I was recently diagnosed with low thyroid and am now on my 8th treatment they say it will take 3 - 6 months, 2X a week to normalize hormone function, I am also using Chinese herbal medicine, some black vile liquid taken 3X a day. I am two weeks into my regime and have noticed so far that the puffiness / water retention I had in my face is gone.
Here is a thought: , that menopause/hormones/low thyroid are all inter-connected. It would not surprise in that so many of the symtoms are the same. If they are then there is a definite epdemic out there with the baby-boomers
http://www.rense.com/general66/thy.htm
Focusing on women for a moment, if going through menopause, the BTT may read normal even if you have low thyroid... because temps run a little high and fluctuate with regard to women so effected. Also many low thyroid & menopausal symptoms are the same! Consequently, one might try treating the menopause first with natural progesterone or a combo progesterone/estrogen ...if after a while you still have the symptoms, most likely you do have low thyroid, which you can then have a Doctor treat. If you then get your thyroid hormones in balance it will give you the *zip* you need to breeze through the menopause...one effects and/or exacerbates the other.