[Aurora]

So, last fall, I gained about 10-15 lbs. I was feeling pretty sluggish and not watching my eating. The gain, along with a realization that I COULD lose weight if I counted calories AND worked out consistently helped me to lose the new weight, along with another 30 lbs. I stalled at my current weight about a month ago, but I'm still working hard.

Then I had a blood screener for cholesterol at work. It showed elevated cholesterol. That didn't make sense - I've never had high cholesterol, and I think I already follow a low cholesterol diet (barely eat meat, never eat red meat, and have oatmeal for breakfast every day). I made an appointment with my doctor for a physical, hoping to find out that the screener was wrong.

The nurse called on Friday. My total cholesterol is elevated, but my LDL and HDL are healthy. And I have hypothyroidism. Ugh. Which causes high cholesterol. And it explains what happened last year. In a way I guess I'm lucky - the gain made me realize I wanted to be healthier, and I KNOW that I can control my weight, thyroid problem or no. But I'm not pleased that I'll have to take a pill every day for the rest of my life, and get regular blood tests to make sure that my hormone levels are correct. Most of all, I don't want to let this become an excuse for me to be less than I can be.

Sorry that was so long. I'm just.... UGH!

[LotusMama]

Aurora:

I am not a 20-something (ah, if only), but I am hypothyroid so I wanted to respond. I was diagnosed as hypothyroid five or six years ago. It requires being extra vigilent with exercise and diet, but I find that it has had very little impact on my life, except when my hormone level is off and my meds need to be adjusted. I read a statistic that indicated that hypothyroidism is very common among women, many of whom don't even know they have it.

You will be fine, just follow your doctor's instructions and forge ahead!

J

[cormandy62442]

I agree with the above... I was just diagnosed not even a month ago and immediately put on synthriod. It sucks, especially having to take a daily pill for the rest of your life -- and I'm *horrible* at taking daily pills! But in the 3 weeks that I've been on this pill I feel like a totally different person. I'm more active, I've already lost 10 pounds, and I feel like I'm on my way to being a healthier me.

[Aurora]

Thanks, J and Cormandy

I'll just cross my fingers that I really wind up with more energy!

[HeaterAS]

((hugs)) also a hypothyroid here pretty recently diagnosed. I felt the same way you did about having to take a pill the rest of my life. But honestly I don't even think about it right now. And I don't use it as an excuse anymore. If anything it made me more aware of my health and the power I have over it.

[sunflowergirl68]

Well I have no thyroid (had it taken out due to cancer) and that happened april 2007... and just NOW are my meds at the correct dosage. What your doctor is going to do every 3-6 months is get your blood drawn and measure your TSH, T3 and T4 levels, to see how the meds are working, and if they're not at the right levels, either increase your dosage or lower it. I started at 137 mcg and am now at 350 mcg. Some people need more Synthroid than others.

one more thing, DO NOT GET GENERIC SYNTHROID! It's one of the three medications in which the pharmaceutical generic isn't the same. It's cheaper, sure, but it's not the same and I don't even know why they make a generic for it.