I drove my babies around in that state!!!
For the most part it is very easy to deal with. The big thing is to remember to take your pill and your vitamins later. I have a big black and white furry reminder, my english springer spainel has the same problem! So now the vet and my dr are reminding me that walking is a good thing for us both LOL.

sli · 03-23-2006, 02:47 PM

I have had hypothyroid for about 2yrs now. I know I had to buy something to put my pills in so I could remember if I took them or not. I know it also makes it a little harder to lose weight but it is possiable.
I guess my question is that I read the posts and all of you said something about the medication being Thyroxian I am on Synthroid. Two different mcg's (I have to altenate days) Anyway does anyone know the difference between the two different brands? I know that its kind of a silly question but I was just wondering.

housewife · 04-11-2006, 11:16 PM

Nothing is a silly question. Thyroxian not a brand but a term used for all the brand. You ask dr they will say there is no difference between brands but some work better on some people than others. If you feel good on your brand then no worry.

sli · 04-11-2006, 11:45 PM

Thank you "housewife" for answering my question.
My medication has helped alot the only main problem I still have is lack of energy...I am hoping that the more weight that I loose will help that too.

Misti in Seattle · 04-12-2006, 12:21 AM

Hi... I'm hypothyroid too and had a tumor removed almost two years ago. I was also sooooooooooooooooooooo sluggish for a long time but finally seem to have the meds adjusted right and my energy is coming back. Hope you get things straightened out really fast!!!

Ms. Shapen · 04-12-2006, 04:30 PM

I have had hypothyroidism for 20 years. My family doctor "found" the problem and like KSJaberJaw, said nothing other than I needed the meds and how often to take them.

You CAN get your test results from your doctor. Call (probably your doctor's nurse) and ask for a copy. You can go pick them up or have them mailed to you.

It wasn't until about a year ago, when I started seeing an endocrinologist, that I started feeling my best (although I still could use some improvement). He was the one who told me to take my Synthroid about half an hour before eating breakfast. He told me to take it roughly the same time everyday.

I generally take mine when I wake up (5:30). Then, I shower and by the time I have my makeup on, am dressed and have my hair done, I'm ready for b'fast. When I get to work, I have my vitamins around 10:00.

Be careful with herbal concoctions, as they can affect your thyroid levels.

I bought a book by Mary Shomon. It has plenty of good info, but I get tired of her attitude. She seems to have a chip on her shoulder that she can't seem to brush off. LOL

I also find the best info at webmd dot com.

My doctor told me that getting your thyroid back at the level it is supposed to be is like walking up stairs. Each day you take a pill, which is like taking a step toward your proper level. The meds act as building blocks. So taking them each day is important. He told me that if I miss a day, that's like taking a step down the staircase, lowering my level. So, if I miss a day, I take two the next day to keep my level up.

It wasn't until I did my own research that I found out that so many things (dry hair, brittle nails, cold hands & feet, etc.) that were troubling me were symptoms of my thyroid. Finally! At least I could understand what was going on with myself! I really wasn't crazy . . . well . . . not as crazy as I thought. LOL

sli · 04-12-2006, 11:57 PM

I was told that I could not take two in one day if I missed one. You said that you do and that doesn't bother anything?
Because every once in a great while I do or have forgotten and I feel like total crap when I do.

Misti in Seattle · 04-13-2006, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ms. Shapen

I
I bought a book by Mary Shomon. It has plenty of good info, but I get tired of her attitude. She seems to have a chip on her shoulder that she can't seem to brush off.

LOL I agree completely! I bought the book too as I had heard so many raves about it; but it seemed to me that she and her followers had a real tendency to whine and say everything wouldn't work and your doctor doesn't know what s/he is talking about, etc. Hmmmmm guess I need to put that thing back on eBay where I got it LOL

Ms. Shapen · 04-13-2006, 09:04 AM

SLI: Yep, I've taken more than one at a time. I think that if doing that bothers you, you could take one, wait an hour or so and take the second one. Or you could take 1 1/2 one day and 1 1/2 the next day to get the benefits of three full days' worth of the medicine.

Misti: Thanks for letting me know that I wasn't imagining Shomon's attitude.

I remember reading her book and thinking, Okay, get over it.

PS for new hypothyroid patients: Just wait until your meds need adjusting while you are in peri-menopause with PMS. Now, THAT is a ride!

QuilterInVA · 04-13-2006, 12:19 PM

My doctor also told me not to take 2 in one day. Too much at once can lead to a heart attack - that is the same reason they have to slowly increase the dosage until they get to the right one for you.

Misti in Seattle · 04-15-2006, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ms. Shapen

Misti: Thanks for letting me know that I wasn't imagining Shomon's attitude.

I remember reading her book and thinking, Okay, get over it.

LOL same here... I thought... "YOU be that negative if you want! I am going to remain positive and work through this!!"

in Seattle